mra101485

Great research and information regarding the entire issue at hand. I've always had interesting thoughts towards the organization. I did not donate, and would not donate to the RC.

But, I did read one of their defenses was that they donated almost $6 million to help fund the building of PIH in Mirebalais, which, working in the central plateau, is doing a lot of great work.

While their issues are inexcusable for 6 homes and various other red flags - are there good things that were done with the money that you uncovered, such as the PIH contribution? If so, what are they? If not, what are the real stats on their claims of not building homes but doing major other work?

Yes...entered ministry in 2008.

Goatee since 2008.

Any time I'm out to eat and see a group of teens with one adult, within 2 seconds I can tell you if they're a youth group. Is there a goatee on the leader?

Hey Rob...

What's the deal with youth pastors always having a goatee?

(I'm actually an evangelical Baptist youth pastor myself...no real question, just posting, "Hey!")

You nailed it. Go as learners. That's it. Go to work along side people who have the answers, not as having the answers.

I've seen a lot of bad from church groups, too. I'm not trying to be arrogant, but that's something we are really working on, is making sure we're not doing more harm than good. Or actually, that we're doing harm at all.

I've met people at the PAP airport that are completely ignorant. They're pumped up from a great week, but after talking with them, they literally had no clue where they were for the week. I'm not saying that they didn't do anything productive, but they didn't know anything. Ignorance doesn't impress me. Be educated. Likewise, the guy asked me if I knew "Pastor Jacques." That was it...not as though there aren't 10,000 NGOs in Haiti with multiple pastors.

Ignorance doesn't impress me. Educated people make a big difference with a team.

I cannot comment totally for all homes that collapsed, but one of the issues that seems to be dominant in building, at least in the areas outside of PAP, is that in order to build for cheaper, much more sand and rock is used than cement. Cement is not cheap, and as you begin adding everything in, the total structure is lacking in strength.

I work 40 miles north of PAP, and this is what I have seen, so I might be nearsighted. Nonetheless, weak block with 3/4 inch of weak mortar and no rebar is common.