We warmly greet and sincerely thank all the friends and donors who continue to support GVADK in Haiti in so many different ways. Your assistance helps us obtain the materials and tools we need to carry out our work. Without this support, many of our activities would not be possible.

Today, we want to share why tools are so important to GVADK’s work. Tools are an essential part of nearly everything we do. They allow us to complete projects, care for the land, and bring positive change to the communities we serve. Much of our work depends on simple manual tools such as wheelbarrows, picks, shovels, pliers, pruning shears, machetes, and wire cutters.

For example, when we work in the tree nursery and prepare areas for plants to grow, we use wire to secure the plant bags and keep them from falling. To do this, we need wire cutters. It may seem like a simple tool, but it is extremely useful and important. Likewise, when we need to dig a hole to plant a tree, a pick is an essential tool.

When building rock walls or working with soil, we use picks to break up the ground and shovels to collect and move the soil. Some projects require heavier equipment that cannot be handled with manual tools alone. In those situations, we may need tractors and trucks, sometimes borrowed from the mission, to make the work possible.

GVADK is currently developing a tree nursery in an area where the soil contains a large amount of clay and is not suitable for growing plants. We need to transport better soil from another location to properly prepare the nursery. This type of work requires machinery because it would be extremely difficult to accomplish using only shovels and picks.

Sometimes, when we arrive at a new location to begin a project, the first step is clearing and cleaning the area. This is when machetes and other tools become especially important. Every tool has a specific purpose, and together, they help us work more efficiently and effectively.

At GVADK, we compare our tools to the school supplies a student needs to learn. A student needs pencils, pens, notebooks, erasers, and other materials to study and complete assignments. In the same way, GVADK members need the right tools to carry out their work. Just as every school supply has a purpose, every tool has an important role in our activities.

GVADK members and their tools depend on one another. Tools cannot do the work by themselves; they need people to use them. At the same time, our members cannot accomplish many of their tasks without the proper tools. This is why having the right tools is so important to the success of GVADK.

Thank you to everyone who believes in GVADK and continues to support us. Thank you for standing with us and not giving up on us. Together, with determination, support, and the necessary tools, we can continue working toward real and lasting change in our communities.