Huntersville 2 Haiti: Chris & Jenny

OFCB

For nearly two centuries, subsistence farming has characterized the livelihood of 80,000 people in rural Bayonnais, Haiti, the poorest country in the western hemisphere. This is not uncommon. Following colonial independence in 1804, former slaves exercised newfound freedom by cultivating their own land in the countryside. Today, OFCB (Organization of the Christian Force of Bayonnais), a ministry founded in 1993 through the vision of five inspired individuals, provides this generation with a new opportunity: education. Subjects such as history, biology, language arts, social science, philosophy, and visual art are now available to this community for the first time. Adults and children comprise a student body that has grown from 103 to 1460, and for many, the rice and beans served at lunch may be the only substantial meal they eat all day. Not only have national exam scores been some of the highest in the region, OFCB has sent 20 students to Haitian colleges! In an effort to stimulate long-term development, the college scholarship program stipulates that each student return to OFCB upon graduation to serve the community for 10 to 15 years, depending upon the field of study. One college graduate has become a doctor, currently in residency, and will return to start Bayonnais’ first health clinic! Deep in the heart of a country plagued by extreme poverty, political violence and corruption, the people of Bayonnais are finding new hope.

Thursday, December 6, 2007

Chris & Jenny

Thank you so much for all your prayers for us and for the Haiti people we are now getting to know. They are beautiful people. We were greeted with clapping and cheers, like celebrities, as we drove onto the OFBC property tonight. Lots of kids surrounded our bus and warmly greeted us with "What is your name?" -- I think that might be the only english phrase many of them know. Actionnel informed us later, that we are known, to these people of Bayonnais, as the people from the church who gives the money for food and for the only freezer in the whole community of 80,000+ people. They see us as heroes, because they also know that we have come to build lots of benches for their new classrooms. What these Haitian people don't know is how much they will change our lives. We are so blessed. Pray that we will be aware of and awakened to all that God is doing in this community. The Kingdom of God is advancing here in Haiti and we get a small glimpse into what that looks like for these people. I look forward to a full nights sleep and a wonderful day tomorrow.
shalom,
Chris

1 comment:

Anonymous said...: "What these Haitian people don't know is how much they will change our lives. We are so blessed."
That's so true with missions--we get more than we give.

Thanks for the posts. Mark, we're praying for you, Heather, the team, and the community.; December 7, 2007 at 8:30 AM