I want to share with you today about some work we did on a recent construction project in Haiti. We prayed for years for the means and opportunity to build our director’s house at the Mercy Home, and on this trip, the time had come. The team and I spent our first morning on site getting things set up for the week. We put the tools and a generator in a storage room and then started to lay out the area where we would build. Our plans were to build the house approximately 40’ by 30’, so we created a footprint to those specs using stakes and string. Our plan was to come back and spray paint squares where the holes were to be dug.

While we were doing this, Poyis showed up with some of the children from the Mercy Home who had asked to help organize supplies. It was a joy to see them serving with one another! We even got to some minor construction tasks, nailing some of the 2×6’s together to create beams. While we did this, the guys from the team showed up and started digging holes. It was a strong start to the project.

We finished and drove back to the compound around 4:30 PM, in time to rest and have dinner. After dinner, Poyis gave me an update on Pastor Michelet, one of our Mercy Network pastors who was caught in the crossfire of a robbery and shooting a few weeks prior. Some of you were following along with the story at the time, and you know that Pastor Michelet has made a major recovery since then.

Living in Haiti, or anywhere else for that matter, can be unsafe. Each of us must be discerning and aware of our surroundings, but none of us can guarantee safety. We must trust in the Lord as we walk closely with Him, believing that He will guide us in each situation and help us deal with the circumstances we face. Pastor Michelet understands this. I admire his courage and faithfulness to the calling of the gospel.

Wiley Kennedy serves as Director of International Ministries with Connect 2 Ministries. To learn more about Wiley, visit Who We Are, and to learn how you can make a difference, visit Join an Outreach Program.