The DecAid Project.
It all began with a dream.
To partner with a single village on the island of La Gonave, Haiti for improved medical care.
Yet this was a man-sized dream;
Something we could accomplish on our own.
Consider: Who would gain the glory in that work? Us, doing this so called ‘partnership’ effort but without any help from others… or God?
Thus by challenge and by prayer, the ministry vision grew to a God-sized dream:
To develop true partnership ministries with
10 Villages over the next
10 Years (the next decade).
Thus the DecAid Project was born: Seeking relational partnerships for health, education, & spiritual development beyond what any person, church, or community could accomplish alone.
From this beginning, we have been committed that God should take the lead and receive all the glory.
The La Gonave Journey
The First Community Partnership: Pick Me!
Believe it or not, the first community village we approached on La Gonave to begin a ministry partnership said “no.”
We had explained the CHE mission philosophy with its community-driven and community-resourced approach for long term development. Yet this kind of partnership did not interest them. They wanted the usual, non-sustainable handout: “Just give us rice and beans.”
The next community seemed to call to us, Pickmy, pronounced “pick me”! They were willing to give us a chance. We met with the leaders and facilitated discussions on what assets their community had, including hard workers, as well as their areas that they saw as problems. They discussed and voted that their biggest problem was with cholera and what we perceived as other hygiene and waterborne illnesses. We were able to educate the leaders as to the source of these illnesses. And together we developed a game plan. Through teaching how to purify water, hand hygiene, and latrine building, the community soon had eliminated cholera and the waterborne illnesses from their community. Their success was obvious to the other communities and each were excited to be the next community to start these projects, These success’s in clean water also allowed us the privilege of sharing with the community how to have the living water of Christ.
The First Community Partnership: Pick Me!
Believe it or not the first community said “no”. We had explained the CHE philosophy, community driven with community resources so they have ownership of the ongoing projects and their success. They just wanted the usual, non-sustainable handout. “Just give us rice and beans”.
The next community seemed to call to us, Pickmy, pronounced “pick me”! They were willing to give us a chance. We met with the leaders and facilitated discussions on what assets their community had, including hard workers, as well as their areas that they saw as problems. They discussed and voted that their biggest problem was with cholera and what we perceived as other hygiene and waterborne illnesses. We were able to educate the leaders as to the source of these illnesses. And together we developed a game plan. Through teaching how to purify water, hand hygiene, and latrine building, the community soon had eliminated cholera and the waterborne illnesses from their community. Their success was obvious to the other communities and each were excited to be the next community to start these projects, These success’s in clean water also allowed us the privilege of sharing with the community how to have the living water of Christ.
Traveling to New Lands
Expanding the Mission beyond Haiti:
The DecAid Project Begins Training CHE in Cambodia, Papua New Guinea, & The United States.
This work began in 2012.
Since then, the DecAid Project has not just partnered with 10 villages- but over 50 villages!
We train community leaders, and then they empower their own local community members to assess their needs, resources, and solutions.
Thousands of lives have been saved through ongoing health education and projects such as water filtration/latrine building.
The Decaid Project is a Christian non-profit organization founded in 2012. Shortly after the devastating earthquake in Haiti we received a God inspired challenge to facilitate health and spiritual care in 10 Haitian communities in 10 years.
As a part of the Community Health Evangelism (CHE) network, we ascribe to the CHE principles that as partners with local communities, utilizing their resources for long term resolution of their assessed health needs as we spread the good news of Jesus Christ.
To date:
We partner in over 50 communities in 3 continents,
We have seen thousands of lives saved through ongoing health education and projects such as water filtration/latrine building.
We have given away thousands of Bibles, and report over 9,000 commitments to Christ.