April 08, 2011
Hi Everyone,
Sorry I’m so far behind in updating you on all of the wonderful things happening with Aslan’s work in Haiti. I’ve spent so much of my time there since the beginning of the year that it’s hard for me to remember where I am some mornings when I wake up. One thing that always keeps me straight is I’m definitely somewhere other than Haiti if I haven’t been listening to a thousand crazy Haitian roosters crowing all night. And if the roosters haven’t convinced me, I can always depend on the ten thousand Haitian dogs that I haven’t heard barking all night! Seriously, I love being in Haiti ~ roosters, dogs and all.
First I want to update you on the progress of the clinic. Due to some normal construction delays, our finish date for shipping has been pushed back to the end of this month. I’m actually thankful for this, because it is giving me a chance to catch my breath between trips and also make preparations for all the things we have to do once the units arrive in Puerto Plata, D.R. on an ocean freighter. Once their in the Dominican Republic, it should take us about 2 days to get them to Haiti and a day to set them on our foundation. I have a great team of guys who will be helping me hook the units together into one large (and beautiful) clinic and unpack everything. More about that in an upcoming blog.
In both February and March, we had several gifted groups of people join us. During February, Rev. Terrence Porter (Pilgrim Baptist Church, Red Bank) and three sweet ladies from his congregation came down for a whirlwind 4-day trip. From left to right in the picture below are Burnadett, Darlene, Joseph Israel (back), a school principal from one of the schools we helped (front), Marcia, and Terrence. Believe me, we accomplished more during those 4 days than you would think was humanly possible! In addition to delivering tons of school supplies that Pilgrim & friends had collected for us to bring down, we also spent a lot 
of time with our Aslan children in L’Acajou. While we were in L’Acajou, I introduced Rev. Porter and the group to Gentilia, a very special young woman I mentioned a couple of blogs back.
Gentilia is a survivor of the horrible earthquake in Haiti, and she had just started nursing when the quake hit. Thankfully, she survived, but she was forced with the decision to return to her very poor and crowded home in L’Acajou or live in a “tent city” in Port-au-Prince. She decided to stay at home, and she’s been helping Joseph with the 150 Aslan kids at our Sunday day camp program. Rev. Porter could quickly see the potential in this gifted young woman, but he also was able to sense the despair that is so evident behind the smiles of so many Haitian men and 
women who have no hope. Until she met Aslan, Gentilia had no
hope at all of ever seeing her dream of becoming a nurse come true. One afternoon, we walked through the bush to the tiny hut where she and her large family live, and we sat together as she eloquently but poignantly told us “All my dreams died with the earthquake.”
But God can repair some dreams. Rev. Porter called me this week to tell me that Pilgrim wants to sponsor Gentilia through nursing school. It is quite a commitment, and it is a wonderful commitment on the part of this wonderful church and wonderful pastor!
There is so much more to come! Next blog, I’ll tell you about a fantastic group from Grace Bible Church in Montana that truly “graced” our work in Haiti several weeks back ~ along with one of the most special people in Lynn Ann’s and my life, Colleen Ward-Mujica, and her wonderful group of nurses and volunteers from New York City who also came during March. Above you see Gentilia making a special presentation to Colleen for her 15 years of love and service to the people of Haiti and for her special care for our friends in L’Acajou.
Please keep our clinic in prayer. We’re so close to finished, and this is going to make the difference between life and death to thousands and thousands of children, women and men in Haiti in the future.
Much love to all,
Craig
