Goldsboro District

Bishop Gwinn led the cabinet on a work team to Haiti, November 14-22, 2010. Our task was to construct a building for the Ryan Epps Children's Center, an orphanage near Port-au-Prince. This worthy missions project has been a focal point for the ministry of Horne Memorial UMC in Clayton in general, and specifically for Helen Little, a member of that congregation. The cabinet went as a tribute to our colleague Sam Dixon, who was killed in an earthquake while entering the Hotel Montana on January 12, 2010.

The situation in Haiti is difficult to imagine. When we arrived the island nation was reeling not only from the earthquake, but also from a recent hurricane, a cholera epidemic, and rioting in the streets connected with the epidemic and with the national elections set for November 28. Such challenges would be difficult for any nation. However, when one considers that Haiti is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, these problems are compounded.

In such deplorable conditions, and in such grinding poverty, it is difficult to know where to begin. We began by building a structure to house the dormitory, dining hall, and director's residence. For six days the cabinet, led by Bishop Gwinn, sweated in 100-degree heat, attaching "hat channel," spreading insulation, attaching roofing, and loving the two-dozen orphans in our midst. Our team, officially sanctioned by UMVIM, was coordinated by Butch Huffman, formerly a pastor in the Goldsboro District.

At least part of the massive dysfunction of Haiti is a result of corruption rooted in the dozen or so inter-related families who own the nation. Ship containers, including the one holding our construction materials, must be claimed within three days of arriving in port. Bureaucratic red tape makes it almost impossible to obtain shipments within the three-day period. Any "unclaimed" material then goes to a warehouse where it is "lost," only to appear on the black market, yielding huge profits for the oligarchy. The missionaries attached to our project were required to pay significant bribes to assure that our materials would be on site and on time.

The magnitude of the suffering of the Haitian people, most of whom are very religious Christians, seems intractable. It is hard to know where to begin. We began by helping two dozen orphans, realizing that our efforts are like one raindrop in an ocean of need. Yet, to call upon a well known story, perhaps we have thrown at least two dozen starfish back into the sea. Pray with us that God will reward our efforts. For more information click on the link to the Ryan Epps Home for Children.  If you would like to see some photos of our DS's actually doing some real work, check out the pictures on my Facebook page.