Ohio Haiti Benefit Auction brings hope to the hurting

On a sweltering summer day, a young boy stands on the roof of his crumbling home in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, gazing out over the city. What was once a place of vibrant colors and spirited music now echoed with silence and tension. The streets below are filled with debris, and the air carries the scent of burning trash and desperation. In the distance the boy hears the crack of gunfire.

It's another day facing the same fears, as war between gangs has taken over many neighborhoods.

Life in Haiti had never been easy, but in recent years, it has grown increasingly difficult. After the earthquake in 2010 and another in 2021, many families continue living in makeshift homes, waiting for help. Corrupted government has stolen potential aid money. Even when help arrives, people wait in long lines for food that often runs out. Clean water is a luxury. Electricity is sporadic, if available at all.

For many families in Haiti, days are filled with hunger, fear and a growing sense of helplessness.

Fortunately, many miles away the good people of Ohio Haiti Benefit Auction are gearing up for the annual auction that will bring with it food, educational material, clean water, aid and hope.

The struggles in Haiti are not just political or economic; they are personal. They live in the choices people make each day: whether to risk the road, whether to speak up, whether to hope. In the darkness and despair, the good people of Haiti pray for miracles, but in a world of living day to day, they pray for the hope for a better tomorrow.

While dangers lurk every day in Haiti, there are those there who still dare to dream, and those dreams are closely connected to the work being done through the Ohio Haiti Benefit Auction and many other functions and organizations committed to providing help and hope.

In an extremely important weekend, the 39th annual Ohio Haiti Benefit Auction will take place Aug. 29-30 at the Mt. Hope Event Center, where a flurry of activity, an enormous auction, a chance to meet with some of the mission workers serving the people of Haiti and more await.

“It's easy for us to take what we have for granted,” said Dennis Byler, committee member. “This is a chance for all of us to be part of giving to a nation of people in great need and to show the love of Christ.”

The Ohio Haiti Benefit Auction will kick off the evening on Friday, Aug. 29 with a huge meal starting at 4 p.m. featuring barbecue chicken, Mississippi catfish, seafood, dressing, noodles, Haitian rice and beans, pie, ice cream and more. The musical group Grateful Voices will perform from 7-8:30 p.m., followed by keynote speaker Eris Labody, a Haitian native who will provide insight into the plight of the Haitian people.

“As a native of Haiti, Eris will bring some real personal insights into the world there,” Byler said.

On Saturday, Aug. 30, the day will begin early with a huge breakfast buffet starting at 6 a.m. The auction in the event center will kick off at 8 a.m. with furniture hitting the auction block at 9:30 a.m. and the quilt auction beginning at 10 a.m. The tool auction will start at 8:30 a.m., and there will be a firewood auction starting at 10 a.m., followed by the outdoor items.

Every penny raised at the auction goes directly toward the many missions that are providing for the people of Haiti to invest in aiding their schools, empowering food programs, aiding orphanages, creating fresh well drilling operations and developing Christian literature.

For organizers and those who contribute financially, this event is about providing hope and support.

In addition, there will be many booths featuring most of the now 20 outreach ministries impacting the people of Haiti in various ways, where people can talk with the representatives of the organizations that continue to make an impact in Haiti.

“We hear a lot about whether it's worth the risk of going there as missionaries,” Byler said. “But the needs there are so great, and then I hear stories about how a mission baptized 38 people and brought them to Jesus. Every one of those people makes it worth it.”

Which is why this auction remains critical in providing aid, supplies, education and hope.

Highlighting the auction this year will be some high-end items, along with plenty of items most anyone can afford to purchase. Among the highlighted auction items will be storage barns, furniture, buggies and carts, firewood, a Gravely 52-inch stand-on mower, e-bikes, quilts of all shapes and sizes, poly lawn furniture and more.

The Haiti Benefit Auction is a cooperative effort of many churches and individuals to bring relief to the hungry, the sick, the naked and the homeless people of Haiti, with the ultimate goal of winning them to Christ.

“Looking at the missions, you can see God at work,” Byler said. “He has a greater plan than we can ever imagine.”

Don’t miss this opportunity to not only purchase some fantastic items, but also to support the people of Haiti and the missions who are making strides toward bringing relief, food, education, water and the Gospel of Christ to the masses.