Seventeen short stories that speak to the resilience of the Haitian people; that country’s economic reconstruction following the devastation of the 2010 earthquake among other things are what make up Mark Jacobs’s book, What a Friend we have in Jesus.
The book was launched recently at the Night Cap Café.
Mark Jacobs was born and raised in a small country village on the West Bank Demerara but moved to Haiti after the devastating 8.0 magnitude earthquake of 2010 that literally shattered the country’s capital and surrounding communities. The quake left the already poor country in ruins both of its infrastructure and its economy and had a devastating toll of thousands of lives.
Mark originally moved to the country to assist in rebuilding and setting up agricultural projects but the beauty of the country filled with inspiring stories and a strong people was just a big a motivator to settle in Haiti.
His book on Haitian culture and personalities is dedicated to his friends, family and all those he met along the way.
The name, What a Friend we have in Jesus, highlights the role of religion, the impact it has and how it comforts people in a time of turmoil. According to Mark, the book targets anyone who is conscious.
It was published in the United States and he edited it himself.
This is his first published book. “I just wanted to express myself. If one person reads it then that’s good enough for me,” he told Stabroek News at the launching.
The book can be purchased electronically on Amazon’s Kindle and hard copies are available from him directly for $1,000. His contact numbers are 684-4810 and 639-8867.
Mark has several upcoming titles including Wikileaks Guyana, and One week on the Amazon River.
