It all started with a simple idea: Where in the world can the people of AUMC do some good?
Though Haiti has become a fixture of dire headlines since the devastating earthquake in January 2010, poverty in the island nation long pre-dates this tragedy and the cholera epidemic that is compounding it. If anything changed that January, it was a renewed sense that action must be taken to relieve the suffering of the Haitian people.
After nearly a year of dialogue, the Missions Committee decided to partner with missionaries Shirley and Joe Edgerton to support their work on the Haitian island of La Gonâve.
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Who knew that this basic goal would spark such a flame of excitement in the congregation? Well, truth be told, we weren’t really that surprised.
The initial goal was to help finish a water well to get drinking water to four communities on the island, a $5,000 undertaking. Though no one was asked to give money until 2011, your generosity could not be held back.
You have donated funds for 16 goats. 35 wooden angels, made by craftsmen on La Gonâve, have also been purchased (see back page), raising $700. Most importantly, we have collected about $10,000 for the mission project itself. This means that not only can we begin organizing construction on the well, but we can also consider new initiatives.
As we begin to discuss where to go next with our missionary partners Shirley and Joe Edgerton, there is so much to keep in mind. We are well ahead of our goal for a water well, but we all know that this is simply the foundation of improvement. People who can only afford to eat once every three days and struggle to find their children education are still in deep need of helping hands.
The emphasis now must be on long-term improvement and sustained support. Being a good friend to La Gonâve means being there after the well is built. It means supporting the initiatives that succeed as well as the ones that fail. We need to rethink missions, not just in terms of what we can do but what we have the patience to see unfold naturally.
Throughout the coming year, we want to continue a dialogue of missional thinking. We want to hear your thoughts and concerns, your hopes and ideas.
