We are pleased to release our 2012 Report on Double Harvest’s Haiti work.  Click here to view.  (NOTE:  This high resolution brochure may take a few minutes to download over slower connections.)

Around midnight, Thursday, November 17, a group of six armed Haitian men attempted to either rob or abduct a visiting, volunteer mission team of 14 at our project.  Two of our guards were beaten and tied up.  In the incident, four of the men from the Oakbrook Church in Kokomo, Indiana were wounded.  One man jumped from a second story window of our accommodations to get help from our missionary and Haitian staff.  Police were called and the perpetrators were scared off after some gun fire exchange.  We praise God that no one was seriously or fatally wounded!

Our thoughts and prayers are with the Oakbrook Church mission team.  Each of the wounded was treated at a local hospital.  Arrangements were made to fly the team back to the U. S. by private jet.  All of them have returned home safely to their families.  Prayer and counseling have been arranged by the Church to help them process this traumatic experience.  We thank them for their partnership through former teams and their participation in a gospel outreach on this trip.  We applaud them for their bravery and faith through this experience.

The American Embassy and government officials were notified and are taking the incident very seriously.  We are trusting that the perpetrators will be apprehended.  We are also in consultation with officials regarding measures to increase our security at our project. Again, we ask you to keep the Kokomo team, our staff in Haiti, and the country in your prayers.

Sincerely,
John Van Wingerden
Chairman of the Board of Directors

Double Harvest is taking the Cholera outbreak in Haiti seriously. There is a possibility that this silent but preventable killer could reach our project and the surrounding community, located about 10 miles east of Port-au-Prince. Essentially a water-borne illness, the bacteria causes vomiting and diarrhea which, if not treated in time, results in extreme dehydration and eventual death. In response, our Medical Director, Clinic staff and our Project Administrator have implemented precautionary measures and education to guard against contracting the deadly bacteria. They have also stocked up on IV solutions at our Clinic in the event that cases need to be treated.

Implementing Precautionary Measures

Double Harvest Clinic Waiting Area

Double Harvest is taking the Cholera outbreak in Haiti seriously. There is a possibility that this silent but preventable killer could reach our project and the surrounding community, located about 10 miles east of Port-au-Prince. Essentially a water-borne illness, the bacteria causes vomiting and diarrhea which, if not treated in time, results in extreme dehydration and eventual death. In response, our Medical Director, Clinic staff and our Project Administrator have implemented precautionary measures and education to guard against contracting the deadly bacteria. They have also stocked up on IV solutions at our Clinic in the event that cases need to be treated.

Our students and patients have been instructed about the disease and asked to pass on the information to their families. It has been recommended that each student and teacher use hand sanitizers upon entry to the school grounds. All of our employees and patients have been urged to repeatedly wash their hands with soap at work and at home. Bad bathroom habits and proper use of latrines have been highlighted. Drinkable water from our wells is available to everyone for brushing teeth, washing and cooking. Where not available, instructions on the correct use of aqua tabs, chlorine and boiling water has been disseminated. We have insisted on clean food preparation and clean-up by our cooks.

Everyone has been urged to report anyone in their family or neighborhood who is vomiting or has diarrhea, and to take them to our Clinic or to a hospital. If in contact with that person, washing with chlorinated water is strongly recommended. In a country where normal hygiene is not always practiced, we are trusting that people will be conscientious and take the precautions seriously. In the meantime, we are praying for those in Haiti whose loved ones have been infected and/or died. Also, please join us in praying that the disease will be contained.

After two years of unsuccessful attempts to resolve tribal issues and land-use conflicts with the village of Pisak, the difficult decision was made to move Eden Keepers Farms from the farmland near Yei, South Sudan to Juba.  The greenhouse, water tower, and irrigation equipment was dismantled and packed into two land/sea shipping containers in preparation for relocation.  Dr. Nyikako has returned to Malakal, his ancestral village, to pursue a spiritual ministry there. 

We of Double Harvest continue to feel led to start an agricultural project in the area of Juba, South Sudan due to the lack of availability of affordable produce in that area.  Produce sold in Juba is imported from Kenya and Uganda and the prices are greatly inflated.  Currently, a head of cabbage costs the equivalent of $5 and a pound of tomatoes $3.  In pursuit of our goal, we have made numerous visits to Juba over the last 18 months and we want to share the progress that has been made toward the reestablishment of a productive vegetable farm in Sudan.

One major obstacle to this project is the acquisition of land.  There is very little individual private land ownership in Sudan.  The villages and tribes own the land and authority is vested with the chiefs and village elders.  We have met with five different villages around the Juba area but our lack of a local contact person to act as our trusted representative slowed our progress.  A breakthrough finally came in August of 2010 when we were contacted by Augustine Ladu.  Augustine is from a large family in Juba and is well connected to the surrounding villages and local tribe.  For the past year, Augustine has studied engineering and construction at the University of Ethiopia at Addis.  He helped to start the International Church Fellowship meetings at Genesis Farms.  Augustine was highly recommended by various members of the church and we were able to finally make his acquaintance during our visit to Juba in September 2010.

Upon our arrival in Juba, Augustine had three tracts of land to show us.  He had also arranged an appointment with the Minister of Agriculture and helped to formulate and register Genesis South Sudan Farms, LLC.  We entered into negotiations on 100 hectares of farmland on the Nile River about three miles from Juba.  On our last day in Juba, September 17th, we asked Augustine to take the position of General Manager and registered agent of Genesis South Sudan Farms, and he agreed.

We are thankful for God’s appointments and for the people He places strategically in our path at just the right time.  As we endeavor to undertake the daunting task of building a productive agricultural project in Juba, we sincerely ask for your prayers.  Please pray that Augustine will be able to secure equitable terms as he negotiates a land lease with the village elders.  In addition, prayer is needed concerning the referendum to be voted on January 6th regarding the status of South Sudan.

Bert and I are planning to return to Juba the last week of January 2011 and we are hoping that we will be able to put our feet on the ground and start growing vegetables.

Juba and the surrounding area is a difficult and distressed place, but there is much opportunity.  We rely on God.

Meeting with village chief and elders at one of the sites Augustine had scheduled for us

Looking at government land set aside for livestock research and development

Farmland available two miles from the Juba Bridge

Looking at farmland along the Nile River.  Augustine’s uncle is the village chief at this site

The Nile River at the farmland we are negotiating with the village to establish Genesis South Sudan Farms

Explaining and viewing the pictures at Genesis Farms in Ethiopia to the village chief

To view a video on Double Harvest-Haiti, click here.

We are pleased to release our Six Month Anniversary Report on Double Harvest’s Haiti Earthquake Response.  Click here to view.

The houses are being built with the recommendations of a well studied program.  We first had a presentation from our Board Members and then we had special training for our masons, and they were able to follow our instructions.  The way this work, Double Harvest provides the material, cement, rebar sand, wood, etc.  Labor, food is provided by the owner of the house.  The labor, or financial arrangement, is provided in different ways.  The Haitian community came up with a system of points.  For example, if a group come over to my house and does the laying of blocks, it’s considered 2 points per day for my house.  If it takes me 4 days, I have spent 8 points.  Then I need to repay those 8 points to a different house.  The lady of the house provides water and food for the laborers.  Not a bad system, it works.  We did create a small competition between the masons and the village of Dumay and Pierrou came up with the nicest houses.  The houses were judge based on timing, finishing, and decoration.  The winner got a free bicycle provided by Frank.  They will be delivered next Monday as all the masons will also receive a diploma of achievement.  They are all excited.

As you can see in the pictures we also had a chance to visit the fishermen village.  As usual, we are always welcome there, and the smile on the kids face shows how much they enjoy seeing us.  We bought them some close and as usual Baby Cora receives a little something special.

The bulldozer in the picture is just phase one on a nice soccer field that we will try to provide with the help of some friends soon to come.  The community is excited as the world cup soccer is coming soon and Haitians favorite sport is soccer.  Who knows, maybe some day a star will be born at Double Harvest.

Tom Van Wingerden may not be with us today but he will never be forgotten.  His elite staff lead by Cristmark and Creche will cherish this picture for ever.  Tom was a hero to them and up to today we remember all the great work and advice he was teaching us.  Today with the house project we still use a lot of his technical, the poles he sent 2 years ago that made us say “what are we going to do with all these poles”.  Well, today, we finally know why.  Obviously, Tom had this is in the plans.  We also understand what Johnny Howie had to do to fill all those containers every month with supplies that we still use today.  Anyway, all this to tell you, we are doing the best we can at Double Harvest but without your help, your prayers your advice none of this could happen today.

Thank you
Frantz

Bert Lemkes, representing the Double Harvest board and Genesis Farms attended the memorial service in Winterthur, Switzerland.  Here is a summary of his remarks made during the Memorial service on Wednesday April 7th, 2010.

Dear Marie Louise, Zahai and the other members of the Roschli family, and all other family and friends.

It was only in January this year that a group of Double Harvest visited with David in Awassa. It was another visit, so typical for all the previous ones, where it amazed all of us how David was keeping up the pace. Every time you could see on his gentle smile, that he had another idea that was being developed.

His concern was the health of his wife Marie-Louise. Little did we know what would happen?

Over the years, it must have been 1991, that I first met David and Marie Louise at Selam in Addis. I was visiting with the founder of Double Harvest, Aart van Wingerden. David and Aart had developed a special relationship, and over the years the other members of Double Harvest and Genesis Farms were blessed to be able to continue to build on this relationship.

When you would visit David at Selam Addis and later also in Awassa, you would meet a very special man, with an unbelievable drive to help Ethiopia. What attracted us so much was his very practical approach in all the projects he started. One visit David would tell you about the idea, the next visit you would see the “machine in motion”. Over the years we were able to work together on different agriculture projects, including the drip irrigation and the bucket system. We were looking forward to start another project in Awassa with David and the Awassa Business Group, and now will have to build this new activity on his legacy and example. The beauty of David was also that he believed in training, and we are excited and encouraged about the team in place in Awassa.

Here we are now, with sadness because of our loss, and joy as we are celebrating the home going of David. It is a great encouragement that the Bible gives us some verses that speak to our heart during these difficult times. We can be sad, but with the hope of the resurrection of Jesus, which we just celebrated this past Easter Sunday, it is a different sadness. Knowing that David is now in Heaven can be a comfort to all.

We will miss him, but also know that his desire would be for us to continue to help with the work in Ethiopia. May the Lord give you His strength in the days to come.

As Double Harvest’s main focus is agriculture we need to make sure that we do not lose focus despite the situation.  Agriculture, reforestation should be one of the main focuses for this country to assure their survival.  The people around Double Harvest have committed to do their part, so we will help them achieve that goal.

Just a little addition to the good day we had today.

Frantz

Medical.  Still busy,  surely not as busy as before but we are still working 24 hrs a day.  WE have delivered so many babies that we now have to be careful as cannot turn into a maternity ward.  Our latest situation came late afternoon yesterday.  This lady came to the clinic at 3:30 PM and by the time we were going to take a her a chair, the head of the baby was already out.  The baby was only 7 months old and came up with some complications.  Pretty severe actually.  I will not give you the medical term as I cannot spell it but I can tell you, I did not look good. No more detail.  We did manage to have the baby accepted and transferred to a different hospital but 24 hours later the baby passed away. 

Starting Friday, already one month since the earthquake, the government has ask for all businesses, banks, and organizations, to close their office for 2 days of grieving for the victims of the earthquake.  Next week Monday, Tuesday is a holiday scheduled for Mardi-Gras.  Of course there will not be such thing this year.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy the good news and the pictures. 

Frantz