The daytime temperatures soared to 95 degrees, but members of a team from Good Shepherd Lutheran Church who recently traveled to Haiti to help build a church said you would never know it from looking at expressions on the workers? faces.
‘The first day we went out at 9 a.m., and by 11, people were falling over,? says Pastor Eric Tritten, a member of the team from the church on Baldwin Road. ‘But I had no soreness while I was down there, and no one was injured.?
Nancy Eden, head of the Praise Team at Good Shepherd and coordinator of the Haiti Ministry project, said everyone who went on the trip, which was Feb. 11-21, was ‘awesome.?
‘I think it’s very clear God provided protection and guidance for us,? she said. ‘His timing is always perfect.?
The team of 15, which included Good Shepherd Lutheran School 3-4 year olds teacher Sharon Webber, traveled to Carrefour duClos, Haiti, where they helped residents of the village there build a church.
This was Eden’s (who brought along son Mark) fourth trip to Haiti, and two years ago a team from Good Shepherd traveled there to build an eyeglass clinic.
This time, the team helped move rocks, painted the walls of a nearby orphanage and helped teach English as a Second Language (ESL).
‘They thought we were crazy for painting the inside of the building without the roof on first,? said Webber.
Pastor Tritten and team member Tom Donnelly also spent seven days helping to teach basic theology to Lay Pastors for the new church, which is also called Good Shepherd Lutheran.
The village is located on the southern coast of the island of Haiti, in the southwest part of the island. That area was not as impacted as other parts of the island by last fall’s hurricanes, but the team members could still see the signs.
‘It definitely left its mark,? said Pastor Tritten. ‘The roads were covered by 3-4 feet of mud.?
While they were there, the team stayed in Les Cayes at the guest house of Pastor Israel Isidor, who runs an orphanage and school.
‘Nancy’s son connected with a little boy in the village on the trip two years ago,? Pastor Tritten said. ‘We wanted to do something there, the place is filled with Voodoo worship.?
Pastor Isidor coordinated the effort with Good Shepherd Lutheran in Lake Orion, who’s congregation helped raise $12,000 for the church building, as well as money for things like benches, Bibles and hymnals.
‘The congregation here also sent paint and brushes and other tools,? said Webber. ‘Everyone in our congregation, including the young children, were a part of it this time. The kids in the school made a banner to send over.?
School equipment was also collected and sent over. The team said Pastor Isidor believes children, and education, are the future of Haiti.
‘The church is a ‘light in the darkness,? is what Pastor Isidor said,? said Pastor Tritten.
‘We got a great response from the kids, they fell in love with us,? he said. ‘People were just very thankful.?
A dedication was held on the Sunday before the team left, and they said the church was packed.
‘People there live in extreme poverty,? Pastor Tritten said. ‘Even the children, they don’t have much in the way of clothes.?
There is a school in the village, but a majority of the children can’t afford to go.
The team even had one man ask one of them to take his baby with them back to the United States.
‘A lot of the homes are partially finished, there’s a lot of starvation,? said Pastor Tritten. ‘The average income is $400 a year. The average meal is rice and beans.?
Eden said this is only the beginning of the relationship between Good Shepherd Lutheran in Lake Orion and the people in Haiti.
‘There will eventually be a school,? she said. ‘And they need to know how to grow crops…to get them to be self-sufficient, that is the whole point.?
Besides Good Shepherd Lutheran, Holy Cross Lutheran in Oxford, Gethsemane in Rochester, Peace Lutheran in Waterford and Peace Lutheran in Shelby Township also donated for the project.
The team will present a slideshow and discussion of their trip at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church on March 20 after the church services. The public is welcome to attend. Please contact the church for an exact time.
Anyone who would like to donate for the Haiti Ministry project should contact the church office at 391-1170. Good Shepherd Lutheran is located at 1950 S. Baldwin Road in Lake Orion.