Daniel was given 1.5 acres in Les Cayes and is currently finishing putting a 10′ high wall around the outside (a good tactic in any dangerous situation/ par for the course in Haiti). This will be the site where we hope to build a permanent location for an orphanage/school/church.
Here are a few pictures of the property:
Les Cayes Daniel Jean on Left
Les Cayes 038
Les Cayes 037
Les Cayes 019
Les Cayes 018
Les Cayes 017
Pray with us that we could raise the down payment for land in Carrefour, so that we can take advantage of a special love offering made towards our orphans! They have been in rental situations with less than great accommodations, and in May this year their current lease is up once again.
Last Friday we were told that CRS (an NGO financed by USAID) would be willing to pay for at least half of the building(s) we would require to build an orphange complex here in the Carrefour District of PAP, Haiti. This offer was made primarily because of (God, of course) the amount of relief effort Daniel Jean, Divine Ministries and Team One.27 has been lavishing on the area immediately surrounding our orphanage, and stretching up into the hills around us.
CRS has also offered to provide up to 20 of the temporary 12′ X 16′ plywood homes they are now building to us FREE, so we can get our children and staff under cover until our permanent buildings can be constructed. WOW!
There are some stipulations:
1) We must own the land
2) It must be in Carrefour (local office to CRS)
3) We must be ready to start by the end of May 2011.
Daniel has found a suitable site and has negotiated an asking price of $65,000 US for approximately one acre; a very reasonable price for this area. Additionally, the current owner has agreed to give us the ownership papers so we can begin building with a modest downpayment of only $20 to $25,000 US.
Mark Gillette is back in Haiti this week to train a team to install the very first applications of PermaCrete in Haiti! Mark is welcoming Ed Thomson, a PC trainer from the US to prepare and equip the first team to install the material.
We have the down payment on a flatbed truck to ship material.
We are praying that the materials arrive and clear customs prior to Ed’s arrival.
We are expecting the formal documents from the Mayor of Carrefour to enable us to ship and install PermaCrete throughout Haiti.
We are praying that the CRS leaders (the Catholic agency that is building 1000’s of home in Haiti, of which Daniel is a prominent leader) will quickly recognize and affirm the value of PermaCrete’s addition.
We are laying the groundwork and seeking counsel and wisdom to organize PermaCrete Haiti in a Godly manner; one which can healthily grow and empower many nationals vocationally and with solid homes.
After a day of “radio silence” for lack of electricity/internet, Mark Gillette writes:
‘We met with the Mayor of Carrefour District yesterday. He is very pleased to have PermaCrete Ayiti (the Creole designation) based in his district. … We have his assurance that we have his approval, and will have full access to the entire island of Haiti without any further paperwork or clearances. Wow, that was simple!
My brother, Jeff, an executive with PPG in Ohio, emailed me yesterday …[that] there is a group in his church that is interested in providing a large box truck and paying the shipping costs to Haiti as well. Excellent! This truck is needed to, among other things, transport PC materials [from the dock to warehouse/building sites].
We have a ready labor force; engineers with sufficient projects to keep us working for a long time to come; local officials who want us to proceed without delay or interference; a great product that meets the needs of this country; and, above all, a God that is control of everything, Who “opens doors that no man can shut…”‘
CRS plywood house video 28 sec.
Two days ago Daniel Jean and Mark spent the morning visiting sites where CRS ( Catholic Relief Services ) has been building houses from plywood approx 12′ X 14′. Daniel oversees the Carrefour District of PAP; a very large area. Daniel’s team(s) include 200 workers who can construct up to 10 houses per day, when the materials flow as planned. Daniel is now completing his first 500 houses. CRS had been highly impressed with his managerial skills ( and honesty) and have offered him the chance to commit to at least 1,000 more.I mentioned that CRS is widespread here, funded by USID, which evidently has access to millions of $ to rebuild Haiti. The PermaCrete product, properly applied, could transform the “temporary” structures they are building into “permanent ” structures.
Yesterday the team moved to Les Cayes, our second site.
Late today, Daniel and Mark met with some local civil engineers to review the PermaCrete opportunity. Several have already said they are excited to get started and see it’s inherent potential ( Mark met with a couple of them on a prior trip).
We now have materials in French and a short VHS presentation to share with the group assembled today.
Tomorrow, Daniel and Mark have an appointment with the Mayor of the Carrefour District to identify any legal documentation and/or permits, etc. that we would need to factor into timelines and cost estimates. He has already indicated his pleasure over what Team One.27 has already done in this area and his support for our future plans. We believe he is in a position to facilitate the smooth startup of PermaCrete D’ Ayiti.
Mark Gillette (president of Team One 27) returns to Haiti today to visit our “Family” in Cayes, to search for property there to build a permanent home of blessing for our children currently in a rental space, and to investigate locations for a warehouse/distribution center for PermaCrete.
The long-awaited (and desperately-needed) pickup truck for Divine Ministries has been found and an appointment made to buy and ship the truck to Haiti later this month. Oh yes; did I mention God also has arranged the funding for the purchase? AWESOME!
Last night’s snowstorm delayed Mark Gillette’s (president of Team One 27) return to Haiti; scheduled for this morning, to tomorrow. Because of that, he was able to meet with Channel 69 News. Additionally, the delay gave him the opportunity to talk at length with the President and CEO of PermaCrete, George Henderson, who only recently returned from vacation. Mark is now positioned to move forward with opening a business in Haiti that will employ many Haitian locals as God allows the business to grow and provides the funding. It also has the potential to restore hundreds (even thousands – don’t limit God) of buildings that are now abandoned due to cosmetic damage.Surface cracks, etc generates fear in the hearts of locals and they refuse to utilize buildings; especially at night, that might fall if another earthquake would hit while they are sleeping.
Mark says of this, “I cannot even fathom all God wants to do through Team One.27. I do know that He is blessing this ministry and all who have been faithful supporters of what He is doing through the obedient service of each of us. Thank you for your faithfulness as we continue to follow Him”, Mark Gillette.
Team One.27 exists to broker a free and generous exchange of our American Team’s material resources and our Haitian Family’s spiritual riches to their reciprocal needs: Bread of Life to the physically hungry, Living Water for the spiritually thirsty.
Team One.27 is a Team of individuals in America serving our Family (God’s “Family” of brothers and sisters) in Haiti. Together we are carrying out the love of Christ as described in James 1.27 “Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you.” NLT. Join the American Team One.27 as we serve our Family in Haiti!
What began as a grassroots friendship between an American and a Haitian family has grown in less than a decade into an extended Family in Haiti comprising a series of Homes of Blessing, caring for well over 150 orphans, and a Team of committed partners in the United States consolidated their resources via an official Not For Profit corporation Team One.27. The heartbeat of the mission from its inception was to rescue the uncared for orphans in Haiti with food and water, shelter, family care, education, medical help, and future hope through the Love and instruction of Jesus Christ as revealed in scripture, knowing this will in turn expand the blessing to their communities (the widows and poor) and ultimately the entire nation of Haiti! Team One.27 exists to practically “put hands and feet” to this mission.