Summer 2026 Newsletter
Dear Friends and Supporters,
Well, those of you who have faithfully followed us for 18 years, thank you. During this time we have repaired over 3500 hand pumps, cleaned and deepened hundreds, set 65 irrigation systems, helped during COVID, and dug 100+ new wells and installed the pumps in new neighborhoods. Things went very well for 10 years and then the President was shot and killed in his bed. From there on Haiti has continued to deteriorate. About half a dozen gangs totaling 8000, most with cycles and AK-47s have fought over territory to rule. Kidnapping, killing for ransom, money and extortion. “Pay $100/week or we will burn your business down.”
Over 25,000 have been killed the past 5 years, including gang members, police and local people who got in the way. I have read where there are mercenaries helping the police but it is going to take a total invasion by some country to clean out the gangs. They are just like Hamas and Isis, no regard for human life, and for what? The gangs are like the Cartels in Mexico only on a much smaller scale but they are in control of at least 50% of the country. The Capitol, Port au Prince and other towns and cities where the population live but do not venture into the mountains, too much work and nothing there but farming peasants.
If you remember the story of how in October of 2025, 700 gangsters rode into our town of Montrouis on their cycles with guns and declared, “Everyone must be out of town in 24 hours.” Those who tried to take even a suitcase, they took it and so then you had absolutely nothing along but the clothes on your back. The reason being for this terrible threat was that the Bossman wanted this to be his gang’s head quarters. For several years there had been a very strong presence of them in a town 25 mi. south and we felt very lucky that for 3 years we never saw a gang member. Well, this town got very upset and some extra police came to help the local police and many local vigilantes stood up to the gang and did some serious damage even with just their hoes and machetes against automatic weapons. But those brave souls paid a price. When other gangs heard what the town had done, they brought in more guns and killed many people and police to teach them a lesson and as a warning to others what will happen to you if you try to resist. So the gang moved into our town as we have only 4 policemen and when 700 rode in, they just went home.
With most of our town empty, it was just easy picking to go into any place and take what they wanted. What they could do with the items except food, I have no idea as there was no one to purchase anything. So many homes have just been taken over and are being lived in. But these ‘animals’ have no respect for anything, even one’s life, so they just end up trashing what they do not want. Just as they did to our compound. They stole anything they could carry, trashed the shop, took the tools and grinders, generators, water pumps, trashed the garage and our guest house and are sleeping in the beds. Roberto had some one sneak in some way and take pictures and it just broke my heart as to the damage.
Roberto, our Haitian Administrator, got 2 vehicles up to a mountain village, so they are safe but he had to worry about his family first. There is an orphanage beside us with 14 mentally and physically handicapped and the owner was stuck in Michigan. He then went over to the orphanage and told those that could, put on your church clothes, if they got stopped, and they did, he would just tell the road block they were going to church. The Lord is definitely a major share holder in W4H as such miracles have happened over our years but this total move was a “God Thing”. Roberto called a major bus company in Port and said he needed a 40 passenger bus to pick up a load in our town. The bus company said it was too dangerous there, go North to the next town and we will pick you up. So, they took a Tap Tap and met the bus. This bus company pays the gangs so much per month to be allowed to keep traveling. They got stopped, said they were going to church and were allowed to proceed.
It was a 10 hour drive to Cap Haitian, a very large city and they finally found the orphanage who was to take the extra children. Naturally it has been raining most of the way and the road has some switch backs in the mountain that a bus must make several ‘back ups’ to miss the mountain side when turning.
After waiting for something politically to improve, of not fixing pumps for 10 months, the Board and Roberto said we have to be doing something. Roberto said he knew of an abandoned school were about 100 people were “living”. He went to visit and found they were just sleeping on the concrete floor, were out of rice, beans, cooking oil, charcoal, soap, tooth brushes, spaghetti, just all essentials to survive. So W4H has started a Feeding the very poor program. He wrote and said he spent $2800 for the 100 bags of the mentioned products which he figures will last them a month.
Cooking oil and rice, just part of the essentials purchased.
By the time you receive this letter he will have located another similar situation and we will follow up again. Where is the Lord leading us, I do not know but we have helped thousands over the years and we are there, just in a different area. Remember we over the years take care of 750 pumps over a 600 sq mi area and figure 300 people each day get water from each pump. Do the math. 750 pumps x 300 people = 200,000 + each day. Take it one step further, let’s just say 15 years at repairing 3 pumps each week and during this time we have kept over 3 million from going to the river or walking an extra 5 miles to the next pump. Sorry, got side tracked for a bit. Roberto said the people were just jumping up and down in happiness, it was Christmas in July.
Bags of essentials put together and distributed to those in need.
I do hope this project meets with your approval. I totally understand about wondering what the future of W4H. Our giving has dropped the past month 80%. At this rate our account and reserves can not last too long. And how long will it be before we will be allowed to return to our real job? Once one stops supporting an organization it is very hard to begin again. Thank you for opening and reading this letter as like you and I receive at least a dozen letters from good organizations every day and just toss most in the trash without even opening them.
I will leave you with a scripture that goes right to the heart. In 1 Peter 4:10, he says, “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.”
Sincerely,
Chuck and the W4H Board Members