The Ride

The Pure Water Ride for 2009 is about 300 miles along the back roads of Vermont from Massachusetts to Canada. The ride starts at the Northfield Mt. Hermon School in Northfield, MA. This is a first class prep school founded by evangelist Dwight L. Moody in 1879 to provide an education to young men and women who’d been denied that opportunity, usually due to financial hardship. The school still offers a values-oriented environment that challenges students to develop a sense of community responsibility. Every student participates in the school's work program four hours per week, and 200 students volunteer each semester in outreach activities. You can read more about this great school at http://www.nmhschool.org/.

The route then heads west to Colrain, MA before turning north to Vermont, entering at the town of Halifax. The next 300 miles to the Canadian Border are, as much as possible, along unimproved roads through central Vermont. Along the way we’ll make some interesting stops. I hope you’ll enjoy reading my postings throughout the summer as I report on progress.

It will take at least six days to complete this ride. Because I ride very slowly? Well maybe, but besides that, the condition of these roads can be quite bad, and then there is an average of about 1 turn per mile, with frequent stops to check the maps. A hundred miles a day is a pretty good pace for this type of ride, but only half of that will be forward progress as I have to return to the truck each evening to load up and head home, since I'll only be riding a day at a time scattered throughout the summer and fall.

In case you’re wondering, 100% of all contributions given to the Pure Water Ride will go to charity. All costs of the trip itself are paid with my own money.

The D.R. Mission of EBC

In June of 2007 a small group of members from Evangelical Baptist Church felt called of God to go on
an exploratory trip to the Dominican Republic. Their purpose was to find out if a small New England
church could successfully partner with a Dominican church and impact the Kingdom of God in ways
that they could not alone. The trip was a success and a partnership has been formed between Evangelical
Baptist Church (EBC) in Sharon, Massachusetts and the Haitian Missionary Baptist Church in San Pedro de Macoris.

Our vision is simple. We believe that God has called EBC to the Haitians of the Dominican Republic
to show the love of Jesus and to act as His ambassadors. Primarily, we do this by distributing
food in the bateyes* and poor barrio's, and partnering with the established and planned ministries of the local church in San Pedro.

Here's a report on the D.R. Mission Trip of 2008 by Andre, a member of the EBC Missions Committee-

As part of both the Missions Committee and the Dominican Republic Mission team, I am speaking on behalf of both. The D.R. Mission is an independent ministry but the Missions Committee helps support the ministry by being their accountability partner. The Missions Committee has given three months of the designated giving to the D.R. Mission the past years, and plan on doing so this year as well.

The D.R. Mission is our ongoing partnership with a local church in San Pedro De Macoris. This year’s trip is intended to re-establish ties with this church and continue the ministries started last year.
Last year seven adults traveled to the D.R. and helped distribute 2,500 pounds of rice, 1,100 pounds of beans, 900 peanut butter sandwiches, 505 pounds of corn meal, 432 bottles of cooking oil, and 600 articles of clothing.
We purchased 3 sewing machines and a shearing machine along with tables. This was donated to three women to start their own business. They have been saving a portion of the money they make monthly, and once there, the D.R. team will re-use the money to help others start home-based businesses.

We provided power tools to a carpenter, several boxes of clothing, and school supplies including approximately 100 notebooks.

This year’s team traveling to the D.R. includes seven people. When the team arrives, they will provide food, basic supplies, and the hope found in Jesus as they minister in His name. They want to help start more business opportunities, including possibly more sewing machines and work permits.

Because the D.R. Mission is separate from the Missions Committee, they do not receive monthly mission money. The Missions Committee does help the D.R. Mission when possible, but each member who wants to travel to the D.R. must raise the money themselves. This year each member must raise a minimum of $1200. This is to cover airfare and the supplies needed for the weeklong ministry. Every extra dollar counts. The money is raised by asking family and friends for support.

It is through your prayers and donations that it is possible for the D.R. Missions team to travel to the Dominican Republic to distribute food, clothing, school supplies, and build lasting relationships with national Christians.
I ask that you would consider partnering with us in praying for the team who will be serving in Christ. Pray for them: that they would be effective in their ministry and safe during their travels.

If God puts it in your heart to do so, I would also ask that you would consider supporting the D.R. Missions team financially. If you would like to support this way, please make your gift by check payable to Evangelical Baptist Church with the name of the team member or D.R. Missions in the memo line.

Another form of financial support is located in the entry way. There is a tin can setup where you can provide a family in the D.R. with some basic needs; deodorant, toothpaste, and toothbrushes for just $2.52. Pat, Patty, or Reta can purchase these at their workplace.

We thank you for your support.

Living Conditions in the Bateys

From a US State Department report (www.state.gov/g/drl/hrrpt/2006/78889.htm):

The IOM (International Organization for Immigration) estimated that approximately 650,000 Haitian immigrants-- or 7.5 percent of the country's population--lived in shantytowns or sugarcane work camps known as bateyes, harsh environments with limited or no electricity, usually no running water, and no adequate schooling. Many of these settlements were associated with sugar mills that had been abandoned. Although some Haitians were brought to the country specifically to work in sugarcane fields, many had no documentation. Human rights NGOs, the Catholic Church, and activists described Haitian living conditions in bateyes as modern-day slavery. In many bateyes, as in many poor areas in other parts of the country, medical assistance either was rudimentary or not readily available. Housing in the bateyes was poor; many individuals slept in barracks on iron beds without mattresses or on dirt floors. Many families of five or more shared living quarters that measured as little as nine by 10 feet. Bathroom facilities, where available, were generally unhygienic, and cooking facilities were usually improvised. The availability of fresh food, including fruits and vegetables, was severely limited. Clean water was rarely available. Many batey residents, lacking documentation, felt they had little choice but to remain in their communities, where they felt relatively safe from the risks of deportation and harassment that existed elsewhere in the country.

More information is available from the National Coalition for Haitian Rights, http://www.nchr.org/rmp/archive/executiv.htm. And from a US State Department report, www.state.gov/g/drl/hrrpt/2006/78889.htm: