Home coming

Pastor Pharyl and his family

Byen pre pa lakay.

Being close to home is not the same as being home.

At a time with so many negative stories about Haiti, I am encouraged to be able to share some good news! Thanks to Pastor Pharyl’s leadership, our staff in Haiti, and support from so many folks here in the U.S., the community of Plain Matin is finishing up the construction of three concrete block houses for families who lost their homes in the earthquake last year. The 2-3 room design was provided by Pastor Pharyl who has training in carpentry. He also has put together a team of local laborers to do the construction.

The homeowners provide the land and, when possible, some labor as their contribution to the building project. The homes are made of concrete block and rebar, and finished with a metal roof.  Pastor Pharyl was able to get better prices by purchasing materials for three homes at one time. Having the supplies delivered took a bit longer due to the difficulty of transportation in Haiti with insecurity and gang violence. But once they had what they needed, the construction crew worked diligently through the rainy season to get these homes completed for the families in need.

Having a secure place to sleep and stay dry on rainy nights is a basic necessity for any person to thrive. We want to continue to empower the local leaders in our partner communities to address this critical need. The Board for Haiti H2O and our staff here and in Haiti are discussing the best way forward that is both sustainable and empowering. We hope to give more information on future home building projects in the coming weeks/months. In the meantime, thank you for your generosity and support that has helped rural Haitians have a secure home where their family can begin to flourish.