Voices from the Field

Chickens & Eggs

Compassion in action

Meet Rose. Rose and Junior are neighbors and they attend the same church. Rose is a single mother with six children and like many in Haiti, she has limited means to care for her family. She sits by her roadside-stand all day selling gum, candies, and occasionally produce if she can find some. Rose sells these items for it is all she can afford to buy. Rose is stuck! She is in a trap! Her business is hardly enough to support herself.

Hope & Opportunity
Junior, being raised by a single mom, knows firsthand how hard life is for the women in Haiti, especially those with children. Having compassion on Rose, for he knew she could not afford to buy chickens, so he gave her chickens that she would pay for upon selling them in the market. Rose would keep the benefit. Chickens sell fast! In one hour selling chickens, Rose makes more money than she could in five months selling gum! Rose had 15 birds every six weeks to sell, and earns about $12 US. Now that Junior has another house, that means Rose will get 15 birds every three weeks (chickens take six weeks to mature) to sell, doubling her income. Praise God!

I asked Junior why he is doing this for Rose and other women and he replied,
“I want to help in deed, not just in words. God gave me this chicken house; I want to give as well.”
God is working in and through Junior to demonstrate the love and compassion of Christ. Word is spreading about what Junior is doing. Many other single mothers, the saved and the lost, are asking for a job like Rose’s. Junior uses his business to tell people who Christ is and what he has done. The gospel in action! Strengthening the church to be Jesus in their communities.
Points of Interest:

Junior's first three flocks have been successful.

His second house was completed in July.

Chicken houses hold 250 birds and generate $200 US every six weeks.

Junior keeps half of the birds to support himself, mother, brothers and sisters.

Agricultural students from his University learn chicken farming at his house.

$3,000 cost to construct includes birds and all supplies.

Farm & Garden

The Hinche farm journey started when rural Haiti pastor Oclane Onesias challenged 8 men in his church to take what they have (a small parcel of land, a couple farming tools, and some seed) and pray to steward well this that God had given them. To pray believing that their God will move when they do. “Lets do our part, to prepare our field, to use well what God has given us and trust HIM; for continuing to sit idle is not honoring to God and keeps us in bondage,” recounts Pastor Oclane.

The men went right to work preparing the land for seed. Quickly opposition started rising around them. Foolish talk from many aimed at weakening their spirit, they refused to listen; believing that God honors the humble. With diligent hands, together they pressed on working the field. Together they continued in prayer to be good stewards of what God had already given them; land, tools, seed, each other. They planted and prayed with faith.

Several months later their faith and action is being rewarded! They are praising God for the continual harvests of peppers and beans and the expansion

People of the village are watching, their foolish talk is being replaced with curiosity and questions. The men, these “brothers in arms” farmers joyfully and humbly answer, “Just look…. Look what God is doing through us!” The farmers call it, “The gospel in action.” It’s not a simple formula or saying. It’s the way Christians live. The next generation is watching, too.

Next, bring the whole community together to discuss their situation, their agricultural needs and their leadership team.

Leadership Team
Farming Committee
God is using these men of the church to apply the Gospel. Thank you for supporting their call.

Pastor Oclane Onesias

Married to Marilourdes for 25 years
7 children
Pastor of his church for two years.
Traveling evangelist for 30 years
Loves Jesus & leading men

Jacques Joseph

Lead farm hand
Wife (Vergelie) and 4 children
This is his first job
Vergelie works the harvest

Jillian Joseph

Farm manager and chief technician
Wife (Sainte Laire) and 5 children
This is his first job ever
TB has stricken the home

Jackson Joseph – Irrigation Manager

Lacienne

If you need water moved from one location to the next, Jackson is your man. He is the irrigation specialist for the village of Lacienne. He has 10 children and lives adjacent to the church. Over 20 acres of land in separate parcels are in production, and Jackson has been working with them all. Busy man… Jackson is not a believer in Christ and the church leadership continue to pray for him and his family.   What better place for Jackson, then to be working shoulder to shoulder with leaders of the church.   Supporting the making disciples is our mission.

Oanier family

Magauyave

The Oanier family has grown the pregnant goat they received into a small herd of eight goats. They praise God for His loving provision for their family.  Providing for their family meant just surviving the day.  Never had they imagined having $100 US all at one time, let alone a small herd worth multiple times that. receiving wise counsel from church elders on stewardship is a fairly new, but necessary biblical concept they are working through.  God shows his love in many forms, all for the glory of Christ!

Leadership team

Lacienne

The local church in Lacienne is providing leadership and resources to demonstrate compassion and assistance for the least of these.  They manage the goat and agriculture programs for the church and above all, strive to bring glory to Jesus. From left-right ~ Administrator Mican, Pastor Oclane, Chief Mason and Evangelist Ellie, Big boss and Veterinarian Joseph, Helper Wilner, and Irrigation Manager Jackson

Flanior Altunase

Lacienne

Flavor’s hand is paralyzed and he can not farm.  His family received two goats from his church and they have used two goats to pay for the eldest son to go to school.  First family member to attend high school.  Goats sold to pay for doctor and has more goats remaining to buy food and clothing for his family.  Sometimes his garden gets infected with pests.  Now that he has goats he can buy powder to spray crops instead of the crops dying and he has to borrow other land to garden.  Crops grow better with goat manure as well. The goat program is so encouraging to the Altunase’  family. They know other christian families are looking out for them and helping them with food and a better future.  They praise God for you!

Julian Jules

Lacienne

Julians family received a goat several years ago, he sold the goat.  This was the first time a family broke the agreement and sold the goat the church provided.  Offspring can be sold but not the female provided.  Everyone watched how the church leaders would respond.

As part of the program, everyone receiving a goat attends monthly meetings held by church elders. The topic of Julian’s family selling the goat was an opportunity to model Godly leadership.

The community held Julian’s family accountable and the Jules were broken-hearted over their actions and asked for forgiveness.

Church elders talked about grace and forgiveness, and together as a community decided the Jules can receive another goat after 18 months.

In 2016 the Jules have three goats; one female from the church and two offspring.  A story of truth and grace lived out for all the see the heart of God.

Eugene Yolande

Bois de Lance – Childrens home

Eugene Yolande lead care giver at Open Door’s children home in Bois de Lance.  She is a hoot and quite industrious!  What a joy to see the work of her hands flourishing with the children and in the garden. Her joys are gardening and teaching.  Her irrigated garden now allows her to do both all year long.

THM installed a solar power and an irrigation system for the home.  Both have been working well to supply power and water for daily needs.  As Eugene is using the garden as her classroom where she teaches the children how to plant and harvest, and to teach a work ethic while producing nutritious food for the orphanage and staff.

Way to go Eugene!!!

Delford

Lacienne – farmer

Delford is a master farmer in the area and is well known for his ability to grow crops. He holds an example of that with a massive papaya grown on his farm. Delord was not a believer when the church started a farming co-op to help all the farmers in the village. Delford was invited to help lead the farmers and after about one year, working alongside the leaders of the church to help farmers be more productive, accepted christ as his savior. delford continues his role as one of the leaders in the farming co-op, and now a leader in the church. Praise God!

Orales

Magayauve – Veterinarian

Orales is an elder in the church and a coleader of the goat program for the church in Magauyave.

THM sent Orales to veterinarian school in Pignon, Haiti. He has graduated high in his class and will be using the skills and knowledge he has gained in teaching families how to care for their goats.

The local church not only provides goats, and knowledge to care for them, but equips leaders to make disciples. That is the great commission lived out in Magauyave.

St. Vilmar Nacesse

Grand Ravine

The Nacesse family just received a goat from the church in Grand Ravine.

Their eldest daughter will be attending the church school and their goat’s future offspring will help pay her teachers salary. In just a short time they’ve seen families and teachers as a community supporting and encouraging each other.

We are looking forward to further updates with Vilmar as we watch God directly bless him and his family, as well as the community as a whole. No doubt God is moving here!

 

Leosane

Magayauve

Leosane lives in Magauyave and is a humble deaconess in the church there. She is a very poor widow and with no husband or family nearby she alone cares for her five children.  During Hurricane Matthew Leosane and her children lost their home.  When we heard this news THM partners quickly responded and raised the financial resources necessary to rebuild her home, but not a thatch house a block home that can better withstand storms.

Praise God for His goodness and His people who serve Him and those He loves.

Saint-Vil Mituel – School teacher

Lacienne

Mr. Mituel is a sixth grade teacher, but needs more students. He’s praying for a goat to be supplied so their family can pay his salary with goats.

He also teaches many stories of Jesus along with math etc….. Consider the average teachers salary is $46 US each month

When families pay for their child’s education and live in the same village as their teacher, it creates a unifying environment. God has placed this man in this village to show God’s love to this community.

Pastor Payot

Caracol

Pastor Payot and his wife planted their second church in Caracol.

A very large tree in the village was struck by lighting (voodoo was practiced there) and across the street, a house of worship was constructed that very same year. God scattered evil and replaced it with a loving Pastor preaching the Gospel of Christ.

THM and it’s partners are honored to be used by God in raising the funds to plant this church.

Shepherd

Magauyave

Left to right  – Orales, Jonis, Wilnot, Oanier,and  Sandro

Five men shepherd the large goat herd in Magayauve. This is the first full-time job they have ever had, it is also the first full-time job in the history of their family.

These men are daily reminders to the people in their village that God answered their prayer; provide their need~ spiritually, physically, and economically.