Let everything that has breath praise the Lord! ~ Psalm 150:6

Project Overview

Note: On January 12, 2010 at 7.0 Earthquake hit the Port-au-Prince area of Haiti. In this earthquake the facilities used by the Adoration Christian Centre collapsed. As a result, the directors and staff of Adoration have changed the short term focus from Education to Disaster Relief. It is our hope that we may continue to be a light to the community which we serve and that in due time, the Lord Willing, our programs will be restored. Until such time, some of the activities described on the web page will either not be offered to the community or will be offered in some other form.

Prior to the earthquake, Adoration Christian Centre was providing a free Christian day school, a regular medical clinic, community programs and Bible study groups. At the school, children from Delmas area, in Port-au-Prince, were offered a Christian education, two nutritious meals, and medical care if they needed it. Most of the children at Adoration school would not be able to otherwise attend schools because of poverty or disability. Grades Kindergarten through grade five were offered, as well as a special needs class. Children began their day with devotions at 8:00am, and classes were dismissed at 1:00pm. CDIA also sponsors approximately 70 students who attend local Christian secondary or post-secondary schools. Many of these students are graduates of the school, and also include some of the teachers at Adoration, who taught in the morning and attended classes in the afternoons.

The school employed eight teachers, two teacher assistants, two cooks, and four grounds-keepers who were living on the grounds in a small residence, providing security. During the earthquake, two young staff members were killed at their university. Several staff members have temporarily moved into the countryside with their families, while others are involved in the disaster relief efforts in Port-au-Prince.

Adoration Christian Centre was also the home-base for the First Presbyterian Church of Port-au-Prince, established in 2008 through the combined efforts of the OPC and PCA missions in Haiti. Services were held twice each Sunday, catechism classes were offered and plans were being made for a seminary to begin in September. The pastorship of the church is shared by Pastor Charles Amicy, Pastor Leon Amicy and Pastor Octavius Delfils. For more information on the Church please Click Here

Directors:

Present directors of the project are Kimberly Gringhuis, and Randy and Karen Lodder. From Ancaster, ON, Randy and Karen have always shared a desire to serve the Lord through mission activities. It is their goal, through Adoration, to bring Haitian youth and the surrounding community to a better understanding of the Christian faith and lifestyle.As overseers of the programs at Adoration, the Lodders have taken on roles that range from property managers to work team hosts, to staff supervisors. However their greatest impact has been as mentors to the many Haitian students, young people and staff with whom they have developed close relations. Recently the Lodders have been blessed with the addition of their daughter, Maia Joy.

Kimberly Gringhuis, a teacher from Toronto, ON, is the school principal. Kim assists teachers as they implement the curriculum, and is responsible for oversight of all school programs. Her experiences in Haiti have fostered a love for the Haitian people and an appreciation for the faith with which they meet their daily challenges.

Currently, Randy and Kim are attending to the needs of the Adoration students and their families. The devastation caused by the earthquake has left these families without clean water, food and shelter. Randy and Kim, together with a group of Haitian volunteers, have formed “Team Adoration.” The team packages and distributes food, water purification tablets, and survival supplies such as tents, blankets, and flashlights, to individuals in need. Karen and Maia are staying with family in Canada for now, and hope to rejoin the team soon. The facility was used by the First Presbetyrian Church of Port-au-Prince for worship.

Location:

Port-au-Prince, Haiti

Map of Haiti

Adoration Christian school serves families in the Delmas area of Port-au-Prince. Children walked to and from school, most living within a 3 km radius. Adoration school was housed in a two story building with 7 classrooms, a library/conference room, kitchen and small office. Also on the property was a small outbuilding which served as a meeting place for the First Presbyterian Church. The property is protected by a wall on all sides. The school yard is mostly concrete, so that children could play basketball and skipping during recreation time.

At present the Adoration building is unsafe and must be leveled. Plans are being made for a temporary location for the ministry centre. A large cover-all tent has been procured and will hopefully be erected for short-term housing of the food distribution program and medical clinics. The school directors are hoping to provide a limited school program for the remainder of this school year. In the long-term, Adoration hopes to co-ordinate with the First Presbyterian church to establish a new base for the ministry.

Teachers and Staff:

Adoration Teachers and Staff

Back row: Samuel, Cadeau, Alix, Alyn, Max, Randy, Samuel, Evenz, Asselhomme, Guerdson
Front now: Me, Magdalyne, Ketia, Molina, Manman Manise, Karen, Marline, Node

Want to know more about our staff? Click Here

Main Activities:

Classes: Adoration Christian School offers a Kindergarten class, Grades one through five. A special education class is offered for students with disabilities which prevent them from attending regular classes. Students are taught from a Christian perspective, and Bible story classes are featured every day. There are approximately 120 students. Tuition for these students is free.

Tuition Assistance: Students who have graduated from Grade five and show promise are sponsored by CDIA for their education at secondary or post secondary schools. These sponsored students are approached by the school directors, and are assisted by them to register, acquire books and uniforms, and pay tuition. These students are expected to repay CDIA through the performing of certain chores in Adoration school (e.g. cleaning the building) under the leadership of the directors.

Meal Program: All students, staff and visitors to the school receive a nutritious breakfast and lunch. The meal usually consists of traditional Haitian fare: rice and beans. For some students, the school is their main source of daily nutrition.

Mentoring Program: Randy and Karen host a weekly Bible study for young men in their home. Participants spend time in study of topics from the Bible or catechism to help them gain a deeper understanding of what God is saying to them in His word. They can also have some time to discuss more personal aspects of Christian living and serving God in their lives.

Medical Clinic: Ed Amos, a physician's assistant form New Hampshire, runs a medical clinic out of Adoration Christian School. On Tuesday and Thursday he comes from 9-3 and sees about 50 patients with medical problems. Wednesday he comes from 9-1 and can see up to 15 patients with dental problems. The clinic is open to the children attending Adoration school, their relatives and friends, as well as people from the neighbourhood.