September 9, 2010

VALLEY FORGE, PA – By October 1, schools in Haiti will re-open after the devastating January 12 earthquake that shattered the tiny nation. Thanks to the efforts of countless volunteers from Cooperative Baptist Fellowship (CBF), the Texas Baptist Convention, and American Baptist Churches, USA, Siloé School of the Grand Goâve Baptist Church will welcome nearly 350 new and returning Haitian students from kindergarten through 8th grade.

Since February 2010, 63 American Baptist volunteers from the U.S. have been working with the Convention Baptiste du Haïti (CBH) and through American Baptist International Ministries (IM) and partner CBF to rebuild the church's school in the city of Grand Goâve, Haiti.

"So far, the first five classrooms have been constructed using methods and materials designed to withstand high winds and earthquakes," explained Herb Rogers, former missionary in Haiti and IM volunteer coordinator for the Grand Goâve school project. While an additional six rooms are still under construction, Herb feels confident that all 350 young students will be served on the site in classrooms or in nearby tents. "Haitians place a high value on education for their children," he said. "Families are extremely excited about getting their children back to learning."

In the midst of unimaginable destruction in Haiti, beacons of hope, including the Siloé School, are re-emerging. Organizations with long histories in Haiti, like International Ministries 67 years of ministry there, are working with their local Christian partners and other international partners to rebuild Haiti, one school, one clinic, and one home at a time.

According to Nancy James, an IM medical missionary from northern Haiti who visited the project, "Those [volunteers] have sought to be ‘the presence of Christ' to those in need. They have worked shoulder to shoulder with their Haitian brothers and sisters, not sharing a common language except the love of Jesus and the willingness to help. Living in tents under difficult circumstances, these [volunteer] teams have shared a little of the suffering of their Haitian brothers and sisters."

The first task to reconstructing the classrooms was to clear the rubble of the destroyed building so that new and sturdier foundations could be laid. Volunteers from the Grand Goâve Church, Samaritan's Purse (a U.S. non-profit), IM and CBF were recruited and worked together to construct a solid and safe structure that would withstand extreme weather conditions.

Despite the heat, humidity, dust, wind and rain, Haitian and U.S. volunteers have worked together to make this school a reality. Among most notable has been Herb Rogers, Gene Gentry and Harold ‘Harry' Rittenhouse, who have made multiple trips to Haiti since the earthquake, sharing both their Creole language and building skills. The volunteers gave more than their sweat – many of them provided financial support to the project as well. The Grand Goâve site continues to be staffed by CBF field personnel, providing on site coordination for volunteers and medical support to the community.

In all, IM has committed $70,000 to reconstructing the school. These One Great Hour of Sharing funds are provided to the project as they are requested. IM missionaries and staff monitor the expenses to ensure the funds are well spent.

International Ministries' missionaries and volunteers are working at other sites throughout Haiti to help in the rebuilding effort. For more information on IM's projects in Haiti and throughout the world, visit the website at http://www.internationalministries.org.

American Baptist International Ministries is the first Baptist international mission agency formed in North America, and the second oldest Baptist mission agency in the world. More than 1,800 short-term and long-term missionaries are served annually, bringing churches and individuals in the United States and Puerto Rico together with partners in more than 70 countries in holistic, cutting-edge ministries that tell the good news of Jesus Christ while meeting human need.

American Baptist Churches is one of the most diverse Christian denominations today, with 5,500 local congregations comprised of 1.3 million members, across the United States and Puerto Rico, all engaged in God's mission around the world.

American Baptist News Service