In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)
“Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” (Nehemiah 8:10)
The good news for Haiti, the US, and every nation is that Jesus Christ has overcome the world and joy in Him is what gives us strength to face its many troubles.
Country Situation
Politics We took worldly encouragement in the first 4 months of Haiti’s Transitional Presidential Council whose 9 members represent a variety of Haitian groups. Four members are also to serve equal rotations as president. They were attacking corruption and preparing for elections in November 2025, but once the second president came to power, party politics seemed to overtake “the rule of law” and our worldly joy has diminished.
Almost since the beginning, 3 of the 9 members have been under investigation for serious corruption. After formal charges were made, the Prime Minister recommended dismissing the 3 from the council to make for a “cleaner” democratic process. Instead, the council fired the PM and replaced many department heads he had appointed. Since the 3 men are refusing to answer their court charges, claiming immunity, the US may sanction them by freezing their US assets, etc.
Violence Unrelated to politics, Barbecue, the head of the gangs, declared a new “reign of terror” (the 1st was in March) displacing 50,000 more people. Though Barbecue escaped, the Haitian police and Kenyan Multinational Forces were able to set up a second “forward base” in the capital, with a third in the western Artibonite valley where gangs had massacred 120 innocent citizens.
Also, 3 airplanes in the capital were shot at, thankfully with only one minor injury. The FAA shut down all US air traffic to Haiti for 30 days, but later reopened the north of Haiti via the Cap Haitian airport. Our own return to Haiti for December 12 was not disrupted, but HAFF’s veterinarian missionary Dr. Patricia Lyon had to leave temporarily.
Please pray for: 1) Righteous leadership; 2) gang leaders to be defeated 3) innocent youth in gangs to escape death/imprisonment and start over; 4) people to experience Christ in their lives.
HAFF Staff and Students: Finding Jesus, Joy, Strength, Perseverance and Maturity
“Consider it pure joy, whenever you face trials of many kinds, …because the testing of your faith produces perseverance… so that you may be mature and complete…” (James 1:2-4)
IPB began school before everyone had their uniforms
It’s been hard to learn and study when we sometimes can’t serve lunch
Though our area has absorbed some of the 700,000 people made homeless by gang violence, it suffers more from the disruption of transportation and commerce, 27% inflation and ongoing drought. Now 50% of the population experience acute hunger – a percentage similar to only 4 other countries in the world. In general, food and fuel prices have come down a bit but limitations in airplane service have made it hard to get in enough money to feed our students every day. Besides consistent airplane service, please pray for increased donations to help insure our free hot lunches, especially since our enrollment is up. Despite our super-low tuition many parents struggle financially so we are still trying to keep our 45 work-study scholarships available, also.
However, the kids are very encouraged to be able to go to school unlike some disrupted months last year. And despite gasoline prices as high as $12 a gallon at times, our teachers come faithfully each day. Besides food and education, students tell us that Bible class and daily school devotions help inspire and focus them to keep persevering, especially if they can’t go to church due to lack of appropriate clothing. Your support is giving hope to very real people who are trusting a very real God and finding him faithful.
We all -- missionaries, staff and students – thank you for reminding us that God cares for us even in the midst of our worldly trials!
More Infrastructure Improvements
“Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain. (Psalm 127)
This summer God showed us how to save the much beloved home of our founder, Mme Clark, through recycled roofing and learning the inexpensive art of whitewashing. It has now become a permanent home for our Godly Woman class. We also used the giftings of Estephene, our new Director of Operations, to re-stucco the many gouges and cracks in our dirty school walls.
Our Godly Woman class no longer has to set up and tear down in a classroom at the school
This fall God blessed our fundraising efforts with 22 five-gallon buckets of paint for the school walls. The gift of 15 new tables will furnish our new computer room plus others. Generous donors also gave 12 batteries to fix problems at our guesthouse and administration building as well as to run our school bell. Now we are praying for a new program and solar panel to run the bell!
In closing, here is our Christmas encouragement to you in any poverty you may be experiencing:
"He has filled the hungry with good things."
(Luke 1:53)
Colin and Carla Wilson
Address: Colin Wilson, 3170 Airmans Dr., Unit 1069 – HAFF, Ft. Pierce, FL 34946
Contributions: HAFF 2400 Edgelea Dr., Lafayette, IN 47909 Visit: haff.org