Haitian Children's Home

Dear Family and Friends,

As another week comes quickly to a close we are continually grateful for all God is doing in our lives and in the lives of those we serve here in Haiti. I promise that this prayer letter will not be as long or intense as the previous one.

We began these last two weeks with a road trip 200 miles north of us to St. Marc, a six-hour drive. Larry, Nesley, and I went to St. Marc in order to get our four-wheeler out of customs; it was the only thing Larry was not able to get out 6 weeks ago when he received his truck. Unfortunately it turned into a two-day event, but we were successfully able to get it out without too much hassle. I do admit it was a nice change of pace getting away from Jacmel. We stayed at my favorite hotel in Haiti, Wahoo Bay Hotel, just 30 minutes south of St. Marc, a reasonable priced beautiful ocean front, with pool, and hot water, and great food!! What else can you ask for? Nesley really enjoyed his time away for his brothers and sisters, and I am so glad we chose him to come. Nesley had a tough year with some disciplinary problems, and academic problems, and this last year he has made a COMPLETE turn around from old attitudes and behavior. I am so proud of him, and I wanted to communicate that to him, and I feel I did. We had GREAT one on one time, and great conversations on our road trip.

We received report cards for the high-school students last week, and once again I am amazed and proud as I watch my children excel in school. Patrick and Blanca had a more difficult time but they are making up some of the subjects they struggled in this summer. Again ALL of the kids advanced past their marks from last year, and I look forward to taking the time out in the month to come to celebrate with them in this accomplishment.

The end of the school year means the end of the year for one of our outreaches that we are apart of the Raymond School. This is a school that a year ago closed its doors because it could no longer afford to stay open, and with few schools in Raymond, the director and owner of the school sought us out, pleading with us to give them assistance. So with the financial backing of a foundation in Canada, the Blair foundation, in faith we took them on this year. And though it has been a tough year-when tropical storm Noel hit many of the families in this school lost homes, cattle, crops, loved ones-we pressed on. The devastation plays a true impact on the school this year, as you watch the beginning of the year strive with educated teachers, and provided books and you see a change of struggle through out the end of the year. The school was not able to give the results we were hoping for, but we recognize that change takes time, and this school for years working with the minimal resources they had were not able before now to provide quality education. We look forward to making a few changes to continue to better the school and press on for another year. Nixon will be taking a leading role in this school next year assisting with the progress of it, we are thankful for Nixon and Sandra and the commitment they have made to serve besides HCH.

We attended pre-school graduation this year. It was exciting to celebrate this moment with Vania and Slendia, as they dressed in the finest dress, put the cap and gown on, and marched proudly down the aisle. Mama Leann showered them graciously with gifts, celebrating them in this moment. Evidently Vania’s hair wasn’t long enough to do anything REALLY special with it, so we gave her a new do, and she was so proud of it!! My kids know they are beautiful!!

Over the past few months I have had the privilege to be a mentor to Nego, a national missionary. He works under a mission called NMSI, and is required to have an established full-time missionary overseeing his work. We have worked together for going on four years now; he is a great young man, with a heart to reach his people here in Haiti. He hosted a pastor friend, Pastor Martin, from Port-au-Prince and we did evening outreached showing an evangelism movie by the main street in Cyvadia. We had a great turn out, despite a delay in beginning due to rain, and pray it made a profound impact in many lives. We showed them “The Last Flight Out”, it was a great movie, and had a great response from the people. Leann graciously hosted them in our house for lunch Sunday afternoon, before Pastor Martin and his two traveling companions returned to Port-au-Prince. I really enjoyed getting to know him and hearing about his ministry in Port-au-Prince.

I resumed teaching after several weeks off from Friday Night worship service, and it is good to be back, but difficult at times. My last two teachings were on staying focused and what can get us off focus when we compromise. They have been good studies, very convicting, and the best part of teaching and coming up with your own material, is when God teaches me and grows me in the process. So I am excited about the growth and what I am learning and look forward to applying it as the ministry moves forward to the next stage of ministry.

Leann and I have been very intentional these past few weeks to get the kids out of the home and have some fun days both at the beach and the land. We have also hosted a few sleepovers in our home, where the kids bring the mattresses and we watch movies until late, eat candy, and crash on our living room floor.

We have a lot of HUGE needs come to our door these past few weeks; kids needing home, and families in need of desperate help. Nixon and I decided to visit a home of a VERY persistent woman that has been at my home daily, begging for a job, and help. She has six children, and lives 15 minute hike away from our home down a tiny foot path in a one room stick home. She needs funds to rent the home for another year, $200.00 US, needs funds for food, her children are malnourished, covered in scabies, and rashes, filled with worms, the infant is terribly enimic, the kids’ clothes are ones that my staff wouldn’t use for rags. It broke my heart. I went there with the thought of assisting the kids with school next year and realized it just wasn’t enough, they needed more help than I had to offer them in that moment, and that broke my heart. Please pray for this family, Jetla Jn Baptiste, pray for provision, pray for us for discernment, so we will know how exactly we can assist this family.

Keep us in your prayers this weekend as we also begin hosting teams again starting with a Crosspointe Church team. We will also be having the land dedication, and planning the ground breaking ceremony. Pray for us as well as we have been having problems with the generator overheating, I hit a rock with the bottom of the bus on the way to Church last week which broke the radiator fan blade and cracked the radiator, the wire and switch also burnt up on the solenoid, the Jimmy alternator went bad (AGAIN!!), and our power line to our house was once again stolen during the night. Pray for courage, and the strength to daily rise above the struggles and press on.

Praise Reports:

1. We had a safe and successful trip to St. Marc to get the 4-Wheeler out of customs.

2. The kids are semi back to normal emotionally after Jabez's death.

3. We have had several days of fun with the children. It has been a great bonding time without teams.

4. Celebrating with Vania and Slendia as they officially graduated preschool.

5. Continued encouragement and prayers for friends, family, and people we have never met.

Prayer Requests:

1. Pray for dedication for the land this Sunday. That everything will go well.

2. Please continue praying for guidance and wisdom as we continue the next steps with the land.

3. Please pray for teams that will be coming down the next several weeks.

4. Please pray for Mdm Jetla Jn Baptiste, her children, and our involvement in their lives.

5. Please continue praying for Leann and me as we are still mourning for our son and continue to be parents of 23 other children. Pray that we continue to hold on to God, His promises, and continue on with His vision.