As you know, since January 12th of last year, things have not been the same in Haiti. Ever since that date, we have been using all means available to help meet the needs of the people.
I recall how Franchette and I and some people from our Les Cayes church drove into Port au Prince just four days after the earthquake with supplies of large amounts of food like beans, rice, spaghetti, bread and water. When we arrived there, we realized the situation was much more serious than we had thought. We saw many dead bodies in the streets. Yet despite our hearts being full of grief, we visited refugee camps and distributed the items to thousands of people.
As well, we were truly overwhelmed with gratitude over the great outpouring of financial gifts that flooded into our ministry from the United States and Canada. We even received money from a small church in Europe. Our country’s needs were not overlooked by God’s people. With those monies, we were able to continue our mission of getting supplies to the needy.
Then I became concerned about the onset of rainy season and the over one million people living in tiny tents. In May, we began to build temporary shelters for people. In fact, we are still building shelters. Primarily, this is because we have been receiving generous support on a continuous basis from an organization in Hampton, Virginia called International Cooperating Ministries.
Despite the disaster, the Kingdom of God has been moving forward in Haiti. In April of last year, we dedicated the church in Begon, in May we dedicated the church in Coteaux, and in July we dedicated the church in Dejoie. On August 8th, the church in Solon was dedicated. At our annual convention in June of 2010, four hundred new converts were water baptized.
Last summer, the Bethanie churches conducted evangelistic campaigns. In the Grand-Ance area, we started a new church in a village called St. Martin after holding a crusade there. During the crusade, 50 people received Jesus Christ as their personal Savior. After a crusade was held in the town of Jeremie, 400 people received Christ as their Savior. This January 2011, we held a city-wide crusade in Les Cayes. There were 711 people that gave their lives to Jesus Christ. To God be the glory!
In October, when news broke that three persons were diagnosed with cholera, we had no idea of the magnitude of people that would be affected. Today the cholera epidemic has killed more than four thousand people and there are hundreds that still need treatment. I feel that Bethanie Mission must do something more than educate the sick and help supply clean water.
I would like to convert our former seminary and vocational school headquarters into a hospital. People have been asking me to do this. Let me explain. Last year we had many of our students complain that it was too far to travel to the school in Berjeaud. In response to their need, we moved the school to Les Cayes. As a result, we have an open facility that is sectioned off into rooms. It would be perfect to set-up as a hospital.
I feel I must do something as quickly as possible. Please pray about this. We need 50 hospital beds, we need lab equipment, an x-ray machine and sonography equipment. We do have dentistry chairs. We have the medical doctors but we will need a good part-time surgeon.
May God continue to bless all of you for the love you show through your support of this ministry. We are deeply grateful.
Ignace and Franchette Augustin