Homes for Haiti - Update
Greetings from Port-au-Prince, Haiti.
We have a team from CIA here all this week in preparation for our first shipload of homes to arrive. The boat has made it to Haiti, and as of this morning, everything has cleared customs, and all documents are in order and signed. Now we have to wait for another boat to pull away from the dock so Friend Ships can bring their ship (with our homes on it) into the dock and begin unloading. Monday, July 26th is our scheduled day to begin the two-day process of unloading. This is a wonderful time for Christ In Action!
We have several well-established ministries here in Haiti that desperately need these homes. They already have a well-established church in the community as well as a medical clinic--some even have Christian schools. All they are lacking now are homes for their people so they can get out of their tent and have a secure place for their family to live. These ministries have people who can erect the homes, which means we do not have to bring so many people here from the US, and the homes will be built much faster because they will be built in several locations at the same time instead of our team working in one single place. The people here in Haiti are so thrilled to get these homes and I am so thrilled that we can provide them.
This has been a tremendous project for us here at Christ In Action, and we could not have done it without the countless people around the world who have held us up in prayer, the thousands of people who have given financially to make it a reality, and the hundreds of people who gave of their time to volunteer in so many capacities. These three groups of people, along with the favor and grace of the living God, have made this vision a reality.
Now, a day and a half away from unloading and delivering these homes, we have one more challenge that we did not anticipate. The cost of hiring trucks to move the house panels from the port to where we are going to erect them is more than the commercial rate in America. There are only so many flatbed trucks in this country, and the demand for them is extremely high--so is the price. The cost is just under $1,000 per day, per truck. That's whether we take one load or 4 loads per truck per day. With traffic in Port-au-Prince, it can take two hours to travel the 15 miles to where we a going to deliver the homes and then the truck has to travel the same distance back to the port for another load. We are estimating at least $7,500 to transport this shipload of homes, and we have another load coming in about 2 weeks. We need to have $15,000 to have this transportation. This is more than triple the projected cost for transportation in-country. I don't like it, but as everyone here says, "Welcome to Haiti." My only option is to come to you, those of you who have already given of your prayer, finances and time to bring us to this point. Please consider helping us with this huge financial mountain we have to climb.
I am in Haiti as I write this e-mail. As you know, we are not a highly "polished" ministry, we are a grass-roots, transparent, get-it-done kind of ministry. I am asking if you would please go to our web site (www.christinaction.com) and make a donation. Maybe your church can do something this weekend by making this known to their people. Do what you can personally and urge your sunday school class or Bible study group to help. We need to get this need met and start putting these homes up so people can get out of their tents and lean-to shelters and have a real home to live in.
You can go to our web site to see pictures or you can go to Christ In Action fan page on facebook for pictures as well.
Thanks for helping; we need it.
Blessings,
Dr. Denny Nissley
Executive Director
Christ In Action
PO Box 4200
Manassas, VA 20108
703-368-6286
www.christinaction.com
For me to live is Christ
and to die is Gain.
Phil. 1:21
Tags:
homes for haiti , boat , friendships , integrity , transportation , trucks ,
