Orphanage Bathroom Remodel Complete

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Fourteen years ago, this month, I met a group of 28 kids in a one-room building that was used for sleeping, eating, and school. This was the beginning of what would become All God’s Children Orphanage, outside of Mirebalais, Haiti.

Many generous people and churches helped build the structure that is now home to more than 160 children. Over the past 12 years, understandably, the orphanage bathrooms have experienced heavy use and have been in need of a major remodel. Nearly every day, as I use my own sink and shower or flush my toilet, I think of what might be happening at the orphanage. I often think of the young girls trying to manage their teenage years with a very difficult bathroom situation.

I wrote about this bathroom remodel dream two years ago here and now we’re excited to say that the orphanage bathroom remodel is finished! All thanks to God! He brought together generous donors, hard-working Haitian construction talent, and an exceptional group of team-members who traveled with me a few weeks ago (early March) to complete the work.

When the electricity service is up and running, it only supplies electricity for 6-10 hours a day. The existing water supply only provides water when the electricity is on. This means no sinks, no showers, and no flushing toilets – during the many hours (and sometimes many days) without electricity.

Therefore, we designed and built a large elevated tower to hold water tanks. These tanks then supply water pressure by gravity – even when there is no electricity. Now that the project is complete, the kids have sinks and showers and toilets that flush, 24 hours a day. We designed the boys bathroom to have 2 urinals and 1 toilet that run from the gravity pressure and the girls have 2 toilets that run from the gravity pressure.

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Additionally, we installed two solar panels and two batteries that are dedicated to pumping water up to the tanks on the tower. And we installed two large pressure tanks and one pressure pump that supplies 50 psi of water pressure to two industrial stainless steel toilets in the bathrooms (one in the boys and one in the girls). These toilets are designed for outdoor parks, prisons, and jails. Our hope is that they will last as long as possible and not clog. Time will tell if they are orphanage-proof?! Please join me in praying that they keep working!

It was a major undertaking, but all of the tile was removed and replaced by hard-working Haitian tradesmen. Our work-team demolished concrete walls to install new water supply lines for showers, sinks, and toilets. We installed 1” 50 psi pressure water line from the new pump room (under the new water tower) to the orphanage. We resigned the water supply and storage to maximum pressure and give them the best opportunity to have water 24 hours per day. We built small changing rooms in the girls bathroom. We installed new sink and shower fixtures throughout and installed soap trays, soap dispensers, hooks for clothes and towels, feminine hygiene disposal boxes, toilet paper holders, shower curtains and bars, and trash cans.

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We pray that the bathrooms will continue to work and be a blessing to Christ and His Kingdom and His awesome kids at All God’s Children Orphanage.

Special thanks to Brad, Dennis, Mike, Dakota, and Zach for your outstanding work and sacrifice to join me on the trip and serve above and beyond to get the water working.

There is more work to do. The system we designed is working great – the only issue is supply. The current water well is good. But it only pumps water when the city power is working. The next step is to connect the existing water well to solar power, and also drill a 2nd water well (connected to solar). The city water line is very unreliable. Please contact me if you are interested in this project. Thanks for all of your prayers and financial partners to help complete this vital project.

Maslore is an awesome 16 year old girl at GVCM. She has the best smile and gives the best hugs! I first met her in 2006 on my first trip to the orphanage. Here is a photo of her then, and here is a photo of us from 2 weeks ago. Maslore is a reminder of what this last 2-year project has been all about. Click here to hear Maslore and her friends singing for us after dinner.

Click here for a brief video slideshow to see more photos of the bathroom remodel.

May God continue to bless Maslore and all the kids at GVCM! And please join me in praying for their protection from Covid-19. They all live so close together and medical options are very limited. “God, please have mercy on these awesome kids and the entire country of Haiti!”