One would think that shipping containers would be the least expensive option for getting things to Haiti. Yet the experience of many NGO's has been that the customs officials confiscate anything of value or charge an exorbitant fee to allow goods into the country. While the country is very poor there is sometimes little empathy among their own countrymen in various official capacities for the suffering taking place elsewhere in their country. So humanitarian goods are many times diverted to corrupt pockets instead of getting to the places they need to go.
Alas has just now begun to expand the types of goods it's bringing to Haiti. The Branch Lutheran Schools and associated orphanages are looking to start a sewing school for their children. They have about 250 children including about 100 orphans they are supporting. Giving them vocational skills, in addition to the academic pursuits normal to a school, has become a greater priority. They need a minimum of 24 Treadle Sewing Machines. These machines are very reliable and sought after in third world situations. No electricity required; the user actuates the foot pedal to sew. 30 machines have been donated to us as everyone in the U.S. has reliable electricity and the need to peddle to sew has long passed. The donated machines are presently on their way to Florida for Alas to transport.
The trip to Haiti from New Mexico requires 12 hours of flight time to get to Florida and then 5.5 more to get to Cap Haitien in Northern Haiti. The aircraft has been fitted with the latest avionics and is presently getting an engine upgrade to make the flying safe and efficient. I'm the pilot and I carry personal flotation gear plus a raft in case of an emergency. The over water portion of the flying is almost all of that last 5.5 hours of flight time except for portions when I'm over islands in the Bahamas or over the Turks and Caicos Islands. Frequently I stop halfway to Haiti in the Bahamas for fuel and a rest stop.
Opportunities are opening for flights to Mahuahal, Mexico, to deliver Catechisms and other Christian school resources. Alas has the policy of using the least cost option for getting materials to where they need to go for humanitarian and evangelism purposes and so it's conceivable that we'd sometime contract with commercial cargo operators when that is prudent. The issue is that many times the locations we may operate to are remote and the Cessna 185 is the most prudent option.
Here's a video of some of our flying from last year with an opportunity to get a feel for what it's like to fly to Haiti in a small airplane.
Hope you enjoyed this report and check out both text and the YouTube video! I think you'll enjoy learning a little about Alas Para Los Ninos .... and a little about those of us that make this happen!
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Discussion
I really enjoyed reading about the Non-Profit Organization that you have started and how it has spread tremendously! Two of my siblings are adopted from Haiti, so seeing this spreading of the gospel in a place that is familiar to myself and my family is heart-warming. I also appreciated this quote and explanation from the article: “While the country is very poor there is sometimes little empathy among their own countrymen in various official capacities for the suffering taking place elsewhere in their country. So humanitarian goods are many times diverted to corrupt pockets instead of getting to the places they need to go.” My parents took 6 trips to Haiti to in order to be able to bring home my siblings because the first time they had payed in order to have documents translated, birth certificates, adoption papers and the like, the nannies had taken the money and fled. So I see where this issue comes into play in this country!
When I read through the article, you had mentioned the expanse of goods being brought to Haiti. I was wondering if there are any fundraising opportunities through the Non-Profit organization? I think that it would be very helpful to include the things that would contribute to the sewing school like material, thread, etc!
After watching the video and reading the article, I was wondering if any of your experiences through the Non-Profit led you to be able to make personal connections with people in these third world countries. I think that sharing your experiences in spreading the gospel with the aid of the translated catechisms would be essential for people donating these items to see where their efforts are going to and how it positively affects these people!
Thank you for your contribution to the conference!
Thank you for the wonderful and inspiring comments. I also hope to get back to everyone else today. Yes, personal contacts galore! I’m leaving for Paraguay tomorrow morning where I’ll stay with a local family, conduct Bible classes all during the week, meet with leader prospects in neighboring villages and conduct two worship services. Yes, I get to know the people very well. There are wonderful Christians in every place I’ve been. The difference between them and us is usually that they have mixed many unbiblical beliefs in with their biblical ones. Sometimes they are so far off they are on the path towards loosing their faith. To us it’s so simple, Who created the world? Where do the Ten Commandments com from? How does the forgiveness of sins come to a person? Do we baptize babies and why? There are so many more questions that people that have not grown up with good biblical doctrine have. We are needed in the world to share God’s truth with everyone we come in contact with.
Mr. Kramer,
I love the work you are doing for the people down in Haiti. Indeed Haitians are included in the great commision of Matthew chapter 28, they need the saving message of the gospel just as much as anyone else. I especially appreciate where you note “in support of Branch Lutheran Schools orphanages and also the public schools in the northern part of the island.” Children in the public schools of Haiti need the outreach from your program just as much as the Lutheran school children.
When I read about your outreach and watched the attached video, I could not help but think that your plane seemed a little small. If a larger plane was used so much more supplies and materials could be carried along. I know planes are very expensive, but the upside seems like it would be serviced well.
You mentioned how it can be difficult to ship supplies by boat stating “Yet the experience of many NGO's has been that the customs officials confiscate anything of value or charge an exorbitant fee to allow goods into the country.” I was wondering, how does the Haitian government react to your humanitarian and evangelism work?
Thank you for being a great Christian example of a servant leader.
Your comments give me encouragement. But we remember the words of Luke 17:7-10. We are unworthy servants doing the work God has set out for us to do.
Yes, a bigger plane would haul more per flight, but the cost of the operation goes way up, beyond what modest Lutheran’s would be able to support.
This is such an amazing thing you do. I don’t know if you remember, but I was a student that can down to Louisiana to help run a bible camp at a local church down there that was call shipwrecked and I remember you talking to us kids about this exact thing! It is always so great to see how much this people enjoy getting the catechism and know more about God. As you stated here, “While the country is very poor there is sometimes little empathy among their own countrymen in various official capacities for the suffering taking place elsewhere in their country” it is so heartwarming to see others like you helping them out when not even there own country does.
After reading your article, I wondered if your experiences were every challenged? I think it would be awesome to here about them and how you were able to overcome the challenges. You said, The Branch Lutheran Schools and associated orphanages are looking to start a sewing school for their children.” It is so cool that they are trying to branch out even more and find different opportunities for people.
Thank you for all you work and time and effort put into this it is truly awe-inspiring!
Yes, our experiences in sharing the Gospel are challenged continuously and continuously a challenge. But these things “were prepared in advance for us to do” Ephesians 2:10. In Paraguay demonic challenges are the most daunting. The people all know of, and most believe in, demonic persons such as Luison, and Pombero. You can do a little research on the internet and learn about these things. But dealing with people who live in fear is very different from sharing the Gospel with people in the U.S. But once they know their Savior just a little, that he is more powerful than anything, the truth is shared very similarly all over the world. It’s interesting that their fears cause them to ignore their Savior just as indifference does here in the U.S.
In Haiti Voodoo controls people. It gives license to sinful desires. Once again Jesus is more powerful than these demonic influences and ready to provide the forgiveness of sins he won on the cross. As we share the Savior’s love with people they learn to trust in the saving message of the forgiveness of sins through Jesus.
I love this idea of being able to bring these valuable materials to the children in a country that is suffering. The fact that you fly down there yourself to make sure that they get the materials you’re sending them is such a blessing. When you talk about the status of the country saying, “while the country is very poor there is sometimes little empathy among their own countrymen” helps me understand what is really going on there. It helps me have more compassion for them and want to encourage myself and others to help out more with this wonderful opportunity.
I am wondering what are more ways that my congregation can help out with this mission. Would donating clothes or money be more efficient? You say that, “opportunities are opening for flights to Mahuahal, Mexico, to deliver Catechisms and other Christian school resources.” To me this sounds like a wonderful opportunity that maybe one day could be a mission trip for different churches to go to these areas and help with the outreach that you have started?
Thank you so much for the insight to this wonderful project that you’re doing. Continue the great work and God’s Blessings on your next trip!
“....helps me have more compassion for them and want to encourage myself and others to help out more with this wonderful opportunity.
I am wondering what are more ways that my congregation can help out with this mission. Would donating clothes or money be more efficient?”
Morgan,
Thank you for your thoughts and I’m happy that the example of what others are doing is motivating! Yes all these efforts need financial support. Synod offerings and donations to the Non-profits are both good ways to keep us sharing the message with others.
The work you are doing in Haiti is inspiring. Hearing that you have delivered “3,000 copies in September of 2016 and hope to deliver up to 18,000 more in 2019” is amazing. It is great to know that hundreds of children will be able to learn about Jesus and the Gospel through the Catechisms that you have helped deliver.
You mentioned that “giving them vocational skills, in addition to the academic pursuits normal to a school, has become a greater priority”. I was wondering how Alas Is planning on doing this? In addition to the Catechisms and sewing machines, what other items do you plan to transport to the island?
Also, how does the education system in Haiti see the work you do? Do they welcome the supplies you bring, or are you limited to the schools that you can provide for?
God’s richest blessing as you continue your work for the people of Haiti. Thank you for letting your light shine.
The government in Haiti is of two types. Some are happy that we come to help, and other departments like Customs just looks for ways that they can benefit.
Vocational skills will help individual Haitians provide for their future families. They’re learning to be Christians and Christians share the message with their families. So this is in line with our long term goals in more ways than one.
I appreciate what you are doing for these people. It’s awesome to see in action how God always provides through many different people. I think the sewing school is an amazing idea and use of their resources given the fact that electricity is a struggle. I loved how you put it “they are just like us, they need God’s word for Salvation.” That is such a blessing that we take for granted because of how easily it can be accessed around us, but difficult for them. It demonstrates an abundance amount of love for our Savior through each plane that takes flight, book that is donated and the overall planning of it all.
After reading your article and watching the video, I wondered if this mission will continue to be strictly to Haiti or if other branches will cover more ground in the future to other places in need for the Word of God. I’m also excited about your statement “Alas has just now begun to expand the types of goods it's bringing to Haiti.” because it gives us hope that there is more goods to come in the future and I can’t wait to hear all about it.
Thank you for everything you are doing!
Yes, they are just like us. We all need the message of our Savior. I have the pleasure of working primarily in three places. In Haiti I’m primarily the transportation for things our missionaries need. In Paraguay I live with families and actively share the Gospel. The same in Sonora, Mexico. So the mission of Alas will travel to whatever areas in Latin America this work makes sense.
I have wondered how the WELS has aided Haiti in the past few years, and now I know. I was interested by the fact that Haiti, a nation so close to our own, didn’t have reliable electricity. I know that they are a poor nation with many needs, but the poor places of the world are where we are needed most.
I was wondering if you could possibly be able to get other school materials into the country, like textbooks and workbooks, or even other literature? Or are the sewing machines and the catechisms just a starting point for greater things to come? If the children The Branch is educating could be given access to a good education from American sources translated into Creole, could that in itself be a tool for evangelism, as an opportunity that Haitian parents can give their children a decent education?
Anothing thing I was wondering how the finances line up for these trips. How much does it cost to fly the five and a half hours, and to print off so many small catechisms? Where does most of your income come from? Donations?
Thank you for your work in Haiti and for the article
The funding for these flights into Haiti come from two sources. Wels World Missions supports the majority of the costs of the actual flights into Haiti. Other costs are born by the non-profit Alas Para Los Ninos that depends on donations from interested individuals. There are other costs that myself and a few people pick up. Yes, this costs plenty...but it’s the only way we can get things to the people who need it.
I really enjoyed reading this and seeing how you have used your resources to share the gospel. I think that most people would have given up after not being able to get the materials to Haiti the easy way “customs officials confiscate anything of value or charge an exorbitant fee to allow goods into the country” This is a good example in our lives as Christians that it's not always going to be easy for us to share the gospel. However, God blesses us and protects us.
I was wondering how much mission work is going on in Haiti along with “The Branch Lutheran Schools” and if there were any ideas to send missionaries who spoke the language there at all?
I pray that Alas Para Los Ninos continues to grow by God’s hand and that you're able to reach more souls! Thanks for supplying this article to Gospel Outreach with Media.
We don’t have any non-native missionaries with the language skills necessary to share the Gospel directly in Haiti at present. We rely on Rona, a native WELS trained pastor/missionary and people he trains to share biblical training in Haiti. Any WELS person who wants to share the message directly would need to learn Creole. French is used in government and a lot of people know some France in Haiti, but the language of the people is Creole. When I’m there I communicate in Spanish. Because the other half of the Island is Spanish speaking, most people know enough Spanish to get things done.
Branch Lutheran Schools is composed of three schools in the southern part of the Island. They hire and train local people to become teachers who learn what it means to be Lutheran from Rona. There are about 250 kids in our three schools. Each year more students are accepted and more teachers trained. It’s growing as fast as we can train teachers and as fast as donations will allow. Each teacher earns $200 U.S. per month yet the total of all costs are many thousands per month and it’s difficult to keep up.
It is always interesting to me to learn about the many different and often unconventional ways the Word of God can be spread. Even in trying times (such as after the initial disaster in Haiti), there can be bright spots. So glad to hear the WELS is assisting the schools and people there. Hearing of your story reminded me of the passage from Romans 12, where it says: "For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully." I'm very thankful to hear stories like yours about people using their talents to increase the reach of the ministry without being a member of the ministry. As I am not entering the ministry, I hope to one day find a similar way to help the WELS ministry.
Once again, thank you for sharing your story, and God's blessings on your travels and ministry!
Thank you very much for showing us how you are implementing Gospel outreach to third world countries such as Haiti. I have never been outside of the United States, but I venture to guess that it is a life-changing experience especially when you are doing so while spreading God's Word to people who may have not grown up in the faith and who potentially have never heard of Jesus Christ. You mentioned that sometimes goods entering Haiti land in the wrong pockets - those of corrupt individuals. One of my questions is, what are some of the other challenges to embarking on these trips? Are you currently receiving funds through offerings or through some other WELS affiliated organization? This is a really neat opportunity because in many cases, these people may never get the chance to know their Savior.
What I particularly enjoyed about your presentation was your mentioning of the sewing machines. This humbled me in a way because although this is a widely outdated machine here in the United States where I've grown up, it can be considered a treasure and a piece of wonderful technology to another group of people. Are there any other types of goods or materials planning to be sent out to Haiti within the near future?
Thank you again for your story and presentation. May God continue to bless you in your work!
We think that’s really cool that you have an opportunity to fly thousands of Catechisms as well as pounds of clothing to Haiti in order to help with the Christian mission there. We didn’t know that the Catechism had been translated into Creole. This is a really great way to spread the gospel in Haiti. We also thought that the video really helped explain and provide a visual for your mission. God’s blessing to you and everyone involved as you continue to strive for your goal(s)!
Sami Clouser
Holly J. Christie
I really liked and enjoyed reading about this nonprofit organization. I really appreciate the work you are doing for the children and people most in need and also for sharing the word of God in places where they need it most. Congratulations for the good work you are doing and I hope the organization continues to grow and helping even more people.
Thanks for your good job!
Connor and I think that what you are doing is an amazing act(s). We are thankful that you are working to ensure not only better living conditions for the people of Haiti, but that you have personally taken the time out of your life to ensure that this process pans out. It is really great work that you are involved in. Not only are you committing a gracious act for the people of Haiti you are spreading the word of God and showing them that there is hope through him.
The fact that these NGO also teach the gospel at the schools is a great plus since I personally consider saving the soul more important than saving the body, I really like that they do it. Almost half of the students in their schools are orphan and in countries in situations like that on e people don't always have the time to care about the orphans. The fact that they help them, it gives them the opportunity to be able to one day take care of themselves and even help others.
I would not have think that it would be this complicated to take goods to the places needed. First, the distance is pretty challenging. It takes almost 12 hours to get there and fuel and breaks are to be taken to reach the destination. Then there are the corrupted people who take the goods for the ones who need it and just makes it more difficult to reach their goals.
Thank you for all the work you did.