Sunday, April 03, 2011

Container Items Released

I'd like to introduce you to my granddaugher, Sophie. She is the apple of Grandpa's eye. I love Sophie so much.

I just received news that several of our container shipments have finally been released from Haitian customs! (The one with all our feeding program supplies has been there since last August). I must be honest... it has been aggravating to me to see good will held hostage by inefficiencies along the way. And, while I confess it is aggravating at times, I am at strange peace about it, knowing that these "inefficiencies" are but symptoms of much larger, structural illness. I've been losing no sleep over the stuff on the dock.

We have acquired a small guesthouse on the island that will serve as a great project staging grounds here in the early going. As things grow over time, we might need more, but this is perfect for now. We are outfitting it (generator/electricity, water, furniture, etc.) now and it will be ready for our first official work team slated to come in late May. I am excited.

I am learning that this adventure of moving with God is not just the taking of one step of faith and then your're good to go after that, but that seemingly every step that follows is also an act of faith. It's all good, mind you... no complaining. It's just scary sometimes.

I need your help, those of you reading this, and I'm just throwing this out there... in faith, knowing that God works through those who love and follow him: We need island transportation.

Until now we've been borrowing and renting vehicles to get us around and we can't continue to do that much longer. We have figured out how we're getting the vehicles down there. Now we need to just find them.

We need...
Two - Heavy Duty (e.g., 3/4 ton) Diesel trucks.
Two - Hauling Capacity 4-Wheel ATV's
Two - 125cc Motorcycles (we can purchase these right there in Haiti for about $1200 each)

We could also really use some warehouse space here in Grand Rapids where we can stage the supplies enroute to the island. Maybe even one with a small office in it.

If any of you out there in blogland and facebookland has connections with folks who would like to donate to a cause that can bring radical, transforming change to a little island in Haiti... would you mind putting in a good word? You can use the www.starfysh.org site as a resource in talking to them.

Thanks folks. We are doing some very cool things for a very desperate people.

Blessings,
Steve

3 comments:

Kris Thede said...

YEAH for getting things out of customs. Now if Haiti can get through the election results without major violence this week and next...

Hey if you know of someplace we can get dental tools? Please let us know. We have a young Haitian dentist who would like to minister in our area [he's from here] but we haven't one item for him to use.

God Bless, Dr. Kris
Fauche, Haiti

Anonymous said...

FYI yout Starfysh link in the upper right hand corner under your picture doesn't work. There's other ways to get there, but that link goes to "page not found".

Renee said...

Sophie loves her Grampa too!! :) Very much. And someday she will travel to Haiti with you to see the great work you do.