Faces of Hope

In case anyone is just joining in at this point in the story....

Auberge des Vieillards is a residence in Pignon, Haiti that cares for the elderly and disabled.  It was originally the vision of a man named Pastor Abdon, who with his wife Lumide, serve in many roles with the Evangelical Missionary Church of Haiti.  Not only do they lead and love a congregation in Pignon, but they carry the leadership mantle of supporting all the EMC pastors in Haiti.  

The expanse of their hearts has included a desire and a drive to extend care to vulnerable people who would otherwise be homeless and begging.  This is possible because they have cast their vision to their local church community, have assembled an organized Executive Team, and arranged for the care staff and other volunteers who now tend to the daily needs of currently ten residents.

Where Highview comes in is that we were able to help build the facility that is no Auberge des Vieillards, a years-long project that has come into this beautiful manifestation of God's goodness and grace played out in real time.

As we prepare for our annual Haiti Dinner and Silent Auction on February 22 (see details below), we are delighted to share some of the faces of the A des V resident.

In Pastor Abdon's own words..... 

 "Brother Eslet
He suffers from kidney disease, despite many medications, the problem still persists."

"Sister Maprina. 

She has a slight mental problem but she still goes to church to pray."  

We invite you to join us in partnering with Pastor Abdon and Madame Lumide in this astonishing manifestation of God's goodness.

HAITI DINNER AND SILENT AUCTION

Saturday, February 22, 2025

Highview Community Church

295 Highview Drive KIT ON N2N 2K7

First seating 5:00 p.m.

Second seating 6:30 p.m.

Auction closes 8:00 p.m.

Full course turkey dinner including dessert.

Tickets are $40 Adult, $15.00 Child

A wide variety of quality items on which to bid.

You could also volunteer to be part of the Team.

Set up, tear down, meal servers, dishwashers.

For tickets to hold  your space contact

Brian Ogilvie at bzogilvie@gmail.com

Ken Breithaupt at kdb@ptsoft.com

For general information, or to volunteer

please feel free to email me at rabreithaupt@hcckw.ca.

Looking forward to sharing in this adventure with you!

Ruth Anne Breithaupt

Missionary in Residence

Highview Community Church

What's a Bigger Word for "Thank You?"

It's Monday morning after our big event and the final numbers are still coming in.

In a day or two I will be able to report the final amounts and give more details.

What I can say, at this point, is that we have certainly exceeded our goal of $10,000.00 towards Auberge des Vieillards and the care of the ten vulnerable Seniors there.

And what I want to say, right here and right now, is how in awe I am of our stellar volunteers.  

We're not a big church, so when I say that 37 individuals came together to pull this off, that's a huge buy-in. 

Haiti Volunteers - Thank you, thank you, thank you.  I honestly wish there was a 'bigger' word for it, because that's what I hope you can hear.

And at the risk of minimizing some contributions (which I in no way want to do ever), I still feel it's worth mentioning the over-and-above from certain individuals.

Colin - you really outdid yourself this year in going in for 'the ask', gathering corporate donations towards the meal and the event itself!  That was a lot of footwork!!!!  Not to mention how much you were on your feet on the day of!!  (Enjoy your auction item bid win.)

Lillian - you can 'stand the heat' in the kitchen like nobody else we know!  You and your whole kitchen team were giving it your all.  And that you stay to the very, very end, washing up and putting away AND getting back at in first thing on Sunday morning for our Haiti Leftovers Lunch....those are 'last push' efforts that are nothing less than heroic!

Brian - it's your heart and passion and positivity that leads the whole thing in the first place.  You are the one gathering the auction items and also going in for the ask at the corporate level.  Thank you for keeping Haiti on our radar in ways that are a perfect blend of love and tenacity.

I've just got to say, as Highview's Missionary in Residence, it is such a humbling thing to be part of a family of people who love like you do.  Over the years, no matter what role I've held, a common question when meeting other church leaders is, "How big is your church?"  I've learned to answer with a question.  "By what measurement?"  Because, if I take in what happens when it comes to weekends like this, regardless of Sunday morning attendance or any other metric...we are ENORMOUS! 

So, yes, every single one who came together in any way, 

THANK YOU!!!

I just wish there was a bigger way to say it!

Except, you just are the bigger way.

Ridiculous Hope, Right Now

Marilyn McIlroy stops to care for a homeless senior.

 

"I will make peace your governor

and well-being your ruler.

No longer will violence be heard in your land,

nor ruin or destruction within your borders.

but you will call your walls Salvation

 and your gates Praise."

Isaiah 60:17-18

This spectacular vision painted by the prophet describes a future full of the redeeming glory of a God who has set all things right.

It stands in stark contrast to the harsh realities being lived out by Haitians right now.  Particularly vulnerable are the seniors who have no place to go.

It could leave us all feeling hopeless.

But here's the astonishing thing.  We even might call it 'good news.'

You and I can participate in bringing that kind of hope, 

where God's grace is unleashed and light shines in dark places.

 

Right now.

We can help bring God's vision to bear. 

Right now.

That's what our Haiti Dinner and Silent Auction is really all about.

Bringing hope and health and belonging to vulnerable seniors in Haiti who would otherwise be homeless.  

Auberge des Vieillards (Inn for the Elderly) is the object of our love, as we come alongside some true heroes of hope, Pastor Abdon and his wife Madame Lumide, and the Committee and Staff that care for eleven of our brothers and sisters.

Right now.

Fundraising Goal:

$10,000.00

Thanks to everyone who has already signed up to be part of the action on Saturday, February 24.

Still want to help?

Desserts are still needed.  Please contact Lillian at lweatherall110@gmail.com

Dishwashers are still needed.  Please contact Ruth Anne a rabreithaupt@hcckw.ca.

Want tickets?

Contact Brian at brian.ogilvie@obfinancial.ca

Contact Ken at kdb@ptsoft.com

The Wall Story

It's important that we keep telling the stories.  

They help connect the dots, 

bring context and meaning, 

and keep our spirits inspired.

This is a wall.

That may seem way too obvious, but it's an important part of the story.   Because, as far as our partnership with Auberge des Vieillards in Pignon, Haiti is concerned, the wall is where is all started.

The construction part, that is.  Even before the wall, there was a vision.  A vision to care for vulnerable seniors with no place to go.  That came from a Haitian Pastor named Abdon, and it was a long, long time ago.  In 1988 he began his theological studies in Cape Haitian, and would often see the elderly begging in the streets back and forth on his way to class.  The images stayed with him, wouldn't shake off, until it became a part of the very DNA of his leadership, and how he would inspire the church he and his wife Lumide would lead together in Pignon.  

Between the first inklings of that vision, and the eleven seniors now receiving care, there was a parcel of land.  And it needed a wall.  Without the wall going up first, whatever was kept or built on that parcel of land would be 'free game' for theft and destruction.  

Highview, along with Teams from other Canadian churches, helped build that wall.

In fact, a good-sized stone that got dislodged from Highview's foundation in a spring-thaw flood back in Canada, has been incorporated into the wall that now surrounds the Auberge des Vieillards property.

Oh yes.  The stories.

On Saturday, February 24, 2024 we'll be continuing the story of Highview's partnership with Pastor Abdon, Madame Lumide, and the astonishingly generous people of the Pignon Church who have freely chosen to take on the love-task of caring for people who otherwise would suffer greatly.

We'd love it if you'd join us.  

Be part of the story.

For tickets:

Brian Ogilvie  -  brian.ogilvie@obfinancial.ca

Ken Breithaupt -  kdb@ptsoft.com

For more information:

Ruth Anne Breithaupt - rabreithaupt@hcckw.ca

(Sorry no links)