Where He leads...: Much Ministries in Gonaives, Haiti

Much Ministries in Gonaives, Haiti

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Last week I had the opportunity to hang out up in Gonaives, Haiti with an organization called Much Ministries. I met Ben Rustin at the airport a few weeks ago. He had stayed at the Georgia House last year and knew several of the Baptists 4 Haiti staff I was with in the taptap. We were introduced and he told me I could come up anytime to check out what all they had going on. I took the opportunity last Tuesday to catch a ride and spent the evening and most the day Wednesday learning about and seeing firsthand some of the ministries going on there. I could not begin to tell you everything they're doing there, so I encourage you to visit their website (linked above). Meanwhile, I've got nearly two dozen photos posted here for you to get a little bit of an idea of what I was blessed to see during my short visit.

Much Ministries has been loving Haiti in many ways since 2003. Some of their projects include a trade school offering English classes and medical training, a general clinic and prenatal program, housing development, clean water efforts, and a primary school. They are always looking for individuals or teams interested in serving in Haiti, so if you've been thinking about serving short or long-term in a third-world country, Much Ministries might be a wonderful organization for you. They've even got a handy brochure you can view here or on their website.

Since I'm posting so many photos, maybe narrating via photo captions is the easiest way to tell more about my time there...

It's a beautiful drive to get to Gonaives from Port-au-Prince. It can take 3-4 hours (or more) depending on traffic, but for a lot of the way you've got mountains on one side and ocean on the other. We stopped for a bit and some of us took a quick dip.

Grace's rottweiler puppy, Tug, had his first swim in the ocean. He wasn't quite sure what to think about it. The waves were a little big for him. He rode in the console the rest of the way home. Crazy to think how big he'll get one day, but fit so perfectly here for now!

I sat in on April's preschool class Wednesday morning. April was interested in federal law enforcement before coming to Haiti. Now she's got a class full of little learners. Funny how God has other plans for us sometimes! Though I'm excited to hear that she has a passion for justice when it comes to child slavery and human trafficking. God has big plans for her!

Me with some of April's kids

The first floor cement section is part of the clinic. The second story is a missionary's home with her adopted Haitian son (incredible story there!). The yellow section is part daily feeding program, part preschool classroom, and probably part clinic waiting area if I had to guess.

The main area where Much Ministries works is in Jubilee. It's the poorest area of Gonaives and sits on very unfertile land. Cross International and Omaha Rapid Response have teamed up to help provide these homes for some of the residents. Many lost their homes during the 2004 and 2008 floods.

I met this sweet lady Nicole who lives in the house below. She was so proud to uncover and show me the sewing machine she was given recently. She had a stack of fabric and was ready to get to work. I'm always encouraged to hear of men and women who are trying to use the talents God has given them to help earn a living and care for their families.

Nicole's house

Some of the MUCH folks built this house and a couple of the guys live in it full-time. I got a tour and couldn't even begin to tell you all of the information about it. But it was pretty incredible and has been a great learning process for the guys who try as best as they can to impact the community while doing things in an environmentally-friendly way.

Driving around in Jubilee...

In 2004 and 2008 there was severe flooding due to tropical storms, hurricanes, etc. The road has been redone to act as a dam. At least if there is flooding again in the future, access to Gonaives will hopefully not be cutoff like it has been in the past. Google "flooding in Gonaives, Haiti" to learn more about and see photos of what this town has suffered through during the last decade.

I always love coming across local artists receiving a sustainable income by making unique items and jewelry. MUCH has a trade school where over 100 men and women receive income through making jewelry, baskets, journals, and more. This is a little shop beside the guest house. I made a few purchases. :) A lot of the items are made from recycled materials, which makes me love them even more! These items will soon be available for purchase online through 2nd Story Goods.

The guest house was such a neat place. They had three teams in while I was there. It was nice being around so many people from the States, especially so many who have committed to living in Haiti indefinitely. I enjoyed swapping stories and learning more about how many were called to Haiti and their unique role here. The house itself had a neat setup, cute dogs, and I loved the artwork that was hanging everywhere you looked. Here are some of my favorites...