Updates

Hello to you all,

It has been a very busy last week and I have got a lot accomplished. Right now, I am in Cap Haitian. I am staying with Pastor Payot, whom many of you from Camano Chapel back home know. I have been working with him and commuting to Charocol where his church is every few days or so. Charocol is a small village of about 5,000 people that is located about an hour outside downtown Cap Haitien. This town is a very poor town and many people within the village are in extreme poverty. Pictured below is one of four new Christians in Charocol who got baptized last week.

So, what have I been doing? Right now, I am working on several different reports with information to be brought back to the states. I am putting together information on different needs, different projects and the ways to accomplish them. I have been working with Pastor Payot to see different possibilities surrounding the January 2011 Camano Chapel Youth Team being brought into Haiti. I am doing a lot of other things, but I just wanted to highlight a few. This is a picture of part of the school located at Pastor Payot's church.

Below is a picture of the meals currently being provided to the children at the school at Pastor Payot's church. For most of these kids, this is the only meal they get during the day. This is also part of the new kitchen that Camano Chapel helped to construct. 

Below is a picture of me and a very cute kitten.

I am learning a lot from Pastor Payot about Haiti and the ministry work that he is doing here. He speaks great English, which is a blessing, and I have been able to talk in depth on subjects ranging from politics and economics, to church doctrines and various beliefs in Haiti. I have learned a lot about the culture and perspective of different groups of people here.

Right now, another thing that I am putting together is a class on basic sanitation, hygiene and first aid. Sanitation is a huge issue in Charocol, and one that will not be solved without long term plans and goals. I have been given the opportunity this coming thursday to teach what will be about six to eight classes in a row on these subjects, to each different class at the school at Pastor Payot's church. Most people in Haiti receive little to no training on health and sanitation. Pastor Payot and the other Catholic Church in Charocol are working with the local Haitian Magistrate to be able to put in formal classes on health and sanitation for the community in the coming year and beyond.

One other note that I want to talk about. After two weeks of prayer, and countless factors involved, I am going to be returning to the states on May 25. This is right around the original planned date to return before I extended the date to June following several other opportunities that have not developed as planned. There are many other factors that came into this decision, but it is the best choice at this time to return a little earlier. I have learned so much here and there is still so much that I am going to be thinking and praying about in the months to come.

I thank you all for your prayers and support. It is hard to know what to say right now just because the so many things that I am thinking and praying about. I am healthy now and I know the Lord is using me in so many ways while here. It has been a great time so far with Pastor Payot and so much has been accomplished, both physically and in me learning.

-Garrett Luck