HOLY SPIRIT HAITI MISSION
Holy Spirit Haiti Mission is a life giving effort by many from Holy Spirit Catholic Church in Huntsville, AL as well as many others who volunteer their time, resources and efforts in order to help those in need in the country of Haiti. We are not an NGO; we are a ministry called to do the Lord's work helping one person at a time. Our focus includes but is not limited to orphanage support, education, clean water initiatives, and seeking islands of economic opportunity to help Haitians "learn to fish". We are people from all walks of life who share a common bond of God and helping others. Thank you for visiting and we hope that you can find ways to help the Haitian people through our ministry.
Videos Updates From Haiti
The Holy Spirit Haiti Mission will be sharing a series of video posts over the next few weeks to show what daily life in Haiti is like currently and give you updates on the projects we support.
Haiti Update from Living Waters for the World Partner
The Holy Spirit Haiti Mission works closely with an organization called Living Waters for the World (LWW) to bring clean water to Haiti. LWW works in countries throughout the world to cultivate relationships with communities, establish a support system to maintain and advocate for the water system, and install water purification systems in areas that do not have access to clean water. Bill Mendenhall leads an initiating partner that works to install water systems in Haiti, similar to how the Holy Spirit Haiti Mission operates. Below is his latest report regarding the situation in Haiti:
Now may be the worst time in the entire troubled history of the nation of Haiti. The past 3 years have seen a complete breakdown of government function, social services, and law and order. Gangs currently control nearly all of Port au Prince and other metropolitan areas. The numbers of kidnappings, murders and rapes are astounding. Haiti saw a shocking 5,000 murders in 2023, nearly double from 2022. This in a country roughly the size of Vermont. Since 2022, nearly 200,000 people have fled their homes due to violence. People throughout Haiti wake to the sound of gunfire and the smell of burning buildings and automobile tires. Haiti effectively has no law enforcement. The United Nations and the United States have declined thus far to provide any physical presence to restore law and order. Even those who are not victims of violence suffer greatly. Uncollected waste and untreated sewage accumulate at unprecedented levels. Regular employment is almost impossible to find. Average income has now dropped significantly below the dismal rate of $2 per day typically paid 3 years ago.
But, amidst all of this tragedy, Living Waters for the World is quietly providing a lifeline to children and families. Since 2007, LWW has installed approximately 100 water treatment systems in Haiti. Despite the widespread violence and chaos, more than 70 of these systems are currently in operation, faithfully providing clean water to Haitians every day. LWW’s systems are operated by priests, pastors and other local people of good will, who are determined to improve the lives of their neighbors, despite the desperation all around them. Each day, people (mostly women and and children) walk up to two miles to bring their 5 gallon blue bottles to a Living Waters for the World water plant to swap for a newly filled bottle of clean water to bring home to their families. The fact that clean water is flowing under these horrendous conditions is a testament to the effectiveness of the training and support provided by LWW and its in-country staff, as well as the LWW system technology and design. Our staff
in Haiti are almost entirely self-sufficient. They are able to build, maintain and repair systems completely on their own, relying on their resourcefulness to find the necessary parts and supplies. Time and again, after earthquakes, hurricanes and continuous violence, our team has demonstrated the initiative and ingenuity needed to make repairs and rebuild systems, even when no U.S. partner has been available to provide support.
The lifesaving clean water provided by Living Waters for the World allows Haitian children and families to escape the misery of water-born illness. But, perhaps more importantly, this water offers hope that all is not lost. With each bottle of water dispensed, the message is delivered that someone, somewhere cares for the people of this beautiful but ravaged country. The people relying upon LWW’s water systems understand this and know they are not forgotten.As an organization, we are being forced to rethink how we serve in Haiti. We can no longer travel there for the installation of water systems. Through video conferencing, LWW has continued to install new water systems over the past 3 years. When funds are available, we are able to transfer money to our in-country staff for their salaries and to cover the costs of installing and maintaining systems. We have been able to deliver parts and even complete systems to our secure warehouse near Leogane. But shipping costs are high and parts are expensive.
In this time of hardship for the people of Haiti, we ask for your thoughts and prayers and also for your financial support, so that the work of Living Waters for the World can continue for these forgotten children of God. Please consider donating to Living Waters’ Haiti Network at livingwatersfortheworld.com.
-Bill Mendenhall
Shreveport, Louisiana
Habibi grew up in the orphanage in Haiti for almost her entire life. She studied hard so that she could attend medical school to become a doctor.
Habibi received top grades in her first year of medical school and she is eagerly diving into her second year. As you know, medical school is pricey but we feel that the investment in Habibi is more than worth it for her devotion to helping those in Haiti with her degree. She plans on running a clinic similar to Dr. Yanne’s to help those who cannot afford or travel to get medical care.
You can help us by donating to her tuition fund! You can donate through this website or mail a check. More details can be found here. Thank you!
Dr. Yanne Mobile Clinic Update - August
“The month of July was strong, but I know that it is part of our work that we are not always victorious. One day I laughed in surprise at a 107-year-old patient coming alone, walking without difficulty, conscious, and with good memory. While On another occasion we mourned the loss of a 5-year-old girl, with a history of sickle cell anemia, who came according to her mother for flu but in reality she had disseminated pulmonary congestion, she was critical, I gave Pierre Louis some money and he left with They went straight to leave them in the hospital, but 2 days later they called me to thank us for everything, but the girl passed away. Things of our profession all the time between life and death. There is a horrible epidemic of malaria and dengue, although it is not said or they want to call it different. I don’t have to talk about August but on Thursday we found a boy complicated by malaria. We brought him to the clinic but he doesn’t respond to hydrosolubles, he’s already in acute renal failure and I don’t have enough to do a blood gas test. This morning I sent him to the hospital. Pierre Louis went to take him, we’re not going out today. I’m still at the clinic, I’m going on my own, because I haven’t been home for 2 weeks, and I’m super mentally exhausted.
Thank you [Holy Spirit Haiti Mission], for allowing me to carry out my work and especially for being able to serve as a blessing to those who need it most.” – Dr. Yanne
Lamandou Jacmel Water System Update
We received the following report from Monia, our in-country Living Waters for the World Health Educator, regarding the status of the water purification system in Lamandou, Jacmel. This system is one of the most successful systems and we are so pleased to see it continue to flourish.
“This system has an active and dedicated committee. They manage it as if it were their property. All committee members know how to shock the system and have knowledge of the water purification system but each has a particular task to avoid the negligence or forgetting one of them. They do not have the manual but, it is as if they had it in practice. I encourage them however to claim it. I ask them how they have done to fully understand the water purification system? They informed me that they were all present each time the technician (Mr. Bertone) organizes learning sessions. They always participate in education sessions. they share the same living space, they inform me that they are perfecting each other. Also, encourage them if it does not bother to integrate two members of the community into the committee so that the community feels involved sustainability of the system and avoid after the departure of these missionaries a decadence. They will integrate new members next week. They have a respective water distribution schedule and the customers buy the water. Their problems: They use a small reservoir of the parish and it is insufficient. Sometimes customers come but the quantity of the tank has already passed. Although they tell me that they had previously been offered a bladder but opted instead for a tank for better durability. But, by explaining to them the structure and capacity of a bladder, they now want to obtain it. Lamandou has not yet had any worn or malfunctioning parts since the inauguration. saved money to buy spare parts and bottles to increase their sales: Can’t the operator also receive a reasonable bonus? They agree and plan to increase according to the number of additional bottles sold the gratification of the deliveryman. Finally, Lamandou, very attractive and respects health standards.” -Monia
The Haiti Mission would like to recognize past donors who are with our Father in Heaven. We are so grateful for their support.
Joanne Hodges
Karen Logan
Katherine Ofenloch
Bob Pace
Gerry Richards
Al Rosie
Frank Schmidt
Deacon Larry Sisterman
Ron and Sarah Tepool
JD Tillman
Smitty Wilcox
Ann Wolfsberger
Dick Wyskida
Haiti Textbook Project Needs Donations
Many students in Haiti do not receive a quality education due to a lack of access to textbooks. Parents barely make enough to put food on the table, much less buy textbooks for their children. Therefore, most schools do not have a full set of textbooks and many are damaged. This proves incredibly difficult for students to learn. A pilot textbook program was implemented at one school where a set of new textbooks was purchased with buy in from the parents and students that these books needed to be cared for or the parents would be charged for the replacement. Once the students all had quality textbooks to study, their average test scores increased dramatically from around 50% to 85%! Also, very few books have needed to be replaced and the project is sustaining itself. We are now looking to implement the program at Ecole Congréganiste Belle Fonatine which is a remote school in Haiti where most families have struggled to make ends meet through several rough agricultural seasons. We hope to raise enough money ($15,000 in total) to purchase new textbooks for the entire school by September. To learn more please visit the Education page and to donate to this cause, please visit the Donate and Get Involved page.
