If you do not know already, we launched our largest building project and fundraiser to date. We call it “Planting Hope.” You can read more about the details in this recent blog post.

Building new facilities excites us about what God is doing in the present and makes us hopeful for the future. But we are proud of what God accomplished in our past as well. A lot of incredible work done by incredible people over the last two and half decades. Many souls transformed, many lives saved, many families preserved as a result of power of merciful God and presence of our dedicated staff.

No More Room to Grow

I remember before my mom died, as we drove through Cazale, she would point to different pieces of land. She wondered if God might allow us to build a place of our own someday. We rented a small house for the clinic and a small house for the Rescue Center. Our programs and services remain in those rented spaces. If you have visited our clinic or RC, you know there is no more space to add another bed or build another shelf.

Having outgrown our space long ago, we purchased land in 2009 in hopes of building new facilities. We have a vision to build our own place because we believe God wills for RHFH to be a permanent fixture here. God saw fit to bring all three Zachary kids and their families to Cazale to continue the work of our parents. We are not here to finish what our parents started, but we do desire that we help it flourish. It is important we establish it in a way that will outlast us. We believe the work here is deep and true and hard and will not end with us.

Never Lose Sight of What Is Primary

I will not go so far as to say that completing “Planting Hope” would be a dream come true. Our dream is to live a life devoted to Christ. This has meant bringing our family to Cazale and connecting us with this community. Using our medical training to help those hurting. Allowing compassion to flow to those who need it as God’s love is shed abroad in our hearts. Shining the light of Christ in dark places. Our “dream come true” has been all the good and bad and ups and downs of shared life here with the Haitian people.

“Planting Hope” is not the culmination of a life’s work. It will not solve all of our operational constraints. “Planting Hope” is simply what we believe is the next natural step in what God has for RHFH here in Haiti.

Planting Hope Can Become a Reality

I do believe it will invigorate and motivate our staff. Increased space will prevent transmission of communicable diseases, make our staff/patients more comfortable, and enable us to expand our services. Many building projects like this are funded in developing countries. Unfortunately some organizations lack the necessary funding to staff the new facility. By the grace of God and the faithfulness of people like you, RHFH is blessed with stable funding. We can purchase supplies and pay for our dedicated staff to fully engage a new space. What we are asking for now is help in getting us there.

A couple years ago I ran 40 miles on my 40^th birthday here in the village. I purposefully put part of 2 mile loop I ran (20 times!) on a path through our new land. On the last lap, I recorded a video up on the property and sent it to some close friends, asking them to pray for me and for the land because, in turning 40, I sensed that the decade of my 40’s, something needed to happen up there.

The Time Has Come and The Moment is Now

Before she passed, I saw the look in my mom’s eye, desiring a place the ministry owned. Many trips up to the new land with my dad and visitors, praying the Lord would make a way. My parents, my sisters, other missionaries and our Haitian staff have sacrificed more than I can tell in being used of God to allow this ministry to be lasting and effective. As a son, a brother, and a director, who believes in the work being done through RHFH, it seems good and right and honoring to the Lord and everyone involved to expand our space and expand our impact. I love all the people who invest their lives in this ministry and believe they are deserving of this development project.

Truth be told, when I moved back to Haiti in 2015, I felt “Planting Hope” was a reason God led me back here. I’m 42 now, and as you know, the 40’s fly by. Grateful the Lord heard all the prayers offered up before Him and saw fit to open doors I did not know were there and connect us with people I did not know were willing to help. As much as we all wanted to see this happen years ago, we tried to be patient with the Lord’s timing. And by all accounts, according to His Will, the time has come. I am here, happy, and hopeful. Let’s see what the Lord might do! Praise be to God forever!