Houses of Hope Project - 50% Complete

Hope Force founders Jack and Cherie Minton were pleased to send off ten people from their church in Nashville recently to undertake a deployment to Haiti. This team's work was another important step in the Houses of Hope process as part of the ongoing relief efforts following the 2010 earthquake. During their time in Haiti, they painted several homes and worked on finishing the dining area at a local orphanage. Eight homes of the fifteen in the Houses of Hope project scope are now complete.

"Our strategy for rebuilding is undergoing a transitionary process," explains HFI building coordinator Craig Snow. "We are moving toward a block home design. We have located a wonderful contractor in Haiti with ten years of experience working with short-term teams, who specializes in the block construction process. It's a rarity to find someone who has such a good understanding of these dynamics. They understand the issues of quality control in a way that we're both pleased and satisfied with."

"Within the construction process we now have a solid partner to move forward with, in the person of this contractor," Craig continues. "From the perspective of the Haitian people, one of the things that has brought a lot of fear is the flat concrete roof and its vulnerability to earthquakes. This created a lot of the tragedy during the earthquake as these vulnerable flat roofs fell in on the home's inhabitants. We're addressing this by building lightweight roofs that are locked together with the main block structure by using trusses and metal roofing. I am confident these homes can withstand another earthquake."

"As I headed from Miami to Haiti I happened to sit by a guy who has worked in Haiti for 30 years in the Leogane area, which is the region where our target village of Sous Savanne is located. He recommended a block manufacturer in Port-au-Prince. It's the only company in Haiti that 'rates' their blocks. They have a 2,000 PSI (Pounds per Square Inch) rating and will be increasing that to 3,000 PSI by end of the year. They are likely the best block manufacturer in the whole country. When I showed the contractor these blocks we want to start using, he was thrilled."

A group of HFI Reservists from the Philadelphia area is planning the next deployment to Haiti with a goal of taking 18 participants. This team is raising money for two homes, and another HFI Reservist is spearheading efforts to find funding for a third home to be built during the June deployment.

HFI volunteer staffer Glenda Alexander will also be heading for Haiti this summer. Glenda plans to leave July 8 with a team of 16. "We're excited!" she says. "The team will be a combination focus of medical, VBS (Vacation Bible School) and builders combined into one team. We're so excited because our church has talked about it for so long and now we're finally doing it! Our pastor and his wife and two kids are going. We have a Haitian girl going as well, so we had a Haiti night at our church with food, photos and prayer. We had an incredible time of prayer for Haiti."

Cherie Minton is equally excited about this deployment "Our Hope Force team in Orange County is sending a large supply of VBS materials out to Atlanta for the team to take down. It is wonderful to see our nationwide network of Reservists and churches collaborating to send supplies even if they can't go. Reservists Brenda and Mark Paternostro are coordinating this effort from California and have such a huge heart for Haiti. Their VBS group is going to emphasize the subject of world need. The kids are stuffing bags for Haiti and they'll send it to Haiti, via Atlanta with Glenda's group!"