When catching up with Greg today, his plans of an education and worship building have come to a halt. Greg was unable to travel to Haiti from 2021-2023 due to the political instability. Nahomie and the children have had to uproot their lives multiple times and sadly leave the original building behind. A gang in their original city of Titanyen tried to recruit the older boys in the orphanage, even offering them money to join. After that, Nahomie moved the children to the city of Arcahaie. Greg resumed his visits in the spring of 2023, and by that time Nahomie had been forced to move the children again, this time to the city of Cap Haitien, where they currently reside. Greg helped Nahomie and the children move into their current home in Cap Haitien. The building they moved into looked like a construction site when they first saw it, and Greg says, “It was not safe for children at all.” So over the next three days, he and the older boys cleaned the place up and laid tile on the floor. They bought mattresses at the market, and on their first night in their new home, Nahomie led the kids in a devotion on thankfulness. Greg is currently in the process of fundraising to do more renovations for this home. So what do an orphanage in Haiti and a bar in Brookport, Illinois, have in common? Two friends. Greg’s nonprofit that he created for the orphanage, Young Disciples of Christ, has several fundraisers every year, and they’re often at The Bridge Inn, a bar in Brookport. The Bridge Inn has been a staple in the Brookport community for 90 years, and Donnie Smith, the owner of The Bridge Inn, took it over from his parents before him. Greg and Donnie have been friends for over 30 years, and Greg describes Donnie as “a guy with a huge heart.” The Bridge Inn hosts fundraisers every year for Young Disciples of Christ, but the bar also hosts several other fundraisers throughout the year. In October the bar hosts a toy drive for children in the southern seven counties in Illinois to be used for Christmas assistance. In November, the bar hosts a fundraiser for Veteran’s Day where all the proceeds go to a program that supports Veterans. And Donnie always provides a free Thanksgiving and Christmas meal to the community for anyone who doesn’t have a place to go on those holidays. It’s easy to see that Donnie believes in supporting and uplifting his own community. He says, “The bar is just a building. It’s the people who come in that make a difference. To have a good neighbor, you have to be a good neighbor.” Greg and Donnie are living out what it means to be a good neighbor, both at home and far away. Source: https://concernusa.org/news/timeline-haiti-history/ If you would like to donate Young Disciples for Christ, you can mail a check or send money through Paypal. MAIL TO: YDFC P.O. Box 731 Brookport, Illinois 62910 PayPal account is YD4CHRIST years CELEBRATING So what do an orphanage in Haiti and a bar in Brookport, Illinois, have in common? Two friends. 42 DECEMBER 2024 | INTHEVUE.COM
