As we reflect on the Lord’s goodness in the past year here at Aid For Haiti (AFH), we want to say thank you. We are grateful for your partnership with us in the work of the gospel. We also want to give you an update of what’s been going on in the past year and what we have planned in 2014.
In January we purchased three acres in an area in the Grand Valley south of Petit-Goave (you can read more at www.aidforhaiti.org/a-home-for-aid-for-haiti ). It was obtained to serve as a place for staff to live, a reliable depository for medications, a safe place to leave supplies and will be used in future endeavors. I’m pleased to report that we’re making great progress on making the land useable. We have a well drilled and operational, a driveway cleared, the land secured with a very respectable fence, and have started a house for staff.
The year also included our standard medical and surgical trips. In addition to seeing hundreds of patients, we were able to repair hernias and do other corrective surgeries on 50 people free of charge. We appreciate volunteers who make these trips possible – nurses, CNAs, pharmacists, surgeons, physicians and untrained people who want to help. In May, I went with a team near the eastern border and am always amazed at how God brings us the patients we can help, either with medicine or with the gospel.
In 2013, we continued our Christian leader training (SLE) events for pastors, elders and men who are leaders in some of the local churches in Haiti. In Fond Douze during August, we had our biggest seminar week yet with over 80 men from all over the southern portion of Haiti in attendance. Each of the men who complete the course, receive a special certificate and photo of participants. What a special time to be with brothers in Christ as we studied His Word together and learned about New Testament principles (you can read more at www.aidforhaiti.org/causes/pastortraining)
So, that was 2013. Let’s look forward to 2014
We have four medical trips planned as well as two surgical trips in the coming year. With each trip we have needs. Most obvious is the need for people to go and work in the mobile clinics as we seek to help our brothers and sisters in remote areas of Haiti. Less obvious may be the need for funds to pay for the medicines which we give out for free and the supplies we take. Did you know that for about $100, you can pay for an entire operation in Haiti?
We have an urgent need to finish the building on the land. We’ve got a couple of building trips planned in February and March to complete the house as our borrowed space is quickly coming to an end. If you have time and desire to help, just let us know.
We will continue our Christian leader training seminars in 2014; the first one is scheduled on the north end of the island, January 18-22, in Jean Rebel. These trips continue to be a blessing as we see men grow in their walk with the Lord. We plan to help these brothers in the coming year share the gospel with their own people during our medical teams.
One new thing we are planning for 2014 is community health evangelism programs in the area of our base. Once the house is complete, Virginia Rudolph will be leading an effort to teach local women about basic health, while providing the message which brings spiritual health – the gospel.
Another thing we want to accomplish in 2014 is better communication with you! Plan on getting more regular updates and/or prayer requests. We want you to be a part of what God is doing in Haiti through AFH.
Finally, we realize some of you choose to give financially at the end of the year. We are grateful for any gift you chose to give and desire to be good stewards of all contributions (you can give online at www.aidforhaiti.org/donate or mail a donation to the address on the website). We would ask that if you don’t give financially, that you would do the most important work – pray. Ask God to work in His people in Haiti and to glorify His name through us at AFH. We realize it is AFH – All For Him!
For the board,
Caleb Trent, MD
AFH Chair
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