Home from Haiti, with a great need

I recently had the opportunity to interview a person who is attempting to make a difference. She is Shirley L. Longchamps, a product of the Village.

Mrs. Longchamps is a native of Roanoke. She is a graduate of Lucy Addison High School and Medical College of Virginia as a registered nurse. She moved to New York where she met her husband, who is a native of Haiti.

Her mother became ill so she moved back to Roanoke and in 1998, she was ordained an elder at Spirit of Life Church International.

1998 was the year of a great hurricane in Haiti, so Elder Longchamps and her husband left their comfortable life and successful business in the United States and moved to Haiti in order to assist the poor. As a result, El Shaddai Ministries was born.

El Shaddai Ministries d not only provides food to the poor but also training and skills that will change their status in life. The ministry helps aids victims, single parent mothers, and children who have been deserted by their parents. The ministry provides health care to children who have been declared deaf, by providing an assessment of their hearing and making sure that they get hearing aids if needed.

The ministry also provides spiritual teaching for those who are caught up in the practice of voodoo by sharing the love of Jesus Christ. El Shaddai Ministries has established six churches. A seventh was destroyed by a hurricane. The ministry stretches from Petion-ville to Orianni.

El Shaddai Ministries operates a mission house to house those who wish to come to Haiti and serve for short or long periods of times as missionaries, especially in the fields of ministry and health care.

El Shaddai Ministries has been largely funded by Mr. and Mrs. Longchamps. The need has increased and now they need help to continue this great work. Elder Shirley has been in Roanoke taking care of her sick sister and also soliciting funds for this ministry. A few churches and organizations have provided funds -- but more is needed.

You may contact El Shaddai Ministries at #47 Rue Panamercaine Petion-ville Port-au-prince, Haiti. W.I. The telephne number is 011-509-551-1624. The fax number is 011-509-256-7268 or you may email her at PastorShirley@hotmail.com for more information.

In this season of giving, I can think of no better project than to aid the poor. No gift is too large nor too small. Jesus said "that which you have done unto the least of these my little ones, you have done it unto me."