The 2019 Hope in Haiti benefit dinner and cultural event is kicking off Wednesday night, 09/25/19! Don’t forget to come with minds ready to learn, stomachs ready to eat, and hearts ready to love on some very special friends of ours.

If you need a reminder of what this is all about, see the video below for a fresh look at the needs and the plans for change

See you there!

Water could be the most important gift you give this year. And giving it could not be easier!

Hope in Haiti is excited to be part of this year’s Walk 4 Water event at Lake Tye Park in Monroe, Washington on Sunday, May 19.
Come and walk with us in support of the beautiful people of Savane Brule, Haiti, who have to walk long distances every day to get the water they need for daily living.
Come and see pictures what God is already doing through this ministry, and the wells Walk 4 Water has already put in other villages!
Come and meet some of Hope in Haiti’s board members and fellow supporters!
Come and be part of this great thing that God is doing! You won’t regret it!

Registration ends on Sunday May 12th, so REGISTER NOW! If you don’t register, you can still come and join us, but you won’t get to have one of our sweet T-shirts!

See you there!

Saving lives isn’t exactly a walk in the park. Except when it is.

We are excited to announce that Hope in Haiti is partnering with our friends at Crosswater Community Church of Sultan WA to raise money for a life-changing, life-saving well for the people of Savane Brule, Haiti. It’s called WALK 4 WATER, and it is as easy as it sounds. We are raising money via donations and sponsored walkers to be able to put in a well for the desperately poor people in this village who have become dear to our hearts.

Did you know that dirty water is one of the primary sources of fatal diseases in developing nations like Haiti? And that it is a HUGE problem for marlaria outbreaks, like the one that happened in Haiti in 2010? Did you know that a neighborhood with no well means that women and children spend hours of their day just finding, hauling, and boiling water, rather than studying, working a business, or tending their land.

That’s why clean water from deep wells make such an incredible difference in the community! Join us in bringing this amazing blessing to Savane Brule!

When: Sunday May 19th 2-4pm
Where: Lake Tye Park, Monroe WA
Why: To raise funds to build a well in Savane Brule
Who: Anyone can come!
How: Register now or donate at www.crosswaterchurch.org/walkforwater

Dear Friends,
I wanted to keep you updated on the things I hear from Haiti that you will never hear in the news.  Early Thursday morning I got a phone call from Pastor Louinet.  He said that all of Dessalines was in an uproar.  Many police were there and were trying to catch the gang or bandits that have been known to be in that area.  As we talked I could hear the popping of guns over the phone.  One man was killed, several police took bullets, but the ‘bandi yo’ got away and are somewhere on the trail between Post Piwo and Kawo.  This is the same trail that we and our teams take when hiking into the mountains of Kawo.  Folks are afraid to come down the mountains trails to market to sell their goods.  

Please pray for protection for our friends in Haiti. As of yesterday there was a road block near Dessalines and a Security Alert placed by the US embassy.  We still have not been able to take a team in and are unsure as to when this will be possible.  Also pray that the church will be strengthened as there is still much unrest in Haiti.

Your prayers mean so much.  Thank you and many blessings to each of you.

Dixie 

Dear friends,

A team of 9 is scheduled to leave Seattle at 9:10 PM February 17th, Sunday night. We are almost packed and ready to go.  Our plan is to climb the mountains into the remote Kawo hamlet where our school building stands, updating children’s information and do some construction work

However…

Last Sunday Pastor Louinet asked if we could change our tickets for another time, as the entire country is having many demonstrations, tire burning, rock throwing riots, and some have even been killed. It’s all due to the discontent with President Jovinel Moise, whom they want to step down. It has gotten so bad that the airport has been closed, all schools in the entire country are closed, public transportation is shut down, and the Haitian dollar has fallen 15% more to an all-time low making things extremely expensive in the country.  Everyone has been told to buy food and stay in their houses.

I then contacted several American friends in Haiti and have been told the same things.  One of our friends who picks us up at the airport can’t even drive out of the town of Dessalines because of the demonstrations.  The main highway north to south is blocked in numerous places and dangerous.  Another friend in Port says the danger is increasing and now looting has begun.  Another friend trying to return to Haiti could not be picked up at the airport as planned, so reboarded a plane back to the states. Another friend could not return to Haiti as the airport is now shut down.

I think you are getting the picture.  I haven’t canceled the tickets yet (and yes there will be probably be a huge fee for 9 of us, unless the airport is still closed), but it seems like right now we won’t be going.  Disappointing, but I feel an enormous responsibility to the team. 

Please pray for the country of Haiti.  If you want to know specific details as to the details of the uprising, go to the US Embassy Haiti website, or follow Haitian news on the internet.  Please pray for your sponsored child and their families.  This is a difficult time for everyone. 

Thank you, thank you for your love and support of the Haitian people.

Kè Bondye beni w.
-Dixie

Dear friends,

We’ve been home several days now and my head is beginning to know what day it is again.  We all thank you so much for your support and for your prayers throughout our most recent trip, and constantly as we do the work we are called to. 

I’m struck once again with the realization that each of us have a story, and each person we interact with in Haiti has theirs.  God’s love knows no bounds and is free for all.  It reaches beyond color, rich or poor, and all cultures.

I am honored to be a part of this ministry and watch God working in and through others.  Our team was fantastic working tirelessly and ‘roughing’ it in Haiti.  They made me so proud and thankful! Many blessings to them!  Special thanks to Joel from Global Training Network for his words of encouragement and wisdom. His years of investing in Haiti have produced a harvest of maturity and personal growth for so many.

And what an experience having a medical team put on a clinic for the people of Dessalines and Nan wo! We are forever grateful.

None of the impact Hope in Haiti has could ever be without our supporters and partners in prayer. So thank you, thank you, thank you! I pray you will be richly blessed because of your investment in Haiti

Dixie & Team

Saturday Noon:

Joel finished his teaching today with the men and women. There were over 100 people and he said that the teaching was well received.

He taught on spiritual growth and was greatly encouraged. These pastors and leaders in Haiti will forever be grateful for Joel Madson and his years of teaching here in Nan wo. He will not be forgotten.

Saturday Night:

We worked at the orphanage clinic all day seeing about 160 patients. Again, each patient was prayed for before seeing the doctor. We are all very tired tonight, but glad that so many people could be seen by the doctor. My head is ‘fatige’ (Creole for “tired”) after translating all day.
Tomorrow after church we will be doing a clinic here in Nan wo rather than at the Dessalines orphanage.

We are running out of medications and considered not continuing, but decided we can make it work. We continue to see many fungal problems as the most predominant issue, but there are also some very strange things.

It is amazing to see this team of people working tirelessly to serve these people. We go to bed early and rise the early morning sounds of Haiti.

Sunday Morning
Our day began with 4 baptisms. We walked down the dusty road a short distance and then down to the small river. Four women had chosen to be baptized near a tree designated for Voodoo. The power of light is so much stronger than the power of darkness.

Sunday Noon

This morning, Joel got to speak at church in Haiti, and it was so good, I had to take notes… Enjoy
This was Joel’s tenth time here. He is such an encourager. He spoke this morning on Hebrews 11 and 12. Chapter 11 – it is impossible to please God without faith. Chapter 12 – Therefore since se are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses – saints that have lived before us. They are cheering us on in our faith. We are in a race called ‘Life’. We need to finish strong in the race. Joel had Mike and Harley race in the church and had people cheer them on. Mike won! Then he gave Mike a large, heavy rock and had them race again. Harley won! The people loved it!
Three points:
1. Let us throw off everything that hinders and entagles us…… The rock represented sin entagling him.
2. Let us run with endurance…. It’s your race and no one else’s. Run your best.
3. Fix your eyes on Jesus….eyes on the finish line. Read His word every morning, pray. Jesus is waiting for you at the finish line.
Joel then shared about his dying father and how he thanked him for fighting the good fight and finishing the race well. He was holding his father’s hand and he quietly died.
Such an encouraging word!

As always, we got to be part of the amazing Haitian worship and singing too, followed by a terrific meal.

Monday morning:

Today is a travel day!
After cleanup and repacking this morning, we headed to the beach. It’s a first for us, but we are actually going to spend the night here at the beach and then head to the airport in the morning. We are one tired group and this is a well deserved Haitian vacation for the team. What a great team this has been!

Tuesday Morning:

Back in Miami safe and sound. All good things must come to an end. The team has split up and everyone heading our separate ways home. Such a fantastic team to work with.
Thank you for holding us up in prayer. Please continue to hold Pastor Louinet up. He has huge responsibilities.
-Dixie

Wednesday morning:

We all met up in Miami this morning to board flight to Port au Prince. A special delight for me was to unexpectedly see Asher, my son, on our same plane out of Seattle. We ate breakfast with him in Miami before he flew on to Costa Rica to do some work with YWAM.

We still have miles to go!
-Dixie

Wednesday night:

We arrived just after dark. We set up our rooms and went to bed early. So much to do tomorrow!

Thursday morning:

Joel didn’t have to sleep with his fan this time.. They are having a “cold front” come in right now in Haiti! It is still humid and I’m sure it will still be hot during the day but not as hot. Praise God!! (via Kathy Madson)

The medical team and I (Dixie) went to the Ebenezer Glen Orphanage down the road and set up for the free medical clinic this morning. We saw everything, from plain old aches and pains to a girl with a case of anthrax(!), And everything in between..burns fungal problems, STDs, eye problems, you name it.
All told, Dr. Tim saw about 100 patients!

Meanwhile under shade of the famous Nan Wo mango tree, Joel spoke with men and women in a group training session, then Isaac and Karen led in some teaching. Karen even did a small drama, acting out a scene of sowing pumpkin seeds! There were close to 100 people.

Though all are invited, the conference is aimed towards current and future pastors. However, we learned that there has been a problem for the pastors trying to get to the conference. Those who come by motor bike or a vehicle have been delayed because Haiti is having huge gas shortage. Joel said in Port-au-Prince there were a mass amount of motor bikes lined up at the gas stations. (Via Kathy Madson)

Thursday Afternoon:

At the clinic, Dr. Tim and his team have begun working with the kids at the orphanage as well as the general public. Dr. Tim is joined by Mike, a businessman who is there to assist Dr. Tim, as well as the two nurses, Harry and Laurel. They are a great team, taking on many cases in a short amount of time. [Go to the end of this post if you want to see some of what they saw–Warning, it wasn’t all pretty].

Thursday night:

Joel is speaking at the Crusade in town tonight about not fearing the things of this world. Please pray that eyes will be opened and hearts receptive – Dixie

Friday morning:

When we arrived this morning people had been waiting for hours outside clinic. We are slammed. Harley is helping us and everyone in getting prayed for before seeing Dr. Tim. Mike, Harry, and Laurel are hard at work too!

It’s becoming apparent that fungal infections are a much bigger problem in this area than we expected. Folks with severe cases keep coming in to see Dr. Tim and his team. [Again, no pictures yet, keep scrolling if you want to see them]

This morning Isaac and Karen acted out the parable of the Good Samaritan. It was fantastic! Joel joined them in teaching from God’s Word. They had the translators help and people from the audience participate too! I only wish I could have been there.
-Dixie

Friday night:

We are at kwazad (Dessalines city square) tonight. Joel is speaking about being ready for the return of the Lord Jesus, using the parable of the five virgins and their lamps. Joel implored the believers to live ready and active for Christ, and gave an invitation to those who don’t follow Jesus to begin tonight. Worship was wonderful, hearing 1000 people raising their voices to the Lord, and seeing them raising their hands and dancing for joy.
-Dixie

More pictures from the first two days:

The team is assembling, and the time has come.

Tuesday morning, teachers and leaders from across the United States are joining Hope in Haiti for a week of training, encouragement, and outreach in Dessalines, Haiti.

This team from California, Washington, and Pennsylvania will meet up in Miami on January 8th and fly together into Haiti on the 9th.  Joel Madson, Isaac and Karen Howard will be holding a conference for men and women, many who walk hours down the steep trails from the mountains where they live hard lives amidst spiritual darkness.  An evangelical outreach to the area of Dessalines has already begun on the 6th and will continue for 8 days.  Joel will be speaking two nights to large crowds, sharing the good news to hurting people. Please be in much prayer for this gathering, that the good word would plant seeds that sprout to firmly grounded hope in Christ.

Dr. Tim is joining us once again and will be holding a medical clinic for all those willing to wait in long lines to be seen.  Laurel, Harry and Mike will be assisting him.  I, Dixie, will help where ever I can and Harley will be fixing everything. 

We need your prayers.  Haiti continues to be a place of unrest.  Travel can be difficult, food is different, hours long.  Thank you for remembering those who go to serve.

Dixie and Team

It must seem like a silly holiday to people outside the United States… people rushing to stores and buying, preparing, and serving huge amounts of food, then going out early the next morning to eagerly buy more and more things. And we call it Thanksgiving. Perhaps from an outsider’s perspective, we don’t properly know the meaning of counting our blessings and thanking God for them.

Today Hope in Haiti is counting our blessings as we once again look over the hundreds of smiles in photos from our most trip. We are thanking God as we receive gift after gift from you to pass on to the schools and their teachers. We are encouraged as we look back and see how the many children we’ve come to know have applied themselves, taken their opportunity for education, and begun to dream big. After visiting Nan wo and Savan Brule a few weeks ago, our hearts are full as we see what God has done and begin to envision what more He may yet do!

Thank you, kind friends, for being part of this ministry, sharing your time, your ideas, and your gifts. You mean the world to us. We count you as a blessing we could never do without.

Happy Thanksgiving, from all of us at Hope in Haiti.

-Brandon