One of the most powerful days for me in Haiti was when our Team was given the opportunity to serve in Grace Village – a most outstanding tent city still home to over 16,000 people following the earthquake of 2010.
Grace Village is in Carrefour, a district of Port-au-Prince. We had a long journey and a very full day ahead of us. At least 3 hours from where we were staying, our Tap Tap was ready to leave at 5:30 am.
When we arrived we were greeted by Michael – who was one of the sons of Bishop Joel and Madame Doris Jeune – the founders of Grace Village. Grace Village first began in 1974 and with the faithfulness of its founders and supporters over the years, has been impacting lives by managing 270 churches, 65 schools, 3 orphanages, a medical clinic, hospital, and a home for elderly widows.
Many people in this and surrounding areas knew the passion the Jeune family had for the people of Haiti, and regularly were ministered by them over the years. In the last few years they acquired additional property adjacent to their compound. They had been calling on the Lord in prayer as to what this land should be used for. Waiting patiently for guidance, the earthquake of 2010 occurred. Most of the homes and neighborhoods surrounding Grace Village were seriously damaged, leaving tens of thousands of people dead, injured and homeless.
Immediately following the earthquake, people from miles around starting showing up at Grace Village, knowing if there was any place they could find help, they would be able to find it there. Bishop Jeune seeing the thousands of people gathering knew, “this is what this land had been given to us for.”
They organized one of the largest refuge centers in Haiti, which housed approximately 22,000 people in tents on their grounds. What made this tent city so unique compared to other tent cities was due to the many steps taken; they fenced in the area, arranged security, enforced definite rules that all those living in this tent city had to adhere to in order to be allowed to stay. The area is treated as a true community with respect for each other as neighbors, enforcing sanitation policies, an area where the women do their laundry, teaching life skills to all those living there. Grace Village is recognized as one of the largest and most organized compounds in Haiti; a blessing to thousands and thousands of Haitians and their families.
After we arrived, we were given some background on Grace Village by Michael and taken on a quick tour. Our team was then divided into various groups to help throughout this amazing place. Some were assigned to do manual labor; digging massive holes for upcoming construction. Others were assigned to paint the outside walls of the hospital that is in the process of being renovated, following the damage due to the 2010 earthquake. And a few worked at ‘The Lord’s Kitchen’ – an outdoor area that prepares and serves one meal a day, which is distributed to the children at Grace Village.
I worked at ‘The Lord’s Kitchen’ and helped clean and sift through the massive amounts of rice and beans before being cooked. I was then blessed with the opportunity to serve the children. As they lined up for their food, youngest to the oldest, each carrying their own metal dish for food, I couldn’t help but be amazed at how this one place has been such a tremendous blessing to so many children; for many this is their only meal each day.
The children are fed each day until the food runs out. The day I served at Grace Village, we were able to feed 465 children – yet we knew there were so many more children being turned away that day.
Grace: the infinite love, mercy, favor, and goodwill shown to humankind by God.
How appropriate that this village bears the name of the most precious gift given by the Lord Most High.
The King will answer and say, ‘Truly I say to you, whatever you did to one of the least of these, you did it to me.’ – Matthew 25:40
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