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June 2009

Project Status

Toddler Play Area: The toddler play area is not completed as I had hoped it would be by this time. We first ran into problems because we were waiting for the flooring that just arrived in January. During that wait I also discovered that the base of the pad we had constructed for this play area pooled water when it rained. This meant I needed to find a way to drain the pad. I was planning for the work group that was coming down in April to be able to help me out by coming up with an answer to that problem. But, due to the financial crunch, the work group had to cancel the trip. I think you understand where this is going. We are presently in a hold on this one but we plan to make progress by early fall. When we see these things starting to move in a positive direction I promise to let you all know when you can send the toys for the toddler’s playing area.
*If you are wondering why we would be doing a project like this please go to the front page of the ministry website, www.totheleastofthese.org, go to the “newsletters” tab, select “2006” then click on “October 2006”. On that front page I go into detail about why we have chosen to do these particular projects.
 
The Children’s Playground area is progressing slowly. This will be primarily for the school children (and those adults who think they are still children). I am planning to purchase end pieces and swing hardware while we are in Anderson, Indiana this summer and ship it back to Haiti. At the same time I am still researching in the Dominican Republic to see if they have well built, reasonably priced playground equipment that would take little to transport to Haiti. And finally, I have paid for a long term rental of a small piece of land where the playground toys will sit and hopefully be sat upon. I realize that this may not sound all that exciting to persons who have access to public and private playgrounds and even get to go to amusement parks occasionally , but to these children who have never even seen a picture of a playground it will add a whole new and exciting aspect to their lives. I trust that this little project will help give many of the children of Prospere a memory of some good times in their home community. It would be great for them to grow up enjoying and liking their home town instead of thinking of it simply as a place to leave as soon as they are old enough to move to the big city or the United States.
The project request to put terrazzo flooring in the clinic is on a definite hold for now, since the funding to do all the projects at one time would come up far short at present and I am convinced that the children’s need for things to keep them interested in life is far more important than us having a nice clean floor to walk on in the clinic.
The deep well project is also on hold at the present time. I am finding that the local well at Prospere, although somewhat salty, seems to offer little danger health-wise to the community. So, if we complete the first two projects and project funds continue to come in I will be doing a more in-depth study of the well situation to make sure of our need for a new, deep well. Please note that we already have received funds to go toward the well project and we thank you for these. But I do want those of you who have given to know that if the well project is unnecessary all the funds that have been given toward that project will be returned to you, the giver, or the giving church.

Clinic Happenings

The clinics are still the highlight of my week and life. I still am humbled that these people will put the lives of their children, parents, and other loved ones in our hands to make life and death decisions with them.
A lot of the work at the clinic has to do with educating the patient as to why what they are doing will not help them and can sometimes even be detrimental to their health or the health of others. Most of their unhealthy habits simply come from doing what their parents have always done, who did what their parents had done, etc, etc. One example that I’m actually seeing less frequently in recent times is when a mother will bring in her newborn to two month old baby all dressed up with lots of heavy knitted dresses and a large hot bonnet on the poor baby’s head. (understand that it is about 90 degrees outside). The first thing I tell them to do is to take the bonnet off because it is too hot, especially for a sick baby. What I frequently found was that just under the bonnet was a layer of tree leaves that had been put there just after the birth and beneath that the head was still unwashed, even up to three months of age. Talk about STINK! In reaction to this I used to take the leaves off, hold the baby in one arm over my wash basin, and shampoo the baby’s head. Needless to say the baby loved it but the mother was sure I was killing her child. But persistence has worked. More recently I just take the leaves out, show the mother how dirty the baby’s head is, and encourage her to take the baby home and wash the head. I found that when I did it my hand washing water was spoiled for the rest of the day.
Most of the time the clinic seems to run on auto-pilot but occasionally there is that wrench that jumps in and simply takes us back to our beginnings. About a month ago as we were beginning our clinic the little generator that we use to power lights, fans, and our Dinamat (high tech machine that saves us lots of time and headaches by quickly reading our blood pressures) simply quit on us and wouldn’t start. So in reality the loss of the electricity didn’t really change all that much. The clinics are all in the daylight so we didn’t really need the lights. It isn’t all that hot in March so the need for fans was at a minimum. But the Dinamat- was a reason for panic. As I dug the old syphomanometers (Blood pressure cuffs) out of the old suitcases most of them had rotting or cracks in the tubes or the inflation balls. We finally found a couple that were in more or less useable shape and we were back in business again. But isn’t it strange how we, even in a third world country, get spoiled due to conveniences?
I’m happy to report that we were only without electricity at the clinic for that one day. Due to a very capable Haitian mechanic who came to our house that evening and took the little Yamaha totally apart, we found the cause to our problems, and were back online in a short time.
There is another use for the little generator that I didn’t address prior. To those who live in and near Prospere they think of it more in connection with keeping the batteries of their cell phones charged. As soon as I get the generator going in the mornings they run an extension cord to it and make splitters so they can charge a lot of the phones at one time. A lot of people don’t think that people who are part of this population that we refer to as “the poorest of the poor” have cell phones. Well, they certainly do and I find that they use them much more than we who live in the city. So, even though poor people have to pay five cents a minute, that is one sacrifice that they will choose to make in order to keep communication with their families.
We are happy that we can be part of that important communication.

Finances

I realize that there is a global financial crisis going on, the same as most anyone reading this report. Yes, I do watch the news and read the internet when it tells us that there is a problem not only here in Haiti as there has been for many years but also in the United States and in most every other country in the world. But even though this crisis looms over us I find that most of our budget continues to come in. There are months when the giving goes down and some when it picks up again to make up the difference.
Please know that we do not take this lightly. We know this doesn’t happen by accident but rather by those individual givers and those persons who give through their local churches to accomplish important Kingdom things. We continue to work toward that end of accomplishing Kingdom things in Haiti and want you to know how we sincerely appreciate your sacrifice in giving to that cause. We hope you feel like you are an important part of this ministry. If you have questions about how we use funds in ministry please feel free to write us an email with those questions.

Some important thoughts on missions by Tony Campolo


The Ackerman FamilyLiving-Link

Living-Link is a program whereby churches and individuals can give tax free donations which go to our family’s personal support here in Haiti. Some of this money is used by us personally for daily needs, and wants, some for things that make it possible for us to carry out the clinic ministry here such as our office and car, and medical equipment expenses, some is used for our medical insurance, continuing education, and travel funds so we can visit and give first hand reports to those who give to keep us here.
At present we have approximately 97% of our Living-Link budget committed to us but Church of God Global Missions desire us to have approximately 110% in order to make sure we’re covered for increases in things like insurance, and cost of living, etc. As a Living-Link supporting church, the church commits a designated amount of money per month or per year and for that commitment we, the missionaries, commit to report on the ministry with our Living-Link partner at least four times a year and make a personal visit to the church at least once every five years.
To you our living link supporters please accept our sincere thanks for making it possible to us to live in here in Haiti serving the Church, the poor and needy of this land, and Christ. We know that many of you give very sacrificially for us and we are humbled by your generosity.
If you or your church would be interested in becoming a Living-Link partner please call Candice Powers at the Church of God Global Missions (1-800-848-2464). She will be glad to assist you.
If you would like to give individually toward our personal support please send these funds to :
Church of God Ministries
PO Box 2420
Anderson IN 46018
On the memo line of each check please write LL#42.10001 John Ackerman

Haiti stills has a haunting natural beauty. View some photos here!


Contact Information

The Ackermans are Career Missionaries with the Church of God (Anderson, IN) and would love to hear from you. Their mail in Haiti is delivered by Agape Flights, Inc. You can write to or email the Ackerman family at the addresses below.

Postal address

    John, Jodie and Jessica Ackerman
    c/o Agape Flights #237
    100 Airport Ave.
    Venice, FL 34285-3901

Email
John, Jodie and Jessica Ackerman
 
Financial Support
The Ackerman's work is supported by contributions from many individuals and Church of God congregations. Despite the widespread poverty in Haiti, it is expensive to support missions work there. We appreciate your tax deductible gift and commit to using it wisely. Donations may be sent to:
Global Missions
Church of God Ministries
PO Box 2420, Anderson, Indiana, 46018-2420 
or call (800) 848-2464, ext. 2129

Please be sure to specify the John Ackerman family and use Project Number 42.10001 in your gift.
For a gift toward projects at the Prospere Medical Clinics, use
Project #42.30233- Haiti Prospere Clinics

Click here for a list of minor things needed which will go a long way (perfect for children and Sunday School classes)

 

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Last modified: 18-Nov-2007