A mission team led by Pinnacle Presbyterian Church visited Pastor Luc and Harmony Ministries in Haiti during January. Pinnacle folks were joined by people from Maryland and Texas, doing medical clinics in Thoman and Leogane.
About 300 people were seen in each location, and each person who came received vitamins, meds if called for, toothbrush and toothpaste, and bar soap. The medical people also taught women's health and hygiene classes in Port-au-Prince which were very well received. About 200 women attended, were very engaged, and had many questions for the medical people. The pharmacy in Port-au-Prince was restocked with hundreds of pounds of donated medical supplies carried by the team.
Architect Steve Loken, who has been working with Pastor Luc's Haitian engineer on the construction of the new church, met with the engineer and reviewed progress on the building. It's amazing to see. The foundation is complete, concrete slab poured, columns built, and walls rising. It looks good, and work continues at a steady pace. It was very inspiring to the team.
The school in Thoman and the temporary school facilities in Leogane and Port-au-Prince are very basic and supplies are desperately needed (textbooks cost $4; a case of small composition books costs $40 for 200). Because the Port-au-Prince clinic was destroyed in the earthquake, it is located in one small room and the pharmacy is in Pastor Luc's office.
Yet despite the difficult conditions, the people are grateful and joyful and Pastor Luc tirelessly carries on the Lord's work. Over 1,600 people were in church for a glorious service filled with wonderful singing and praise. Their strength of spirit is truly inspirational.
There is much work to be done in Haiti, but there are some signs of progress.
The airport was rebuilt and is much improved, and many buildings have been rebuilt or repaired. There was less rubble than we expected to see, and communications are good — there are cell phones and cell towers everywhere. Big infrastructure challenges remain — water, sewer, roads, housing, trash removal, air quality, etc.
But in the midst of it all, Harmony Ministries remains a beacon of hope. By supporting the schools, church programs and church rebuilding, we enable Pastor Luc and his teachers and leaders to lead people in faith development, provide education, teach life skills, create a sense of community, and provide jobs. We are moved by their stories, perseverance, music and faith.
