PLH Boots on the Ground

By Laura Polynice (Nott) 

A Slight Detour

For 5 years, I have been the constant US presence for PLH in Haiti. Guesly and Sara and their kids have served several stints in the country, and visiting teams have come to serve and work on construction projects. While I got stuck in the states for a couple months on a couple different occasions, I have been in Haiti most of these five years overseeing our Haitian management, English Institute and other programs, and the various construction projects. In the fall of 2022, my husband, Wahi, joined the PLH staff as Small Business Manager. He has worked closely with Guesly and Pierre on plans for several small businesses, worked alongside the Haiti staff every day, and gotten PLH properly filed with the various Haitian offices. In June of 2022, you may remember, we welcomed our first son, Jesher. This spring, God has put our family on a slight detour. 

The Decision

In January of 2023, the US government opened a new humanitarian parole program that allows approved, sponsored Haitians to enter the states for 2 years. After much prayerful consideration, my husband and I decided to apply as this would allow the three of us to spend some time with family, my husband to gain valuable experience in the US, and our spousal visa application to be on a much faster track. While we were waiting for the approval to come, Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF), announced that they were suspending service in Haiti until at least January of 2024. MAF charters flights throughout Haiti and other countries where they serve.  Their organization has been directly affected by the increasing insecurity in Port-au-Prince, and they are taking this time to reassess how to best serve and operate in Haiti. While we had never had to use their services before, with all the highways out of our area occupied by gangs, MAF has become the only safe route for us to get to Port-au-Prince and in turn the US. 

While gangs are gaining more and more control of the country causing an increase in violence and insecurity, things have remained calm and safe in our small town and nearby city. Things change every day, however, and should our safety be threatened or an urgent medical need arise, we need a way to get our son to safety. Therefore, my husband and I made the difficult decision to relocate before MAF suspended service and to stay with his parents while we wait for the travel authorization to go to the states. We both love Camp Marie, the staff, the community, and the work; however, we felt God leading us away for this season. I want to thank Guesly and PLH for trusting my husband and I to make the final decision in this difficult scenario. 

The Journey 

The decision to leave Camp Marie wasn’t the only hard thing. The journey to get to Wahi’s family was long and challenging. Typically a 2-3 hour drive, this journey took us five days, used three different forms of transportation and cost over $1,500. On Sunday morning, the PLH staff dropped us off at the wharf 20 minutes down the road. From there, we took a boat over to the island of La Gonave. If you are familiar with tap taps in Haiti, this “fly boat” is the water version. The fiberglass speed boat was loaded to the brim with 25 adults, 5 babies, luggage and cargo. The driver “flew” the boat across the water at full speed for 45 minutes. Of course, that morning the sea was fairly rough. If I were alone, I probably would have gotten over the scariness after a few minutes and enjoyed the adventure. Holding my 9-month-old baby, however, it was a frightening and difficult experience bouncing across the sea away from our home and towards an unknown future. 

A friend-of-a-friend picked us up at the wharf and put us up in their mission guesthouse for the night. The next morning, we loaded up in a 5-seater MAF plane and flew the 20 minutes to Port-au-Prince. We stayed two nights at a guesthouse in Port-au-Prince which allowed us to see some friends and Wahi to get some errands done. Wahi’s grandmother came over one afternoon to meet her newest great-grandkid. Jesher enjoyed the pool, and I enjoyed a much-needed day of rest. 

Getting to Port-au-Prince was only the first step. Though we were now just 40 minutes from Wahi’s parents’ house, the only road to get there is controlled by the 400 Mawozo gang which has kidnapped countless Haitians and famously kidnapped the 16 American missionaries. So, Wednesday morning, we returned to the airport and flew on a 9-seater plane 30 minutes to Jacmel, a town on the southern coast of Haiti. From there, we hired a LandCruiser to drive us seven and a half hours up a bumpy, Haitian mountain road to the small town of Thiotte where we found a room at an inn for the night. The next morning, another hired car came from Fonds to pick us up. We continued to drive the remaining four bumpy hours through the pine forests of Haiti until we finally arrived in Fonds Parisien Thursday evening.

Finally, we were able to relax and rest, or so we thought. Friday night, Jesher developed a fever, and we spent the next four days and long nights nursing him back to health. Thankfully, he was back to his normal self in time to enjoy Easter with the family. We are amazed at how God has walked with us and protected us in order to spend the past two Easters with Wahi’s family. Both years, the journey was full of dangers and challenges, but no matter the circumstances we know He is good and He is risen! 

The Future

Our priority is to stay together as a family. We have many friends whose families are separated due to visa restrictions and security issues. Fonds Parisien provides a safe place for us to stay together while we wait for God to reveal the next step. Wahi’s family lives just minutes from the Dominican Republic border, which means, if needed, Jesher and I can quickly get out of Haiti and on a flight to the US. We also have not seen Wahi’s family in a year due to the danger on the roads. We are excited and grateful to be able to spend this time with them and for Jesher to get to know his Polynice family and all our friends here in Fonds. 

I continue to work for PLH as Administrative Assistant and supporting our Haitian staff virtually. Wahi continues to work on the small business initiatives and gaining knowledge and experience that will serve PLH in the future. 

Our plan, once the travel authorization is approved, is to live in Oregon while we complete Wahi’s green card process. Once that is done and we are able to travel freely as a family, we will return to Camp Marie to continue the work God has given us there. 

While this wasn’t our intended route, we know God is good and he is working everything out in His timing and to His ends. It is hard not knowing how long we will be away from Camp Marie, still we look forward to this season enjoying family and experiences in the US and we await when we are able to return to Camp Marie, build our house, and get back to operations and life in Haiti.

Haitian Staff

Our decision to leave Camp Marie, means leaving the Haitian staff to manage all of the operations in Haiti. Looking back, I see how God used my time in the states delivering Jesher as a trial period. Our Haitian staff managed everything while I was out and they did a great job. They organized new summer programming for the youth, kept thorough financial records, and took care of the campus. While I have been back in Haiti, I have taken more of a back seat, leaving them to manage things and come to me only when they need me. I’m confident in their ability to carry the organization in Haiti. 

Because of the insecurity in the country, we cannot share the names and photos of our staff publicly. While we love for you to get to know them, their safety is our top priority. Please pray for all of our Haitian staff and their families. They face many, many challenges with increasing insecurity in their country, ever-rising inflation, and growing desperation in people. Pray for safety, provision, peace, endurance, and hope. Praise God that the Haitian staff are able to continue to carry out the work of PLH in Haiti.

Special Events in Haiti and in Oregon

By Laura Polynice

In the midst of the ever-increasing challenges in Haiti, men and women gathered at PLH for two special events in the past few weeks. There are very few places beyond church and soccer matches to go and enjoy time with family or friends. These events are a way for PLH to encourage and minister to the community during a time when hope is hard to hold on to. It is our goal to continue to host events like these each quarter. 

VALENTINE’S DAY

On February 14th, PLH hosted a special Valentine’s Day dinner for couples from the community. The evening included music, dancing, a lecture, games, and more. Couples enjoyed a performance from a soloist and a dancing trio. Rosemond, PLH Soccer Academy Director, and his wife shared their testimony of 28 years together. A guest lecturer spoke on the importance of family in building up society. 

Three couples competed in a round of the Newlywed game and couples worked together on a trivia quiz. Couples danced and laughed together and enjoyed a delicious meal and cake. Couples had a chance to share with the group some words about their spouse and present them with a gift. There were 45 couples in attendance. Everyone enjoyed getting dressed up and doing something special with their valentine. 

WOMEN'S DAY

March 8th was International Women’s Day. In Haiti, women are considered the “pillar of society.” They work hard keeping the house and raising their children. Most don’t have the modern conveniences that we are accustomed to in the US. This means washing dishes by hand, cooking over charcoal, and going to the street market multiple times per week to purchase perishable ingredients. Raising their children is also made more difficult by frequent school closures and the spiritual battle that exists in Haiti that is drawing youth into gangs and other trouble. On top of this, many women provide for their families by selling in the public market places or working. 

PLH hosted a women’s event on March 8th to celebrate these hard-working women and provide some fun during these hard time. Over 130 women attended. We opened with a mingle activity while the ladies enjoyed popcorn and coffee. Next, ladies colored greeting cards to take home and give to a special woman in their life. After that, we invited the ladies to join us in a little Zumba. Our secretary, my sister-in-law and I had fun preparing a routine to a Haitian song that celebrates women, and it was a blast to lead so many ladies in something they had never done. After Zumba, we had various games, and several ladies shared poems, songs, and words during an open mic time. We closed out the service with a message of encouragement from a missionary here in Haiti and worship led by some young ladies in the next town over from us. The ladies enjoyed and were encouraged by this time away from their normal stresses and routine and chance to relax and laugh together.

GOLFATHON

On Saturday, March 11th, the Golfathon team in Oregon, took Top Golf by storm as they hit golf balls in honor of their sponsors.

Thank you to our team of dedicated champions who generated sponsorships from donors to raise an incredible $40,000 in just 8 weeks to support the mission of empowering Haitians to build a stronger Haiti. 

2023 Programs Are up and Running

By Laura Polynice

After a quiet fall on the PLH campus, programs are back up and running! 

This fall was plagued by a long gas shortage which meant the PLH staff couldn’t keep up with the grass on the soccer fields and English students and teachers couldn’t find transportation to come to class. While soccer and English had to take a break, the youth artisan class was able to continue throughout the fall, a champion in Oregon provided a 7-week personal finance course for the staff via zoom, and PLH grew in partnership with the 15 churches in the area. 

January brought fuel and with it increased programming on the campus.

The soccer academy is back to practicing every weekday afternoon and every Saturday morning. More than 80 players from the community and surrounding area participate in the PLH soccer academy. Our coaches and staff have noticed a decline in the players’ nutrition. Like most of the country, our players are suffering from food insecurity. In response, the academy now provides a meal to the players each Saturday and game day, and once the PLH kitchen is operational, we will provide a meal with each practice. The players are excited to be back to regular practices, grateful to receive a meal, and motivated by several matches on the schedule. 

English classes are also back in session. Every Saturday, there are three classes that meet on the campus: Level 1, Level 2, and a specialized advanced course on Teaching English as a Foreign Language. Students continue to be motivated to learn despite all the challenges and obstacles before them. 

The artisan class continues to provide youth with skills in artisan crafts including beading, weaving, soap making, and more. 

Watch for an update soon on the Valentine’s Dinner PLH hosted for couples from the community. 

While the challenges in Haiti continue, we are thankful to again have soccer, English, and other activities happening on the campus every day. Please continue to pray for Haiti and for the community of Camp Marie. 

Hope in Uncertainty

Today marks 13 years since the devastating earthquake in Port-au-Prince that claimed the life of an estimated 100,000-300,000 people. When we look at Haiti and where it has come since then, it’s hard to know what to think or feel. I wish I could say the country united in its hardship, rebuilt the city, and is a stronger nation today, but that is not the case. After the earthquake, NGOs, foreign aid, and the UN took a large role in providing services and keeping peace. Since then, most of these have left. This has left a void that has unfortunately allowed gangs to rise to power, corrupt leaders to misuse funds and opportunities, and violence and unrest to haunt the nation. Slowly, each aspect of governance has diminished. This week, the terms of the last 10 sitting senators expired. Today, the country is void of legitimate leadership. “There is not a single elected official in the entire country of nearly 12 million people — not a council member, not a mayor and certainly not a president.” (Read more) Gangs control an estimated two thirds of the capital as well as key areas outside the capital. Three of the four highways out of the city are completely impassible if you value your life. Extreme hunger is widespread. Prices continue to rise as the gourde (Haitian currency) continues to fall.

At this point, Haiti is a failed state. Thankfully, we don’t place our hope or identity in politics or worldly leaders. We know God is on His throne. There is a war happening in Haiti - not just the war between the gangs or the daily battle to survive - but a spiritual war. If Haiti is going to emerge from this situation, it’s going to take a generation that works together and works for the betterment of their communities and country. Corruption, greed, and a thirst for power must be stamped out. Leaders must rise up. Evil must be called out. New strategies must be implemented. Advances in technology must be utilized. Things on the national level remain complicated and the issues are multifaceted. So how does PLH fit in? 

PLH holds firm to its mission to empower Haitians to build a stronger Haiti. We believe we can influence change by investing in the community of Camp Marie and the surrounding area. These investments include providing training, creating opportunities, building sustainability, mentoring youth, and partnering with local leaders to create a unified effort. 

PLH has seen growth in our staff, in our coaches, in our players, and in our partnerships with the community, and we have set goals to encourage more growth in 2023. As we have shared, our Haitian staff ran the day-to-day operations of the organization while I was in Oregon for 3 months during the summer of 2022. The staff organized and carried out 8 weeks of new programming for kids from the community, they managed projects on the campus, and they were responsible for tracking all financial activities. This year, we will continue to provide training for the staff and entrust them with more responsibility. 

We have trimmed our number of soccer coaches from nine to six and we see in these six a commitment to PLH, to the players, and to the program. We plan to provide additional training and mentoring to the coaches this year to help them continue to grow in their coaching methods, in their walk with Christ, and in their mentoring of the players. The players in the soccer academy made good progress this past year in their technical ability. This year, we hope to be able to provide them with more tournaments and competitive opportunities to challenge them. We also plan to provide more training in other aspects of their lives as PLH seeks to train our players holistically in their faith, sport and future. 

In January of 2022, PLH, through the generous support of Lenexa Baptist Church, partnered with the 14 churches in the Camp Marie area to provide food relief to members of the community. This year, we are preparing to do the same, but in an even more impactful way. Rather than coming together for a single initiative, PLH is fostering relationships with and among the leaders of these churches. This year, in addition to providing immediate food relief, the funds will be used to invest in farmers within the churches’ congregations so that they can plant gardens to build sustainability within the community and give back from their harvest. We are excited to see the unity developing among the pastors and church leaders and we are eager to see where this initiative leads. PLH has many plans and goals for creating small businesses and offering job skills training and job opportunities, and we would love to see the churches and community join us in these ventures. 

While the national situation in Haiti is bleak, the vision that PLH has and the hope we have for the future is great. We put our trust in God and look to Him as our guiding light. Thank you for walking beside us and partnering with us on this journey. To God be the glory as we work together to empower Haitians to build a stronger Haiti. 

Blessings, 

Laura Polynice
Administrative Assistant and Haiti Liaison

✨2O23✨ Happy New Year!

We hope your Christmas was blessed and we wish you a new year filled with hope and purpose!

2022 HIGHLIGHTS

• The PLH Haitian staff rose to the challenge of running the organization in Haiti without any US staff in the country. We saw the capability of Haitians when trained well, invested in, and empowered to lead.
  

• Construction of the kitchen and fruit drying facility was completed.
  

• The purified water station was constructed.
  

• PLH was awarded a grant from UMCOR to help fund the construction of the PLH Educational Center.
  

• Seven PLH staff attended a two-day leadership conference in Port-au-Prince.
  

• PLH hosted soccer academy games.
  

• PLH hosted two months of summer classes for kids in the community to learn English and artisan crafts.
  

• A champion from Oregon taught an 8-week personal finance class via Zoom for PLH staff and local community members.
  

• Laura Polynice, PLH Administrative Assistant, and her husband, Wahi, welcomed their first child, Jesher.
  

• We celebrated the wedding of PLH staff member Wilson Emmanuel and his bride, Madlinie.
  

• PLH employee Guy Destine and his wife, Jesula, welcomed their third son, Guy-Lensky.
  

• PLH and 19 pastors from Camp Marie and the neighboring communities came together to discuss the current state in Haiti, its impact on the community, and how we can help the community rise above.
  

• The staff celebrated another year with a staff Christmas party at the beach.
  

• PLH hosted its 3rd annual Christmas Eve Candlelight service.

While 2022 held significant challenges, the achievements from the year, were all made possible through the donations, support, and generosity of the PLH community. Through all the PLH programs and projects, our mission is always to draw others nearer to Him. We are humbled by all that God has done in and through Project Living Hope.

But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.

Isaiah 40:31

Merry Christmas from Haiti!

This year has been a challenging one for every person in Haiti. There have been gang wars, kidnappings, road blocks, rising inflation, food insecurity, fuel shortages, cholera, and more. In the midst of all this, we praise God for the protection He has put over each of our Haitian staff and their families. 

For Christmas this year, the staff organized a staff beach day. We had a delicious feast of rice, beans and chicken; many games of dominos, cards and soccer; swimming; music; and good conversation. 

We want to say thanks to each of you for the part you played in the work of PLH during 2022. As we look ahead to 2023, we pray that it brings change for Haiti and lots of progress for PLH. 

🐥 Giving Tuesday 2022

Giving Tuesday was a success! Because of the generosity of so many, we surpassed our goal! $5080 was raised and we have the funds to purchase 1000 chickens to fill the coops and start the laying hen flock.

The country has been effectively shut down since Sept 12 due to gang fighting and unrest. While we don’t know what the coming days, weeks, and months will hold, the laying hen flock will create jobs and sustainability which are critical in times like these.

We understand how many deserving organizations ask for support on Giving Tuesday, so we gratefully and humbly thank you for supporting Project Living Hope!

Haiti Reaches a New Breaking Point

By Guesly Dessieux
PLH Executive Director and Founder

Project Living Hope has been in the town of Camp Marie, Haiti since 2017. This month for the first time, we were unable to make payroll. This was not because we did not have the funds but rather because the situation in Haiti has made getting cash from the bank very hard. In recent weeks, the route to and from the bank has been blocked by protestors, the banks are often closed and give only limited amounts of cash, and hundreds of people wait outside hoping to be served.

The situation in Haiti is truly the worst it has been in a long time, possibly since its people gained independence over 200 years ago. Over the past several weeks, Haiti has seen an increase in roadblocks, protests, looting, and destruction. This is in addition to the ever-increasing levels of terrorist “gang” activity throughout the capital and beyond that is turning neighborhoods into war zones. The school year has been delayed. Many of those fortunate enough to have a job cannot get to work. The small police force is outnumbered and outgunned. Hospitals are shutting their doors as they don’t have fuel to run their generators. Businesses, banks, and stores have a hard time staying open. Trucks cannot transport goods around the country. Resources have become dangerously scarce. The cost to refill a 5-gallon jug of drinking water has risen from $0.30 to as much as $6 in some places because of the lack of fuel for water pumps and water trucks. On October 3, the largest water company announced that they were out of fuel and could no longer bottle or distribute water. That same day, the ministry of health announced that cholera cases have been confirmed. Cholera first came to Haiti in 2010 after the earthquake; the last recorded case in Haiti was in 2019. Its reemergence is a huge threat to Haiti.

Because of the roadblocks and lack of fuel, many areas in Haiti are running out of food and many places have already run out of drinkable water. People are desperate. Even those who typically can take care of themselves are struggling to feed their families. We are thankful that Camp Marie is an agricultural community. While the community is hurting, this area is doing better than many.

We pray that the organization is able to make payroll through this difficult time, keep our employees working, and be a source of hope for the community. I know the PLH staff and myself find comfort in what Jesus said in John 14:27: “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”

The Crisis in Haiti: Humanitarian Catastrophe

By Laura Polynice

“An economic crisis, a gang crisis, and a political crisis have converged into a humanitarian catastrophe," stated UN Special Representative Helen La Lime. "We must not lose hope, but rather combine our efforts to find a pathway to a better tomorrow”

While Haiti has seen many cycles of protests, gas shortages and insecurity, the current situation is the worst it has been. Even if things opened up tomorrow, the country cannot continue to live under the terror of these warring groups. The Haitian people are powerless and tired of fighting to survive. “We are not humans. We are just bodies struggling to survive.” This is a common sentiment among the Haitian people.

A few weeks ago, a couple family members of one of our staff got into a knife fight landing them both in the hospital in critical condition. When I told this to Guesly, he asked how two grown men cound be so dumb as to engage in a knife fight. I responded that when you have no job, no way to feed your family, no purpose, and no hope for your future or your children’s future, you lose all reason to live. With the reality of life in Haiti, putting value on your life or other people’s lives takes a lot of faith. 

With all the issues in Haiti, it is natural to ask how things are ever going to change. On the national level, it is hard to say. We pray and we hope. PLH’s mission, however, is to empower Haitians to build a stronger Haiti. We believe that lasting change in the country begins on the individual and community level. If individuals are empowered to be able to take care of themselves and their families and if communities are empowered to work together to bring about positive development, then change will begin to ripple out, and the effects will be immeasurable. Education, employment, sustainability, responsibility, and unity – these are the things that will change Haiti. By empowering Haitians, you are helping them to build a stronger Haiti.

Wrapping Up the Summer Programs

By Laura Polynice

This summer for the first time, PLH hosted two months of classes for kids in the community. During vacation, children and youth in Haiti don’t have a lot of activities or events to keep them busy. This July and August, kids came to PLH to learn English and artisan crafts. The kids enjoyed having somewhere to go each day and enjoyed learning the new skills.

This past Sunday, the PLH staff organized an expo and invited the parents to attend. This was a chance for the kids to show off what they had learned and made and for the parents to support and celebrate their kids. We were pleased by the number of parents that attended.

There were several tables set up at the front on which the kids displayed their handmade goods including bracelets, woven hats, macrame hangings, necklaces, and sandals.

The program started with English demonstrations. Students came up in pairs and performed little dialogues in English. Then Teacher Sondy led the students in a competition similar to Simon Says and the winner took home a brand-new, insulated water bottle – a prized commodity around here. Finally, they performed several songs including Head and Shoulders and a song of the months of the year.

SIMON SAYS

After the English portion, all the artisan students came to the front. Their instructor, Pierre Claude, quizzed them on some of the vocabulary related to artisan trades with a group of eight girls competing against a group of eight boys.

Finally, the parents and guests were invited to come up to look at and purchase the artisan goods that the students had made. Each purchase was an encouragement to the kids.

Benedic encouraged the parents to support their children in their new trade so that they can continue to advance their skills. The artisan class will continue each Saturday during the school year. Two parents shared some words congratulating the students on their efforts and thanking PLH for this program. As always, I was asked to speak. I congratulated the kids on their beautiful work, thanked the parents for coming out to support their children, and thanked the PLH staff for putting together this 8-week program.

Rose-Andre and several others worked all morning preparing a special meal for the students. When the program was finished, the kids lined up and excitedly collected their meal and hurried home to beat the rain.

This summer was the first time in three years that the PLH Haitian staff have been left to run things without myself or Guesly present. It is so exciting to see the staff take charge and put on a great program. They came up with the ideas, set the schedule, carried out the classes, and organized a great celebration to wrap it up. I am proud of them. I look forward to continuing to have the artisan class for the kids each weekend. The pride on the young people’s faces as they showed off and sold their goods was inspiring. This evening was a representation of what PLH wants to bring to the community: opportunities to learn, a community that comes together to support one another, and pride in a job well done.