OUR HISTORY IN HAITI

In the Fall of 2007, we knew that it was time for Brookview get involved in the fight against poverty.   After careful consideration, we decided to see how God might use us in the poverty stricken country of Haiti.

So in April of 2008, a team of twelve from Brookview, traveled to Haiti to investigate the needs.  While there we found a ministry called Jesus in Haiti. It’s run by an American missionary named Tom Osbeck.

OUR PARTNER IN HAITI

Brookview has been partnering with Jesus in Haiti since 2008 where we worked to solely support an orphanage where  more than one hundred kids were able to eat every day, have access to good water, and get medical care.  After a trip to the orphanage in 2010, we found that another organization has stepped in to support them and now we are thankful for the opportunity to be working directly with Jesus in Haiti to start a new orphanage which opened it’s doors in March, 2010.

SIMPLY HAITI

Prior to the Earthquake in January, 2010, Brookview partnered with Alex Herbig, a local high school student who for his Senior Project decided to launch a campaign to help raise funds to start a daily feeding program for men, women, and children who are trying  live off of the garbage of the world’s poorest country.  The project, Simply Haiti, www.simplyhaiti.org, was a challenge to spend one week eating a simple diet of only rice and beans and drinking only water and take the money saved and donate it to help feed people in the garbage dump.  This project was launched at Brookview on January 10, 2010, two days before the 7.0 earthquake devastated this already impoverished country.  The dream was that through Simply Haiti $4,000 would be raised to hire staff and get supplies for a daily feeding program for one year.  In light of the earthquake our community responded with extreme generosity and about $30,000 was raised!  All proceeds exceeding the $4000 for the garbage dump were given to Jesus in Haiti’s earthquake relief which included immediate food and temporary shelter for victims.  Plans are in the works to build permanent housing for victims when the Haitian government will allow new building to begin.

TRAVEL TO HAITI

We’ve taken three trips to Haiti, including one right after the earthquake, and have two more on the calendar.

April 2008 - Our first trip with 12 people was spent getting a feel for the country and asking God to direct us in how we could help.  We spent time traveling around to different ministries in Haiti including three days camping in a village and loving the people there.  We brought 12 bags filled with shoes for the kids in the village so that they can atttend school, a requirement for school attendance, and toys for them to play with.  It was on this trip that we discovered Jesus in Haiti Ministries and began our partnership with them.

May 2009 - Pastor Jason and Jen traveled to Haiti to see all of the ministries of Jesus in Haiti and get to know it’s director Tom Osbeck.  People at Brookview held a garage sale and generously filled three bags full of toys and raised funds to provide 50 five gallon jugs of fresh Culligan drinking water, 25 mattresses with sheets, and a special BBQ of hot dogs, chips, cookies, and juice - all for the children at our orphanage.

February 2010 - A team of 10 people flew into Haiti on only the fourth day of commercial flights into the country after the earthquake.  The trip had been on the calendar for almost a year and the team had been preparing to go even before the quake.  We spent our days ministering to people through Jesus in Haiti and with the help of our church and the community, we brought tents for temporary housing, tarps, peanut butter, blankets, and a few toys to provide relief from the earthquake.  We got to see some of the devastation from the earthquake and spend time with children who had been injured and it was apparent on this trip that Haiti will be in need for a very long time.  Through this trip our commitment to working in this country was strengthened.

September 2010 - Pastor Jason and Jen will travel to the country for a few days to meet with Tom Osbeck, the director of Jesus in Haiti, to talk about ways that we can continue to partner with him and provide support. 

June 2011 - This will be our 3rd team trip to the country.  If you are interested in traveling on this team, email info@brookviewchurch.com and we will forward you the information.  The team will begin meeting and planning travel details in December 2010, so if you are interested in going with us, make sure you contact us before December!