Inside:

-Updates on the journey of Capvva

-JTJ-sponsored projects unfolding

-Compassion Trip 2012

May 27, 2012 Volume 3, Issue 3

With the Hurting

Spring 2012

Journeying

www.jointhejourney.cc

Prayers as we Journey:

• For Capvva as they face

the rainy season.

• To establish U.S.-based

partners at the church

and community level to

fuel the work in Haiti

• For financial partners

to make possible the

work to be done there.

• That God attains the

glory through our

efforts.

Deep ResolveDeep ResolveDeep ResolveDeep Resolve

C onditions here, in this temporary shelter village, continue to be dire: tents that are frayed, sanitation is

poor, and water is a 20 minute-walk away. It has been more than two years since the earthquake in Haiti that forced people to take refuge in tents nearby their previous homes. Capvva formed just outside of Cite Soleil on what is additional land of a pro-pane industrialist and continues to be home to about 500 families. Despite what seems like a stasis of de-spair, these struggling people have not given hope and there are tangible signs of im-provement. Join the Journey has remained committed to walking alongside these peo-ple, both in Christ-filled encouragement and in tangible poverty-reduction strategies. Hope has become visible: Attentive children gather each morning during the week for learning in a small ga-zebo-like structure in the middle of Capvva. About 83 children assemble to scribble notes on a variety of sub-jects, facilitated by a former mem-ber of the organization Youth with a Mission. JTJ has taken the initia-tive to provide a Bible study specifi-cally to these children one day a week, as provided by James Dorzil, JTJ Haiti field coordinator. Electricity is now being chan-neled through the camp via solar panel through a special partnership JTJ built with Poverty Resolutions. Additionally, a small core of en-trepreneurs, 11 in all, have been meeting consistently and preparing diligently to re-start the businesses that were crushed as a result of the earthquake. JTJ will administer small loans—termed micro-loans—equating to $300 in order for each

of these business-minded indi-viduals launch their respective businesses and in turn re-launch the lives they once had. Two candidates have already received loans at the beginning of May [see next page]. The rest of the loans will be distributed in staggered fash-ion toward the end of May and into June. No matter the state of progress, praise to the Lord rings out from the gazebo throughout the week and Sunday morning. Hands lift up high as people give glory to God. Haiti continues in a state of recovery and so does this village called Capvva. The majority that live in these tents feel that a better life is possible and haven’t given up hope that God will lead them to it. Join the Journey is encouraged to see pro-gress and wants to continue to pour in through our on-ground field coordinators and as we send people from the U.S. to be light there. God is in the journey directing the steps.

About Join the Journey

We are a Christ-centered, com-

passion-in-action organization

set on fostering God-sculpted

journeys where individuals and

entire communities are elevated

to fulfill the purposes He

uniquely created them for.

Heading to Haiti

Kester McCullough/Peter Klemm

-May 19-27 *Just Completed*

Read more about this Journey inside

Opportunities for similar service are

available throughout 2012

For Info: community@jointhejourney.cc

Partner with Us

Please consider planting a finan-

cial seed so the journey can con-

tinue:

E-mail giving@jointhejourney.cc

or visit

www.jointhejourney.cc/jtj-donate

A Bible study is facilitated by James Dorzil, JTJ Haiti Field Coor-

dinator, to students of Capvva’s small school. James and JTJ

recognize the great importance of teaching youth about Jesus

and the message of salvation to those who believe on Him.

Join the Journey

field coordinator

Clemson Saint-

fleur discusses

how the micro-

loan process will

proceed with the

people that were

chosen as the first

six candidates.

Providing loans to

entrepreneurs is a

poverty-reduction

solution being im-

plemented by JTJ.

Despite conditions, steps of progress evident in Capvva

God’s Journey—Through And With Us

Credit to the poor

1 John 4:7: Let us love one another, for love comes from God.

Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.

Thank you to those who have supported these micro-loans!

-Community Christian School of the Shenandoah Valley

-Capt. Jeanne McDonald, USN (ret.) and friends

S ome want to sell foods. For another, cosmetic supplies. For others, clothing. The dream of selling goods like these in the open market seemed like an impossibility until Join the Journey stepped in to provide mirco-loans.

Entrepreneurs whose businesses were crushed in the earthquake are seeing their businesses come back to life. By receiving the loans, these entrepreneurs now have the capital necessary to purchase the intial set of goods for sale. Early in May, Ermantha Toussaint and Aridou Branda signed contracts and re-ceived loans equivalent of $300. Ermantha is going to sell corn, rice and other food products while Aridou will sell drinks to compliment her already existing cosmetic line of products . As part of what is a first round trial process, Join the Journey is planning to dis-tribute a total of six loans; two more loans will be given out later in May and then another two in June. [see right for first round of loan candidates]. The staggered distribution is meant to bring accountability and cohesiveness to the recipients so that they act as a collaborative group in ensuring the success of each person. Micro-credit was first pioneered in Bangladesh by economics professor Dr. Mu-hammad Yunus, who saw the need for a group of basket weavers to have the capi-tal to purchase supplies. He would go on to lend $26 to 40 people in that village. His concept of small loans blossomed into what would become the Graemeen bank, which now has more than 8 million borrowers. With such little access to capital, particularly for those in the tent villages, Join the Journey felt that it was vital to use this poverty empowerment method for qualified residents of Capvva. Repaid loans will go to providing more loans for others. Additional fundraising is taking place currently to provide loans to other entre-preneurs [see side bar to the right]. JTJ hopes to start this second group off in Au-gust. So far, reports are positive for the businesses of Ermantha and Aridou, though it is a struggle since some days are better than others (as with any business). They are still learning to find goods cheaper to make a larger profit. As for Capvva, people there are appreciating that hey have things that they can buy in Capvva, rather than going to a market that is far away. Tatallille Toussaint Andremene and Felix Alix have been selected as the next two candidates to receive loans, which will be distributed Monday, May 28.

Left: Aridou Branda signs paperwork for her micro-loan. Above: Aridou and other candi-date Ermantha Toussain work out final details on their loan. Below: Aridou sets out the cos-metic supplies that are part of her business.

Other First Round Loan Candidates

• Felix Alix (M): Food products • Germain Joseph (F): Food products • Resolu Dieudilene (F) Charcoal/sandals • Tatallille Toussaint Andremene (F):

Clothes Future loan candidates (Expected for August)

• Viton Chery (F): Needle/hair pins • Blanc Aviane (F): Clothes • Regine Chery (F) Clothes • Jean Audin Leone (F): Charcoal • Bernard Kesnel (M): Shoes

JTJ issues loans to Capvva entrepreneurs as a poverty alleviation solution

Projects unfolding

Volunteer Spotlight: Roland Temah

Water

To do anything that requires water—cleaning, cooking, or just quenching thrist—it takes a 20-minute walk to the nearest water station. There, people fill buckets and haul them back to Capvva.

While drilling for a well is not feasible, due to the uncertainty and huge cost of such a project, an alternate solution is emerging that utilizes the constant rain that bares down on Haiti. The solution is called rain harvesting, essentially collecting rain by means of buckets and other contraptions for use later. While this water is not safe to drink, it at least can provide for cooking and cleaning and even be able to sustain crop yields, which could benefit the community in a number of ways. During our Compassion Trip (happening now), we priced out some tanks and assessed that there is a good set up already in Cappva [catching the rain off the camp’s church roof] to facilitate this process. We are in the midst of partnership with another organization to move this project forward. Please pray as this develops.

Shelter Support

Rains have been pouring down on Capvva in torrents. Many people’s tents, which they have been living in for more than 2 years, are torn to shreds. There is great need for additional tent provisions.

Join the Journey is stepping into this process. Tarps that can help this situation are available for $30 each. We are hoping to raise the funds to augment families during the rainy season.

Relocation

While those in Capvva have temporary residence there, it is no way a permanent so-lution. The ideal is moving out of tents and back into homes, even if just for rent. Join the Journey has scouted out the surrounding area and found homes to be rented for the equivalent of $125 for the year. Join the Journey is discussing creation of a program that will purchase rent for the year for these individuals and require payment monthly on a subsidized basis. Much more analysis and work in conjunction with the Intional Organization of Migration working in Haiti is to follow.

School Breakfast Farm

We are looking to purchase hens to give to the community, so that the eggs harvested from those hens can be used to serve break-fast to the children attending school.

R oland Temah has two kids, a full time job, and is studying for a doctorate’s degree. But he doesn’t let his busy sched-

ule stop him from serving with Join the Journey and trying to better the lives of those in Haiti, where JTJ is focusing its pre-sent work. Roland started out in January of this year as JTJ’s micro-loan project coordinator and helped build the foundation for the initial set of micro-loans that will be given out to qualified candidates in Capvva (see page 2). With his exceptional insights into this type of development work and diligent efforts to seeing things carried out, Roland has been promoted to JTJ’s Opera-tions Chief. While still acting in a volunteer role, Roland will work with our Haiti field coordinators to assess and determine next steps for projects and coordinate with U.S. volunteers and supporters to see the works completed. Asked about his motivation for this work, Roland cites 1 John 3:17-18: If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. “Everything I do for this mission is another way of saying thank you Lord for my salvation and for His greatness,” says Roland. Roland received Christ early in his life but describes a revi-talization of his faith that occurred in 2009, where he was “baptized by the Holy Spirit.” During a season of much fervent

The bounty of God’s blessings motivates this former soldier to contribute his time and resources to

benefitting the poor prayer and a week after the dedicating his daugh-ter a church service, “I physically felt the Lord in spirit,” he says of the experience. Roland was in Iraq serving with the U.S. Army when the earth-quake in Haiti struck in 2010. News of the earth-quake reached him at a time when he was growing in faith. He was being discipled by a group of fellow soldiers while on de-ployment. During that deployment, his fervent desire to experi-ence God led him to be amidst miracles like seeing a downpout of rain extinguish a drought; he had been praying with a Chris-tian farmer there one hour each day the month prior to that rainfall. Following the deployment, Roland sought to continue walk-ing out his faith. He intersected with Join the Journey and started out as a prayer partner and then transitioned into the micro-loan project manager role. Roland recently received a tremendous blessing from the Lord by receiving a new job at the Department of Veternan Af-fairs, further proving to him that through obedience comes blessing.

H ands were lifted. Songs were played. The risen Lord was glo-rified.

About 200 people packed into a small gazebo-like building to celebrate Easter. Despite harsh circumstances, the people sang shouts to Jesus of thanks. After the worship, rice was distributed to the people so that they may enjoy a meal with their families. More than 350 people were able to receive the rice. As compassion unfolds in small waves like this, the people of Capvva are truly believing that the Lord will take them through this time. No matter, their faith is holding strong to the rock that is Jesus.

Capvva woman display gift bags given to them by The Links, Incorpo-

rated James River Chapter in Richmond, Va.

Resurrection CelebrationResurrection CelebrationResurrection CelebrationResurrection Celebration Jesus celebrated at Easter worship service

Rice giveaway (left): JTJ Field Coordinator James Dozil

helps distribute rice to people of the Capvva church as

part of an Easter celebration.

Richmond women’s organization gives to Capvva women special gift bags

Blessing others

S miles abounded as 50 women in Capvva be-came the recipients of special gift bags that in-

cluded women’s hygiene and cosmetic supplies. The women were delighted to walk away with items that were previously a luxury. The gift bag distribution was made possible by ladies of The Links, Incorporated James River Val-ley Chapter in Richmond, Va. “One thing that The Links prides themselves on, is hearing the need of people,” said Jean Cunning-ham, director of the International Trends and Ser-vices Committee for the Links James River Valley Chapter. “When we hear that someone is in need, we try our best to respond accordingly.” The women of this service organization collected the items and sent them down with Dr. Lerla Jo-seph, who condcuts medical outreaches with Haiti Outreach Ministries. Join the Journey hopes to continue to partner with The Links James River Chapter. It is obvious just what kind of impact a little compassion can bring to a group of people who have so little.

I n the face of calamity, when life

seems at its low-est points, God reveals Himself in powerful and poetic ways.

God visited Moses as a burning bush after Moses had fled to Midian for ref-uge to escape the wrath of Pharaoh (Moses had killed an Egyptian task-master and was bound to face death himself). God promised Moses that He would lead the Jewish people out of slavery and into a land of milk and honey and that Moses would be the change agent to accomplish this work. Appalled by such a feat, Moses asked for assurance that this would take place. The Lord’s response to Moses in that moment: “I AM WHO I AM.” [Exodus 3: 14] These words and others words from God to follow in that moment [v 15]

Compassion Trip to Haiti

I AM WHO I AM: God’s promises are forever

Two Old Dominion University graduates are spending their summer va-cation in Haiti to spread God’s love.

He brought Haitian servants of God for-ward, now acting as field coordinators [Clemson Saint-fleur and James Dorzil], to facilitate to engage with this broken com-munity and diligently see to it the steps took place. And while there is still the same des-perate cry for help that existed when I first journeyed there in September 2010, the people now sense change is coming. They see the micro-loan program and other good works and know that God is stirring something for the better. And yet even with this tangible pro-gress, I feel like I’m back at the metaphori-cal burning bush, asking God how are we going to get these people out of these bro-ken down tents and into homes? His an-swer is still the same: I AM WHO I AM. While the journey ahead may seem un-certain, God’s promises are crystal clear.

had deep implications for Moses and have deep implication for all of us who are chil-dren of God, grafted in by the blood of Christ. The words are a foundational testa-ment to who God is – He is the One who created all and is everlasting. Bottom line: He IS. He exists, in of Himself (without any other being causing or changing His existence). God’s character as both unchangeable and eternal, gives us hope that He is al-ways with us. Taken a step further, His promises thus have the same continuity, applying to Moses and to us. Many of us find ourselves in the same crossroads as Moses, knowing that we must step up but not sure how to—or if we have the capability to do so. I can recount feeling this several times in this journey with Capvva, JTJ’s present and most fo-cused work to help a devastated people in Haiti. My heart was broken when I first discovered this community on trip there in September 2010, and I did not know how to proceed. But God promised He would pave a path. And He has.

Adam Cole

Executive Director, Join the Journey

J ust a little bit after graduat-ing from Old Dominion Uni-

versity, Kester McCullough and Peter Klemm are now in Haiti to journey alongside Capvva and help bring about the transforma-tion that is underway there. Through life circumstances and God working on their hearts, both have developed a deep desire to serve the poor. Kester has spent the past four summers in Haiti doing mis-sions work and most recently journeyed there in December with Join the Journey to distrib-ute toys as part of Project Bright Smile. Kester is a civil engineering graduate with a lot of experience in water projects. His focus on this trip is bringing sustainable solutions to Capvva’s lack of water while also providing in-sights to the ongoing projects taking place in the tent village. After Kester’s initial trip in December, he had been praying for someone to come alongside him to see the work and work to push forward the work taking

place. Peter stepped for-ward for that opportunity. Both fellow-ship together at Inter-varsity, a Christian ministry on campuses throughout the U.S. Peter had been looking for a way to serve the poor and saw the opportu-nity as a perfect fit. Peter says that God has been revealing truths to Him about living for Him and not for self, a key component to going on mission to help oth-ers. “He has been showing me that His plan for reconciliation does not end with me simply accepting with Jesus’ sacri-

fice,” says Peter. “Rather that Jesus came to reconcile all of this broken creation to its intended purpose, to glorify God, and I have been invited to take part in that.” During the trip, Kester and Peter have been met with the community on several occasions, participated in the weekly Bible study, facili-

tated an assessment of the micro-loan program and in-teracted with the children of the camp on numerous occa-sions. A full report of their trip will come out next next news-letter. JTJ is thankful for these servants!

Compassion Trip volunteer Kester McCullough shows his Iphone to two kids at Capvva during hisi trip there in May.