A Working Voyage on the Haitian Queen - COMPLETED!

The volunteer house has been christened “The Haitian Queen.”

The second story of the “Haitian Queen” was almost destroyed in the earthquake. Before rebuilding, cracks in the first story were marked to see if they were growing when engineers checked for safety issues. Volunteers built temporary bunkhouses for those fearful of sleeping inside during the aftershocks. Hundreds of volunteers have used this home as a place to stay while working to help the people of Haiti.

                         Helping others in need.

Christian missionaries Greg and Jasmine cared for 34 orphans in a rented house in Leogane before the earthquake. On January 12, 2010, rice steamed on the gas stove as they prepared dinner.

Greg and a visitor sat on the balcony when it tilted suddenly downward. Greg grabbed his friend as he pitched over the edge and just as suddenly the balcony tilted back up and he pulled his friend to safety.

Rushing inside they gathered the orphans and hurried across the road. Remembering dinner, Greg ran back into the house, grabbed the rice and sprinted for the door. They and the children stood in horror as the earthquake split the road and crumbled structures around them.

The dark fell suddenly as they sat quietly and ate the rice. Gathering the children, Greg and jasmine began walking down the road, not knowing where to go. A Haitian man drove by and asked if they needed a place to stay. He allowed them sleep under the stars in a field that he owned.

We visited Greg and Jasmine many times that first year after the earthquake. They were living in tents. Our superintendents, Lorey and Brian Wetmiller and many volunteers built some of the first wood structures so that there would be a cool place to get out of the hot sun that first year.

The orphans ate MREs at first. They had enough for 3 years. This is typical of the stories you heard in the communities surrounding the Haitian Queen.

Families lost jobs and family members. There was much grief and many turned to Jesus in their hour of need. People worshiped in tents and out under the trees. New converts were baptized in the dirty streams. There was revival in the wake of crisis.

Work has continued on temporary buildings by our teams, EFCA Crisis Response and many others.

Greg and Jasmine hope to get started on a better place on 13 acres in the very near future.