Worship in Bataille

Sunday morning the saints are gathered to worship, and worship they do. Bataille offers little of what the world has, so it just could be a bit easier to focus on the Lord in this remote area. Even the roof over their heads here, came just a couple of years ago, previously having their fellowship times under a tree. Children desire an education here and with your help it can be a realty. Invest in the future of these precious people by sponsoring a child today. E-mail today saintmarchaiti@gmail.com for additional information.

Bare mountain

Most of Haiti has been deforested leaving it prone to severe flooding. Even when you see trees and plants there are very few "old growth" plants and trees. Naturally landslides are quite normal and in these remote areas, who is to report of the losses from them?

Accomodations

Marcel and the team stayed here for the night while traveling to Fond Baptist and Bataille. No water or power but a roof over your head is very welcome as it gets chilly at night. Yes even in Haiti it cools down in the mountains.

The wedding party

After the wedding, the wedding party traveled upscale with 4 footed help to the reception. No vehicles here, it's all by foot. Fond Baptist is a beautiful area in the mountains near St Marc, Haiti.

Marcel

For this trip even Marcel carried his bag on his head. Marcel and this group traveled by foot to Fond Baptist then on to Bataille this past weekend, about a 9 hour walk one way. Two weddings and encouragement for the saints in these remote areas near St Marc, Haiti.

A view from above

Bataille sits next to the river below, while Fond Baptist is at the top of the mountain, near where this picture was taken. How about walking this daily for an education? This is what the children willingly do with a hope for a better future, learning to read and write. Interested in helping a child with a sponsorship? E-mail today saintmarchaiti@gmail.com for additional information.

The Climb

The journey from Bataille to Fond Baptist is all uphill. Children have made this 2 hour journey to attend school at Fond Baptist for some time. Currently there is no school at Bataille and the one at Fond Baptist had been closed due to lack of funds. In faith the school at Fond Baptist is being reopened to help these children in the mountains. Interested in helping? E-mail today saintmarchaiti@gmail.com for more information.

The picture says it all!

To market, to market

Survival means weekly visits with your wares to the market. It may be a short walk or take many hours to reach. Most of the population travels by foot, this woman is fortunate to have help carrying her goods.

Reaching out beyond our boarders

The smile priceless! Sponsoring a child takes so little and means so much. Education means so much and can allow this child and others to read and write as well as having a good meal daily at school. E-mail today for more information, saintmarchaiti@gmail.com

The meat of the Coconut

Looks a bit different than what you might buy at the store. The sweet coconut meat was a special treat shared by a friend of Marcel's while we were in the mountains. They share what they have and for this day it was a coconut.

Charrette School Lineup

Some 250 children gather for school at Charrette. The public school less than a tenth of a mile away closed for some time leaving the children without. Charrette's population exploded and even after the public school reopened the numbers continue to increase. Consider sponsoring a child helping them to stay in school and providing a lunch meal. E-mail saintmarchaiti@gmail.com today

Singing

They may not have much, they do have beautiful voices. This choir group shared at Colmini's dedication. Many groups shared this day to celebrate God's blessings here at Colmini.

Test time at Colmini

Multiple classes gather here daily for school. This day brought testing as well as meeting children to be sponsored. We are seeking 30 sponsors for children here at Colmini. Consider sponsoring a child to provide a hope for the days ahead. E-mail today for additional information saintmarchaiti@gmail.com

Backpacks at Colmini

Marcel on the left with the teachers at Colmini in the desert just northwest of St Marc. In this area of Haiti there is little to be found. Other than people that is, how they survive is a testimony in itself. Water that is miles away must be gathered daily, few crops grow in this area so a search for food is also a daily task. These backpacks may not seem to be much but mean so much to those that receive them. Hope comes in many ways and this shows a glimpse.

Delivery

These heavy duty plastic tubs served well to ship the backpacks. Not only have the backpacks been delivered but the plastic tubs will be used for years for transporting, storing, keeping things dry... Consider sending school supplies to help meet the needs in the rural area around St Marc. Check out the new link above or to the right for a video clip from Marcel about the schools.

Backpacks

Backpacks were filled with school supplies, boxed up and shipped to Haiti for the teachers. This was a first and was received as a very special gift. Pastor Teacher Hodel receives this backpack from a church in Colorado via Pastor Marcel. Basic supplies to us are precious gifts in Haiti, consider sending care packages to help meet the needs. E-mail today for more information, saintmarchaiti@gmail.com

Classroom

Many classes meet outside due to lack of space inside. Here at Charrette two classes meet outside while the inside is being stretched at it's seams. The foundation has been laid for an additional 4 classrooms and as soon as funding is available the walls and roof will go up. Consider helping these children by providing for some walls and roof, providing a dry place for classes. E-mail today saintmarchaiti@gmail.com

Bois Neuf School

Before class starts the children (and teachers) honor God and country. Help these children by sponsoring a child today. E-mail saintmarchaiti@gmail.com

Short Chairs

They may not be big but it's far better than sitting on the ground. This woman is taking these chairs to market to help provide for her family. Most items are carried on their heads and mostly by women.

Coconut Milk

It's hard to turn down a drink of fresh coconut milk. Although they have almost nothing, they will share what they do have. Help these schools provide meals for their children. E-mail saintmarchaiti@gmail.com

Dressing up

Children and adults alike dress in their very best for church. Here at Bois-Neuf Church/School about 95 children attend school. Considering sponsoring a child to help insure an education. E-mail for more information today saintmarchaiti@gmail.com

Line up

Class is about to start but not before everyone lines up. Colmini school is in the desert and currently has about 250 students. There are two buildings in the picture for classes but two grades still meet outside for lack of space. A cistern was made possible from a team that visited and now rainwater is collected off the roof. Soon with your help a lunch meal program will start. Consider how you might help. E-mail today saintmarchaiti@gmail.com

Hollowing a log by hand

This log is being hollowed to help with irrigation. All done by hand from start of felling the tree to putting it to use providing water for crops.

Old Growth

Old growth trees are few and far between in Haiti. The country has been mostly deforested which has brought much devastation from storms that cause horrific flooding.

Hanging out

These young ladies are just looking for someone to hang out with. When visitors arrive at an orphanage there is no shortage of little ones coming to check you out.

Clinic

This little fellow with his dad visited a clinic for the first time. A team came to them in Colmini supplying some of their basic medical needs. Would you like to bring a team to help those in need. Clinic, construction, education, the needs go on. E-mail for additional information at saintmarchaiti@gmail.com .

How About It?

Sponsor a child today, providing an education and hope. For more information E-mail saintmarchaiti@gmail.com

Joy Found

Even in the midst of such poverty and need, joy is found. These children were having fun learning a few dance steps then sharing their own. Colmini is about a 20 minute drive north and a bit west of St Marc, Haiti, in the desert of all places. This school has around 240 students. A team from the US had come to help build a cistern that collects rainwater from the roof top. The nearest running water is about 3 miles north where these families walk to gather water from a river. Be part of the answer to meeting needs here by sponsoring a child in the school. E-mail today for more information saintmarchaiti@gmail.com .

Provision

Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them.(Matthew 6:26) Thank you Lord for your provision, moment by moment, day by day, year by year.