Bonzeb, Inc

Good morning.

It has been a while since I was last able to sit at my computer and compose a message to you. I had knee surgery on my 71st birthday. Not a recommended way to celebrate. But it is not unexpected to have issues as we age. I know that I have my share of issues and incidents over the time God has blessed me with here on earth.

My mission and ministry has not changed. Many of the ministers I worked with over the years have called me the great enabler. What does that mean? I think it means that even though I don't think I have or ever had a great talent, I have been able to see the latent talent is others and been able to help them see it as well and to use it to help others. I can't sing, but I have worked with thousands of musicians. I can't do a lot of things, but I have been able to find just the right person to fill the need and allow the ministry to grow.

Today our farm manager attended the funeral of our first team leader from Boucantiste. He was with us in the very beginning in 2014. He over saw his team in the clearing, prepping, and planting of the first fields of elephant grass. We pray for him and his family today, as we pray for all our workers each day.

We have been though a lot of ups and downs over the past eleven plus years. The roller coaster of activity on and off the farms has been constant. But also the support and hard work of our team. We have survived fires, floods, hurricanes, droughts, gang violence, political unrest and more. Yet we are still standing. Actually, not so much standing as moving forward. Step by step we are working to improve the lives of those we serve.

With proper funding we will be able to continue with our grass to charcoal efforts, as well as our new sugar cane operation. These go hand in hand with our farmer's assistance and new crop development.

With each task we get closer to our goal and an self sufficient operation, but we need your help to make this happen. We need to finish the purchasing of a sugarcane motor to extract the cane juice for market. We need a crusher, mixer and briquetter to be able to supply the charcoal briquettes needed to go to market. Once these items are in place the whole operation will become self sufficient and also scalable to other organizations.

I can't make this happen without the help of others. Without your help.

Our goal is to raise $20,000 to put these pieces of the puzzle in place and fulfill the dream that Prud'homme signed up for all those years ago. He saw the vision and came on board with all his energy to make a difference in the lives of not only his family but the lives of his neighbors as well.

Thank you for your past support for BonZeb. We look forward to your continued support and if you haven't been able to support us in the past maybe today you can.

Our trust is in Lord the maker of heaven and earth.

Thank you.

As you know we are trying to support the efforts of BonZeb and its mission to create living wage jobs, help the environment, reforest, and educate the people in the areas of Thomonde, Bernaco, Boucantiste and Leveque in Haiti.

Economy, Education, Environment, Empowerment, Enablement are the 5 E's of our work. A work that you can share with us through your prayers and financial support. "Amen, amen, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in my name he will give you.” Jn 16:23

With the recent rains that have blessed our fields the team is busy transporting and planting sugar cane stalks. The goal is to plant an additional hectare (2.5 acres) while the soil is moist. This is tough work on our rocky soil and steep hillsides, but the team has been at this for over 10 years. The crops have been successful and the food crops are feeding the workers and their families.

These two images show the cutting of tapioca, which is used as a thickener in soups and stews, gluten-free and grain-free flour for baking. It can also provide nutrients that help reduce cholesterol and blood sugar levels.

These are just two of the food crops that are being grown on our BonZeb farms. We also have our tree nursery and our elephant grass fields.

Even though we have been pursuing these goals for over a decade the pursuit is limited not by the need but by the financial support needed to make things happen. There is more equipment that is needed to accomplish are goals. Equipment that we have shared with you on other occasions (mule train, oxen and plows, water pumps, sugar cane harvester, mixer, crushers, briquetters, etc.). These items will cost approximately $20,000. In conversation with our farm manager yesterday he told me that the sugar cane harvester could result in a resource that could cover our month payroll. Wouldn't that be great. The payroll is $2,000/mo.

This is why each week we write to share with you our progress and the challenges of pursuing our mission.

Please consider prayerfully your potential in becoming a supporting member of our team. Any gift, no matter how small or large it is helps us moving forward.

Thank you.

Good afternoon.

You often hear us talk about the road to our farm in Boucantiste, Haiti. This is a picture of just one of the areas where it is easier to walk up the hill than to try and drive with everyone in the vehicle.

With high temperatures and no shade, it is a difficult climb, especially for me. As you can see, the Haitian team members made this climb quicker than us.

They are accustomed to these 'little' hurdles.

Each week we seem to jump from one of our programs to another, but the truth is each of these programs is inter-related.

When we first started to offer scholarships, it was, and is, an important step in moving young people out of poverty and into a better life for themselves and their families.

Fondation Vincent in Cap Haitien

The second started when we moved to try and stem the tide of deforestation and offer an alternative to tree charcoal.

Elephant Grass

Then came the need to put more calories into our workers and their families and our neighbors. That is how the food crop program began. Today we grow corn, peanuts, pistachios, sweet potatoes, tapioca, congo beans, and sugar cane.

Corn planting

Congo Bean Farm

Sugar Cane Planting

Tapioca Plants

With these crops, there grew a need for more irrigation, which called for a water pump and maintenance.

Water Pump

This has helped many of our local farmers as well. Another addition was an oxen team to help the farms plant their seeds deeper in the soil where there is more moisture and leads to better crop yields.

Marcel and Christophe

With all these developments, we needed a way to transport grass, cane, and other crops to and from our land in Boucantiste up and down the hill to Bernaco, where vehicles can still get to on the road. This has led to our ongoing appeal for a mule team.

Mules on their way to the sugar cane field.

To add to this list, as we have told you before, we have now started a tree nursery with the goal of planting 1,000 trees in the next year. We hope that number will grow to 4,000 in the next two years.

Cacia Tree start

All of these take capital. Each month we need over $5,000 to operate. That is where you come in. Your generous donations over the past 11 years have helped us to grow and allowed us to offer scholarships, employment, farming assistance, water, and plan for a future where there is shade on hot and humid days.

We hope and pray that you will continue your support and if you have not yet given a donation, that you might add BonZeb to your list of charitable giving options.

And as they say in Haiti, thank you in advance for what you will do. Mèsi levans pou sa ou pral fè.

The community of believers was of one heart and mind,

and no one claimed that any of his possessions was his own,

but they had everything in common.

With great power the Apostles bore witness

to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus,

and great favor was accorded them all.

There was no needy person among them,

for those who owned property or houses would sell them,

bring the proceeds of the sale,

and put them at the feet of the Apostles,

and they were distributed to each according to need.

Act 4:32-35

Good afternoon.

In conversations with our farm manager last week, we talked about the sugar cane plantation. With the recent rains, the cane has been growing nicely and he is ready to prepare for its first harvest.

He reported, "To start our sugar cane plantation this season, we need three pickup loads of boutres. That costs $200 USD, but we do not know the transportation cost yet because gasoline and diesel prices are increasing nowadays. Last season, it was $50 per pickup. Normally, we have good conditions for transportation, now because the rain has stopped for more than a week. Otherwise, it will be costly and more difficult. Then, we are looking for the transportation and price in order to act the soonest possible.

We are also looking for the motor to transform our sugar cane!"

The motor is used to strip the cane and squeeze the juice, which is then packaged and sold. The juice not only gives you a shot of instant energy, but can also enhance liver function, help your body fight cancer, ease the digestive system, maintain kidney health, aid in the development of bones and teeth, and it keeps bad breath and tooth decay at bay. This piece of equipment will cost approximately $500 USD.

Fanfan is currently trying to find one available for sale in Haiti. If he is unsuccessful, we will need to ship it from the US at an additional cost.

Your help with this effort would be greatly appreciated.

In addition, today is National Agriculture Day in Haiti. This a day to honor all those involved in agriculture, those who feed the nation and those who protect the land. We are honored to be considered in that number. Never having been a farmer or an engineer, God has blessed us with those who are. Those who have helped take a concept, a dream, and make it a reality. Like most of my ministerial life, God has given me people who bless me with their talents and gifts, and through them God has blessed multitudes. As the saying goes, "God does not call the qualifies, He qualifies the called."

I am thankful to have been called.

Your help with this effort would be greatly appreciated.

Good morning on this Good Friday.

As we bring our Lenten Season to it triumphant finish this weekend we celebrate the Triduum in the Church. Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday and finally Easter Sunday. Each year we celebrate these events and try to place ourselves in the moment. How would be have behaved at the Last Supper. Are we the one that turns away from Christ?, are we the one that will deny Him when questioned?, are we the one that draws a sword to defend him?, are we the one that flees from the garden?, are we the ones that go into hiding for fear of what others might say or do?

On Good Friday are we the one standing at the foot of the cross with Mary? Are we the one that help takes up His cross? Are we the one weeping on the way of the cross? Are we the one mocking Him?

How we prepare ourselves for the Triduum is a reflection of how we are preparing ourselves for His second coming.

Are we stumbling our way toward heaven or have we abandoned the path.

Are we focused on the all the things we want from life or on all the things we can give in our lifetime.

We know that during this time in Haiti, even with all the turmoil and violence, the people will find the time to take advantage of the Triduum celebration. They know that salvation is not found in the easter eggs, easter dress or easter bonnet. It is not found in the feast. It is found in the empty tomb and in those with whom we gather with to pray and say thank you to God for all His blessings.

Outsiders might look on the celebration and wonder what do people with nothing have to celebrate. They and all of us have many things to celebrate. Life, Love, Family, Friends, Faith, Fellowship, Forgiveness and much more. We just need to turn our eyes back to the path and continue to stumble heavenward.

Happy Easter.

As always, your generosity is greatly appreciated.

Thank you.

Tom

https://www.bonzeb.ngo

Remember to pray for Haiti in your daily prayer time.

The picture above is of the land the land BonZeb is farming outside Thomonde, Haiti. It lies between Bernaco and Boucantiste. Only a small percentage (10%-20%) of the land is being farmed at this time.

This farm is just the first of many endeavors that BonZeb seeks to accomplish. The map here highlights in blue all the places that BonZeb is working with other NGOs and Schools to bring economic and educational opportunities to Haiti.

As you know we are still trying to raise the scholarship funds for 2025. We need an additional $1,000 for this portion of our ministry.

Our staff, workers and local farmers are staying busy with the work of growing food crops and feedstock for conversion to biomass.

Our partners in education and ministry are also very busy with their students and families.

Lent has begun and with it the challenge of seeking the wisdom that Our Lord has given us. Even if we did not recognize it as such. He is constantly trying to show us the way, the truth and the light. Yet for many of us we continue stumble in the darkness. I know that I have stumbled many times in my journey of faith. But as we walk the stations of cross with Jesus each Friday of Lent we are witness to His stumbles and falls. He, however, did not stay down. He got up and continued toward His death on the cross. We can feel sorry for ourselves when we stumble or we can refocus our gaze on what really matters, following Jesus. Yesterday we were reminded of this in the daily readings. ""If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it."

It is befitting that tomorrow night we will reset our clocks, to gain a hour more daylight in the evening. Less cause for stumbling in the darkness. More opportunity to see clearly and walk in the way.

I hope that you have a rejuvenating Lenten season and find more ways to share yourself with other.

Please join with us in praying for the people of Haiti and its leadership throughout the Lenten season.

Thank you.

Yesterday, January 31st, was the Feast Day for St. John Bosco. This is significant in my life because, at the age of three, I was introduced to the Salesian order. This was through the actions of my oldest brother deciding to join the order and enter the seminary.

My next three brothers followed suit. I chose St. John Bosco High School and the field of youth ministry. Some of Don Bosco’s teachings on education are:

“Without confidence and love, there can be no true education.”

“Always try to enlighten the mind while ennobling the heart.”

“False teachings sink in easily, but it takes skill, knowledge, and time to refute objections.”

“The best way to make a saint is to let him work.”

He also taught how one should compose themselves: “Act today in such a way that you need not blush tomorrow.”

“Do not put off till tomorrow the good you can do today. You may not have a tomorrow.”

“Servite Domino in laetitia!” (Serve the Lord joyfully!)

These and many more teachings are why I became a youth minister, and these tenets have steered me in one ministry after another, always seeking to follow His calling for my life.

That is how I ended up going to Haiti 17 years ago and why I continue to share love and ennoble hearts. I joyfully serve the Lord and seek His way.

It is not easy, but it is full of blessings.

Our needs are many, and your financial support is key to our ability to continue to meet as many of these needs as possible.

Education, employment, environment, and ecology all require some enablement and ennoblement.

You can choose where, when, and how you respond to the Call, but please do respond when you hear Him Calling.

“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable,

whatever is just, whatever is pure,

whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious,

if there is any excellence

and if there is anything worthy of praise,

think about these things.” Philippians 4:8