Smyrna church helping to make a difference in Haiti

It was well over a year ago now that the country of Haiti was devastated by a major earthquake. Lives were lost by the thousands and the damage there was severe, leaving many homeless and hopeless in a country where hope was already in short supply. Smyrna Presbyterian Senior Pastor George "Gef" Ganey and members of his church were recently in Haiti to help work at an orphanage that is serving as a catalyst to restore lost hope to the ravaged nation. While there is still much work to be done, Ganey said he has seen and heard of ways that God is taking care of the children and adults there.

Ganey has served as pastor of the Smyrna church, located at 3130 Atlanta Road, for the past 14 years, and currently serves on the board of an organization called Reformation Hope. Affiliated with the Presbyterian Church of America (PCA), the Reformation Hope Orphanage is committed to bring about positive changes to the people of Haiti. Since his involvement began, Ganey’s love for the people there has grown immensely, and they for him.

Reformation Hope was started by Haitian native, Jean Paul. Adopted by an American missionary at a young age, Paul was able to build for himself a very successful life in the United States as an electrical engineer. Ganey said that Paul even operated a business for a time in Smyrna. Despite his success here, Paul felt a strong call from God eight years ago to go back to Haiti. 

“Nobody from Haiti that gets to America ever wants to go back,” Ganey said. “Why would you want to go back to that poverty?”

Upon getting off the plane, however, Paul quickly found out why God wanted him there. He was met by a woman that begged him to take her seven children, inspiring him to start an orphanage. Reformation Hope Orphanage and Soles Winning Ministries Presbyterian Church were promptly built in the town of La Plaine, just outside the capitol of Port-Au-Prince, with the help of the PCA.

The mission of Reformation Hope, according to their website, is to bring Christ-centered transformation, opportunity and hope to disadvantaged people all over the world. They make this difference through the application of Christian principals, material assistance, orphanages and education for children, healthcare, food resources, water supplies and micro-enterprise development.

Much more than just an orphanage and church now, the compound there has evolved to include a school, college that teaches business and agriculture, and restaurant where some of the church members work to earn money.

“They are into survival,” Ganey said. “We are teaching them to earn.”

The orphanage itself now houses 63 children. Seven more were brought in after losing their parents in the devastating earthquake. Some of the compound was left damaged after the quake, but was quickly rebuilt thanks to generous donations. According to Ganey, it was among the first areas in Haiti to be rebuilt. Even through the catastrophe that the earthquake certainly was, Ganey explained that those at the compound had miraculous stories to tell because of it.

On the day of the earthquake, Jan. 12, 2010, five of the youngest orphans had gone into a concrete block building on the compound that is used for school and dining. They arrived early, before being called in for dinner. About 15 staff members were there at the time as well. The roof of the building was the bottom floor for what was going to eventually be the second story; meaning this “roof” above their heads was a thick slab of concrete.

Dinner was running late that day because the kitchen staff couldn’t get the burners on the stove to work. After realizing that other plans were going to have to be made for food that night, the kids and the staff left the building right before the earthquake hit. The entire structure came crashing down in the ensuing chaos.

“If supper had been on time, 56 orphans and 15 staff members would have been crushed,” Ganey said.

Not only that, but the orphanage house was the only building of its kind left standing in the area, and Paul’s home was the only one untouched in his neighborhood.

Members of First Presbyterian Church were at Reformation Hope Orphanage recently to help hold a Bible school, as well begin a sports ministry for the children. Other teams had been there earlier to help rebuild the orphanage, but Ganey said that no teams before his had gone specifically for the children there.

“They [Reformation Hope Orphanage staff] wanted people to come down and spend time with them.”

Ganey’s particular interest on the board is orphan care. He has formed such a bond with the children there that they now have a nickname for him - “big daddy.”  His large frame may appear opposing to some but to the orphans it is a welcome site. He made a special trip to Haiti after members of his church just to be there for the children. Even if he simply hands out candy to them, Ganey said the little things make a huge difference to the orphans there.

Unfortunately, Ganey said the rest of Haiti seems to be having trouble rebuilding and improving quality of life. He blames a corrupt Haitian government that hordes and sells donated goods when film crews aren’t there with their cameras rolling.

“A lot of the money, food and supplies that have been sent there from all over the world has ended up in warehouses or being sold and not distributed like it is supposed to be.”

Ganey is happy that he and his congregation can be there in person making an impact and seeing positive things get done. Not only has the Reformation Hope Orphanage and compound affected lives within it, it is also beginning to affect the surrounding areas, as crime rates in the immediate vicinity have gone down. Hope, it seems, is at least beginning to be restored.

“The Lord has taken that tragic situation and He has done some beautiful things through it,” he said.