First, we would like to thank you all for your continued support and prayers for the success of our efforts in Haiti. We would like to share with you some exciting but also unfortunate news from Haiti.
The good news. The rain has come to the island and with it the fields have come alive with growth. The Shiley School of Engineering at the University of Portland, has finished its work with our original kiln and it is being prepared to ship to Haiti this month. Aaron has started a GoFundMe campaign to raise the funds for packaging, shipping, transporting, and setting up the kiln, also customs, duties, and import fees. Our goal is to raise $10,000 to cover the cost.
We now have the fabrication drawings and a couple local sources in Haiti who think that they can fabricate future kilns. We also have two additional teams of Capstone students working on design improvements over the next school year. These teams will make mission trips to Haiti in the fall of 2016 to see firsthand the issues we face implementing the kiln.
So you can see why we are excited about the future and God's continued blessing on our work.
Now, the unfortunate news. You might not be aware the political tension in Haiti currently. For the past several months there has been no government in place. The two remaining candidates for president haven't agreed on the final election process. As they await a new president, many government offices have gone unfilled. In this power vacuum, street level tensions are running high and crime has risen, including kidnapping and robbery.
Last month our logistics manager, Veillard Verly, was robbed and carjacked after his monthly trip to pick up our payroll for the workers. He was left beaten but alive. The police were able to recover and return the vehicle hours later. But the payroll, Verly's phone, and cash have all gone missing. Bonzeb is not in a position to just write another big check. We have gathered a number of recurring monthly donations, which is a great help to planning and operating, but we need $1,750 to replace the stolen payments and $2,000, to cover next month.
We would appreciate it if more donors could become monthly givers. Regular donations make it easier to meet our recurring obligations. If you are interested in setting up a monthly gift, please contact Tom or reply to this e-mail. And remember, all donations to Bonzeb are tax deductible.
We hope that you will continue your prayers for the people of Haiti, and Verly’s family in particular. Your support is helping us make a difference by giving a hand up and not a hand out.