Two years ago, Lespwa Lavi determined that purchasing a bus needed to be a top priority. Our staff in Haiti needed a vehicle to transport the soccer teams to tournaments, pick up food for the nutrition program, and do community outreach for the church. Renting a vehicle for these purposes could cost as much as $300 per day. Haiti does not manufacture any vehicles, so typically any quality, reliable bus would be imported from the USA. We raised money and set a budget of $8,000, to purchase an old used bus in the US, but it would cost a few thousand more to ship it. Unfortunately, with all of the political unrest and gangs controlling most ports, importing a bus would be extremely risky, so we waited. But, every cloud has a silver lining. Since no tourists or mission teams were traveling to Haiti, a bus driver in Gressier decided to sell some of his buses. He is a friend of Lespwa Lavi’s board president, Lee, and called him, offering to hold a bus for us. The price? $8,000.

There is only one way to make the 4 hour drive to Gressier.

There was just one problem. The bus was 4 hours away in Gressier. There’s only one road that goes all the way – the main Highway 1 – and it is occupied by gangs in multiple locations. We bought the bus, and Ehli promised to deliver it when it was safe to drive on the road. We had no idea when that would be.

On the map above, there are four areas marked in orange, marking four areas we knew to be blocked by armed gangs. First, the city of Saint Marc, 45 minutes from Verrettes, is now home to one of Haiti’s most infamous gang leaders, who relocated there after rival gangs forced him out of Port-au-Prince. Second is Titanyen, about 2 hours from Verrettes, where the 400 Mawozo gang kidnapped 16 Americans in September. The 3rd dot is Cite Soleil “City of the Sun”, a notorious slum known for its incredibly high rate of crime, especially sexual assault. The last orange dot is the suburb of Martissant, currently the headquarters of the country’s most powerful gang, G9. The road to Gressier passes directly through Martissant’s most dangerous neighborhood, and has been considered impassable since July.

We didn’t plan to get the bus anytime soon.

On December 2nd, our director of operations, Duvelsaint, was awakened early by a sense of urgency. He told us he knew the Lord was speaking to him, and it was time to go get the bus. Duvelsaint, known as a cautious, practical man, did not question or hesitate. He brought three other men, so they could travel in pairs, and set out on the highway. They passed through Saint Marc early, while most of the country still slept. By the time they reached Titanyen, on a normal day the markets would have been packed with merchants and shoppers, but the streets were silent and empty. As they neared Port-au-Prince, they began to see more action. Men with machetes and sometimes machine guns walked the streets. They skirted the edge of Cite Soleil without incident, but no one had passed through Martissant unless the gangs declared a “truce day”. In fact, the police abandoned their headquarters in Martissant almost a year ago, and no longer dare to venture there. Over 19,000 innocent people have been displaced from the suburb due to the violence and fear. Yet, the men kept driving. They dodged burned tires and broken glass. They passed young armed men who looked at them listlessly. No one stopped them.

They arrived in Gressier and surprised faithful Ehli, who had the bus ready with a sparkling new paint job. They signed all the appropriate paperwork, picked up some diesel fuel for the homeward journey, and headed back on the road, this time in a much more conspicuous vehicle.

Somehow, inexplicably, the journey back with also totally without incident. All four men plus one bus are safely back in Verrettes! In the last week, the bus has already been put to good use, and we can see the pride and joy on the Magic Soccer players’ faces as they prepare for games with their very own transportation.

Why did God say “Go now” to Duvelsaint? We don’t really know. Why did he say “Go now” to Abraham when he packed up and left his home for the promised land? Maybe there’s a good explanation. Maybe it was all about faith. Whatever the reason, that day was the day, and He showed us again, loud and clear, that He is faithful.

We just want to be where God is, do what He is doing, and be ready when He calls. If God has laid Haiti on your heart, it’s for a reason. There’s a new thing coming.

See, I am doing a new thing!
Now it springs up; do you not
perceive it?
I am making a way in the desert
and streams in the wasteland.
- Isaiah 43:19

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The Bus Story