Recently someone asked, “Have they finished clean-up in Haiti after the earthquake?” A fair, legitimate response to that question could be “Which earthquake?” because Haiti has never recovered from the earthquake of January 12, 2010. Now southern Haiti is facing the devastation of a second earthquake on August 14, 2021.
Source of Life has been able to offer help to more than one area. First, because of generous donors who added to Guerby’s small savings, he and a group of trusted friends were able to buy and package life-sustaining products that were sent to the area of Les Cayes in southern Haiti. Guerby is one of the older boys in our children’s home; you can read more about his fundraiser in our August 25th blog.
Source of Life also received a gift of $5000 from a donor who wishes to remain anonymous. The target for those funds was an easy decision: the church in Lamondrit, which is in the heart of the area where the most recent earthquake struck as well.
How is SLM related to the Lamondrit church?
In 1998, years before Source of Life Ministries was founded, Jacques Merine and his wife Marie wanted to help Jacques’ brother Jean Erol who was pastoring a group of people who had converted to Christ and were meeting in a field. Jacques began speaking at churches in the Gettysburg area where he lived, hoping to raise funds to build a church. God miraculously led, and the church was built. Jean Erol (who was murdered in 2012) oversaw the building process. That building has stood strong through two earthquakes, but the homes surrounding the church crumbled.
Pastor Bernadin’s Plan
The congregation at Lamondrit is now led by Pastor Bernadin, and the plan he developed to use the donated money is amazing. We’ve all heard the phrase “stretching pennies” used to refer to an extremely frugal person. Pastor Bernadin stretched $5000 to bless 191 people! Each one was given the choice of receiving either food or a small amount of money to buy metal to make a roof. Many chose metal because recently it has been raining almost every day in southern Haiti, and families need shelter! There have been reports of 22 people being killed by lightning in just one day. So the desire was clear: to provide food and shelter for families until they could begin to rebuild homes for their families.
Passing out the “envelopes” & Packing Food
A Vision Beyond Lamondrit
Pastor Bernadine and the congregation chose to reach beyond the homes in their small village. In fact, they walked for hours to the mountain village of Chantal, an area where no other ministry or organization would reach.
Grateful Thanks
On behalf of the people of Lamondrit and Chantal, Haiti, Source of Life Ministries extends our gratitude to the group who opened their hearts and gave to bless our brothers and sisters who are in desperate need!
Jesus taught a lesson in Matthew 6 about giving to the needy. He said,
“Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven. 2 Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 3 But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.”
We know that the Father has seen your gifts and will continue to reward you!