hurricane matthew

Frè Jacques

We’re taking time to introduce some staff members our American friends might not know, as of yet. One of them is Frè Jacques.

We welcomed Frè Jacques on staff in 2016. He worked with us from 2016-2018 and rejoined our staff in June of 2023. He also worked for Haiti Awake as a contractor after Hurricane Matthew and the earthquake fo 2021. Haiti Awake is so grateful for his return and all the contributions he has made in the past year.

Currently, Frè Jacques tutors our students and helps them with their homework and studying, as well as helping in the classroom. As a contractor after natural disasters, Frè Jacques helped build homes and repair other structures for people in Haiti. His hard work has been invaluable to our relief efforts in years past.

Frè Jacques is married to Sè Cilotte, and they are very active members of EEGC. Frè Jacques serves on the church executive committee.

Frè Jacques in very gifted in construction. This has given him many heartwarming stories to share.

“One thing that touched me after the earthquake in 2021,” he shared. “I went with the Haiti Awake staff to the south of Haiti, and we visited a blind and crippled man. His house had fallen down while he was inside. Thanks to God he got out safe and well. The staff assisted him and rebuilt his house. In 2016 after Hurricane Mathew., we went to the south of Haiti (Cayes) where we met a family that lost their roof of their home to the wind, and they didn't have anywhere to go during the rain. They were soaked and that was touching deeply touching. We stepped in. We helped this family. I was so happy to participate in rebuilding this house with the support of Haiti Awake.”

Frè Jacques ability in construction has made such a positive impact on the lives of many people in Haiti. His love for others shows through the work he does for Haiti Awake.

We are thankful for his current role with Community Child Sponsorship and the impact he is making in young lives for God’s glory.

Lespwa Fè Viv (Hope Makes Life)

An image can tell more than a thousand words.

“As a photographer, I am bringing you more than one image and multiple words and making them a great story...”
— Louis Hudson

 

Life's companions are HOPE and FAITH in God. God is amazing everyday. He takes our prayers and gives us grace. We are so thankful for everything He has never stopped to provide in our lives, no matter what the circumstances.

We are in Haiti, at "Les Cayes," a place where the people have never stopped to be strong, to have faith, to struggle with life's obstacles, even after what Hurricane Matthew did to our beautiful countryside. According to the people who are living here, this place in Les Cayes is named "Gelee" where we are visiting and helping people who are in need. Gelee is a nice place where tourists would ever like to visit because of its natural, humid and fresh air nearby the beach.

Yes! You see "beach"? that's what I mean, a place to swim, to have fun and also to admire the marvelous sunset.

It's also a place where parents use their knowledge in fishing to earn their daily bread, to educate their children and maybe save some money for tomorrow. We also have farmers, vendors... different people who are using the natural resources to survive and try to gain a life.

Now they are facing a very bad situation where they can't even sleep without to have to think and fear about rain because most houses were touched and broken by the hurricane. Some people have lost almost everything, pets, house, garden... but God preserves their life.

They are still optimistic and do believe that there will always be a way that God will use to take care of his children and God does so.

This is Part 1 of a 5 part series we will share this week.    More tomorrow...

#haiti #haitiawake#glwapoubondye #thegospel #hurricanematthew  #prayforhaiti

It's a New Week

It was so hard (seeing the devastation in Les Cayes last week). Most of the people are homeless. They don’t know when they will have a new house. They lost everything. It is so hard for them when it is raining. They can’t even stand under a tree . . . because there is no tree.
— Polo

The men will leave early tomorrow morning to travel from Port-au-Prince to Jeremie, and by Tuesday evening they hope to be in Les Cayes again.  Current plans include food distribution and repair work on the church where they will continue working with Pastor Joseph Jeneve Delpeche, Mission Eglise Baptiste Sud d'Haiti.  


 

Specific prayer points for the week:

1.     Pray for the safety of our men as they travel.  People are getting desperate out on the peninsula, and desperate people do desperate things.     

Psalm 4:8:  'In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, Lord, make me dwell in safety."

2.     Pray for God-ordained, Gospel opportunities that point people to the true hope of Jesus Christ.    

2 Corinthians 4:18:  "As we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen.  For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal."

3.     Pray for the men to be able to find the supplies that they need at a reasonable price.      

Psalm 90:17: "Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us, and establish the work of our hands upon us; yea, establish the work of our hands!" 

4.     Pray for the vehicle they are driving to run smoothly and clear the roads ahead of them as they go.       

Psalm 40:2  "He drew me up from the pit of destruction, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure."

5.     Pray for Americans to continue to have a heart of generosity toward the Haitian people and not be overcome with compassion fatigue.        

James 2:15-16:  "If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, 'Go in peace, be warmed and filled,' without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that?"


 

I'll end with some photos from last week. Daily updates might be hard this week because Jeremie is more remote than Les Cayes, but we will update Facebook and Instagram as we can.  

Please continue to pray for Haiti.  The road ahead will be a long, difficult one.