A hot one for Haiti Relief
Ohio Haiti Benefit auction trudges on through sultry weekend
By Dave Mast
September 6, 2011
557
For several decades, people in Amish Country have given their hearts and souls, dug deep in their pocketbooks and wallets, and have even traveled to a devastated Haiti nation to provide aid to those in need.
Some of those who have witnessed the pain and suffering there have gone to Haiti to help build, provide food and water and shelter as well as love in the name of Christ. Others, who are unable to go, have found other ways to help, including the 25th annual Ohio Haiti Benefit Auction, which took place in Mt. Hope Sept. 2 and 3.
The goal for all in attendance was to help support a mission outreach that has made a huge difference to the people of Haiti, and while the heat over the weekend was very much akin to the sweltering heat in Haiti, it didnt keep people from coming to support the ministry.
Kyle Stutzman, who returned home from Haiti after a mission trip to build a medical clinic this past February with his church youth group from Zion Conservative, said the life-changing experience was one that has made as big an impact on him as it did the many Haitian people he was there working to benefit.
I have never been in a third world nation before, said Stutzman. It was an amazing experience. I was kind of shocked to begin with, because nothing there is anything like it is here. But what I soon found out was that people there are grateful for what they do have. They were happy, and they had so little. If people here had to deal with life like that, I think all we would do is complain, but there, everyone was so happy and thrilled we were there to help them.
The experience really helped me grow in my Christian life, and I am now more content with what I have.
Stutzman said that while there has been much built in Haiti since the earthquake, there are still many people in need, including many tiny tent villages where Haitian citizens continue to live.
There are still a lot of ways we can help, said Stutzman.
Which is exactly what everyone at the 25th annual Ohio Haiti Benefit Auction had in mind Friday and Saturday, Sept. 2 and 3 in Mt. Hope, where thousands turned out to support the auction despite the overwhelming heat, which, while it may have affected the auction numbers and food lines a little bit, did wonders for the sale of ice cream, fruit smoothies and sno-cones.
The auction, which featured dozens of intricately hand-sewn quilts, a refurbished John Deere tractor, a Ferris zero-turn lawn mower, a 24-by-32 pole building, gazebos, cabins, play sets and tons of Amish-crafted hardwood furniture, continued to raise funds for the ongoing efforts to aid those in Haiti who are struggling to live in poverty and destitution. Ohio Haiti Benefit Auction board member J.D. Stutzman said that despite a heat index jumping up over 100 degrees, patrons of the auction understand the great need in Haiti, and realize that a little heat is insignificant compared to what happens in Haiti on a daily basis.
This is simply the compassion of Gods love in our hearts for people in need, otherwise it would never happen, said Stutzman. There are so many in need down there, and the needs are many. Sometimes it is easy for us to believe that we can make a difference, but we do what we can, as individuals and as a whole through the auction, and let God work. I guess eternity will tell if we have done our job in Gods service.
Stutzman said that the turnout on Saturday was good despite the heat. There were plenty of people doing the bidding, both under the main tent where the quilts and furniture were being sold, and the auxiliary site under roof in the auction barn, where patrons could purchase anything from a pony and cart to power equipment and storage barns. In addition, patrons could go to the big wall where the silent auction took bids throughout the day. With 127 items to bid on, including the likes of a chain saw, steak dinners, a $1,000 health care package at Pomerene Hospital and all kinds of gift certificates for local businesses, it gave bidders a chance to purchase something to aid the Haiti cause in a different forum.
Stutzman also said that the Friday evening experience, which included a concert from the singing group Garments of Praise as well as sharing on Haiti from pastor Eli Weaver, was a blessing to those in attendance.
We had a tremendous turnout Friday night, said Stutzman. It was just a really relaxing time of praise and worship, and a time when we could focus on helping the people of Haiti.
In addition to raising money for Haitian relief, the weekend also serves as a time when people can become more well-informed about what is taking place in Haiti.
Under an auxiliary tent beside the main auction tent were several Haitian relief organizations like Water for Haiti, Palm Grove Haiti mission, Haitian Relief Missions, Inc. and Gospel to Haiti, which were among a number of organizations set up to provide pamphlets, photographs and information on what is currently taking place in Haiti in terms of relief efforts.
As for the connection between Holmes County and Haiti, the past quarter century has seen a multitude of people from up north dig deep in helping the people of Haiti.
Tom Beachy, a board member of Haitian Relief Missions, Inc., said that the close proximity of a third world country is one reason why people here are drawn to help the needy in Haiti. But the overlying theme is simply that people care about others because it is what God has commanded us to do.
With such great need so evident within the day-to-day life of the people of Haiti, Beachy said there are plenty of opportunities, meaning growth in the number of organizations reaching out to help.
One of our former administrators said that there are people who were marginally poor whom are now desperately poor, said Beachy of the people of Haitis lot in life following the earthquake which struck a year and a half ago.
I think that one of the reasons there is this big connection between Holmes County and Haiti is that there is a huge need for building programs, and there is a real work ethic here with people who are very construction-minded.
The truth is, the people there are extremely friendly, and they have captured our hearts. There is such great need everywhere there, and we see that here and want to help. People here cannot imagine what it is like to live there unless youve actually seen it. There, the head of the households are leaving and moving away, just to earn money somewhere else so that they can send it home to their families. We cant even imagine that. Its heartbreaking.
As the heartbreak continues, so too does the faithfulness in people here doing whatever is necessary to help eliminate as much suffering as possible in Haiti. Whether it is physically going to Haiti to work on crews, hand out water and food or give medical attention to those in need, or whether they are giving what they can financially at the auction, where their money goes to aid families in need, the Haiti Auction continues to be an integral part of the relief and mission work that has been instrumental in providing the people of Haiti with hope.
