"FOR TOMORROW BELONGS TO THE PEOPLE WHO PREPARE FOR IT TODAY."

Top: ACY-IM leadership at refugee center they founded after earthquake
Bottom: ACY-IM leadership planning session Nov. 21, 2010

CASTING A VISION FOR THE YOUTH OF HAITI

It was just a year ago early Dec. that I set on the porch of my Borel home with Jasmine Garcon the Field Coordinator of GAP Ministry's "Feet Across the Mountains" ministry. During a 2 hour meeting I laid out my vision and plans for starting a new youth ministry that I wanted him to lead for GAP. It was based around a similar outreach I had started in 2002 for the young kids who lived in the Quiskeya Beach area where GAP ministry was headquartered at that time. In fact 16 year old Jasmine helped me organize that group of teenagers that met every Sat. afternoon in my front yard. When I relocated Gap 3.5 years later we disbanded the organization and several of the key leaders including Jasmine went off to University in Paup. When Jasmine graduated in 2009 I brought him back to oversee our work in the mountains.

The new organization we founded that afternoon would have a somewhat similar name as the original organization which was ACY-GAPI , Association of Christian Youth - Gap International. The new one would be ACY-IM , Association of Christian Youth - International Missions. My instructions to Jasmine at the end of the meeting was put a plan together that I can look at when I return in Jan. I returned to Haiti after a Christmas break on Jan. 10th and before I could meet with Jasmine the Earthquake struck on Jan 12th.

On Nov.1st of 2009 I had taken over the responsibilities of Director of Project Help-Haiti plus still remained as executive director of GAP. I thought at that time I could manage doing both jobs possibly, the earthquake took away any chance of that possibility. It was all I could do for the next 3 months to keep on top of the medical ministry and bring surgical teams and supplies in each week. About one week after the earthquake Jasmine came to see me at Pierre Payen to tell me he had relocated 250 people out to Montrouis and placed them in 2 school buildings , it seemed we were in the refugee camp business. Eventually we relocated them to a vacant property about 1/2 mile away and with tents supplied by YWAM, funding from several organizations including PH-H we kept the camp going for 6 months. On Aug. 1st we officially closed the camp as our population numbers dwindled when better housing options became available at other camps back close to Paup.

So this afternoon 11/21/10 in Montrouis I met for that first meeting I had thought I would have with the group possibly way back in Jan. Today I shared the same vision I shared with Jasmine nearly a year ago here at Borel. I won't go into a lot of details at this time but my vision is to build a volunteer national youth service group all across Haiti. This group of 18-28 year old men and women I believe can make a difference by transforming their world one city at a time. The organization will be based around 5 guiding points 1. evangelism 2. reconciliation 3. discipleship 4. integrity 5. community service and development. It is not by coincidence that the GAP logo is made up of 5 fingers that shape the branches of a tree that we hope "produce fruit that lasts" (John 15:16). If excitement and enthusiasm is any indicator I believe that my vision was well received this afternoon. The new director of GAP ministry Heather Elyse is flying in to join me this week and will be taking over the day to day operation of GAP. In Jan. when she moves here to oversee the ministry outreaches of GAP I hope we will already be implementing some of our vision. In God's love. SJM