Making a Difference Together

An excerpt from Making a Difference Together
Haiti after January 12, 2010
By Paul Shingledecker, Haiti
January–March 2011


Maybe one of the biggest things we at WGM have done is just to be there for them and with them. I don’t know how many times Pat and I have been thanked for caring enough to come to their plight and walk through this tragedy with them. Those first 10 days were especially critical as I went and just lived in the courtyard with them and saw and photographed and suffered their pain with them. I was there to encourage and to speak a word of comfort, as well as a word of counsel and direction, when many were still too dazed to even think clearly.

But neither Pat nor I nor Sheryl can take all the credit for much of this. You see, it wouldn’t have been possible without the outpouring of gifts to the Haiti Crisis Fund and the prayers and support of so many of our WGM champions. You cared about Haiti in 2010 and it showed.

So where do we go from here? What impact will we have on Haiti in 2011?

We still need to help Radio Lumière. We still need your gifts to the Haiti Crisis Fund so we can continue to help them buy diesel and so Pat and I can continue to go to Haiti and be there for them.


We need churches, Men With Vision groups, and you in your sphere of influence to raise funds to build homes. Together, we plan to build houses for over 40 Radio Lumière staff who need help either rebuilding or repairing their homes. It won’t be cheap. Building material costs have skyrocketed due to the demand. We’ll need committed champions who’ll be willing to raise up to $8,000 per home.


We need you to pack your bags and go to Haiti to build or repair a home. It won’t be easy. Team members will have to work in the heat, without much in the way of amenities, to rebuild. Are you up to the challenge? Bring your friends, small group, and others because the need is great.

Georgette and her three children and many of the other staff tonight are still sleeping in tents. The tents you provided in 2010 are showing wear and probably won’t last far into 2011. We need to get these people into secure homes with a roof over their heads. Remember, we can’t do it for 1.5 million people, but we can make a difference in 2011 for one, two, or even 30 or 40 if we do it together.

ACT: Can you rally your sphere of influence and together raise $8,000 to provide a new start to a Haitian family in need? Make an impact in Haiti today!