Divine appointments are one of our favorite ways to watch God at work in Haiti, especially when He brings people on a mission trip to Haiti to meet the needs of the families living there. Most recently, God had a divine appointment planned for the Francois Family.
Husband and wife, Paul-Fils and Altine Francois, live near the World Wide Village guesthouse in Williamson, Haiti. Together, they are raising three children and one niece. The Francois’ are a loving family who unfortunately know adversity well. Less than two years ago, Paul-Fils suddenly lost his vision. This loss stumped the doctors in Haiti and he has not regained his sight. With Paul-Fils unable to see and unable to work, Altine has stepped up to provide for the family, working as a cook in one of the World Wide Village sponsored schools. While her job is stable and puts food on the table, it does not provide the extra income needed to meet all of their needs – especially when the need for unexpected repairs arise.
A recent mission team to Haiti with World Wide Village felt called to prayer walk through the village. Stopping at houses along their journey, they would ask how they could pray for the families they met. Upon arriving at the Francois house, they soon realized that this family was one of the specific reasons God had called them to take a Haiti mission trip.
Pictured: Impact Team members at the Francois house
While Paul-Fils and Altine have worked hard to build a home and safe place for their children, they have not been able to afford repairs for years. Their prayer was for the struggles they would face in the upcoming rainy season. Their small 14×14 foot house is covered with a roof of battered tin with numerous holes. During rain storms, the house would flood. The rainy season was soon approaching and they knew it would be a struggle. Paul-FIls’ disability prevented him from making any type of improvements.
Praise God that he brought just the right team at just the right moment. Several of the Haiti mission trip members had construction experience – one member owns a roofing company. What they hoped would be a quick fix soon became more complicated. The concrete walls of this small house were crumbling in areas and would not support a new roof. The team made do with what they had – known as “degaje” in Haiti – and were able to shore up the walls and patch the roof so the house would be stable and not flood during the rainy season. The Francois Family is now at the top of the list for a new home to be built by World Wide Village.
Have you ever thought about how God might use you on a Haiti mission trip?
It might be patching a roof right before the rainy season, or connecting with a special child who needs a sponsor. It could be sharing the gospel with a teenage boy who struggles with anger the same way you do or being able to pray for a young mother who needs encouragement. God wants to use you in Haiti. Are you ready to let Him?
