News & Updates

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ICDM: August 2021 Update

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Dear friend of ICDM,
 
I want to begin this August update by thanking you for your generosity. When I last wrote to you about the assassination of Haiti’s President, Jovenel Moise, you responded by giving over $10,000 in extra-mile giving to help ICDM help people through the crisis. I continue to be humbled by your faithfulness.
 
While things have settled a bit politically, Haiti is still facing one of its greatest economic crises in recent years, with many essential items being hard to find. ICDM is doing its best to help people in the midst of this crisis, but we have not taken our eyes off the long-term goals of evangelizing, educating, equipping, and empowering the people of Haiti and the Dominican Republic. Let me share with you some of our most recent progress towards these goals.
 
Evangelizing. You may recall that we graduated our most recent class from the School of Evangelism in May. The School of Evangelism equips church workers from all over Haiti to share the Gospel in their local communities. It also helps them to empower their communities through entrepreneurial community development initiatives. We will open our second School of Evangelism in the Northwest of Haiti by October 1.
One of our School of Evangelism graduates speaking at graduation.
Ordination of Sinnet, a graduate of ICDM’s Portable Bible School
Empowering. Our micro-loan program continues to provide economic opportunities for people by helping them start businesses, such as this bread-baking one started by Samuel. Recipients of micro-loans pay back their loans in order to establish independence and help fund future loans. We also depend on our American partners to keep the loan pool growing. Thank you.
Samuel and his bread.
Equipping. One of the ways we equip families for the future is by providing low-cost housing for them. Our most recent (5th) ICDM house went to the Onelson family, Mr. Onelson was orphaned at a young age but has managed to move into adulthood with a sense of empowerment. His new house enables him to take care of his widowed grandmother and his own family.
The Onelson Family.
The Onelson House.
A lot of our educating and equipping takes place at the Center of Hope. You may recall at this time last year we were raising funds to complete the Center of Hope. We are pleased to announce that the roof is on the third floor and we are almost done! Thank you.
How about that lovely blue steel roof? Nice addition to the view!
Educate. The education of children has been at the center of ICDM’s ministry for over 30 years. What began as a handful of students studying under a mango tree has blossomed into a school of over 800 students, grades Pre-K- 11. We believe that with our persistent stress on educational excellence we are changing the lives of individual children and the future of Haiti.
A recent school scene.
We are delighted by our numerical growth, but we are always concerned about the individual child. That is where you can help. We rely on sponsorships to educate our kids. For $35 a month, they receive instruction, uniforms, and school supplies. Many of our children are already sponsored, but we have more who still need sponsorships. Won’t you consider investing in the future of a young Haitian child? To find out how to become a sponsor, go to https://icdm.us/sponsor/. In helping a child you might just change the future of Haiti.
Let’s see… will I be a doctor? A lawyer? A government worker? A teacher?
In addition to our sponsorship program, we are offering a special one-time giving opportunity this fall. You can supply all the books needed for a child for a one-time gift of $60. Simply go to our Give page here https://icdm.us/ways-to-give/, select “Most Urgent Need” from the drop-down menu and write “books” in the comment section. School starts on September 6th so we would like your help by then.
 
As I close, let me say thank you once again. Thank you for all you have done and thank you for all you are about to do. We could not do it without partners like you.
 
Your brother in Christ,
Yvan Pierre
Director, ICDM
 
PS - Would you consider asking your pastor to invite me to speak at your church sometime? I would love to share what is happening in Haiti and what we are doing to further the Gospel through ICDM. Those arrangements can be made through my assistant, Rev. Jim Govatos. He may be contacted at revjimup@gmail.com or 407-756-0231.