Medical Center Building Update

Wow, it is so awesome to see this building going up.  Last November at our AWAKENHAITI celebration event, we shared a bit of our vision for the medical facility knowing it would begin this year.  But to see it actually happening right now is amazing. 
God has pressed this vision on our hearts we trust him to provide all that is needed.  From the funds for the building, we trust Him.  For equipment needed to help patients, we trust Him.  For Staff needed to evaluate patients and run the program, we trust Him.  For medication needed to treat patients, we trust Him.  For wisdom, discernment, and patience, we trust Him. 
God asks us to trust without seeing and now we can see because we've trusted.  What a blessing to be part of!  What a blessing to now see God provide and take care of his people through medical & dental care and through all the jobs that will be created in this building so that parents can provide for their families! 
We are thankful and we continue to press on in this vision and we continue to put our trust in Him!

Jeff, Colton and Jacques setting trusses

 

 

great job crew!

small section of the medical & dental facility

July Team (Manor) / New Bunkhouse Update

Welcome Team Manor to Haiti!  This team is made up of mostly high school students along with five adult leaders who come from Manor Church in Lancaster, PA.  We are excited to see all that God is going to do as they serve in Canaan and Delmas.  The majority of the week they will work on constructing the Primary Care Medical & Dental Clinic as well as hold clinic and some kids’ programs.  This is sure to be a great week with many “firsts”, as the majority of the team has never traveled to Haiti before.

The Manor team will be the first group to occupy our newly constructed bunkhouse.  After many helping hands and a bit of paint, the bunk house is ready to host its first guests.  All the men will stay out in the bunkhouse, while the women will stay on the first floor in the guesthouse.

The great room in the bunkhouse, complete with bunks below and walkway to the loft above.

 On Monday, August 6^th Kimberlee Peifer will join our team in Haiti, being a permanent resident in the bunkhouse.

We ask for prayers over the Manor team as we see God work in and through the students and leaders who are here to serve.  We also ask for prayers for Kim as she makes final preparations to join our team.

Byenveni an Ayiti Ben and Jen! Welcome to Haiti Ben and Jen!

Ben and Jen Beachy arrived in Haiti just under a week ago.  There really isn't any easing into life in Haiti.  Their first few days have been packed with adventure and lessons as they join the work we are doing. 
For starters...

lesson #1 Power...
City Power is unreliable, inconsistent, and never enough wattage to run the microwave, washing machine or to effectively toast a piece of bread.  What happens if the back up generator or battery/inverter system fails? or when the battery shelf simply crumbles to the ground? No power. 
There are switches to understand that run the generator, change from city to inverter when more wattage is needed (for instance to run the washer), to run the water pump when we actually do have city power or when the generator is running, but not when we are on inverter power.  You guys got all that???

lesson #2  cleaning vegetables...
*Rinse with tap(treated rain) water if really dirty
*Clorox with tap(treated rain)water
*  rinse with drinking water
  *** clause...some fruits and vegetables can be simply washed with soap and water but you have to know which ones...

lesson #3  driving...
As Ben would put it "driving in Haiti is like a video game in real life"
*Keep looking in all mirrors for cars/motorcyles passing on either side
*look down the road, but focus just in front of you for pot holes or craters in the road, people, dogs, chickens, goats, or cows crossing
*the hand signal for slow down in the states means stop in Haiti, but only do it for police officers
*it's legal to drive temporarily on the left side of the road to avoid anything
*seat belts not necessary, we won't be traveling above 35mph and as a matter of fact they probably don't work anyway
*Mastery of driving manual transmission is a must before driving Delmas 33 's hills

Jen learning to drive manual transmission on a "back" road

lesson #4   Grocery shopping...
*always have enough tip money with you for 3 people, you never know how many it will take to load the groceries, water and ice
*know how to order cheese and ham in Creole - they are staple lunch foods and the deli guys love it when you speak their language
*$4,000goudes for your load of groceries isn't nearly as much as your mind wants you to think it is
*The cashiers will laugh at your pronunciation of the number 4 in Creole when you order ice so always order 5

lesson #5 Plan but be flexible...
*plans change all the time due to communication break down, traffic, weather, inventory at the stores, internet issues...nothing is ever set in stone until it happens

lesson #6  Blessings from God...
*God will break your heart over many things so that you can see people the way He sees them.
*There are people to love and help all around...love with all your heart!
*There are no coincidences here only divine intervention.  Have faith, trust, and follow!

Please pray for Ben and Jen as they soak in the beginning of their new journey and the many lessons that will come!  

New Bunk House at the Guest House

With the addition of new full time staff in Haiti...

Ben and Jen Beachy will be arriving in Haiti on Thursday of this week to begin their new roles as Guest House Managers and Ben will be working as media coordinator and Jen will be busy spending time with lots of little girls at the Good Samaritan Girls Home.
Kim Peifer will be arriving in August to begin her role as the Good Samaritan Girls Home Coordinator. 
With the addition of new staff, we hope to communally live with some space so as not to smother each other. 
What does this look like?
The upstairs of the House will now be solely for the Denlinger family as opposed to it currently being for the Denlinger family + teams one week out of every month.  The downstairs suite will be an established area for Ben and Jen to call their own while the other two bedrooms downstairs will be team rooms.  But we still need more space for Kim and for more team members.  Jeff's creative mind came up with a plan to build a bunk house on our property rather than spending thousands and thousands of dollars to rent another property.  So introducing; The AWAKENHAITI Bunk House...It will hold team members, Kim will have her own space, and a loft for potential future staff or other needs.  We plan to begin using the bunk house with the July team with some details needing to be finished after the August team!

foundation of bunk house

one week later