New Desks for New Hope School

I never would have imagined from one conversation what has transpired, I know I still haven’t seen all the impact. Last Spring when I was in the States I had the opportunity to speak at 2 Kiwanis meetings. I really didn’t know that much about Kiwanis just that they were business driven and hey – I could come and share about Haiti – my favorite subject and I could get a free meal. At the one meeting in Ortonville, MN; I was asked to share by the United Methodist pastor from that town. After the meeting a gentleman, Brent Olson came to talk to me about some desks that he had that he wanted to deliver to Haiti. Brent is a story teller. Some desks were being made to send to Haiti and a couple other countries out of pine wood. An old farmer from Minnesota saw these and knew the wood was not strong enough to last very long. He had some Ash trees and decided to donate them all so some really strong desks could be made. Brent had filmed the trees, the farmer, all the people from the church working at building the desks; now he needed a home for the desks to finish the story.


I shared with him about the New Hope Elementary School with Living Media International that I would be involved in when I returned to Haiti. As of now the school consisted of a tin roof that a team put on in the Spring and tarps for walls. So I thought they might definitely be able to use some desks. I told him I had other contacts too if he was looking at delivering them in the city instead of the countryside. I realize many people were directly wanting to help with earthquake relief.

I really didn’t know what to expect after the conversation, but wanted to be of all the help I could.

I am always amazed by the way God works because 5 months later Brent and his wife, Robin were staying at my house in Haiti. Along with them in Haiti was Brent’s sister and brother-in-law (Myrlah and Joe) and 3 custom made desks that would fit on the plane.

Joe is a Videographer and came to finish filming the story of how a good ‘ol farmer from Minnesota who doesn’t have a lot donated his ash wood trees so that children in another country would have stronger desks. Brent is a story teller and has written a couple of books, I encourage you to check out www.independentlyspeaking.com Robin is a baby magnet and could not get enough of the beautiful Haitian children, or they couldn’t get enough of her; as well as Myrlah. Myrlah was also excited to see the Health Clinic in Mizak and see what they might need assistance with in the future.

It was a joy to see the kids building those desks after I had seen the desk for the first time sitting at the front of the UMC in Ortonville, MN ready to be blessed and sent to their Annual Conference to be blessed and prayed over by the whole conference. Sometimes you just have to stand back and be impressed at what God is able to pull all together with a few faithful servants. You never know when God might be able to use you for something truly beautiful, so be open and listen to callings to share your gifts with others. You will be amazed.