April Newsletter

Not so long ago Prosper, a middle-aged Haitian man, was living up to his name. He had steady employment (a rarity in Haiti), had built a nice home, married and had a family. He was even able to send his children to college. We came to know his daughter, Valerie, when she came to the university here in Santiago. Then high blood pressure and a stroke left Prosper partially paralyzed and dependent on his wife’s care. With difficulty, he learned to walk again with a cane. He still has occasional seizures and suffers from an enlarged heart.

During the January earthquake, Prosper’s home collapsed, trapping him and his wife. She did not survive. He was pulled from the rubble a few hours later, bruised but breathing. Valerie brought him to Santiago. Prosper’s world has now shrunk to an unfurnished, one-bedroom apartment that he shares with Valerie. His possessions are buried in Port-au-Prince. The little that might have been salvaged has been stolen by others in need.

Prosper feels like he is in prison—unable to descend the stairs of their second-floor apartment unaided, unable to visit with lifelong friends, unable to speak the language of this new country, totally dependent on his daughter. Yet, within the confines of his prison, he welcomes us with a wide smile. Although there is sometimes fear in his eyes when a tremor passes, there is no defeat. He is learning to prosper in different ways. He tells us that God saved him from the wreckage of his home, and now, for the first time in his life, he is entrusting himself to God.

The apartment is still small, his heart is still damaged, but he is learning of the hope that is his in Christ. Valerie, who came to know Christ in Santiago, is studying the Bible with her dad. She, too, is learning to persevere through the pain and the difficulties. Together they are experiencing what it means to be a part of God’s family. We connected them with Dominican believers who provided free medical care for Prosper. And because of your help to us, we were able to purchase clothing, food, beds, and medicine for them.

When the earthquake occurred, within a couple of days many Haitians crossed the border and arrived in Santiago. So, instead of going into Haiti, we remained in Santiago to help those in need and to continue our ministries here. We anxiously awaited news of our Haitian friends, university students who had gone home for the Christmas break. As they made it back to Santiago, we rejoiced and worked with them to purchase food and medical supplies to send back into Haiti.

We thank you for enabling us to serve here in Santiago. Our contact with two different Haitian congregations has opened the door for us to minister to many earthquake survivors who were (and still are) suffering the emotional and psychological effects of such a traumatic experience. Prosper’s smile confirms to us God’s promise of hope in the midst of suffering.

And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us. Romans 5:2-5