Dèyè Mòn Clinic

We arrived in Dèyè Mòn on the evening of November 2nd after a long day of driving. We were shocked to see how things looked after the hurricane. Even though we saw videos and pictures on television, it was still very different when we arrived in Dèyè Mòn. The village looked completely different. Most of the trees were down and I could see the village from the house we were staying whereas before it was covered with vegetation. We were all sad to see the devastation after hurricane Mathew.

As always, we were greeted with a warm welcome and everyone was very happy to see us and we felt the same way! Even with all the devastation, they still had beautiful smiles on their faces. This was such a testimony of their faith! After meeting everyone, we picked one of the new houses and set up for the 3 day clinic we were having for the locals. The medical team included a nurse practitioner, two flight paramedics,

In addition to running the clinic, we were able to give away 6 houses in Dèyè Mòn. There were so many we met who desperately needed shelter after losing everything in the hurricane. After much prayer, Dr. John Leininger and another team member, Jean Axtell walked for miles each day looking to find those in need of a home. The last house we gave was on our last day in Dèyè Mòn.

We were all so blessed to be a part of this miracle God did for this family and for so many others we met in Dèyè Mòn. For this family, receiving this house was an absolute miracle and will transform their life. Not only does it give them a peaceful place to call home, they now no longer have to worry about all their belongings getting wet and molding.

Even though it was emotional, returning to Dèyè Mòn was something we were all very excited about. There is nothing like greeting the locals here with hugs! They are always so happy to see us and we feel the same way about them.

Thank you friends of Mercy International for your generosity and prayers after hurricane Matthew. God has used your generosity in incredibly ways, and we are so grateful to watch Him work! Houses were built and given away, a medical team was deployed in Dèyè Mòn, food was given and so much more will continue to be done in the coming months. We are so thankful for God’s continued grace. We also want to send a huge thank you to Angel Staffing Inc. They got a medical team together, put their lives on hold, brought over numerous supplies to Dèyè Mòn and put on an incredible clinic that helped so many hurting people. What a blessing they were to so many people!

God is at work and we can’t wait to see more of His glory shine in our lives and the people of Haiti!

Psalm 145:11-12 “They tell of the glory of your kingdom and speak of your might, so that all people may know of your mighty acts and the glorious splendor of your kingdom.”

Colossians 3:17 “And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”

#DeyeMon #MercyInternational #secondvillage

Post-Hurricane Progress and Call for Help

Not quite two weeks ago, Hurricane Matthew ravaged Southwest Haiti. There was extensive damage, especially in Les Cayes and the village of Deye Mon. The basic necessities of food, shelter, and clothing have become extremely scarce and diseases like cholera are a constant threat. The coming weeks and months will be a battle for survival and we will need ongoing partnership to provide the necessary support.

However, praise the Lord, we have already seen much progress. Our local staff, in partnership with organizations like Harvest House Haiti, have been able to provide relief to hundreds of Haitians, in places where little other aid is available. Your prayers and gifts enable us to keep these efforts going, bringing the love of Christ to people who desperately need it.

100% of Hurricane Matthew relief giving is going directly to Haiti.

The Village of Deye Mon

Deye Mon was hit directly by the Hurricane and is very remote. The people in this area need food and shelter to prevent further loss of life.

Progress:

1. Food and water delivered to approximately 300 people, most who no longer have homes

2. 4 widows and their families have been returned to their newly re-roofed homes!

3. 2 more homes will be completed in the next week

4. 4 additional homes will begin construction this month

5. A covered pavilion will be built to provide a place for Bible study and basic shelter

Call for Help:

1. Funds to build 16 more homes in the village (need to raise $150,000)

2. Replacements for building materials destroyed by the storm (need to raise $9000)

3. Repairs for the roof of Pastor Wilfrid’s home (need to raise $3000)

4. Emergency food and water (need to raise $6000)

Les Cayes

Pastor Etienne is our Director of Operations in Haiti. He has been working tirelessly since the Hurricane to coordinate relief efforts, including driving supplies all over the country. The church he pastors in Les Cayes lost part of it’s roof during the storm.

Call for Help:

1. Fix the partially damaged roof on Pastor Etienne’s church (need to raise $3200)

The Village of Merci de Dieu

Closer to Port Au Prince, the Village of Merci de Dieu was fortunate to incur less damage than Les Cayes and Deye Mon. Keeping food available and preventing Cholera is the main concern.

Progress:

1. Food delivered to 63 homes

2. Villagers made basic repairs to dirt roads

Call for Help:

1. Repairs to village homes and equipment (need to raise $3000)

2. Emergency food (need to raise $8000)

In Closing

There is no question that God is doing amazing things in Haiti. We hope you’ll join us in sharing His love and provision with the people of Haiti. We have a medical team headed to Deye Mon in early November and another team headed to Merci de Dieu in mid-November. Please pray for the safety of these teams, as well as our local staff and the people they will be serving.

Hurricane Matthew Update

Dear Friends of Mercy International,

We want to take a moment to thank you for your continued prayers and support for God’s children in Haiti, as well as to update you on the situation.

Now, several days after the storm passed through, we are learning more about the devastation left in its path, especially in the newly constructed village of Dèyè Mòn. According to news reports, Matthew has destroyed over 80% of crops in southern Haiti and the death toll is near 1000 and still rising. Life in Southwest Haiti was already difficult, but surviving this storm was only the beginning of the struggle for those who remain. Each passing moment reveals new needs, but we wanted to give you an update on what we know and how you can help with our plan of action.

The Village of Dèyè Mòn

Donate to:

1. Provide food for the immediate recovery effort (need is $2000/week)

2. Provide repairs to the existing homes (need is $7,000)

3. Build homes on the remaining 16 lots in the village (need is $150,000)

This newly constructed village is a refuge for elderly widows who live near the mountains. Four houses had already been built and six more were in beginning stages of construction. Unfortunately, it is located exactly where the eye of Hurricane Matthew passed through. Praise the Lord, the completed houses are still standing and everyone staying in them is safe and sound. However, their roofs were destroyed which left all food and bedding exposed to the elements.

The villagers are taking shelter in a local school, along with about 500 others from the area. The immediate need is food. They have lost their main source of food – gardens and fruit trees. We are working with several organizations to get food to this area to prevent starvation. Please pray that God would open a clear path for food to be delivered to this area.

Key bridges are gone and transportation to the village is dangerous. This has prevented outside aid from reaching the area. However, a local missionary reports that at night you can still hear singing and prayers in the midst of it all!

The hurricane has destroyed most of the houses in this area, so our near term desire is to build an additional 16 houses here. Without them, the widows and their families will have nowhere to go. In addition to providing life saving shelter, the construction of these homes will provide countless Haitian laborers with income that will help their families.

We are also grieving the loss of Madame Nancy Noel. If you recall, she was the widow living in terrible conditions in Dèyè Mòn. The plan was for her to be in her new house by October 7th, but God had another plan. She is now rejoicing with Jesus in her eternal home in Heaven. She had a huge impact on our lives and will continue to inspire us.

The Village of Merci de Dieu

Donate to:

1. Provide food for the immediate recovery effort (need is $3,200/week)

2. Provide repairs to the existing homes (need is $3,000)

Merci de Dieu is located in Gressier, Haiti which is about 20 miles southwest of Port au Prince. We were thankful to hear that for the most part the village is doing well and everyone is safe. However, the roads to the village were heavily damaged during the storm. The main issue at Merci de Dieu is lack of food. Pastor Etienne and Lussade are in the process of figuring out how to get rice and beans to the village. Please be in prayer that the food delivery is successful and that the generators will continue working, so that the village has access to it’s well. Water from the well can be boiled for drinking and cooking, which is a huge blessing to the villagers!

Pastor Etienne and Les Cayes

Our Director of Operations, Pastor Etienne, and his family live in Les Cayes, which was ravaged by Hurricane Matthew. He and his family are all safe, praise God, but have lost much in the storm. He left his family a few days ago to check on the widows in the village of Dèyè Mòn. It was very difficult for him to get there because of damaged and washed out roads. After traveling by motorcycle for four hours he finally arrived. Pastor Etienne said he had to pause to “let the pain out.” Despite surviving the 2010 earthquake, he was in shock when he got there and said, “I couldn’t find words to describe what I saw.”  He has been working tirelessly to get to those in desperate need. Please pray for his safety as he is traveling on dangerous roads and through flooding to get food and medical care to the villages. He needs God’s protection.

In closing

God has been so good to remind us throughout this past week that He is in control and is able to do mighty things. Mercy International is committed to helping the villagers and those in surrounding areas, but we need your prayers and financial support to do so.

We hope to send a team of nurses soon to both of these areas. We also have a team going in November to assess the damage and work with the villagers.

Thank you for your faithful support and prayers. We are so incredibly grateful for you and all that God provides.