Special Events in Haiti and in Oregon

By Laura Polynice

In the midst of the ever-increasing challenges in Haiti, men and women gathered at PLH for two special events in the past few weeks. There are very few places beyond church and soccer matches to go and enjoy time with family or friends. These events are a way for PLH to encourage and minister to the community during a time when hope is hard to hold on to. It is our goal to continue to host events like these each quarter. 

VALENTINE’S DAY

On February 14th, PLH hosted a special Valentine’s Day dinner for couples from the community. The evening included music, dancing, a lecture, games, and more. Couples enjoyed a performance from a soloist and a dancing trio. Rosemond, PLH Soccer Academy Director, and his wife shared their testimony of 28 years together. A guest lecturer spoke on the importance of family in building up society. 

Three couples competed in a round of the Newlywed game and couples worked together on a trivia quiz. Couples danced and laughed together and enjoyed a delicious meal and cake. Couples had a chance to share with the group some words about their spouse and present them with a gift. There were 45 couples in attendance. Everyone enjoyed getting dressed up and doing something special with their valentine. 

WOMEN'S DAY

March 8th was International Women’s Day. In Haiti, women are considered the “pillar of society.” They work hard keeping the house and raising their children. Most don’t have the modern conveniences that we are accustomed to in the US. This means washing dishes by hand, cooking over charcoal, and going to the street market multiple times per week to purchase perishable ingredients. Raising their children is also made more difficult by frequent school closures and the spiritual battle that exists in Haiti that is drawing youth into gangs and other trouble. On top of this, many women provide for their families by selling in the public market places or working. 

PLH hosted a women’s event on March 8th to celebrate these hard-working women and provide some fun during these hard time. Over 130 women attended. We opened with a mingle activity while the ladies enjoyed popcorn and coffee. Next, ladies colored greeting cards to take home and give to a special woman in their life. After that, we invited the ladies to join us in a little Zumba. Our secretary, my sister-in-law and I had fun preparing a routine to a Haitian song that celebrates women, and it was a blast to lead so many ladies in something they had never done. After Zumba, we had various games, and several ladies shared poems, songs, and words during an open mic time. We closed out the service with a message of encouragement from a missionary here in Haiti and worship led by some young ladies in the next town over from us. The ladies enjoyed and were encouraged by this time away from their normal stresses and routine and chance to relax and laugh together.

GOLFATHON

On Saturday, March 11th, the Golfathon team in Oregon, took Top Golf by storm as they hit golf balls in honor of their sponsors.

Thank you to our team of dedicated champions who generated sponsorships from donors to raise an incredible $40,000 in just 8 weeks to support the mission of empowering Haitians to build a stronger Haiti. 

2023 Programs Are up and Running

By Laura Polynice

After a quiet fall on the PLH campus, programs are back up and running! 

This fall was plagued by a long gas shortage which meant the PLH staff couldn’t keep up with the grass on the soccer fields and English students and teachers couldn’t find transportation to come to class. While soccer and English had to take a break, the youth artisan class was able to continue throughout the fall, a champion in Oregon provided a 7-week personal finance course for the staff via zoom, and PLH grew in partnership with the 15 churches in the area. 

January brought fuel and with it increased programming on the campus.

The soccer academy is back to practicing every weekday afternoon and every Saturday morning. More than 80 players from the community and surrounding area participate in the PLH soccer academy. Our coaches and staff have noticed a decline in the players’ nutrition. Like most of the country, our players are suffering from food insecurity. In response, the academy now provides a meal to the players each Saturday and game day, and once the PLH kitchen is operational, we will provide a meal with each practice. The players are excited to be back to regular practices, grateful to receive a meal, and motivated by several matches on the schedule. 

English classes are also back in session. Every Saturday, there are three classes that meet on the campus: Level 1, Level 2, and a specialized advanced course on Teaching English as a Foreign Language. Students continue to be motivated to learn despite all the challenges and obstacles before them. 

The artisan class continues to provide youth with skills in artisan crafts including beading, weaving, soap making, and more. 

Watch for an update soon on the Valentine’s Dinner PLH hosted for couples from the community. 

While the challenges in Haiti continue, we are thankful to again have soccer, English, and other activities happening on the campus every day. Please continue to pray for Haiti and for the community of Camp Marie. 

Hope in Uncertainty

Today marks 13 years since the devastating earthquake in Port-au-Prince that claimed the life of an estimated 100,000-300,000 people. When we look at Haiti and where it has come since then, it’s hard to know what to think or feel. I wish I could say the country united in its hardship, rebuilt the city, and is a stronger nation today, but that is not the case. After the earthquake, NGOs, foreign aid, and the UN took a large role in providing services and keeping peace. Since then, most of these have left. This has left a void that has unfortunately allowed gangs to rise to power, corrupt leaders to misuse funds and opportunities, and violence and unrest to haunt the nation. Slowly, each aspect of governance has diminished. This week, the terms of the last 10 sitting senators expired. Today, the country is void of legitimate leadership. “There is not a single elected official in the entire country of nearly 12 million people — not a council member, not a mayor and certainly not a president.” (Read more) Gangs control an estimated two thirds of the capital as well as key areas outside the capital. Three of the four highways out of the city are completely impassible if you value your life. Extreme hunger is widespread. Prices continue to rise as the gourde (Haitian currency) continues to fall.

At this point, Haiti is a failed state. Thankfully, we don’t place our hope or identity in politics or worldly leaders. We know God is on His throne. There is a war happening in Haiti - not just the war between the gangs or the daily battle to survive - but a spiritual war. If Haiti is going to emerge from this situation, it’s going to take a generation that works together and works for the betterment of their communities and country. Corruption, greed, and a thirst for power must be stamped out. Leaders must rise up. Evil must be called out. New strategies must be implemented. Advances in technology must be utilized. Things on the national level remain complicated and the issues are multifaceted. So how does PLH fit in? 

PLH holds firm to its mission to empower Haitians to build a stronger Haiti. We believe we can influence change by investing in the community of Camp Marie and the surrounding area. These investments include providing training, creating opportunities, building sustainability, mentoring youth, and partnering with local leaders to create a unified effort. 

PLH has seen growth in our staff, in our coaches, in our players, and in our partnerships with the community, and we have set goals to encourage more growth in 2023. As we have shared, our Haitian staff ran the day-to-day operations of the organization while I was in Oregon for 3 months during the summer of 2022. The staff organized and carried out 8 weeks of new programming for kids from the community, they managed projects on the campus, and they were responsible for tracking all financial activities. This year, we will continue to provide training for the staff and entrust them with more responsibility. 

We have trimmed our number of soccer coaches from nine to six and we see in these six a commitment to PLH, to the players, and to the program. We plan to provide additional training and mentoring to the coaches this year to help them continue to grow in their coaching methods, in their walk with Christ, and in their mentoring of the players. The players in the soccer academy made good progress this past year in their technical ability. This year, we hope to be able to provide them with more tournaments and competitive opportunities to challenge them. We also plan to provide more training in other aspects of their lives as PLH seeks to train our players holistically in their faith, sport and future. 

In January of 2022, PLH, through the generous support of Lenexa Baptist Church, partnered with the 14 churches in the Camp Marie area to provide food relief to members of the community. This year, we are preparing to do the same, but in an even more impactful way. Rather than coming together for a single initiative, PLH is fostering relationships with and among the leaders of these churches. This year, in addition to providing immediate food relief, the funds will be used to invest in farmers within the churches’ congregations so that they can plant gardens to build sustainability within the community and give back from their harvest. We are excited to see the unity developing among the pastors and church leaders and we are eager to see where this initiative leads. PLH has many plans and goals for creating small businesses and offering job skills training and job opportunities, and we would love to see the churches and community join us in these ventures. 

While the national situation in Haiti is bleak, the vision that PLH has and the hope we have for the future is great. We put our trust in God and look to Him as our guiding light. Thank you for walking beside us and partnering with us on this journey. To God be the glory as we work together to empower Haitians to build a stronger Haiti. 

Blessings, 

Laura Polynice
Administrative Assistant and Haiti Liaison

✨2O23✨ Happy New Year!

We hope your Christmas was blessed and we wish you a new year filled with hope and purpose!

2022 HIGHLIGHTS

• The PLH Haitian staff rose to the challenge of running the organization in Haiti without any US staff in the country. We saw the capability of Haitians when trained well, invested in, and empowered to lead.
  

• Construction of the kitchen and fruit drying facility was completed.
  

• The purified water station was constructed.
  

• PLH was awarded a grant from UMCOR to help fund the construction of the PLH Educational Center.
  

• Seven PLH staff attended a two-day leadership conference in Port-au-Prince.
  

• PLH hosted soccer academy games.
  

• PLH hosted two months of summer classes for kids in the community to learn English and artisan crafts.
  

• A champion from Oregon taught an 8-week personal finance class via Zoom for PLH staff and local community members.
  

• Laura Polynice, PLH Administrative Assistant, and her husband, Wahi, welcomed their first child, Jesher.
  

• We celebrated the wedding of PLH staff member Wilson Emmanuel and his bride, Madlinie.
  

• PLH employee Guy Destine and his wife, Jesula, welcomed their third son, Guy-Lensky.
  

• PLH and 19 pastors from Camp Marie and the neighboring communities came together to discuss the current state in Haiti, its impact on the community, and how we can help the community rise above.
  

• The staff celebrated another year with a staff Christmas party at the beach.
  

• PLH hosted its 3rd annual Christmas Eve Candlelight service.

While 2022 held significant challenges, the achievements from the year, were all made possible through the donations, support, and generosity of the PLH community. Through all the PLH programs and projects, our mission is always to draw others nearer to Him. We are humbled by all that God has done in and through Project Living Hope.

But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.

Isaiah 40:31

Merry Christmas from Haiti!

This year has been a challenging one for every person in Haiti. There have been gang wars, kidnappings, road blocks, rising inflation, food insecurity, fuel shortages, cholera, and more. In the midst of all this, we praise God for the protection He has put over each of our Haitian staff and their families. 

For Christmas this year, the staff organized a staff beach day. We had a delicious feast of rice, beans and chicken; many games of dominos, cards and soccer; swimming; music; and good conversation. 

We want to say thanks to each of you for the part you played in the work of PLH during 2022. As we look ahead to 2023, we pray that it brings change for Haiti and lots of progress for PLH. 

🐥 Giving Tuesday 2022

Giving Tuesday was a success! Because of the generosity of so many, we surpassed our goal! $5080 was raised and we have the funds to purchase 1000 chickens to fill the coops and start the laying hen flock.

The country has been effectively shut down since Sept 12 due to gang fighting and unrest. While we don’t know what the coming days, weeks, and months will hold, the laying hen flock will create jobs and sustainability which are critical in times like these.

We understand how many deserving organizations ask for support on Giving Tuesday, so we gratefully and humbly thank you for supporting Project Living Hope!

Haiti Reaches a New Breaking Point

By Guesly Dessieux
PLH Executive Director and Founder

Project Living Hope has been in the town of Camp Marie, Haiti since 2017. This month for the first time, we were unable to make payroll. This was not because we did not have the funds but rather because the situation in Haiti has made getting cash from the bank very hard. In recent weeks, the route to and from the bank has been blocked by protestors, the banks are often closed and give only limited amounts of cash, and hundreds of people wait outside hoping to be served.

The situation in Haiti is truly the worst it has been in a long time, possibly since its people gained independence over 200 years ago. Over the past several weeks, Haiti has seen an increase in roadblocks, protests, looting, and destruction. This is in addition to the ever-increasing levels of terrorist “gang” activity throughout the capital and beyond that is turning neighborhoods into war zones. The school year has been delayed. Many of those fortunate enough to have a job cannot get to work. The small police force is outnumbered and outgunned. Hospitals are shutting their doors as they don’t have fuel to run their generators. Businesses, banks, and stores have a hard time staying open. Trucks cannot transport goods around the country. Resources have become dangerously scarce. The cost to refill a 5-gallon jug of drinking water has risen from $0.30 to as much as $6 in some places because of the lack of fuel for water pumps and water trucks. On October 3, the largest water company announced that they were out of fuel and could no longer bottle or distribute water. That same day, the ministry of health announced that cholera cases have been confirmed. Cholera first came to Haiti in 2010 after the earthquake; the last recorded case in Haiti was in 2019. Its reemergence is a huge threat to Haiti.

Because of the roadblocks and lack of fuel, many areas in Haiti are running out of food and many places have already run out of drinkable water. People are desperate. Even those who typically can take care of themselves are struggling to feed their families. We are thankful that Camp Marie is an agricultural community. While the community is hurting, this area is doing better than many.

We pray that the organization is able to make payroll through this difficult time, keep our employees working, and be a source of hope for the community. I know the PLH staff and myself find comfort in what Jesus said in John 14:27: “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”

The Crisis in Haiti: Humanitarian Catastrophe

By Laura Polynice

“An economic crisis, a gang crisis, and a political crisis have converged into a humanitarian catastrophe," stated UN Special Representative Helen La Lime. "We must not lose hope, but rather combine our efforts to find a pathway to a better tomorrow”

While Haiti has seen many cycles of protests, gas shortages and insecurity, the current situation is the worst it has been. Even if things opened up tomorrow, the country cannot continue to live under the terror of these warring groups. The Haitian people are powerless and tired of fighting to survive. “We are not humans. We are just bodies struggling to survive.” This is a common sentiment among the Haitian people.

A few weeks ago, a couple family members of one of our staff got into a knife fight landing them both in the hospital in critical condition. When I told this to Guesly, he asked how two grown men cound be so dumb as to engage in a knife fight. I responded that when you have no job, no way to feed your family, no purpose, and no hope for your future or your children’s future, you lose all reason to live. With the reality of life in Haiti, putting value on your life or other people’s lives takes a lot of faith. 

With all the issues in Haiti, it is natural to ask how things are ever going to change. On the national level, it is hard to say. We pray and we hope. PLH’s mission, however, is to empower Haitians to build a stronger Haiti. We believe that lasting change in the country begins on the individual and community level. If individuals are empowered to be able to take care of themselves and their families and if communities are empowered to work together to bring about positive development, then change will begin to ripple out, and the effects will be immeasurable. Education, employment, sustainability, responsibility, and unity – these are the things that will change Haiti. By empowering Haitians, you are helping them to build a stronger Haiti.

Wrapping Up the Summer Programs

By Laura Polynice

This summer for the first time, PLH hosted two months of classes for kids in the community. During vacation, children and youth in Haiti don’t have a lot of activities or events to keep them busy. This July and August, kids came to PLH to learn English and artisan crafts. The kids enjoyed having somewhere to go each day and enjoyed learning the new skills.

This past Sunday, the PLH staff organized an expo and invited the parents to attend. This was a chance for the kids to show off what they had learned and made and for the parents to support and celebrate their kids. We were pleased by the number of parents that attended.

There were several tables set up at the front on which the kids displayed their handmade goods including bracelets, woven hats, macrame hangings, necklaces, and sandals.

The program started with English demonstrations. Students came up in pairs and performed little dialogues in English. Then Teacher Sondy led the students in a competition similar to Simon Says and the winner took home a brand-new, insulated water bottle – a prized commodity around here. Finally, they performed several songs including Head and Shoulders and a song of the months of the year.

SIMON SAYS

After the English portion, all the artisan students came to the front. Their instructor, Pierre Claude, quizzed them on some of the vocabulary related to artisan trades with a group of eight girls competing against a group of eight boys.

Finally, the parents and guests were invited to come up to look at and purchase the artisan goods that the students had made. Each purchase was an encouragement to the kids.

Benedic encouraged the parents to support their children in their new trade so that they can continue to advance their skills. The artisan class will continue each Saturday during the school year. Two parents shared some words congratulating the students on their efforts and thanking PLH for this program. As always, I was asked to speak. I congratulated the kids on their beautiful work, thanked the parents for coming out to support their children, and thanked the PLH staff for putting together this 8-week program.

Rose-Andre and several others worked all morning preparing a special meal for the students. When the program was finished, the kids lined up and excitedly collected their meal and hurried home to beat the rain.

This summer was the first time in three years that the PLH Haitian staff have been left to run things without myself or Guesly present. It is so exciting to see the staff take charge and put on a great program. They came up with the ideas, set the schedule, carried out the classes, and organized a great celebration to wrap it up. I am proud of them. I look forward to continuing to have the artisan class for the kids each weekend. The pride on the young people’s faces as they showed off and sold their goods was inspiring. This evening was a representation of what PLH wants to bring to the community: opportunities to learn, a community that comes together to support one another, and pride in a job well done. 

What’s going on in Haiti? Part 3: The Impact on PLH and Camp Marie

By Laura Polynice (Nott)

In part 1, we looked at the history of Haiti and especially the Independence Debt and its estimated impact. In part 2, we looked at the current situation in Haiti with gangs ruling the country. In this final installment, we want to share how this is impacting PLH and the people in our community. 

PLH and our community of Camp Marie is in a safe and calm location. There are no large gangs in the areas or cities surrounding us. However, families in our area continue to struggle with rising prices. Gas shortages continue to be a challenge. Farmers are facing the possibility of losing their crops as this rainy season has been extremely dry. People cannot travel to other parts of the country as they used to, but within our area, they are safe. However, every Haitian is impacted to some degree by the insecurity, violence, kidnappings, road closures, and general dysfunction of the nation. The ever-increasing issues weigh on the people as they hold onto hope for their country and for their future. 

The biggest issues for the organization are 1) getting to and from Port-au-Prince, and 2) getting things shipped into Haiti. With the highway into Port-au-Prince now having more frequent gang fighting, we are unable to bring in visitors to oversee construction or provide training. Our staff is also unable to get to the capital to buy certain materials needed for the campus including the windows to finish the kitchen construction. With the various issues in the country, the port near us is not accepting containers. PLH has one container in Oregon packed with materials to build the chicken coop and supplies for the kitchen and will have additional containers soon to ship steel for the next construction projects.  We are working on other options to get these containers to the campus, but each option comes with its own list of challenges and risks. 

Because our area is safe, the PLH programs have been able to function without closure. English classes wrapped up another school year and the soccer academy continues to provide youth with a safe place to play and grow. Throughout the months of July and August, the PLH Haitian staff is holding several summer programs on the campus. These include soccer tournaments, English classes for kids, artisan classes, soap-making classes, and a literacy class for adults. Stay tuned to hear updates on these exciting programs!

With all the issues in Haiti, it is natural to ask what can be done? How are things ever going to change? On a national level, it is hard to say. Perhaps it will take foreign intervention. Perhaps a group of leaders will rise up that will usher Haiti in the right direction. Perhaps God will change hearts and this violence and corruption will cease. There isn’t anything we as individuals or as an organization can do on the national level, and we don’t have the answers to what should be done. PLH’s mission is to empower Haitians to build a stronger Haiti. We believe that lasting change in the country begins on the individual and community level. If individuals are empowered to be able to take care of themselves and their families and if communities are empowered to work together to bring about positive development, then change will begin to ripple out, and the effects will be immeasurable.Education, employment, sustainability, responsibility, and unity – are the things that will change Haiti. By empowering Haitians, you are helping them to build a stronger Haiti. 

What can you do today? 

After reading about the history and the current situation, you may be asking, “But what can I do?” The hardest thing about all the challenges in Haiti is the sense of helplessness. How can we combat these forces and make an impact when the challenges are so large and longstanding? We can:

• Continue to Pray: Our God is more powerful than any of these forces. Pray for change. Pray for peace. Pray for leaders that will usher Haiti into a better chapter. Pray for individuals in Haiti to know the love of God and pursue Him above all else. Pray for the people of Haiti who are facing these challenges on a daily basis and for the churches, schools, organizations, and individuals that are working to build a stronger Haiti.

• Support: PLH is moving forward. We have many plans for the PLH programs, campus and small businesses. PLH wants to see the community of Camp Marie thrive and become a strong community that is a model to others. By supporting the work of PLH, you are investing in Haiti’s future. Support other organizations doing good work in Haiti and around the world. Consider purchasing from companies that create jobs in Haiti and similar countries. Your donations and purchases impact lives.

• Serve: Though we cannot invite you to serve in Haiti at the moment, there are many other ways to serve with PLH. Just a few of these are to serve on the construction planning committee; assist with coach training; assist with curriculum development for English, personal finance, computer applications, and more; and volunteer at a PLH event. Email us to learn more about how you can use your skills to serve.

• Share: Awareness is so important. It is easy to get wrapped up in our own lives and struggles and forget the challenges that others are facing around the world. Share with your friends, family, and coworkers about Haiti and why you care. Invite them to join you in supporting PLH or other organizations and companies. It may not resonate with everyone, and that is okay. But we shouldn’t be afraid to invite someone to participate in something that we care about.

Stay tuned for our upcoming Join the Community campaign which will include videos and stories that you can share with your friends as you invite them to join in the work God is doing amidst all the challenges in Haiti.