For questions about the contents of this newsletter or Seeds of Support’s work in general, contact Linnae Stole.
WINTER/SPRING 2024: HARSH REALITIES IN HAITI
Hello everyone, and God's blessings to you all.
Many of you by now have likely heard of the escalating situation in Haiti. Gang violence has erupted in recent weeks, with calls for the acting prime minister, Ariel Henry, to resign. While Henry was in Kenya seeking international support to suppress the violence, gangs took over the airport in Port-Au-Prince. They are also in control of the ports, severely limiting imports into the country, including food and medicines. The U.S. government has sent troops to guard the embassy and evacuate U.S. citizens. The Dominican Republic has closed the border and closed the airport for all flights to or from Haiti. Ordinary people are trapped. Thousands have been forced from their homes, kidnapped and shot. Food and water supplies are becoming critically low.
This week, Henry announced he would resign once a transitional government was put into place, with presidential elections at some point in the future (which haven’t been held in Haiti since Moïse’s election in 2016). It is unclear how long it will take for that government to be established.
Amidst the violence, Kerlange has shared that she and her family are safe in St. Marc, though they have not been able to return to their home since leaving several months ago. She tragically lost a nephew to the gangs before Christmas. Joseph also reports he is doing OK, though he shares that “no one is safe in Haiti” right now.
Jorel and Guerline are safe in Florida, where Jorel is working in construction and as a choir director for a local church. His two younger children, Ruthzaelle and Ezra, are living in the home Jorel built in a suburb of Port-Au-Prince, cared for by Guerline’s sister and her family. Wolph (Jorel’s oldest) is studying cyber security at a Turkish university, and Mitgaelle (second oldest) is navigating visa issues in Egypt and Turkey while continuing to pursue her degree in fashion design. With his stable, legal job in Florida, Jorel is working to support all his children through their various educational endeavors. Please keep all of them, along with the rest of our Haitian friends, in your prayers in the days and weeks ahead.
PROJECTS CONTINUE IN HAITI
Infrastructure Development in Pasquette
Some of you may remember Julien, one of the young people from Pasquette. Over the years, he has become a strong leader in the community. For Christmas, he organized a community food distribution, along with a children’s holiday party, funded by Seeds of Support. Even with the challenges of procuring supplies, both events were successful and brought smiles to those involved!
Julien also recently approached Seeds of Support requesting help to install solar lights along the road leading up to the village. Thanks to a generous grant from the St. Andrew Endowment Committee, we were able to support this project. Community members from Pasquette will install the lights, providing extra safety for people using the road at night. We will share pictures in an upcoming newsletter!
Joseph hosts a kids club and feeds hungry families
In December, Joseph ran his final kids club of 2023 and oversaw a Christmas food distribution. It was a tremendous success and once again, the event was oversubscribed. He handed out tickets to those attending the kids club, and they could return later in December to collect a box of food for their family to celebrate Christmas. He hopes to continue the kids club ministry in 2024, and also routinely looks for opportunities to support his friends and neighbors. We are grateful for the support of the St. Andrew Benevolence Committee for the initial funding of the 2024 kids club events, and Seeds of Support will continue to seek additional funding sources for this work.
Kerlange delivers medicines and distributes food to the hungry
Kerlange continues to look for ways to spread hope and care to the sick and hungry in and around her home in St. Marc. She and her volunteer team fed 110+ people in January alone. Once she gets the go-ahead from the hospital in St. Marc, she will do another medicine distribution to patients, who cannot receive treatments from doctors if they can’t buy the medicines they’ve been prescribed. Like Joseph’s kids club, Kerlange’s recent and upcoming projects are partially funded through the St. Andrew Benevolence committee and generous Seeds of Support donations. In 2024, she hopes to do more food distributions, a rural medical clinic and personal supply donations at area hospitals for patients who can’t afford to bring their own during their stay
(soap, laundry detergent, personal care items).
INTERNATIONAL MISSION CONTINUES IN BELIZE
As a new aspect of our international ministry, the second group of missionaries from St. Andrew are in Belize the week of March 16th-23rd. Led by our new Belizean friends Frank, Tracy and Kebin, they’ll experience the warm hospitality of the Belizean people, visit local schools and churches, learn about Maya culture and more! We look forward to sharing more about this unique experience in an upcoming newsletter, as well as future trip opportunities!
SUPPORT OUR MINISTRIES
Seeds of Support Missions relies on donations to keep our work going. In 2024, our project goals include:
- Supporting a kids club ministry in Port-Au-Prince
- Food distributions in Port Au-Prince, St. Marc, Pasquette, and other Haitian villages
- Hospital visits and personal supply distributions
- A rural medical clinic
- Educational scholarship support
Please be in touch with us if you would like to support these projects financially. We are grateful for your prayers as we continue to find ways to creatively do mission in the world.
PRAYERS FOR PEACE AND SAFE TRAVELS
As the violence in Haiti continues, we request prayers of safety for our friends, for wisdom from the leaders steering the future of the country, and for all those who have been impacted both in the country and abroad.
And pray for those traveling to Belize this week, led by Pastor Peter and Deb Hetherington. Pray for safe travels, warm friendships and that all involved can see how God is moving through the world.
Blessings,
Pastor Peter, Linnae Stole, and the Seeds of Support Board