I spent two weeks building a website for Destiny Boys – an orphanage in Caanan Haiti.

Caanan is a section of land allotted by the government just outside of Port Au Prince. Communities like these are popping up in an effort to disperse people who were displaced from their homes after the Earthquake.

Families begin building new homes by purchasing one row of cinderblock and concrete at a time until the house is able to be completed. Destiny was started by Pastor Lauren Clark and Pastor Garry St. Hubertis who have organized an orphanage, a school, a church and a community feeding program for those trying to rebuild their lives, families who are adding to their homes little by little.

The significant positive impact of being a part of a strong community is paramount to our well being as humans. We work and live in communities, dynamic and complex infrastructures that depend on one another for support. There is power when we contribute intentionally to our communities and come together to share our strengths and our wealth.

Pastor Lauren was the first person to discover my sister Jules, who was hanging out with her friends looking for food on the streets of Haiti when she wasn’t even a teen yet. Lauren meeting Jules directly impacted my life because I wouldn’t be Jules' sister if Lauren hadn't used all of her resources to get Jules and the girls off the streets and into safe environments.

Lauren is able to do the work that she does because of churches in the states and ordinary people who donate. She told me a story about an elderly woman who had sent in a monthly donation of under $20 every month for years. She called to tell her since she had become disabled she wouldn’t be able to contribute any more and Lauren assured her that she would be ok and that she was thankful for the years of support.

Once when Lauren was speaking at a church in Texas, another elderly woman told her she felt called to purchase a laptop for Samuel (one of Laurens many sons and a first generation kid). She heard that Samuel wanted to become a computer technician but Lauren, considering this womans financial situation and not wanting to take advantage of anyone, thought that a laptop was a rather generous purchase, so Lauren asked the woman to pray about it overnight.

Lauren got a call the next day that this lady couldn’t sleep and insisted she needed to buy that laptop for Samuel to get peace. Lauren delivered the laptop as promised and Samuels’s laptop is one of the only ones still running today. Samuel started building his house and only has yet to purchase windows.
A community is crucial in the positive impact of our lives.

Please check out the community of Destiny who are working together to rebuild in Caanan.