June 2009

by Rev. Vernon Giesbrecht

The month of May saw two surgery teams visiting almost back to back, one from Miami, FL and another from Manhattan, KS. The hospitals represented have practically adopted our well-equipped Clinic and, in a concentrated period of time, again performed surgeries for which our Haitian medical staff is not trained. Lives have again been changed as debilitating health issues have been rectified. On the housing front, we are on track to build at least one home per month for a needy family. A Purdue University group spent a week doing various needed projects but mostly making a few thousand “signature” cement blocks used to identify a Double Harvest house in a village. Our school continues to provide an excellent education, Bible instruction, a daily nutritious meal and medical care to 460 students. Thanks to compassionate sponsors (at $30/mo/student) and a dedicated Haitian staff, a milestone will be reached at the end of June – the first Grade 13 class will be graduating!

Reliable electricity is key to the entire project. During another week, two board members and a group of electricians accomplished important changes and upgrades to the farm buildings and the Tilapia Project. This latest project is about ready for production with 30,000 fish in stock. Also, over the past months, almost all the greenhouses have been equipped with concrete ebb & flood floors, a unique concept in Haiti and a water-saving growing methodology. With all these efforts plus the regular production of the farm, our project is attracting the attention of government officials, agricultural people, other mission efforts, local schools and the media. With notoriety, however, comes responsibility. We pray that our influence will honor the God who graciously gives the opportunities.