In Haiti, the sun is almost always blazing bright and hot. It is “too much of a good thing” for tender little vegetable plants to get a start against the intense sunlight. When we started our Agricultural Training Center (ATC), years ago, to teach and demonstrate sustainable gardening in Haiti, a wonderful group of guys from the Global Compassion Ministry came to teach us about using “shade houses,” the opposite of “greenhouses.” Joe Perkins and Ron Lusk from Global Compassion came and installed five shade houses for our agricultural programs. The shade houses have been invaluable ever since. Recently, we even converted a rabbit hutch structure to another large shade house.

Here you see the ATC staff transplanting tender young leeks, spinach, and peppers that were able to get a good start in the new shade house. These skilled gardeners take the young plants from the shade house and transplant them out into the large gardens to finish growing until maturity.

Without the protection of the shade houses, we could not grow so many different nutritious vegetables. We thank the guys from Global Compassion Ministry and also all the faithful donors and supporters who give each month to support our sustainability programs.

Our faithful, supporting donors are just like the mission statement of Global Compassion, taken from 2 Timothy 2:21 – “…be an instrument for noble purposes… useful to the Master and prepared to do good work.”

Rad Hazelip | Assistant Executive Director