Haiti

We just confirmed with YWAM that our hoped-for dates for travel to Haiti will work.  There's one more formal step but that should be done very soon.

That's news to some of you, so let me break it down.  YWAM is a mission-oriented group that has been in St. Marc, Haiti for 20+ years.  They have an amazing ministry strategy that addresses both spiritual and social problems.  My wife went in May with them on a medical team and was blown away.  This trip will help build a house in Haiti for a family who has been living in a tent since January.  Why in the world would we participate in such a thing?

Consider...

A debt-free home helps leverage families out of poverty, even breaking a generational cycle of poverty.

A child who lives in a home is three times more likely to attend school and will, on average, attend two years longer.

Trading a concrete floor for a dirt floor reduces incidence of recurring diarrhea by more than 40%.

Families in permanent structures are free to dream about the future.


There are three ways you can be involved.  Consider all of them.

First, you can go.  Although this trip is generated by the church I serve as pastor, Heritage Park, we are partnering with another church in Houma, LA and also have at least one crazy person from Oklahoma committed to go who's not a member of either church.  I even have two neighbors considering going with me.

Second, you can give.  Building the concrete house is a $3000 endeavor, over and above any trip-related expenses.  Anything we don't raise for the house we will divide among team members.  If you want to jump on board, our church is collecting the money.  Send a check to Heritage Park (address at bottom of page) with "Haiti" in the subject line.  My wife has also taken up a project of taking pictures for families on a donation basis to raise money for the house (info here).

Third, you can pray.  Haiti remains one of the darkest spots in the western hemisphere.  Relieving suffering and doing good in Jesus' name will not push back the darkness alone.  Prayers lobbed from Illinois and California and Waco and West Palm Beach will put the enemy on notice and hopefully to flight.  Thanks in advance.

If you want any information on any of the above, please email me:  trent at heritage park dot org.  (I had to spell it out so spammers don't sweep this page and send me a bunch of junk)