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June 2009
Project Status
.JPG) 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.
.JPG) 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.
 Living-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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