Prayer requests and thanksgiving!

Good morning to all!

The last few weeks (as you could imagine) have been really filled with times of uncertainty and unexpected events! But in those times of difficulty it has been amazing to see God's grace and peace being provided. I'm sure everyone has heard about Steve's heart problems a couple weeks ago- the experience has really made us see how fragile and uncertain life can be. It only takes a few seconds of heart malfunction and the entire course of life can be completely altered.

But again, we all here back at the mission can say it has been a good time of growth for our faith in the Lord. He has shown Himself so faithful so many times in the last few weeks! So, we continue to trust Him and expect great things from Him!

We have a few prayer requests to make, so if you're in the habit of praying for the mission here, please add these to your list! And, even if you aren't in the habit, even a few prayers right now would be appreciated :)


Please pray for:

     1. Madam Moise, the local witchdoctor. It seems like the events over the last few weeks have really shaken her and she is more open now than she has been for quite some time.
     2. Sickness at the mission: several of us have come down with bad colds/fevers of some sort, making it difficult to keep the pace in some ways.
     3. Wisdom for the stand-in staff: Steve and Shana filled a huge position here and those of us taking over feel our need for wisdom very keenly.
     4. Steve and his doctors, as they try to figure out what's wrong. They are currently waiting for test results that should shed some light on his heart condition.
     5. Steve's family as they adjust to life back in the States: as you could imagine, coming from Haitian culture and being dropped suddenly back into the American culture has it's challenges!
     6. The spiritual outreach to the Haitians we come in contact with each day: we see people all the time, and talk with them just about as much; at the clinic, on the road, at the mission compound, at church, on the mountainside. There are so many opportunities each day to shine the light of the Gospel! Oh, for wisdom and the ability to speak rightly! Many of us are still learning Creole, so it makes communication difficult oftentimes.
     7. That we at the mission would continue to live in peace and joy with each other.


Of course, a prayer list wouldn't be complete without also a praise list! :)

     1. Obviously, that God has been so very good to us! :)
     2. Steve is still with us and is on the road of recovery!
     3. Things have gone very smoothly here at the mission- all things considered.
     4. It seems like a lot of people have softened their hearts and are more willing to look at their lives in the light of eternity. Opportunities, opportunities...
     5. The amazing support we've received from everyone back home- a HUGE thank you for all your prayers and help through the last little while!


May God continue to be glorified in all of our lives, wherever we find ourselves on this globe! Thanks again to all of you back home! Keep Jesus first and trust Him!

In Him,
-the team in Aleg

Tuesday Bible Class!

It's Tuesday afternoon and work at the clinic is finished; the children are getting out of school and the nurses are done with lunch and going back to clinic once again. This time, though, instead of medical books and medicine, they're carrying a picture board, a cardboard box, and a Bible story book.

As they walk they gather up little ones and call them to come and sit on the benches. Seeing they are lacking a few attendees, Katie heads down the road to search out the rest of the young ones. Rhoda unpacks cut-out figurines and props from the box and takes one last look at the Bible story book. It's time for the Tuesday Children's Bible class! Ah, more seeds are to be planted into their little hearts again!

Looking over the crowd there are still a few missing, but they begin anyway because time is limited today. A song selection is given and they begin to sing: "Chante Alleluia Ou Senye!" (Sing Hallelujah to the Lord, in English). Another song is requested and then a prayer given.

The story today is about Joseph. The children listen well and hear about his father's love for him, the coat of many colors, his dreams and the betrayal of his brothers. In the middle there's a small disturbance as some of the boys pick at and tease each other. Correction is given and the story goes on. Rhoda moves the cut-out characters around on the board, illustrating the account and giving visual aid to the memories of the attentive little ones. The story finishes as the brothers sell Joseph into captivity. The rest of his life's events will have to be told next time- at the next Tuesday Bible class!

The children sing one more song and have a closing prayer and begin to help carry things back to the mission. Normally there would be more visiting and sharing with them, but today there was a funeral to attend; the nurses had to go.

Children prance and crowd around as they walk back, saying farewell, giving their parting "bye-bye"s and run off, tussling and playing as they go.

It always blesses me to see these little eager lives soaking up every word and learning Biblical truths. Yes, some of them make trouble and tease, pinch, and annoy others during the class, but it seems there is a kind of hunger in their hearts to hear about the Bible and the accounts in it. Pray for them, that as they hear, as they grow, and as the nurses minister to them, they would take all these things in and allow the precious seed of the Word of God to sprout and grow in their hearts!

-Nate

Apologies...

Due to the fact that our secretary, Jon Hofer, was required to return to his home in Manitoba on very short notice, I'm afraid that this blog will probably suffer a bit from lack of attention. The Clinic Life blog, however, should continue to receive fairly regular updates; as all of the nurses contribute to it.
Thanks for your understanding and patience!

Sent from Steve's iPhone

Sorting through clothes!

Today Shana and DominiQue are sorting through boxes and boxes of donated clothing... They're organizing them according to size and gender, putting them into totes, and storing them safely until a need for clothing arises...

A big "thank you!" to the donors!!

God bless you richly!

Wheelbarrows!

One of the unfortunate things that happens during a project like the church rebuild is the daily casualties of wheelbarrows. As tragic as it sounds, there is hope for their broken pieces. The heavy work of hauling large rocks and numerous loads of sand tend to wear them out quickly- and when that happens, they are brought back to the shop and fixed, reinforced, and sent back up for more work!

Glenden, the master repairmen, grinding away at a highly customized, heavy duty replacement axle.

The wheelbarrow-in-waiting...

Another that had been previously modified with extended spokes.

We fix about 2 per day, on average; we try reinforcing them in any way possible, but somehow something else always manages to break!