Dominican donations arrived!

We received word from our missionary friends in the Dominican Republic that the donations they had for Pastor Noel and Marie were delivered yesterday. But their journey to deliver the supplies was not without its problems. Here are some excerpts from their message to us -

"We made the trip to deliver the donation to Pastor Noel and Marie yesterday but it did not go as we had planned. We spent a lot of time planning, using our contacts to ensure that we would not have problems crossing the border, yet that is not how it worked out. We had taken our [Canadian] work team that is here with us. Our contacts in Dajabon had received permission from Dominican Immigration for us to cross without problems. However, when we arrived, they saw those foreign passports and [the difficulties started]. They wanted about $400 in “fees and tax” for the team to go across and back again. They took a look at our $2000 worth of [supplies] and told us that the donation was too small and did not qualify as a donation so they had to tax us. Then we asked if our driver, and Paul [who has Dominican residency] and Pastor Eddy (who is a Haitian pastor who has a church in Ouanamithe and Dajabon) could go across with the donation and not be charged any fees or tax. The reply was yes – no fees, no tax [for those with Dominican or Haitian passports or Dominican residency]......So, this is what happened yesterday at that crazy border. Pastor Eddy, our driver and Paul went across to Pastor Eddy’s church in Ouanaminthe and took the donation there. Because we could not cross with the team, we felt it best [for those delivering the supplies] to be as quick as possible [making the delivery] since the team was just “hanging out” in Dajabon waiting [so the supplies were just left with Pastor Eddy in Ouanaminthe]. Pastor Eddy talked with Pastor Noel and Marie by phone and when we left, Marie was going to go to Eddy’s church yesterday afternoon to pick up the supplies."

I called Marie Noel this afternoon and she confirmed that they had been able to drive to Ouanaminthe and pick up the food, clothing and medicines delivered by our missionary friends. They were so thankful and very grateful for all the efforts of our new friends, their Canadian work team and the Canadians back at home who sent the money for them to purchase the supplies in the Dominican Republic. They had already begun to distribute what they had received and the people were very thankful for this outpouring of help.

Again, we know that the need in Northern Haiti will be ongoing and help is still needed but it is wonderful to know that people all over North America and even in the Dominican Republic want to help and are willing to do whatever it takes to make it happen.