Many of you know a group of Haitians have had a special connection with Foundations for Laity Renewal for more than a decade. Jack Willome, a longtime friend, has, over the past 13 years, arranged for 50 business, community, and government leaders from Haiti to attend Laity Lodge retreats. He has also sponsored an equal number of Haitian children who have attended Laity Lodge Youth Camp.
Since the devastating January 12 earthquake, we have received many calls from people trying to find out how our friends are doing. We’ve been told that the core group with whom we’ve been most involved and their immediate families are safe. They still need your prayers, though. All of them have extended family members and friends who are injured, missing, or have lost their lives.
The news media coverage leaves no doubt as to the seriousness of this devastating event. Some of you have asked how you can help. Of course, there are countless ways to be involved. We would like to share two options with you that line up well with our mission and vision of renewal and transformation.
First, through our Haitian relationships, and in partnership with Jacob’s Well Youth Camp in Limbe, Haiti, LLYC has been planning for over a year to become directly involved in developing Haitian youth into the next generation of leadership for that country. We’re calling it the “Outbound Haiti 2010” project.
Since the earthquake, we are not certain if we will be facilitating a camp or participating in relief work. Our coordinator in Haiti, Pastor Gersan Valcin of Port-au-Prince, will give us more direction in the coming weeks about how our team can be utilized best.
On July 3-10, our plan remains to bring twenty 10th-12th graders and a team of staff to assist in rebuilding of facilities or raising up Christian leaders. If you feel drawn to be a financial partner in this vital effort, please click here.
Second, for those wanting to assist the immediate needs of earthquake victims through a financial donation, Jack Willome and his colleague, Chuck McLeod, of Detroit, work directly with a core group of Haitian leaders to improve the lives of some of the country’s poorest communities. They do this through the International Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization based in Michigan.
The International Foundation allows Jack and his Haitian leadership team to direct donated funds to projects in which they are closely involved. A great example of their collaborative work relates to the rebuilding of the water system, after the hurricanes of 2008, that now serves 5,000 people. The funds and project direction was headed by one of the core team leaders who was on the ground in Haiti. The whole project was overseen by a missionary/engineer whom they know very well. Local church members were employed to lay the pipes. Not only did the project improve the infrastructure, it helped the local economy as well as building trust between the missionaries and local citizens.
Jack and his team have access to Haitian relief organizations that they trust and that have a record of accountability. If you would like to help them assist earthquake victims through your financial donation, please consider sending a check to the following:
International Foundation
Account 380-02 (in the memo line)
1145 Great Oaks Blvd
Rochester, MI 48307
Regardless of how you choose to get involved, we see God at work through the Church in Haiti. As Jack puts it, “We believe that Christ-centered transformation in all our lives will impact the lives of the poor, as Jesus lives and works in and through us.” This is truly an unprecedented time in history for the faith community to show the world what it means to love your neighbor as yourself. And the reality is that Haiti is our neighbor.
