Third annual Ride for Haiti abounding with hope, cyclists — but entrants still welcome

• By RJ Walters, Editor •

Cyclists for the Ride for Haiti 2011 are gearing up for another adventure that will cover just over 400 miles in six days.

But it’s not going to just be a third go-round of the annual ride to raise money for United Methodist mission in Haiti, it’s going to bigger and better than ever before.

This year’s ride, set for June 6-11, is prepared to accommodate as many as 50 long-distance cyclists on a ride that will begin in Coloma, Mich. and end at the Mackinac Bridge.

“Last year was a good year, but we had requests from avid cyclists who wanted to be on the team. Because we were staying in host family homes along the way we had to keep it team-sized,” said ride coordinator the Rev. Rob Nystrom in a press release. “But 2011 is going to be different. We’re planning on camping along the way and that will allow us to register up to 50 cyclists.”

Riders can still sign up for the voyage at www.haitiride.org. Registration is $100 until May 15 ($120 after) and participants must secure a minimum of $400 in sponsorship donations to go toward the goal of raising $20,000 this year.

The registration pays for support and gear, transportation of bags, breakfast and dinner throughout the trip, and a special Ride for Haiti 2011 cycling jersey (with $500 in pledges) and T-shirt.

This year’s ride will be modeled after the NUMB (Nebraska United Methodist Bike) Ride For Hunger, thanks to inspiration from Roger Cox, who recently relocated to Michigan from Nebraska. He is an active member of the Church of the Dunes UMC in Grand Haven.

The NUMB Ride For Hunger has raised more than $463,000 for world hunger projects since 1996 and it had a record 144 participants in 2010.

“Roger has been a Godsend. He knows what it takes and how to organize a major cycling event,” said Nystrom, the pastor of Birchwood UMC in Battle Creek.

Nystrom said he and Cox plan on utilizing the “Methodist connectional system” for riders along the way and they have received a great response from churches they will pass by on their journey.

The 2010 Ride for Haiti raised nearly $18,000 in support of Michigan Area Volunteers in Mission (VIM) work in Haiti and Nystrom’s inaugural solo effort in 2009 netted $12,500 to purchase bio-sand water filter systems for United Methodist schools in Haiti.

The money raised from this year’s ride will go to The Methodist Children’s Orphanage in Port-au-Prince and Haitian Artisans for Peace International (HAPI).

“This year we decided to honor the incredible work that the late Rev. Paul Doherty gave so much of himself in,” Nystrom said. “Paul (who passed away July 26, 2010) designated his memorial fund for The Methodist Children’s Orphanage, and we have a special bond with that project.”

HAPI is a project West Michigan Conference staff member Valerie Mossman-Celestin helped found.

People can follow the rider’s trek at www.haitiride.org. They can also donate by sending a check to the West Michigan Conference Treasurer and write “RFH” on the memo line. For additional details contact Roger Cox at rgcox2@gmail.com.

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The Lighthouse Overlook: Haitian Artisans for Peace International

By RJ Walters, Editor

What is it?
HAPI stands for Haitian Artisans for Peace International. It is an initiative of The Advance that was co-founded in 2007 by West Michigan Conference Council on Ministries Staff Office Manager Valerie Mossman-Celestin and Paul Prevost, a former mayor of Mizak, Haiti. It is a United Methodist Women-supported project that was founded as a fair trade artisan co-op focused on women’s economic development and empowerment.
The goal is to help skilled Haitian workers earn just and fair wages to help stimulate economic growth.
HAPI’s work extends into the community through community-based health care and programs for youth and its four major areas of focus are: economic opportunity, children, health, healing and wholeness, and building capacity.

How did it start?
Prevost introduced Mossman-Celestin to an artisan cooperative on her visit to Haiti.
Mossman-Celestin said it was not a sustainable business model, but the women earned a paycheck and had the dignity of their work.
“The effects were transformational; children were in school. Women were respected at home and in the community,” she said. “They didn’t have to travel long distances on risky and costly public transportation to sell products in dangerous urban areas. The women were happy.”
Prevost and Mossman-Celestin have helped people in Mizak make partnerships with local churches, local civic bodies, media outlets and even North American organizations.

What type of progress has been made?
Mossman-Celestin wrote the following about one Haitian woman’s experience in the August edition of the UMW publication Response:
Artisan Leonne Ridore’s husband once held traditional views of a woman’s role. He did not see the value of a woman going off to work, and instead believed Ms. Ridore should stay home. But he changed his mind when he slipped in a muddy field and severed his wrist on his machete. Ms. Ridore had just received her first paycheck from HAPI, which enabled them to pay for the transportation to rush him to the hospital.
“If I had not gotten there as soon as I did, I would have bled to death,” Mr. Ridore said, as he exposed the scar on his wrist. “Now I am happy HAPI is in the community.”
Some of the anticipated long-term outcomes of HAPI are more households living above $2 per day, the empowerment of women and girls, a reduction of emigration to other areas of the country and improved health and mortality numbers.

What churches/people can do to help?
There are plenty of ways to get involved.
As with any project, funding is essential. People can donate through The Advance by donating to special project #3020490. Tax-deductible donations can also be made at www.haitianartisans.com, where individuals or groups can choose specifically where their money goes.
HAPI is also looking for people interested in serving as long-term volunteers in the areas of business, creativity, medical, agricultural, photography and more.
Prevost can be reached at Hapiest2007@yahoo.fr and Mossman-Celestin can be contacted at valeriem@wmcumc.org.

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