An Enjoyable End of the Year

I decided to spend the holidays teaching in Haiti, to help the translation students get up to par since they have missed several classes. After church on Sunday, Dec. 18 I left for Haiti, and on Monday morning found students eagerly lined up for class. We spent four days from 8:30 AM to 4:00 PM working together pausing at noon for lunch. The emphasis was on French/English translation but we also had some Spanish instruction by Professor Durony Durosier. The Spanish language has been imposing itself in Haiti since the earthquake. Some of our translation students are now studying in the Dominican Republic.

 

Almonie Bernadin

As the students begin to open up and tell their stories, I discover that many of them are heroes. Almonie Bernadin lost her parents when she was very young. Raised by relatives, she was subjected to forced labor in order to survive. She succeeded in graduating from high school and now is enrolled at the Institute of Translation while also studying business. Vital Jesius is another hero. Although orphaned, he does not want to give up. He is trying to complete his high school studies and has enrolled at the institute. The list could go on and on. I find it enjoyable to train these courageous students. They are worthy of support and I hope someone will sponsor them.

 

I am very fond of helping people like them. In my pursuit to have an enjoyable time, I traveled to my hometown on my birthday to visit less fortunate people. That day I was determined to do something for others instead of being served by others. I truly enjoyed the trip. See, life is like a candle; unless it burns to help others find their way in life, it is worthless.

 

On the next day (the 27th), a group of six Americans led by David Jones came to help in the mission. It was a blessing. A pregnant woman who was about to give birth had eclampsia and had to be taken right away to a larger hospital where Dr. Maxene was on duty. Two of the team members, David and TJ, helped me transport her. She now has a healthy baby girl and is doing well. Life is precious.

I feel that my time of service at the end of the year was very fulfilling and enjoyable. My health is coming back slowly and steadily. I thank God for the prayers and support of our brothers and sisters. May God grant you a wonderful and prosperous New Year!

On a mission trip to Alaska in 2006 to visit the Palmer Christian Church in Palmer, Alaska, my group was introduced to Haitian Christian Mission. The following year we were fortunate enough to meet Etienne Prophete at the National Missionary Convention in Tulsa, Oklahoma. We are thankful for the relationship we have had with Etienne and HCM ever since. At that same convention we had the opportunity to talk to Kids Against Hunger, IDES and Lifeline Christian Mission. Kids Against Hunger is a food packaging organization, IDES funds emergency service projects, and Lifeline frequently ships containers of food and other resources to Haiti and elsewhere. That weekend a plan came together to supply Haitian Christian Mission with food for the children of Haiti. Since that meeting the youth and families at Landmark Christian Church in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin have been responsible for sending 900,000 rice meals and 16,000 lbs of peanut butter to Haiti - supplying life saving nutrients to the those in need.  

On January 2, 2012 a dream of a small group from Landmark became reality when we landed at the airport in Port-au-Prince ready to be the hands, feet and voice of Jesus Christ. We spent the next ten days being amazed at the ministry of HCM and the leadership of Etienne Prophete. The hospitality of the staff in Fonds Parisien was spectacular.

We had the opportunity to be involved in many different outreaches. We spent some leisure time with the children that visit the HCM compound daily to play soccer or just to hang out. We visited half a dozen villages to do a short VBS program and to distribute rice, peanut butter and clothing. We were involved in two home construction projects as we had been blessed with extra funds that were used to pay for roofs for those two homes. We were introduced to the children at the Wholehearted Orphanage who were the most polite children we have ever run across! We spent a day visiting Lifeline Christian Mission and touring their compound. That gave us a chance to thank them for their part in getting the food we have supplied to HCM delivered. We traveled to the Central Plateau town of Cange to visit and tour the Clinique Bon Sauveur which I considered to be a true slice of heaven in Haiti!

While at the clinic in Cange we ran across a small Medika-Mamba production unit. Medika-Mamba is a super fortified peanut butter based food that can restore a severely malnourished child back to health in as little as 6 weeks. Etienne showed an interest in establishing a Medika-Mamba production site at HCM. We pray that if he makes a final decision to do so, our group at Landmark Christian Church can partner with HCM and others to fund the necessary equipment and ingredients to prepare this life-saving food.

If you have considered a mission trip to Haiti, I encourage you to partner with the ministry of HCM. The three adult males and six college-age women that were a part of this group have been changed forever by our time at HCM. Many from this group are already talking about their next trip to HCM! One hopes to do a summer internship with HCM, another is being called to teach in Haiti and another has a heart to see the new orphanage move forward.

It was an amazing ten days of seeing God at work in Haiti!

Serving an Awesome God,

Mike Cohoon

Click here to view more of the team's photos on the HCM Facebook page.

The mission has grown tremendously since the earthquake and that is due in large part to our supporters'  committed giving.  This year alone the HCM clinic saw over 47,000 patients.  Nearly 1,700 healthy babies were born there.   The churches reported 642 baptisms.  We held our first education conference, as we strive to raise the level of learning in our schools.  All of this, along with the day to day struggle of life, has left us with some very large needs. 

With each sponsor giving an extra $30 this month as a love offering, HCM would be able to pay off debt from containers that have been graciously sent carrying all kinds of  humanitarian relief, equipment and supplies.  It would also allow us to continue repairs to schools and to build new desks and chalkboards for our classrooms and new benches for our churches.  Your gift will not only help your child, but will benefit the community where he or she lives.  Please make the choice to send a Valentine that reaches hundreds.  For the price of a meal out with your family you can make a difference for so many families in Haiti.