August 20, 2010: The daily trek to Sous Savanne took two hours – most of it on congested Haitian streets and the last 30 minutes on a dirt and gravel road. Many times the daily rain would render the trail from the main road up to the village nearly impassable. Despite the heat, daily challenges and the long distances, the Hope Force Shelter Team succeeded in distributing all of the tents destined for this village in dire need. These specialized disaster relief tents are built to last several years, giving ample time for people to rebuild their permanent homes.
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“The earthquake completely destroyed our house,” remembers
Stephanie, a young lady from Sous Savanne, as she stands near the ruins of what once had been her family’s house. “We were scared and all of us ran out as quickly as we could. Nobody was hurt.” Now the cement floor is the only thing that remains of the home. Stephanie, her three-month old baby, and some brothers and sisters live in a small shelter cobbled together with tin and wooden poles. Now she has a new tent to help her and her child transition into what will hopefully be a brighter future.
Jack Minton, Hope Force Founder and Director, points to a successful mission due to several factors, “Despite the expected challenges with releasing the tents from Haitian customs, we were able to work diligently to see the tents delivered and set up for many families. Our partners in Haiti had completed a survey of the village which enabled us to prioritize those who had the most need. The logistics of transport and manpower came together effectively. The village itself mobilized with enthusiasm and
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worked long days to see the project through. We are very pleased to be able to help Sous Savanne in their recovery efforts following January’s earthquake.”
Daily tropical rains were a keen reminder of the struggles faced by the population in maintaining shelter and daily activities following the disaster. Now the village is dotted with spacious, white tents with good ventilation and ample lighting. Women, children, families and the elderly now have a tangible expression of Christ’s love for them and the care of people in other nations.
“The successful collaboration with the village leadership in seeing this project through has shown us that additional projects will be important to consider as we help them in their recovery efforts,” explains Jack. “
Joseph, the Community Leader, has indicated that clean water, electricity, and health care remain important priorities. In fact, they would like to see projects conducted to rebuild the church and also create a place for a medical clinic and school. The village has 364 families, so it is a substantial population even though it is spread out across the countryside.
“Our hearts are full as we look back over the past months since we first visited Sous Savanne and pledged our re
sources and assistance. I am grateful to each of our supporters who gave, prayed or participated to make this a successful endeavor. We will be posting additional updates on the Hope Force website as the project continues.”
Hebrews 6:10 reminds us that acts of compassion and mercy are taken very personally by God Himself. “God is not unjust. He will not forget your work, and the love you have shown Him as you help His people, and continue to help them….” It is our hope and prayer that we will be granted the privilege to continue to help the people of Sous Savanne.
Please pray for Hope Force, our staff and our Reservists as we bring an expression of Christ’s love to those in need. If you would like to make a donation to the ongoing work of Hope Force International in Haiti, please
click here. Thank you for helping us reach out to a world in need.
View the photo galleries from the Haiti Shelter Project:
