Haiti Aid Trip

We are less than a week away from Espwa Demen's aid trip to Haiti. We have been fundraising for the past month, held an outstanding trivia night, and made several supply orders from Amazon. Here is the total of what we've accumulated and what we will be doing throughout the two week aid trip.

Latrine and shower house

We received the full $2,000 that was needed to purchase materials and pay an architect to build a public shower house. This is absolutely vital for the health of the Chevry community as conditions have been less than sanitary with their growing displaced population.

The shower house will be built of block and covered with a sheet metal roof. It will be build in a central location adjacent to the Chevry church that we have been assisting to build. All of the displaced locals will have access to use this building.

Hand pump water well

Amazingly a last minute donation was gifted for the digging of a community water well! The $4,000 gift will be used to purchase all of the materials for the well, transport them to the digging location, and pay an architect to oversee the project. A group of local men have agreed to provide the labor needed to make this happen as their contribution.

This well will be able to provide enough clean water for the entire community. It will permanently fix their lack of water for drinking, cooking, and bathing! As it is the rainy season in Haiti, we are praying that digging will be able to take place in May and not have to be postponed until the dry season which starts the end of June.

Tents, tarps, and chargeable lights

We have collected 30 tents of various sizes that have been shipped in to Haiti via the Missionary Flights International cargo plane. They range from a 2 person tent to an 8 person tent. We sent 20 large tarps that can also serve as shelter. In addition 25 rechargeable lights were given.

These items will make a huge difference to families that have been sleeping out in the weather during this hot and rainy season in Haiti. We are so excited to be able to offer the small comfort of shelter to around 50 families. The tents and tarps will be included in our distribution kits and spread out amongst those in the greatest need.

Mobile clinic and medical supplies

Our dear friend and volunteer with our ministry Dr. Valery will be holding a mobile clinic along with nurse Keshna (who works with another missionary) in Boucan Carrè. We were able to gather donated medical supplies and medicines and ship them down to Haiti.

They will be seeing the community to treat minor illnesses, rashes, and injuries and check over all health. Being displaced, having trauma, and stress has taken a toll on so many. We hope this will bless the community and aid them in their transition to living somewhere that's not home.

Food and water provisions

With the additional donations that total around $1,000 right now the team will purchase food staples and filtered water to distribute to families in Chevry and Boucan Carrè. We plan to include; rice, beans, oil, eggs, vegetables, salt, sugar, coffee, etc in these kits.

The funds for these kits should make enough kits for over 100 families in dire hunger. While this is not a permanent solution to their nutritional needs, we hope that it will give the displaced enough food to survive until they find a new way to live.

Some are already creating small businesses helping weed gardens or reselling items bought in bulk by the piece. While the situation is incredibly sad, we are again remind how resilient the Haitian people are and have always been.

Remaining needs

We are amazed and so grateful for the way that these needs have been met in such a short time! While we have made it a long way towards meeting our fundraising goals for this aid trip, a few smaller needs remain.

$200 is needed for the vehicle rental to get all of the donated items that were shipped down to the area where the distribution will be held.

$200 is needed for motorcycle fuel for our team to get around for the two weeks of the trip.

$400 is needed to pay import taxes on our second cargo drop coming up next week.

We need to have separate funds for these needs in order to not cut into the money allotted to the food kits. If you are able to help you can give HERE.

PLEASE KEEP OUR TEAM IN YOUR PRAYERS FOR SAFETY THROUGHOUT THE TRIP AND FOR PRODUCTIVITY AND THAT GOD WOULD SUPERNATURALLY MULTIPLY TO MEET NEEDS!

GOD BLESS EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU AS YOU HAVE BLESSED ESPWA DEMEN AND THOSE IN NEED IN HAITI!