Gran Moun is the Creole phrase for “old people”. We began a feeding program for the elderly in 1999 as so many of the people in our area were struggling to obtain food. These is no social security or welfare system in Haiti, so if you are elderly and don’t have children willing and able to provide for you life can be very difficult.

Not long after beginning the feeding program we saw that there was also a need for housing for many of these people, so we began to make plans for a home. We purchased land adjacent to the mission campus and -- thanks to the help of many faithful friends -- the home opened in February 2005. It has room for approximately 40 residents. The home is beautiful and the people are all thrilled to be living there. For many, if not all of them, it is probably the nicest place they have ever lived. And the best thing is that to date all of the residents who were not Christians when they moved in have become Christians and so have the guarantee of the best place imaginable to spend eternity.

Our goal at the mission has always been to bring the hope of Jesus to the Haitian people through our various programs and ministries. We are so thankful for this special ministry and the opportunities it brings.

There is a sponsorship program to help fund the home. The sponsorship money pays for all their meals, medical care, clothing, and other necessary items. We don’t like to think about this but it will also pay one day for funeral and burial expenses which we know is something we will have to face when working with an elderly population. We only take people into the home who are generally in good health, but we know that in the future we will have to deal with illness and death.

The total monthly sponsorship cost is $75. However, there are also options of doing a half sponsorship at $37.50 a month or a one third sponsorship at $25 a month. Persons needing sponsors and the amount of sponsorship money they need (some are already partially sponsored) are noted below. If you would like to sponsor one of these senior saints please contact Mary Beth Winkler at love4haiti@aol.com or 502-695-7870. If you would like to sponsor somebody but want us to pick the person, you can let Mary Beth know that as well.

Items that can be collected for the elderly are:

• Shoes (new or gently worn)
• Hygiene items such as soap, lotion, shampoo, toothpaste and toothbrushes
• Medical items such as tylenol, ibuprofen and multi-vitamins