This morning Joy Mears made her speech as the only candidate for student-body president of Quisqueya Christian School and I (Rich) was impressed.
Even though she didn't really have to make a speech because nobody was running against her, she took the opportunity to connect with her classmates.
She was genuine, self-effacing, and clearly communicated her ideas.
When she said she had the support of her family, I cheered.
When she said she loved God, loved her school and loved being organized, I cried.
When she clearly communicated her vision for next year, including things like assessing current activities, including elementary, middle and upper school students in more activities to creat unity and suggesting that QCS have more traditions, I thought "She learned all of that without getting a Master's in Organizational Leadership!".
Carol and I just looked at each other afterward and rejoiced in how God is working in Joy! And Joy got an enthusiastic ovation from her classmates.
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Great Afternoon of Ministry
Sometimes you forget the things you really love to do when you haven't done them for a while!
Yesterday I had the opportunity to coach and do a Gospel presentation to about 30 Haitian boys between 10 and 12 years old.
I was introduced to this team by my good friend Louis Price-Mars who is working with gang leaders and business owners to try and reduce violence in one section of Port-au-Prince. He saw this former professional soccer player working with kids in the area and wanted to encourage him so he asked me to meet him and see how we could help.
The boys were very well-behaved and I had a great time coaching them. They loved it when I was "monkey-in-the-middle" and they had to keep the ball away from me! Then I taught them a passing drill that even players twice their age have trouble with and they got it right away.
Afterwards we talked about how soccer has rules and if you break the rules, you probably won't win the game. Then I transitioned into how God gave us certian rules to follow in the Bible and how we can't possibly follow all those rules. That's why God had to send Jesus: to forgive us for breaking the rules and help us "win" the game of life.
A small crowd had gathered in addition to the 30 boys and I could see that many were really listening.
Afterwards I gave the coach a Gospel tract and some materials he could use to teach the boys more about Jesus.
Our follow up plan is to make contact with some of the local churches the boys already attend and help them follow up with the boys. We also have several coaches we trained in December who live near the neighborhood and hope to put them in touch with this team.
These days most of my time is spend in administration and organizing, and I really miss coaching and being with kids - so I'll have to do this more often!!
Yesterday I had the opportunity to coach and do a Gospel presentation to about 30 Haitian boys between 10 and 12 years old.
I was introduced to this team by my good friend Louis Price-Mars who is working with gang leaders and business owners to try and reduce violence in one section of Port-au-Prince. He saw this former professional soccer player working with kids in the area and wanted to encourage him so he asked me to meet him and see how we could help.
The boys were very well-behaved and I had a great time coaching them. They loved it when I was "monkey-in-the-middle" and they had to keep the ball away from me! Then I taught them a passing drill that even players twice their age have trouble with and they got it right away.
Afterwards we talked about how soccer has rules and if you break the rules, you probably won't win the game. Then I transitioned into how God gave us certian rules to follow in the Bible and how we can't possibly follow all those rules. That's why God had to send Jesus: to forgive us for breaking the rules and help us "win" the game of life.
A small crowd had gathered in addition to the 30 boys and I could see that many were really listening.
Afterwards I gave the coach a Gospel tract and some materials he could use to teach the boys more about Jesus.
Our follow up plan is to make contact with some of the local churches the boys already attend and help them follow up with the boys. We also have several coaches we trained in December who live near the neighborhood and hope to put them in touch with this team.
These days most of my time is spend in administration and organizing, and I really miss coaching and being with kids - so I'll have to do this more often!!
Saturday, April 19, 2008
Fun Sports day at Quisqueya
We had a fun sports day today at Quisqueya Christian School. First there was volleyball, but no one in our family played that, we were waiting for soccer. There was a father-son/father-daughter game and Richard and Ricky played in that. I played with the women faculty/staff against the girls' soccer team. No, I can't really play soccer, but it was fun and good exercise. I still don't understand the rules :) And, of course those girls ran circles around us! After that there was a game between the high school soccer team (well, we really haven't had a boys soccer season this year, but it was the guys who WOULD have been on it) against staff men and Dads. This game went on a LONG time because the score was 1-1 for a long time and they couldn't stand to leave it that way, they just HAD to play til they broke the tie. The "older" men won! Rich was a little sad because in other games like this he has scored, but he didn't today. It was still fun, though. And Ricky got to play a little bit to sub for high-schoolers.
After the games, we had a barbecue with salads and desserts brought by the families. We had a really good turnout and it was great seeing everyone so carefree and having fun after problems in the city last week.
Sadly, Joy couldn't come because of her homework load and the fact that we're going to be away for a CrossWorld retreat at the end of this week. I'm sure she'll get to play soccer and volleyball there.
Carol
After the games, we had a barbecue with salads and desserts brought by the families. We had a really good turnout and it was great seeing everyone so carefree and having fun after problems in the city last week.
Sadly, Joy couldn't come because of her homework load and the fact that we're going to be away for a CrossWorld retreat at the end of this week. I'm sure she'll get to play soccer and volleyball there.
Carol
Friday, April 18, 2008
Calm week
This week has been calm. On Monday some parents didn't send their children to school just to be cautious, but everything was fine. In fact, the huge potholes in the roads on our way to school are being fixed! How nice.
More directly in response to the protests, I've heard that the price of rice is supposed to go down by 15%. I think that means that the government will subsidize it.
In addition, the prime minister of Haiti, Mr. Alexis resigned and the President, Mr. Preval, said that the government will pay for the windows that were broken (although I don't know where they'll get the money from.)
The cybercafe has been open all week, but has been very quiet.
Just this morning (Friday, April 18), I was able to talk to a man about his faith when he came in to make a photo-copy. He said he used to be a Christian, but even though he knew God could forgive him, he said he couldn't forgive himself. I told him the story about the theif on the cross - how he had sinned right until the last day of his life, but Jesus still forgave him. He was in a hurry, but I gave him a tract that clearly explains the Gospel and encouraged him to come by again and talk.
Please pray for Euwin!!
More directly in response to the protests, I've heard that the price of rice is supposed to go down by 15%. I think that means that the government will subsidize it.
In addition, the prime minister of Haiti, Mr. Alexis resigned and the President, Mr. Preval, said that the government will pay for the windows that were broken (although I don't know where they'll get the money from.)
The cybercafe has been open all week, but has been very quiet.
Just this morning (Friday, April 18), I was able to talk to a man about his faith when he came in to make a photo-copy. He said he used to be a Christian, but even though he knew God could forgive him, he said he couldn't forgive himself. I told him the story about the theif on the cross - how he had sinned right until the last day of his life, but Jesus still forgave him. He was in a hurry, but I gave him a tract that clearly explains the Gospel and encouraged him to come by again and talk.
Please pray for Euwin!!
Monday, April 14, 2008
Violence hits close to home
When I returned to the Cybercafe this week, I found all of the windows of the stores on the bottom broken and two of the three stores empty. My first thought was that the two empty stores had been looted, but when I talked with the owners I found out it wasn't as bad as it seemed. Looters had taken some things, but not that much and they were able to remove many things before the second wave of looters appeared. Still their loses were great, especially compared to us who sustained no damage at all!
About 11 AM on Tuesday April 8th about 200-300 young men from the poorest areas of Port-au-Prince marched up the main street of Port-au-Prince called Delmas that goes from Cite Soliel (the poorest part of PAP) to Petionville (the richest part of town).
All along the way they broke windows in both cars and buildings, including the shops right below our cybercafe.
Some stores they looted as well, such as the foodstores and gas station mini-marts. The gas station right next to us had floor-to-ceiling glass windows and they totally smashed and looted that store.
All the while our two employees, a young lady named Jackie and a young man named Lucas were in the cybercafe on the second floor trying to protect our windows and keeping the doors locked. When the violence erupted they also allowed those who were in the stores below to find shelter in our store.
As I thought about this, it reminded me of when the Psalms tells us God hides us in the cleft of a rock. God truly delivered our neighbors and he used our cybercafe as the "cleft in the Rock."
Jackie and Lucas also helped the store owners remove their merchandise so that no more would be taken. They are my heroes this week!
Monday morning
We have school today. There are rumors of demonstrations for today, but they may not happen and they may be downtown only. Over the weekend the Prime Minister was fired, President Preval promised a 15% reduction in the price of rice (with a gov't subsidy I guess), Brasil sent a plane load of food and the World Bank has promised 10 million dollars to help Haiti. We'll see what happens...here we go....
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Protests continue
Protests are continuing today (Thursday) in some parts of Port-au-Prince. We went out today, just in our neighborhood to try to find some diesel gas for the generator but there was none being sold. Some places were closed, some open. We were able to buy a few grocery essentials, but when we tried to buy eggs from a local vendor, he wanted three times the normal price. We figured we'd try somewhere else, but ended up not getting any.
Since we haven't had any city electricity in the last 24 hours (we usually get about 6-7 hours a night which charges our inverter batteries to make them last a few hours) we will most likely not have electricity after tonight. We'll see what tomorrow brings.
School was cancelled for today and tomorrow.
Since we haven't had any city electricity in the last 24 hours (we usually get about 6-7 hours a night which charges our inverter batteries to make them last a few hours) we will most likely not have electricity after tonight. We'll see what tomorrow brings.
School was cancelled for today and tomorrow.
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
Protesting high price of food
I found this interesting paragraph in an article on www.time.com
"The cost of staple foods has risen some 50% in Haiti since last year, a crushing trend in a country where three-quarters of the population lives on less than $2 a day. Only Somalia and Afghanistan have a higher per capita daily deficit in calorie intake than Haiti does. (The figure in Haiti is 460 calories below the United Nations' daily minimum of 2,100.) The U.N.'s World Food Program says it has received only 13% of the $96 million it needs to help Haiti's 10 million people in 2008 — barely enough to support its operations there through the end of this month. Due to an estimated 55% rise in global food and fuel prices since last summer, the WFP last month made an extraordinary appeal to donors for an extra $500 million this year. At least eight other poor nations in Africa and Asia have recently experienced food-related unrest."
From "Food Crisis Renews Haiti's Agony" www.time.com
Wednesday, Apr. 09, 2008 By KATHIE KLARREICH
There are some tires burning today too, but not as many as yesterday. I just heard that people set fire to a radio station and they are threatening to start a fire at Chanmas, the main plaza downtown near the capitol buildings. We're fine where we are, but almost everything is closed, businesses, government offices, schools, etc.
Please pray
Thanks
Carol
"The cost of staple foods has risen some 50% in Haiti since last year, a crushing trend in a country where three-quarters of the population lives on less than $2 a day. Only Somalia and Afghanistan have a higher per capita daily deficit in calorie intake than Haiti does. (The figure in Haiti is 460 calories below the United Nations' daily minimum of 2,100.) The U.N.'s World Food Program says it has received only 13% of the $96 million it needs to help Haiti's 10 million people in 2008 — barely enough to support its operations there through the end of this month. Due to an estimated 55% rise in global food and fuel prices since last summer, the WFP last month made an extraordinary appeal to donors for an extra $500 million this year. At least eight other poor nations in Africa and Asia have recently experienced food-related unrest."
From "Food Crisis Renews Haiti's Agony" www.time.com
Wednesday, Apr. 09, 2008 By KATHIE KLARREICH
There are some tires burning today too, but not as many as yesterday. I just heard that people set fire to a radio station and they are threatening to start a fire at Chanmas, the main plaza downtown near the capitol buildings. We're fine where we are, but almost everything is closed, businesses, government offices, schools, etc.
Please pray
Thanks
Carol
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
Protesting High Prices
Yesterday people started protesting the recent spike in prices in Haiti.
It's hard to tell what is really happening, but I'll tell you what seems most likely factual.
Protests started at the Palace this morning. At about 10:30 am our time, people stormed the gates of the Palace. People are protesting against stores mainly. As if the shop owners were the cause of the high prices. People are throwing rocks into the windows of stores and looting them. Then people started marching up Delmas, the main route in Port-au-Prince. Protesters have "taken over" Place ST. Pierre, a main plaza in the middle of a busy commercial area. Some roads have been closed.
The children and I are at school and it seems to be safe. However, right outside the school compound people were marching and throwing rocks into store fronts and looting.
Our Cybercafe and ministry office is right across the street from the school. Fortunately it is upstairs, so as of right now it has not been hit. The drugstore below it was. The people workiing in the Cybercafe locked the doors and stayed inside when they heard what was happening.
Here at school at QCS, parents started coming to pick up their children at about 11:00. By 12:15 we only had about 1/3 of our students left.
Please pray. For those who don't have enough to eat, for store owners who are caught in the middle of this. For the whole situation. Richard is still in the States and will be back Friday.
I always kid him that everything falls apart when he leaves (car, generator,etc.) Now it's the whole country. Well, sometimes you gotta laugh.
Praise God, the neighborhood we live in seems to be away from all this. I think I should have no problems going that direction to go home, but will ask others here if they feel it's OK. We can always stay at school, what fun!
Carol
Here's something that was posted 2 hours ago:
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5geZrL5OB_kHM3gx_HW4bPRSgT3YwD8VTPSLG0
It's hard to tell what is really happening, but I'll tell you what seems most likely factual.
Protests started at the Palace this morning. At about 10:30 am our time, people stormed the gates of the Palace. People are protesting against stores mainly. As if the shop owners were the cause of the high prices. People are throwing rocks into the windows of stores and looting them. Then people started marching up Delmas, the main route in Port-au-Prince. Protesters have "taken over" Place ST. Pierre, a main plaza in the middle of a busy commercial area. Some roads have been closed.
The children and I are at school and it seems to be safe. However, right outside the school compound people were marching and throwing rocks into store fronts and looting.
Our Cybercafe and ministry office is right across the street from the school. Fortunately it is upstairs, so as of right now it has not been hit. The drugstore below it was. The people workiing in the Cybercafe locked the doors and stayed inside when they heard what was happening.
Here at school at QCS, parents started coming to pick up their children at about 11:00. By 12:15 we only had about 1/3 of our students left.
Please pray. For those who don't have enough to eat, for store owners who are caught in the middle of this. For the whole situation. Richard is still in the States and will be back Friday.
I always kid him that everything falls apart when he leaves (car, generator,etc.) Now it's the whole country. Well, sometimes you gotta laugh.
Praise God, the neighborhood we live in seems to be away from all this. I think I should have no problems going that direction to go home, but will ask others here if they feel it's OK. We can always stay at school, what fun!
Carol
Here's something that was posted 2 hours ago:
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5geZrL5OB_kHM3gx_HW4bPRSgT3YwD8VTPSLG0
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