Wow what a year it's been for the GAP/Canaan Ministries. I've lost track of the exact number of visitors,(blancs) we had at Canaan in 2008 but somewhere between 150 - 200 new and old friends have made the trip. Some come as part of a team, others individually or with friends to work as staff for several months or longer.
To say we have been blessed is an understatement. Construction wise we finished up a large workshop/storage area, built a concrete basketball/volleyball court, started construction on a tilapia fish pond, a new small boys dorm, a small house for Pastor Henri and a library, all to be finished early in 2009. This year will see us get started on a long held dream of building a clinic/ hospital. Canaan originally had a small clinic back in the 1990's but it was eventually closed due to lack of staff and funding. In Sept. 2007 the Haitian government required all licensed orphanages to have a clinic so we reopened our long abandoned small clinic. Through the generosity of GAP supporters we have raised enough funds to start construction on a new community clinic facility.
Yet without those who have come to serve at the clinic the past 16 months this worthwhile ministry would still be a dream. Thanks to people like Janis Ritkis and Karen Morrison who came for two months in 2007 to open the clinic. Doctors Ric & Wendy Bonnell and Tony Hlavacek who come every other month to treat patients. Canadian nurse Elsie Kornelsen who arrived in Jan. to run the clinic on a daily basis. John Elmore and Will Nix who arrived in May to establish the " Medika Mamba" infant nutrition program. Bobbi Bender who arrived in Sept. to help at the clinic and monitor the 'Medika Mamba program. The Haitian nurses and Canaan students who work there everyday, yes it is the dedication and actions of all these people that give others a reason to get invoved and support our efforts.
Haiti was in the news a lot this year because of world wide food shortages, high prices and constant hurricane damage. The economic and enviromental devastion has pushed Haiti and it's people to one of the worse situations I can remember in my 10 years working there. It is for that reason Gap/Canaan has established a Haiti Relief Fund to aid those most affected . As money comes in we help those we can with food and shelter needs. Gap has started 2 other new outreach programs that you can read about in our newsletters at http://www.gap-haiti.com/ . It looks like 2009 is going to be every bit as busy as last year. We thank God for the opportunites he gave us this past year and look forward to how he will use us in 2009. In God's love ,steve
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