Local opportunity to help Haiti

Thursday, October 13, 2016
Photo courtesy of Tim Schandorff of MAF An aerial photo of the damage done by Hurricane Matthew in Les Cayes in southern Haiti. Death tolls number between 437 and 900, and it is estimated that 80 to 90 percent of homes were destroyed.

On Thursday the Associated Press reported that a second U.S. military ship had arrived in Haiti and relief teams from the U.N. and non-governmental organizations had started reaching more isolated communities.

And here in Putnam County, Frantzy and Jenny Louis, a young missionary couple, are making an effort to help the Haitian people.

“The missionaries we’ve been in contact with say this is the worst disaster since the earthquake,” Jenny, who’s originally from Cloverdale, said.

Jenny met her husband, Frantzy, who’s from Haiti, while doing missionary work. Since marrying, the two have worked to bring humanitarian aid and the Gospel to Haiti through Mission Trakaye, which recently achieved 501c3 status.

Mission Trakaye believes in helping Haitians by providing small business loans, sponsoring education, free mobile medical clinics, a prision ministry and a new moms/babyfood ministry.

But since the hurricane, the two have put a general fundraising campaign on hold to help with the relief effort. Most recently, they raised $11,000 to send a relief team to the southern end of Haiti.

Their next project is to send two 40-foot containers of supplies, at a total cost of $30,000. The containers mostly hold supplies to rebuild the homes that were destroyed.

“We’re talking basic things like clean water,” Dave Neeley, pastor of Cornerstone Baptist Church, which assists Mission Trakaye, said.

“If everybody in Putnam County gave $1.07 (the price of a Coke at McDonald’s), we could get one container.”

Another need is for oral/salt rehydration and IV fluids to combat a cholera outbreak created by the hurricane.

If you’d like to donate to the relief efforts, you can send your donation to Cornerstone Baptist Church at 218 S. Bloomington St. You can also find volunteer opportunities by contacting the church at 765-655-1017.

For more information about Mission Trakaye, visit missiontrakaye.org.

“They’re in desperate need right now,” Frantzy said, “and anything will help.”

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