The Center of Hope will give the school children of Bayonnais a real building for their classes instead of meeting under trees and in palm-mat shelters.

The Center of Hope will give the people of Bayonnais a place for worship and renewal, fellowship and learning, hope and healing.

The Center of Hope will give leaders from many parts of Haiti a place to come for training in evangelism, Bible study, church ministry and neighborhood outreach.

The people of Bayonnais have waited eagerly and long for the Center of Hope. They have pitched in with shovels, hoes and enthusiasm to make it happen. Without heavy equipment or power tools, every step of the construction process demands backbreaking hard labor. The women carry heavy rocks on their heads from the riverbed. The men mix cement by hand and carry it by bucketfuls to pour the foundation, floors and stairs.

Despite the exhausting, sweaty work, the people labor happily. They know their work has tremendous value and will help to bring new life to their community. Singing and laughter ring through the trees as their shared dream takes shape and slowly becomes a reality.
 
Before the second floor could be constructed, Hurricane Gustav halted the work in August 2008 and caused major erosion. A retaining wall had to be built, adding thousands of dollars to the cost and setting the project back by several years. However, the foundation and unfinished building structure were pronounced sound.

Mixing and pouring concrete for the second floor will require 80 men working around the clock until completed. All the cement is mixed and carried by hand. Construction crews from the U.S. are preparing to help local workers complete the building in the fall of 2011 in preparation for dedication in January 2012.

Urgently needed: MORE FUNDS NOW to complete and furnish the Center of Hope!