Haiti Missions Needs
Jesus said “For I was hungry and you fed me, I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink, I
was a stranger and you invited me into your home. I was naked and you gave me
clothing. I was sick and you cared for me. I assure you, when you did it to one of the least
of my brothers; you were doing it for me!” (Matthew 25: 35&40)
Jesus also said “I am the light of the world: he who follows Me shall not walk in the
darkness, but shall have the light of life” (John 8:12)
Haiti is a very dark place and Missions International
is doing all it can to bring the Good News of Christ
to dispel the black forces of Voodoo.
Pastor Bill, Jan and Jay are traveling to Haiti in April
specifically to lay the ground work for the delivery of the bus and installation of our first
mission projects.
We have four very specific projects that we hope to have up and running in short order.
1. DeyeMon: Pastor Bill has a personal mission to put a well ( a mission twin to the
successful well on his farm) in a needy community. DeyeMon is a high mountain
village cared for by a third generation missionary. His church served as the school
until adverse government legislation closed it. He started to build but ran out of
funds. Then the well quit producing water and the village is breaking down under
the pressure of a five mile walk to water. God put Jay
together with Pastor Bustin where we hope to also start a
vocational center and improve his church.
2. C.O.P.I.: Children of Promise International is Jays’ first
mission in Haiti. This Lutheran orphanage, school, church
and community center has taken hundreds of children off the
street and raised them with excellent Christian educations.
Their philosophy is simple. By providing the best education
on the island, they are expecting to replace the current
leaders with their own. Grace Church currently has three
children supported by their members and we plan to continue
annual medical and construction missions to Leogane with Rose and Joel
Beancejour.
3. Les Cayes has a very old and wonderful mission hospital in the foot hills called
Centre de Sante Lumiere. This medical center is staffed by a dozen full time
American missionaries led by Steve
Andersen MD, Family Physician. Dr.
Andersen is developing a brilliant two
year preceptorship for local Haitian
physicians that will raise all the health
care on that end of the island. The
outside is very nice but the inside
needs major work. He lacks the
simplest equipment and has very
limited drugs. Dr. Anderson needs our
help to collect medication, medical supplies and clothing plus acquire funding for
medical care and contruction. He also needs our prayers.
4. We are currently working to eradicate tuberculosis in the far coastal city of
Cairfour in conjuction with Pastor Erase and the Lere Eglise Batiste Church. This
program will provide doctors, medicine, vitamins, food, clothing and the Word to
this large community devastated by a typhoon.
Our bus will first deliver supplies to all these projects and then be used by Pastor Erase
and Dr. Anderson to make monthly and eventually maybe even weekly trips to Cairfour
where we will feed two meals a day, evangelize God’s word, treat the sick and rebuild
this stricken city.
It will take many many people to gather all the supplies we need, prepare the bus and
pack the supplies in the bus for travel. I am asking every member of Grace Church to find
something they can do to help us with this mission.
Finding the supplies is much like a scavenger hunt. A narrow search is rarely productive
but everything we need is somewhere if we ask enough people. God’s gifts have been
pouring through the doors this month and there is more to come!
Here is a list of materials needed for the mission with a
discussion of their rationale.
Food: We need large amounts of protein for the tuberculosis
program. You fight TB with nutrition and meds. Canned tuna,
salmon and chicken can be added to the daily meal of rice and
beans with great impact. Large summer sausage is the best deal
per pound. We also must carry in our own food for the short term and permanent
missionaries so we also need large packages of spaghetti, spaghetti sauce (no glass),
peanut butter, mac & cheese, Ramen noodles, cooking oil, powdered milk, cereal and
oatmeal. The most effective way to provide food is to donate you intended contribution
and we can buy cases at Gordon Foods with significant discounts and space savings.
Sewing machines: God put this idea in Jay’s heart with
little explanation but he really found the need on his last
trip. Everyone wants these antique peddle sewing
machines to build vocational centers and create jobs and
sale items for American dollars. We also need material,
buttons, zippers etc. and we can also use a few electric
sewing machines.
Bicycles: Adult and youth bikes are the major travel in
Haiti. A bike can mean a job, since a ride in the local Tap Tap (taxi) costs a days wages.
Try to include extra tubes and a tire if needed. M.I.A. really needs a moped or small
motorcycle in Haiti.
Clothing: We need everything but winter clothes. The women do not wear slacks at all.
We need underwear, men’s and women’s clothes, good or new shoes, T shirts, ties, belts,
bras, socks and Sunday clothes are all useful. The average Haitian is 5’7” and 140 lbs. so
large clothes are less useful. Sheets, pillow cases and towels are also very helpful.
Toiletries: Bar soap, shampoo, deodorant, tooth paste, tooth brushes, hair brushes,
Combs, barrettes and disposable razors are all very appreciated.
Eye glasses: We can only take the glasses we find. Please ask through out your extended
family. We are shooting for 10,000 pair for the bus.
Computers: Both the schools and vocational centers are looking for computers, printers,
cables, software and ink. DeyeMon is also looking for manual typewriters with extra
ribbons.
Miscellaneous items: an electric vacuum, gas or diesel
electrical generators, window screen, attic fans,
window fans, tarps, rope, tie downs, deep cycle 12Volt
batteries, Christian music tapes and CD’s, plumbing
and electrical parts, wiring, screws, nails, wire and
general hardware.
Donations: The bus will cost around $5000 to ship to
Haiti. We still have needs for the school and the well.
This is the work that needs completed before we can ship the bus to Haiti:
Bus Repair:
Paint the roof white
Remove all the seats and stack in one corner
Find a ramp and install brackets
Do general repairs
Electrical wiring for 220 and 110v
Install RV sewer tank and hookups
Install two 16 foot awnings for outside medical clinics
Install window fans
Find extra parts for bus? Tires, Shocks, brakes, springs, Universals, carburetor, plugs, Air
cleaners
Packing the bus for transport:
Repair bikes and disassemble tires and handle bars for packing with extra tubes
Secure and wrap Sewing machines for travel
Pack 4x8 foot 3/4 inch plywood and 4x4’s
Pack and secure shop smith and generator
Collect all the supplies stored at other sites
We need to label every box very clearly for shipping: We need to borrow:
Three laptops with printers so we can tape and label every box with exact content and
destination person
Line every box with plastic bag for humidity control
Missions International of America
A 501(c)(3) Charitable Foundation
Jay W. Nielsen, M.D. President
790 Ashbury Drive
Perrysburg, Ohio 43551
419-872-0180 Phone
Jay@wellnessrx.org Website: M-I-A.org