Reid, center, with Haitian leaders

Report from Haiti
Reid Doster

Reid Doster traveled to Haiti May 12-17. Much of the Fellowship work in Haiti now focuses on the community of Grand Coave which was near the epicenter of the quake.

The purpose of his visit was to support the development and implementation of a training program to help Haitian leaders intervene clinically with earthquake survivors exhibiting symptoms of Post Traumatic Stress. While there, he also made an assessment and recommendation for a pass-through grant to an orphanage that we know and trust.

Even though it  is now the season for heavy rains, Reid was able to make the three hour journey from Port au Prince to a village where he worshiped with the Grand Goave Baptist Church.

The “Road” to Grand Goave

Your Haiti relief offering has resulted in CBF establishing a base camp there, to rebuild the church and school, and to maintain a small medical clinic within the base camp, which is always staffed by a CBF volunteer nurse.

Below are comments from his report:

Officially, CBF has made a three year commitment to the recovery work in Haiti. Informally, there is discussion of our involvement being extended to five years.

The Lord has blessed our desire to make a positive difference in Haiti by opening many doors of opportunity and providing us with resources as we step out on faith.

Currently, these very real and concrete CBF initiatives are unfolding on the ground in Haiti:

• 1. Developing Water, Sanitation and Health (W.A.S.H.) Programs
• 2. Repairing and Reconstructing a Church-School in Grand Goave
• 3. Constructing Permanent Shelters for the Homeless
• 4. Training Haitian Leaders for Post-Traumatic Stress (PTSD) Intervention
• 5. Looking to Assist in the Construction of a New Orphanage
• 6. Providing Medical Care Through a Local Clinic and a Traveling Prosthetics Team
• 7. Acquiring Family-Size Mosquito Nets for Immediate Distribution
• 8. Training for Self-Help Groups, Based Upon Savings and Credit Associations

We invite our partners to work alongside us in these efforts. CBF is not so concerned with who gets the credit, but only that we are being faithful to the mission.

ONE:
WATER AND SANITATION HEALTH (W.A.S.H.) PROGRAMS

Before the earthquake, nearly 50 percent of Haitians did not have access to safe drinking water. The current demand is even greater.

Water is critical to the relief and development phases to address immediate and long term needs. Water also forms the basis for better health and hygiene.

Having access to water is foundational to the success of all other efforts including economic development.

CBF will engage in the following activities in partnership with the Convention Baptiste Haiti (CBH) and others:  

• Water Resource Development:  A well-drilling rig has been purchased to increase the number of water points in urban and rural communities. Pump- rehabilitation (repair of broken pumps or damaged wells) is a cost effective way to restore water points. Convention Baptiste Haiti (CBH) has experience in these activities and has entered into an Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with CBF to conduct this work and other projects.

• Water Treatment: In places where surface water supplies are available, water treatment using filters such as ceramic or bio-sand will be examined. We will be relying upon the expertise of Texas Baptist Men (TBM) in this endeavor.

• Micro/Home Agriculture: This relates to education in small scale gardening with drip irrigation, and introduces home gardening opportunities, skills and resources.

Estimated budget for 2010-2013:
Rig Cost:                        $     190,000      ($100,000 from Australian Baptist Aid)
Well/pump installation:    $     720,000 (120 wells at $6000 each)
Pump rehabilitation:      $     100,000
Water Treatment:        $       75,000
Home Agriculture:        $       50,000
                                      $ 1, 135,000
We could use a gift of $90,000 to help with the balance of the cost
of the rig.

TWO:
REPAIRING AND RECONSTRUCTING
A CHURCH-SCHOOL IN GRAND GOAVE

The CBF base camp is established in Grand Goave, with shower and toilet facilities. As of this week, we have a permanent house for our long-term personnel.

A church-school, housing 300 students, was destroyed in Grand Goave. The pastor of the church was killed in the earthquake. CBF has agreed to take the lead in rebuilding the school. To date, we have completed the walls for the school, and classes are now being held there under a plastic tarp. The rainy season has begun and we are desperate to get the roof on, so classes can continue. CBF is urgently seeking a partner to help with the $50,000 cost of a permanent truss-roof. Construction on this project is being done with paid Haitian labor, thereby helping the local economy.

The new construction is of much higher quality than the previous, now using reinforced concrete.

Tents Accommodate Volunteers.
Tower in Background Supplies Water for Shower and Toilets.

THREE:
PERMANENT SHELTERS FOR THE HOMELESS

CBF is partnering in this effort with:

• Conscience International ($3000 per unit)
• Volunteers of America Southeast (Metal Structure: $3,500, including shipping and duties) ($10,500 will get three of these units into country)

 FOUR:
TRAINING FOR
POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS INTERVENTION

Post-traumatic stress intervention training is a fast-developing component to CBF’s program of “soul care” for Haitian earthquake survivors.

Objective:
It is anticipated that within the next 18 to 24 months, many earthquake survivors who are now functioning well enough to be perceived as “normal,” will begin to show delayed signs of post-traumatic stress. Now is the time to lay the ground-work for intervening with such persons.

We have chosen to partner with Mercer University’s Counseling Department, who will provide a model for intervention to be taught to Haitian trainees and who, in turn, will train others.

David Lane, Olivier Clermont, Nora Szeile-Klatter, Reid Doster, and
Robert Sheahane

CBF has cultivated relationships with certain key leaders of both secular and faith-based organizations, introducing them to Mercer’s program and pledging our support by partially funding a train-the-trainers program.

At this time, the schedule for the first installment of PTSD training is as follows:

A two week trip leaving Sunday, July 11th and returning on Sunday, July 25th, that would ideally train 3 of the 4 groups, the Haiti Baptist Convention Retreat Days in Limbe on Monday and Tuesday, the 12-13th, Dr. Benjamin’s group in Port Au Prince on Wednesday-Saturday the 14th-17th, travel to Jeremie  on Sunday the 18th, and training Dr. Tardieu’s teacher group Monday-Saturday, the 19-24th.  Return to Port Au Prince Saturday evening and depart Sunday morning the 25th. A 4th group, the Haiti Baptist Mission in the mountains is talking about an October training for 100. This should involve a team of 12 - 6 trainers and 6 translators.  The training concept includes much small group work, with a maximum of 25 per group.

FIVE:
ASSISTING IN CONSTRUCTION OF A NEW ORPHANAGE

CBF has no interest in managing an orphanage, but can offer a one time only
pass-through grant in support of an endeavor which also involves some of our trusted partners.

One possibility is to support an orphanage now being proposed by Hungarian Baptist Aid, Nora Szeile-Katte, Coordinator.

The Haitian Baptist Convention has given them a building site in downtown Port-au-Prince.

SIX:
PROVIDING MEDICAL CARE

Prosthetics
CBF recently funded a trip by the Mercer on Mission prosthetics team, led by Craig McMahan, PhD and Ha Van Vo, M.D.

Dr. Van Ho has developed a prosthetic device that could be described as a universal connector. His prosthetics cost only $200 to manufacture, as opposed to the normal price of $20,000. Eight patients were successfully fitted, and a videographer recorded their ecstatic responses.

Our CBF nurse (see below) is following up with aftercare and the Mercer team will return in the Fall for more work.

Medical Clinic in Grand Goave
CBF is compensating a staff nurse in the small clinic in Grand Goave. Our CBF full-time Coordinator in Grand Goave, Tim Brendle, who adopted a Haitian child and who speaks fluent Creole, has specifically requested more medical personnel for this clinic.

SEVEN:
MOSQUITO NETS

CBF has received from His Nets Inc. a gift of 1,000 mosquito nets, valued at $6,000, to be distributed in two locations in Haiti, Cap Haitian and Port Au Prince. They weigh one pound each, come in bundles of 100 and there will be 10 bundles. 

Estimated Cargo Fees:   $1,500
Duty fees:                      Unknown
CBF is seeking a partner to provide funds for an additional 1000 family-size nets.

EIGHT:
TRAINING FOR SELF-HELP GROUPS,
BASED UPON SAVINGS AND CREDIT ASSOCIATIONS

Phase One: Training Haitian Leaders in This Model

Location of Training:   Ethiopia

Duration of Training:  Three Months

Sponsor for Training: Cooperative Baptist Fellowship

Learning Objectives:    By the end of the training period, participants will be able to:

• Understand the concept of Self-Help Group (SHG) and Church and Community Mobilization for Development (CCMD)

• Get the picture of integral mission and the CCMD model

• Learn about facilitation skill and mobilizing the community and the church

• Identify the criteria to select the poorest of poor communities using PRA tool

• Establish Self-Help Groups

• Figure out basic outputs and activities in CCMD/SHG model

• Contextualize their experience in the Haiti context

Reid Doster, Charles Tardieu and David Lane

Purpose of the Training:

• To promote the CCMD/SHG approach to the Haiti churches

• To awaken local churches for integral mission and mobilize them to play their role of “salt and light” for the entire world

Judeson Beaubrun, Edouard Leonard, Julien Joaefeh, David Lane,
Gradice Alexander Andre, Evens Cherenfant, Reid Doster,
Pastor Telon and Ronel Mesidor

Activities during the Training:

• Training on CCMD/SHG approach is estimated to be conducted within 2 ½ months.

• At the beginning of the training session, an awareness-creation program on the concept of CCMD/SHG will be conducted.

• After the participants get the idea of the approach, a field visit will be conducted to Nazareth. Nazareth is a community development project that has started the self-help approach for the first time in Ethiopia, beginning in 2002.   There are now approximately 3,000 SHG’s, with approximately 60,000 members.  The project is purely community development and it doesn’t have a church component.

• After the arrival of the participants in Nazareth, training in facilitation skills and how to mobilize the community will be conducted. Then the team will visit the existing self-help groups, the Cluster Level Association, and observe such basic activities as individual and group income-generating activities, community initiatives and housing projects.

• After their visit to the community and their activities, training on PRA tools will be carried out in order to let them identify the poorest of the poor using the criteria. They will then make the training practical by establishing around five self-help groups, cooperating with the cluster-level association representatives and community facilitators.

• Training in the community development will be finalized after the establishment of self-help groups and the participants will travel to Awassa to see the Church and Community Mobilization for Development (CCMD). Their approach implements the same approach to community development, but the CCMD model calls for local churches to play a significant role in implementing the self-help approach. Based on this fact, intensive training in the CCMD model and integral mission will be conducted in Awassa. Then the participants will visit four local churches that are involved in the CCMD program and share their experiences with the Management Committee. As with the community development project, participants will visit the community and their activity to wrap up their field trip.

• The final step for the training will be (a) getting back to Addis,
  (b) contextualizing the existing CCMD materials in the Haitian context and (c) working with the trainer to develop a specific plan of action.

Phase Two: Capacity-Building within Haiti

• The Haitian participants are expected to develop and implement the training-of-trainers events nationwide among churches and to implement other lessons learned that apply to the Haitian context.

• CBF and partners will assist with facilitating these training events and getting the program started.

• The focus will largely address marginalized and poor women. 

Budget: $100,000

We need volunteers to help in construction and medical work!

Please visit: http://www.thefellowship.info/Disaster-Response-Application and sign up today.

If anyone from your organization wants to volunteer,
please apply on-line at:
http://www.thefellowship.info/Disaster-Response-Application   

Appoint a team leader to register your organization. Have your leader share details (e.g. number of people in group, skills, etc.) in the “comments” window of the application.

Cash Donations

To make a contribution by phone, call us toll free at 1-800-352-8741.

To make a contribution by mail, send your check payable:
Cooperative Baptist Fellowship
P.O. Box 101699
Atlanta, GA., 30392

Give on-line at: www.thefellowship.info
 
Please indicate the following in the memo line: “Haiti Relief 17015”
If you need assistance with making a donation, please e-mail us at igive@thefellowship.info or call us toll free at 1-800-352-8741.

About Our Haiti Response

CBF Louisiana Coordnator, Dr. Reid Doster, has been asked to assist our good friend, Charles Ray, National Disaster Response Coordinator, in directing CBF National's Haiti Relief Program.