Grace 2 Haiti Update and Upcoming Mission Trip
As most of us know, in July of 2021, Haiti’s President was assassinated in his home. Since that time Haiti has been plagued by unrest and violence. The country is largely run by gangs at this time. Kidnappings and ransom demands are commonplace. Many Haitians are leaving Port Au Prince, where the conditions are the worst, and fleeing to the countryside. The villages where Grace 2 Haiti have been active, Luly and Williamson, are swelling with people coming in from Port Au Prince. Many of the Haitian staff and community members that we have gotten to know over the years are now hosting additional family members in their meager homes.
Because of the unsafe conditions, we must delay any trips to Haiti until the conditions on the ground become safe. We still have a love for Haiti and for the Haitian people, along with a desire to serve them. It is important to note that the programs on the ground that we are supporting are still active. World Wide Village is supporting and operating schools. The Healthy Mothers/Healthy Babies program is thriving. The wells that we helped dig are providing 56,000 gallons of clean, safe drinking water every month. There are also 25 students sponsored in the sewing program by the Robin’s Nest Foundation that was set up by the Zupon’s and other members of Grace. The programs that we support are not just continuing, but even growing and serving more Haitians. If you would like more information or to provide support for these important programs during these critical times, please visit, https://worldwidevillage.org/.
Even though we are unable to go to Haiti, we still feel it is important to provide in-person outreach on an international level through our church. We have identified another organization, Bold Hope, which we will be partnering with for our 2023 mission trip. Haiti also holds a special place in the hearts of members of the Bold Hope organization. Bold Hope started their mission work in Haiti in 2010 and expanded into other countries starting in 2019. This is one of the reasons why we feel Bold Hope is a good fit for us to continue our mission work.
We will be traveling to Belize with Bold Hope from March 11th to the 17th. We will be working and staying in an ocean side village and assisting with the construction of a community center and spending time with the children in school. The specific details of our activities will be finalized as we work together to prepare for the trip. This mission trip is multi-generational, and we would love to have you join us on this new endeavor. We will be having an informational meeting about this trip at 6:00PM on Wed., August 10th.. Feel free to also visit BoldHope.org or contact Greg and Lori Ackerson or Anna Welle for more information.
