GREETINGS FROM HAITI - May, 2011 - SIG Ministries in Action

May 2011

Dear Family and Friends,
We've been busy and want to share some of what we've been doing:

LeTan Village:
Recently we went to the countryside to visit a village we have visited several times before, a village that has problems for several years. Originally the village was situated near a lake where they could fish for food, yet remained very poor. Several years ago a fire destroyed most of their homes, so Love a Child mission built new, cement block homes for every family, as well as a church, and several years passed. For some reason, the water level in the lake has been rising, and no one understands the reason for this even today. The water level continued to rise, and these block homes were surrounded by water over time and became inhabitable. The people had to leave them and are now living further away from the lake and built homes similar to what they had lived in before.

New Homes

Surrounded by water

Current Housing

People standing in line to get food for the month from LAC. It was well organized with everyone registered with the number of people in each family. As they presented their registration card, they were given a box of food by this same organization. From there we drove, or tried to drive to the top of a steep hill to see a new village being built - for the people from this village and also for amputees and their families.

Waiting for Food

Sustainability for families:
Convoy of Hope’s focus is to feed children who go to school, and beyond that, helping the families of these children be able to sustain themselves without needing handouts.

A part of helping these families is to work with rice farmers to help them expand and improve their rice production. To help the farmers, COH will buy their rice at a fair market price and use it to feed children going to school.

Last week David from the COH office and Karl, met with Mr. Michel, COH’s rice agent, who is already working with members of the Farmers Association. This meeting worked out the details so the first phase of this rice initiative can move forward. The first phase is to feed 10,000 children using the local rice, and then add 10,000 more children each year for 2 more years. This is the beginning phase of helping the local farmers sell their rice at a fair price and for COH to use this rice in feeding children in schools. The next phase will include the focus to increase the farmer’s yield and and thereby feed more children.

COH Guesthouse -
Beginning this week until December COH will begin bringing groups of pastors and those with corporations and businesses to 'come and see' what COH is doing - and there is a lot to show them! They will see schools and orphanages who are receiving food and then those who are approved to receive it, but lack funding to include them into the program. Also we'll show them the rice initiative as well. Right now COH feeds 51,000 children per school day, and their goal is now 100,000 children. We will be very busy, but it's a 'good' busy - pray for us for energy and wisdom.

New President:
Saturday May 14, the inauguration of the new president of Hait, Michel Martelly, took place and it went very well. Now it seems it's a 'wait and see' situation of what he can do to help Haiti and her people dig out of the hole of poverty and past inept governments. 'Hope' is in the air and a new billboard around town says 'Victory for the people' - our hope and prayer is that becomes a living reality.

Sunday May 29: is Haitian Mother's Day
The Haitian and ex-pat mothers, including Ann, will sing together 'Find Us Faithful' - a wonderful way to celebrate Mother's Day!

We've also had a college student stay with us 9 days, working on a International Studies project for her senior year studies. We showed her different venues and introduced her to people who live and work here with various ministries. She left Saturday, but we enjoyed having her with us! Two more young people are coming today for a few days, which will be fun since their family used to live here. Ann was sick for 2 weeks but is now feeling much better. We know you are praying for us and we appreciate that so very much! Thank you again for 'standing in the gap' for us, helping us help others, and prayerfully advance the Kingdom work in the lives and hearts of the Haitian people.

Gratefully His,
Karl and Ann

Karl & Ann Olsson
Port au Prince, Haiti

** We are considered 'self employed;'
thus we pay the full 15% for Social
Security taxes. Gifts are exempt.

This Link goes to a PayPal Secure Site

Mailing Address:
Karl & Ann Olsson
Unit 2073-QC
3170 Airmans Dr.
Ft. Pierce, FL 34946
Phone: 011-509-3762-7744
Email Home: annandkarl@gmail.com
Email Office: pastorkhaiti@gmail.com
Web: http://www.olssonsinhaiti.org
Support Address:
Karl & Ann Olsson
Berean Mission Alliance
PO Box 452
Grover, MO 63040-0452
Phone: 636-220-7250
Email: bereanmissionalliance@yahoo.com

Web: Berean Mission Alliance

COH Guesthouse - Beginning this week until December COH will begin bringing groups of pastors and those with corporations and businesses to 'come and see' what COH is doing - and there is a lot to show them! They will see schools and orphanages who are receiving food and then those who are approved to receive it, but lack funding to include them into the program. Also we'll show them the rice initiative as well. Right now COH feeds 51,000 children per school day, and their goal is now 100,000 children. We will be very busy, but it's a 'good' busy - pray for us for energy and wisdom.
New President: Saturday May 14, the inauguration of the new president of Hait, Michel Martelly, took place and it went very well. Now it seems it's a 'wait and see' situation of what he can do to help Haiti and her people dig out of the hole of poverty and past inept governments. 'Hope' is in the air and a new billboard around town says 'Victory for the people' - our hope and prayer is that becomes a living reality.
Sunday May 29: is Haitian Mother's Day The Haitian and ex-pat mothers, including Ann, will sing together 'Find Us Faithful' - a wonderful way to celebrate Mother's Day!
We've also had a college student stay with us 9 days, working on a International Studies project for her senior year studies. We showed her different venues and introduced her to people who live and work here with various ministries. She left Saturday, but we enjoyed having her with us! Two more young people are coming today for a few days, which will be fun since their family used to live here. Ann was sick for 2 weeks but is now feeling much better. We know you are praying for us and we appreciate that so very much! Thank you again for 'standing in the gap' for us, helping us help others, and prayerfully advance the Kingdom work in the lives and hearts of the Haitian people.