Baptist Churches Help Rebuild Haiti School

[Worldwide Faith News <wfn@igc.org>]

VALLEY FORGE, PA (ABNS 9/9/10)?By October 1, schools in Haiti will
re-open after the devastating January 12 earthquake that shattered the
tiny nation. Thanks to the efforts of countless volunteers from
Cooperative Baptist Fellowship (CBF), the Texas Baptist Convention,
and American Baptist Churches, USA, Siloé School of the Grand Goâve
Baptist Church will welcome nearly 350 new and returning Haitian
students from kindergarten through 8th grade.

Since February 2010, 63 American Baptist volunteers from the U.S. have
been working with the Convention Baptiste du Haïti (CBH) and through
American Baptist International Ministries (IM) and partner CBF to
rebuild the church?s school in the city of Grand Goâve, Haiti.

?So far, the first five classrooms have been constructed using methods
and materials designed to withstand high winds and earthquakes,?
explained Herb Rogers, former missionary in Haiti and IM volunteer
coordinator for the Grand Goâve school project.  While an additional
six rooms are still under construction, Herb feels confident that all
350 young students will be served on the site in classrooms or in
nearby tents.  ?Haitians place a high value on education for their
children,? he said. ?Families are extremely excited about getting
their children back to learning.?

In the midst of unimaginable destruction in Haiti, beacons of hope,
including the Siloé School, are re-emerging.  Organizations with long
histories in Haiti, like International Ministries 67 years of ministry
there, are working with their local Christian partners and other
international partners to rebuild Haiti, one school, one clinic, and
one home at a time.

According to Nancy James, an IM medical missionary from northern Haiti
who visited the project, ?Those [volunteers] have sought to be 'the
presence of Christ' to those in need. They have worked shoulder to
shoulder with their Haitian brothers and sisters, not sharing a common
language except the love of Jesus and the willingness to help. Living
in tents under difficult circumstances, these [volunteer] teams have
shared a little of the suffering of their Haitian brothers and 
sisters.?

The first task to reconstructing the classrooms was to clear the
rubble of the destroyed building so that new and sturdier foundations
could be laid. Volunteers from the Grand Goâve Church, Samaritan?s
Purse (a U.S. non-profit), IM and CBF were recruited and worked
together to construct a solid and safe structure that would withstand
extreme weather conditions.

Despite the heat, humidity, dust, wind and rain, Haitian and U.S.
volunteers have worked together to make this school a reality. Among
most notable has been Herb Rogers, Gene Gentry and Harold ?Harry?
Rittenhouse, who have made multiple trips to Haiti since the
earthquake, sharing both their Creole language and building skills.
The volunteers gave more than their sweat?many of them provided
financial support to the project as well. The Grand Goâve site
continues to be staffed by CBF field personnel, providing on site
coordination for volunteers and medical support to the community.

In all, IM has committed $70,000 to reconstructing the school.  These
One Great Hour of Sharing funds are provided to the project as they
are requested.  IM missionaries and staff monitor the expenses to
ensure the funds are well spent.

International Ministries? missionaries and volunteers are working at
other sites throughout Haiti to help in the rebuilding effort.  For
more information on IM?s projects in Haiti and throughout the world,
visit the website at www.internationalministries.org.

American Baptist International Ministries is the first Baptist
international mission agency formed in North America, and the second
oldest Baptist mission agency in the world. More than 1,800 short-term
and long-term missionaries are served annually, bringing churches and
individuals in the United States and Puerto Rico together with
partners in more than 70 countries in holistic, cutting-edge
ministries that tell the good news of Jesus Christ while meeting 
human need.

American Baptist Churches is one of the most diverse Christian
denominations today, with 5,500 local congregations comprised of 1.3
million members, across the United States and Puerto Rico, all engaged
in God?s mission around the world.