Trying to get the HMI compound near Leogane back to normal as quickly as possible has been the goal of our leadership from the beginning. The school building was damaged heavily on one side and in need of extensive repairs. Local Haitian men were found to begin the rebuilding process, and gratefully accepted food and water in the form of payment for their work. The reconstruction activities have been extremely good for the Haitians' morale as they begin to see rubble cleared, progress made, and to experience a sense of ownership, fulfillment and accomplishment. As they say in Creole, "Tout chay gen twoket li,"
= every load has its pad. Or, in other words, "Every problem has a solution."
There is still much to be done, but we are so grateful for the ongoing blessings of food and water, and the eagerness and commitment of the people to help with the restoration operations. Please be faithful in your prayers for the work being done in Leogane by HMI, and in all the surrounding areas.
Please keep Dwight Powell, president of HMI, in your prayers as he heads back to Haiti today. He has a lot of issues to deal with and little time to get much accomplished. We'll keep you updated on his activities the next few days. Dwight is due to return this Saturday, February 27th.
Be sure to visit HMI's website for further information and resources. www.hmiminitries.com
When Dwight Powell, founder and president of HMI, recently returned from a trip to Haiti, he told an amazing story of having reached out to a local voodoo witchdoctor with the love of Christ. (The witch-
doctor is the man standing next to Dwight in the picture above, second from right.)
Dwight had been involved with distributing thousands of pounds of rice and beans to local community leaders for them to parcel out to their residents. Realizing that there was a witchdoctor holding voodoo ceremonies on a hilltop nearby, Dwight felt the Spirit's nudging to bless this man with food for him and his people. When he insisted that the witchdoctor come out of the meeting so they could talk, the voodoo leader was noticeably angry. Not to be deterred, Dwight told him (through an interpreter) that because his God had blessed him so much he wanted to, in turn, bless the witchdoctor with food and water so he could give it to his people. Dwight emphatically stated that our God is a god of abundance. Begrudgingly, the witchdoctor accepted the food. The next day, he came to visit unexpectedly. To Dwight's surprise and delight, he heard these words, "I want to change gods." When asked why, the witchdoctor explained, "My god is an angry god and causes the ground to rumble and split, destroys our homes, hurts our people and causes them to be hungry. Your God sends the blan (white man) in the bird (helicopter) and brings us food and water. I want to change gods." This lifelong witchdoctor was then led to the Lord!
We are praising God for His amazing blessings and for how He is changing lives. Please keep Dwight and the HMI team in your prayers as they continue to minister to those hurting in Haiti.
There's a popular Creole phrase in Haiti that goes like this, "Anpil men, chay pa lou." In other words, "With a lot of hands, the load is not heavy."
Now, more than ever, we are seeing the results of many pulling together to begin the building and rebuilding process in Haiti. HMI is currently erecting a block fence around their entire 16-acre compound in order to insure the safety of those in the orphanage. And, they have hired a Haitian construction team to immediately begin repairs of the school building in Leogane, trying to get life in this area back to normal as quickly as possible.
As opportunities arise, we invite you to join hands with us in meeting the needs of the Haitian people. Sharing the load is what HMI is all about.
The founder, Dwight Powell, has been involved in missions for 30 years. In the late 1990's Dwight moved to Naples, Florida where he works with New Hope Ministries making connections to many mission organizations. A network of ministries has formed with Living Waters Teaching in Xela, Guatemala, People for Missions in many nations of the world, International Cooperating Ministries, and Love a Child. Through the experiences and observation of needs in many countries, HMI was formed. Because of Dwight's efforts, medical teams, construction crews, and evangelical crusades have been an ongoing part of the HMI ministry.
Trying to get the HMI compound near Leogane back to normal as quickly as possible has been the goal of our leadership from the beginning. The school building was damaged heavily on one side and in need of extensive repairs. Local Haitian men were found to begin the rebuilding process, and gratefully accepted food and water in the form of payment for their work. The reconstruction activities have been extremely good for the Haitians' morale as they begin to see rubble cleared, progress made, and to experience a sense of ownership, fulfillment and accomplishment. As they say in Creole, "Tout chay gen twoket li," = every load has its pad. Or, in other words, "Every problem has a solution."
