A Year of Improvement

posted by eric on 27th, 2010

Lake County’s Chris Richardson Plans to Help Haiti Help Themselves

Written by Blair Townley; Photo by Anthony Ra0

His plan for the next year of his life may raise some eyebrows, have heads nodding in agreement or congratulations and wishes given to his goodwill efforts.

Yet Chris Richardson of Eustis believes his upcoming yearlong stay in Haiti to build an orphanage is something he was led to do by God for the past few years.

He even felt this calling while en route on his first trip to the island country.

“The first time I flew down to Haiti, a voice in my head said, ‘You’re home.’ I said out loud, ‘No, I’m not.’ A pastor friend of mine [with me] asked what I had said and I asked if he had said anything, which he said he hadn’t. I finally explained it to him [about the voice] and he said, ‘You’re going to be stuck here for a while,’” Chris recalls with a laugh.

“It doesn’t make sense to sell your house and all you own and move to a foreign country so the only way to explain it is to say God says to do it and I know it’s exactly what I need to be doing.”

Chris will be calling Cap Haitian, Haiti his new “home” for the next year while helping to building the orphanage in the city with his non-profit organization, Christian Sharing Resources, Inc.

The organization is also partnering with two other companies, one being Open Door Haiti who worked with Chris before to build a feeding center for children.

Chris will be the construction manager and educator of construction practices for the orphanage project, which will house 50 students in separate boys and girls’ bunk wings as well as a dining hall and kitchen.

Along the outskirts of the orphanage will also be about 20 homes for single and/or widowed women who will cook, clean and care for the orphanage. Included also in those plans are dorm rooms for those enrolled in the Students of Youth Ministry that trains local pastors and youth pastors.

The goals throughout the project are to improve the building processes of the Haitian people while also creating healthier living conditions for the women and children.

“The biggest challenge [with the orphanage] is getting the people to continue to build quality buildings because they are of such a survivalist mentality that they only will do the bare minimum so they don’t have to spend the money,” Chris says.

“Our basic goal and purpose in the ministry that we have them working with us to promote sustainability. We would rather teach them to fend for themselves than become dependent on us to do it and we feel we will have a bigger impact if we do that.”

Chris is also an LEED accredited professional, so he plans to use Haiti’s heat and coastal region for creating wind and solar power for the buildings.

“I’ve been programmed to think about how you do it to make things better, what technology we can use to make it better. Since they don’t have technology, we have to think backwards in regards to renewable resources, bio-fuel, solar and wind energy to make everything more self-sustaining.”

Having traveled to the island at least 10 times since 2006, Chris has experience much of the way of life in Haiti and hopes to create new ways to make it better for the Haitian people.

“The [Haitian] culture is so willing to help because they know that you are there to help with the greater good. They would give their last fruit if you wanted it,” he says.

“The more I go the more need I see, and the more I want to try to help.”

Chris also hopes to introduce the people to the game of golf, which he played as a professional in several national and PGA Tour event qualifiers.

Whether teaching golf or building an orphanage Chris feels he is doing the work that God chose him to do, even if he seems apprehensive about it at first.

“I feel so comfortable [in Haiti] because I’ve been so many times to Haiti and know so many people there that it is almost like going home and it’s not hard for me to say that anymore.”

To learn how you can help Chris’ organization, Christian Sharing Resources, and the people of Haiti, visit their web site at www.christiansharingresources.com as well as partnering companies’ web sites www.opendoorhaiti.com, and www.beautifulfeetinternational.net.