Internet woes!!

Hello all!

 Our Internet has been out for the last week, and we're just getting it back! Hoping to be able to start posting things on the blogs again very soon!

God bless you all!

The Nourishing the Needy Program

The Nourishing the Needy Program- where we provide milk for babies who either don't have mothers or are in need of extra nutrition.

I'm sure a lot of you are very familiar with it; recently we've added some more needy cases to the program and are having a hard time keeping up with the demand for milk.

Just today I had to speak with a little old grandma who was holding a newborn baby on her lap- she had come a couple weeks ago, seeking help. The baby's mother had died right after birth and the family had been giving it tea and sugar. She had begged us to put the baby on the Nourishing the Needy program, but we were already over budget and couldn't afford another child. Someone had donated some newborn formula when they visited a month ago, so we give her some of that. The nurses encouraged her to get their extended family to assist with the baby's needs, return for a little more formula the next week, and tell us what she was able to figure out.

She came back and said she hadn't the opportunity to ask the extended family for help. We gave her another week's supply of milk, telling her after that, we couldn't help her.

Today I was called out to the clinic; she had returned again. She was holding the baby on her lap- a contented, chubby little thing, sleeping with a peaceful look on its face, nestled in a swathe of blankets. The little grandma pleaded with me, asking again for milk. All the donated formula was gone, and the formula that was purchased for this month was reserved for the other babies on the program. The answer had to be... "no".

I discussed other options with her- the only realistic one was getting financial help from her extended family and purchasing formula for the child. She shook her head and said she didn't know and it was such a difficult situation; I felt terrible. Fighting for the strength to look her in the eye, I told her I was sorry, and that I wish I could do everything, like God. I am just human- but God can provide for her and that He knows the difficulty. She nodded and said she understood. I told her we would be praying for her and that God would take care of them. And that was it... the conversation was over. I walked away, wondering what the following weeks would hold for that little one. More tea, more sugar water, loosing weight and getting weaker and weaker- possibly dying within a month.

But maybe not? Maybe the family would pull together, provide finances for the milk and the child would continue to grow and thrive. That's my prayer, anyway...

But unfortunately, many times that isn't the case.

So, for this week I'm highlighting the Nourishing the Needy program. Several of you have already shown support in sponsoring children, and for that we are so grateful- to those families in need, we have been able to say "yes!" to their plea- but there are still so many more who are waiting. Please think about it and maybe sponsor a baby on the program. The more that are sponsored, the more we can help.

To see the Nourishing the Needy website, click this link: www.nourishingtheneedy.blogspot.com

God bless you all!

Port and pipe!

Yesterday Dolan, Rhoda and I went out to Port au Prince to pick up Rhoda's sister.

She and her husband and little boy flew into town in the afternoon, so that gave us lots of time to do some shopping and pick up a couple things for clinic.

Driving in Port is always fun :)

The other day the guys' house was having plumbing problems.

Pastor Darwin, Rich and a couple of the guys dug the drain up yesterday and discovered roots breaking into the old pipe. It was full of dirt and debris.

If this isn't true pastoral servanthood, I'm not sure what is! :)

Today, after they cut out the old line (and flushed the rest of it out real well) they installed some new pipes, along with an access port for clearing out the line (if perchance it gets clogged in the future!)

Madam Moise

For the next little while (maybe once a week, on Mondays) I’d like to highlight some of the needs that surround us each day- a child, a mother, a clinic case, a neighbor who needs prayer; things like that. These updates are intended to help you all see some of the many needs that abound in this country.

With some of the things we’ll highlight we might ask for financial help; some we might ask for prayer; some might just be something interesting that you might just take to heart and carry in your thoughts throughout the week.

This week we’d like to request prayer for Madam Moise and her husband, Moise (for those of you who are new to Haitian culture, it’s tradition that after marriage, the wife takes on the name of her husband, adding “madam” in front). Many of you will remember her by name, since she’s been on our prayer requests many times before. You will also remember that she is the resident witch doctor, performing many of the satanic rituals which go along with voodoo practice. Her husband is also involved in a lot of spiritual activity in the community. They both have resisted the Gospel for as long as the mission has been around.

Madam Moise and Katie along the trail. 

However, quite a few months ago, Moise’s foot became infected. They tried healing it with all kinds of potions and remedies, but when it became even worse they sought help at the clinic. By then, his foot was in such bad shape that we could do nothing for him- he needed an amputation or else he would die of infection. After several weeks of going back and forth with their own family, they decided to send him to the Untied States for the operation. Some of their children live in Florida, so they sent him there.

Moise, after his amputation.

Once he came back from the operation his health improved tremendously. The stub left beneath his knee was healed and his body was able to recover from the severe infection that had been plaguing it. I could be wrong, but it seems like since that humbling experience he has been more open to listening to us when we talk to him on spiritual matters. He allows us to pray with him and seems more willing to hear us out.

Now, getting back to Madam Moise: during that whole ordeal she seemed to continue in her stubbornness and resistance to the Gospel and our little visits here and there. 

Moise's compound.

Then, Steve had his cardiac event and left for the States- and something seemed to change. Maybe she was shaken up by the sudden turn of events; maybe she realized that even a young man is susceptible to death; maybe she felt sorry for Steve and his family. I’m not sure, but she seemed far more open to talk about God, about salvation, and the way she has been serving the devil. Some people have speculated that she is just pretending; that she is simply trying to act different because of what has happened. Maybe so, maybe not. However, in any case, we have had many good talks with her- and I believe that whenever we can do that, seeds are being sown that might just take root.

Voodoo altar at the entrance.

Even though her husband is well now, we still go over to their house often to help monitor his blood pressure. This continues to give us opportunities to pray with them and speak truth into their lives. 

Would you please join us in praying for them? It would be a tremendous blow to the kingdom of the enemy if this head of satanic service were to give herself to Jesus. It’s been a prayer request for as long we’ve been here at the mission- perhaps it’s grown stale in our minds, it’s been so long. Maybe we’ve been saying to ourselves “It’s been so long, she’s just not going to give in.”

The cooking house, on the left. The tree stump on the right is somehow used in voodoo rituals...

So, we simply ask again that you pray with us, as we see the possibility of her salvation maybe closer than before. What would happen if we all pray for her, again??

Thank you all for your support, and for taking interest in God’s work here. He is and will continue to be glorified, as we give ourselves to Him in service.

God’s choicest blessings to each one of you today!

Painting and Pastoral Premonitions

On Saturday we painted the depot!

It already had a primer coat on from a few weeks ago.

Team work... it's a good thing!

You can see the progression of paint...

And, not just on the building... 

:)

Pastor Darwin and his wife and youngest son came for a visit!

He will be preaching to the church here in some special meetings later on.

Along with came a surprise- DominiQue's dad, Rich. He arrived without telling her he was coming!

We're blessed with their presence and are looking forward to a few weeks with them!

Rainbows of promise, visiting and power washing!

Earlier this week we had an amazing, double rainbow.

I haven't ever seen one so brilliant and so well defined!

An amazing reminder that God is above all...

Some of the group hiked up to a neighbor's house yesterday. 

His name is Ajinal; he and his family live up on the mountainside behind the mission.

His wife had been burned last week, so the nurses cleaned the wounds.

It was sweet to see Ajinal hold his wife's hand and help her cope with the pain.

We're all pretty amazed how well he gets around, considering how old he is!

How old? Well, we don't actually know, for a fact :)

We're guessing 70's or 80's.

Here he was sitting with a bunch of youngsters that hang around his house.

Visiting...

The two guys...

:)

The three girls...

:)

The trip back was very nice-

lots of green and leafy stuff around!

The rainy season is departing, so we're enjoying the foliage as long as we can, 

before it turns brown again...

Today Glenden was washing off the machines and performing maintenance on them.

It takes time and effort to keep the machines going well.

Thankfully, Glenden is up to the challenge :)

The gardeners have planed some cabbage, onions and carrots in the garden plot in between the two mission houses. To keep the seeds and sprouts safe from too much sun and any heavy rains, they also constructed a frame and mesh to cover the mounds.

The sweetest face in the country :)

Makayla has been such a wonderful bright spot in our lives the last month!

Unfortunately for us, Donavan and Thea flew home today, 

leaving us waiting for Darwin's arrival on the 7th!

The sidewalk project is all finished now, so yesterday Dolan and Glenden did some clean up.

The horrors of office work... :) :)

There's been a lot of reorganization in the office this week, so that means sorting through all the paperwork and filing old documents.

Ah, what joy... :)

God bless!