It has been a while since I have provided a decent update, but things here are still really difficult(and will be for a VERY long time). I have been really busy negotiating land acquisitions for the transitional shelter communities.
Some of the large aid organizations made life harder than it should be for many smaller ministires and relief organizations such as us because they came in here with lots of money and paid ridiculously high rates for everything they purchased or rented from the local people. The result is that the local economy in many areas is so skewed that many Haitians now place such unrealistically high values on things such as their land, trucks, wheelbarrows, etc. that little guys like us can't compete.
But God is God and has His own unique ways of going about His work. He is using the facts that we are small and local to enable us to do many things the large international organizations find difficult. One such area in which we have an advantage is when it comes to securing year-long leases from property owners to use their land as transitional housing communities for the next year.
While some property owners were approached by and readily accepted the big dollar offers of the "deep-pocket guys", many folks around here aren't so ready to trust people they do not personally know. We still have the advantage of having established relationships with many people in Leogane. They trust us and know we were working alongside of their people to enhance their community long before the earthquake hit. These people are more willing to work with us and to let us have the use of their properties for far more reasonable prices than the big-money guys paid.
So far, PPM has secured two carels of land (approximately 15+ acres each) for this purpose and those properties will house 550+ families once the temp shelters have been erected and the sanitation/water facilities are operational.
At the same time that I have been meeting with my United Nations cluster groups, other aid organizations and land owners, I have still been making deliveries of Bibles and Proclaimers and witnessing to anyone who will sit and talk with me. It is so wonderful that people are willing to listen and to see lives being changed by Christ's abiding love and relentless pursuit of His people.
Well, I'm off to another meeting to discuss acquisition of another parcel of land. Pray that we are successful in obtaining leases for at least three more such properties (my personal goal, but I'll be thrilled if we can obtain more!). This is all to His Glory because there is NO WAY we could be doing any of this alone.
Thanks again for all of your prayers and for supporting me so generously. I am truly blessed to be part of the PPM family of missionaries and supporters. None of what I do would be possible without your love and steadfast support.
His Servant,
Roody
Some of the large aid organizations made life harder than it should be for many smaller ministires and relief organizations such as us because they came in here with lots of money and paid ridiculously high rates for everything they purchased or rented from the local people. The result is that the local economy in many areas is so skewed that many Haitians now place such unrealistically high values on things such as their land, trucks, wheelbarrows, etc. that little guys like us can't compete.
But God is God and has His own unique ways of going about His work. He is using the facts that we are small and local to enable us to do many things the large international organizations find difficult. One such area in which we have an advantage is when it comes to securing year-long leases from property owners to use their land as transitional housing communities for the next year.While some property owners were approached by and readily accepted the big dollar offers of the "deep-pocket guys", many folks around here aren't so ready to trust people they do not personally know. We still have the advantage of having established relationships with many people in Leogane. They trust us and know we were working alongside of their people to enhance their community long before the earthquake hit. These people are more willing to work with us and to let us have the use of their properties for far more reasonable prices than the big-money guys paid.
So far, PPM has secured two carels of land (approximately 15+ acres each) for this purpose and those properties will house 550+ families once the temp shelters have been erected and the sanitation/water facilities are operational.
At the same time that I have been meeting with my United Nations cluster groups, other aid organizations and land owners, I have still been making deliveries of Bibles and Proclaimers and witnessing to anyone who will sit and talk with me. It is so wonderful that people are willing to listen and to see lives being changed by Christ's abiding love and relentless pursuit of His people.
Well, I'm off to another meeting to discuss acquisition of another parcel of land. Pray that we are successful in obtaining leases for at least three more such properties (my personal goal, but I'll be thrilled if we can obtain more!). This is all to His Glory because there is NO WAY we could be doing any of this alone.
Thanks again for all of your prayers and for supporting me so generously. I am truly blessed to be part of the PPM family of missionaries and supporters. None of what I do would be possible without your love and steadfast support.
His Servant,
Roody
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