Our friend Francoise has been caring for her sister in law (her brother's wife), Carline, who has been sick since Sunday. We just found out about this and the young lady has not been able to keep down anything for days.
Please pray. Richard called a doctor for advice and he said it would be best to bring her to a Cholera clinic to rule that out first. So they are doing that now. (Saturday afternoon.)
Appreciate your prayers for her...we'll keep you posted.
thanks
Saturday, September 3, 2011
Deaf in Haiti
Monday, August 29, 2011
Answerd Prayers!
Last week we got a call from a friend saying that her husband wasn’t treating her well and was asking for a divorce. He also wanted to take their seven-year-old daughter with him to live with his girlfriend and the child he fathered with her. A couple days later it dawned on me that the reason he wanted her was probably not good. In this country, often step-parents don’t accept the children of their spouses’ previous marriages. And if they do have children with them from another husband or wife, those children can be mistreated. They are sometimes used for child labor and are treated like a servant of the other children. I thought there was a good chance this might happen. An irony occurred to me. We grew up with the story of Cinderella, thinking that it was a rare thing that a step-mother would be so cruel to her husband’s child, but I’ve heard too often about situations like that since I’ve lived here.
Our friend’s husband had crushed her phone when they argued, so I knew she couldn’t call us and it is very hard for her to come see us since she lives pretty far away and has to work 6 days a week to feed her three children. (The father of the children has not contributed much.) So, I really wanted to drive over to her house to check on her and give her a few things—food, etc. to help her. So I was praying for her and about going to see her.
The only day it would really work to do that is Sunday, so Saturday, Richard and I made plans to go after church. This morning in church, I was praying about this a lot. I had never been there, but I knew it was not that easy to get to. Also, I had grading and school preparation to do. Then, when we started driving there, it started raining. I asked Richard if he thought it was unwise to go today. He said he thought it wasn’t that bad, so we kept going. When we got close, Richard couldn’t recognize the road to take to go up the mountain and we took on the wrong road in the pouring rain and came to a very narrow dead end. We had no choice but to go down the steep road in reverse. It was a road made with pavers and I was really nervous that we would slip or something. Even when we made it safely down the hill (Ok, I guess Richard is a good driver after all) Things just didn’t seem to be working out. But I kept praying. Then Richard asked some people on the street for the road that the big sand trucks come down. They directed us to an unpaved mountain road. In spite of the rain coming down the road in a stream, we made it up to her house.
She was so glad to see us and was praising God when we got there. Later she told us she had been praying for God to provide because all she had was a little rice to feed her kids and nothing else. I was relieved to see her oldest daughter was still with her.
We talked to her about taking a few days off work. Really, we don’t think she should have to work at this time of year, because she teaches in a pre-school and school doesn’t start until October this year. As it is, they had her working all summer to this point doing “camp” with the kids, never giving her a day off. Her two-year old has been sick off and on for a long time, including a bout with cholera. We wanted to take her to a good doctor. And since her house is missing 1 ½ walls (tarps are hanging there) and she has some of the materials for it, Richard and I suggested she come stay with us for a few days and maybe her relatives next door could supervise the building of the walls while she’s gone.
Her one-room leaky house (with outdoor tarp/tent area for cooking) is actually an improvement on what she was living in when she went back to this area after leaving our house (where she lived in a tent after the earthquake). The other “house” was a structure of tarps, scrap aluminum and a floor of smallish stones. This one is made of two cinderblock walls, two “tarp” walls and it has a cement floor. Her relatives and many other Haitians live in similar homes. But my concern was the oldest daughter, Bergelin.
Venita told me later that she had the exact same concern I had about her husband’s interest in her. And that she had already rescued and hidden her once when her husband had all Bergelin’s clothes in a bag hidden behind his back. Because of the clothes, she knew he was about to take her so Venita wisked her away to a neighbor’s house before he could find her. Bergelin doesn’t want to go with him because she said he is “hot headed” (tet cho).
Venita and the kids were thrilled to come here and are having a nice time. All except Sara who is sick.
The day after they arrived, Richard spent a day taking all three children, and a neighbor’s child to Dr. Jeudy, the Dr. who treated Richard after he was shot. After that, we had to get some medical tests done and also buy some prescription medications for the children. This ended up taking most of the day, due to the many stops we had to make along the way. At one point, all of the children had to have a blood test, so I ended up holding 3-year-old Gaetan during the test because his mother was holding baby Sarah. He was brave until he got stuck, and then cried those hot tears that stream down the face. But it was over in a flash, and he was back to his own smiley self by the time we got back in the car.
We got home safely, and now everyone is sleeping peacefully after a big day!
Our friend’s husband had crushed her phone when they argued, so I knew she couldn’t call us and it is very hard for her to come see us since she lives pretty far away and has to work 6 days a week to feed her three children. (The father of the children has not contributed much.) So, I really wanted to drive over to her house to check on her and give her a few things—food, etc. to help her. So I was praying for her and about going to see her.
The only day it would really work to do that is Sunday, so Saturday, Richard and I made plans to go after church. This morning in church, I was praying about this a lot. I had never been there, but I knew it was not that easy to get to. Also, I had grading and school preparation to do. Then, when we started driving there, it started raining. I asked Richard if he thought it was unwise to go today. He said he thought it wasn’t that bad, so we kept going. When we got close, Richard couldn’t recognize the road to take to go up the mountain and we took on the wrong road in the pouring rain and came to a very narrow dead end. We had no choice but to go down the steep road in reverse. It was a road made with pavers and I was really nervous that we would slip or something. Even when we made it safely down the hill (Ok, I guess Richard is a good driver after all) Things just didn’t seem to be working out. But I kept praying. Then Richard asked some people on the street for the road that the big sand trucks come down. They directed us to an unpaved mountain road. In spite of the rain coming down the road in a stream, we made it up to her house.
She was so glad to see us and was praising God when we got there. Later she told us she had been praying for God to provide because all she had was a little rice to feed her kids and nothing else. I was relieved to see her oldest daughter was still with her.
We talked to her about taking a few days off work. Really, we don’t think she should have to work at this time of year, because she teaches in a pre-school and school doesn’t start until October this year. As it is, they had her working all summer to this point doing “camp” with the kids, never giving her a day off. Her two-year old has been sick off and on for a long time, including a bout with cholera. We wanted to take her to a good doctor. And since her house is missing 1 ½ walls (tarps are hanging there) and she has some of the materials for it, Richard and I suggested she come stay with us for a few days and maybe her relatives next door could supervise the building of the walls while she’s gone.
Her one-room leaky house (with outdoor tarp/tent area for cooking) is actually an improvement on what she was living in when she went back to this area after leaving our house (where she lived in a tent after the earthquake). The other “house” was a structure of tarps, scrap aluminum and a floor of smallish stones. This one is made of two cinderblock walls, two “tarp” walls and it has a cement floor. Her relatives and many other Haitians live in similar homes. But my concern was the oldest daughter, Bergelin.
Venita told me later that she had the exact same concern I had about her husband’s interest in her. And that she had already rescued and hidden her once when her husband had all Bergelin’s clothes in a bag hidden behind his back. Because of the clothes, she knew he was about to take her so Venita wisked her away to a neighbor’s house before he could find her. Bergelin doesn’t want to go with him because she said he is “hot headed” (tet cho).
Venita and the kids were thrilled to come here and are having a nice time. All except Sara who is sick.
The day after they arrived, Richard spent a day taking all three children, and a neighbor’s child to Dr. Jeudy, the Dr. who treated Richard after he was shot. After that, we had to get some medical tests done and also buy some prescription medications for the children. This ended up taking most of the day, due to the many stops we had to make along the way. At one point, all of the children had to have a blood test, so I ended up holding 3-year-old Gaetan during the test because his mother was holding baby Sarah. He was brave until he got stuck, and then cried those hot tears that stream down the face. But it was over in a flash, and he was back to his own smiley self by the time we got back in the car.
We got home safely, and now everyone is sleeping peacefully after a big day!
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Venita needs prayer!
A few weeks ago before Carol got back from the US I went to see Venita and her family at her family's homestead way up on the mountains above Port-au-Prince. It is hard to believe there is such natural beauty just 15 minutes above Port-au-Prince.
I went mainly because I had heard that they had been reunited with their third child who had been staying with relatives until they could afford to send her to school in the fall. Bejano, the Dad, had just gotten a job teaching men about domestic violence in the tent camps. Venita had her old job teaching school back, so with 2 incomes, it finally seemed that they would be able to build a house and live as a family again.
So I was delighted to meet Berjline, a tall, toothless five year old! She was all smiles and giggles and adored her little brother and sister. It was great to see them all together.
But then a few weeks later I got a call from Venita. She was talking very fast in Creole and knew she was very upset, so I asked Margaret, our cook, who is also a wonderful Christian, to try and make sense of what she was saying.
It turned out that Bejano admitted to having an affair with another woman that had already resulted in a baby outside of the marriage. Now he wanted to take Berjline away from Venita so she could help his girlfriend with the new baby, sort of like in Cinderella with the step-mother. Ironically, the man who taught other men about domestic violence threatened his wife and smashed her cell phone in his anger when she refused to let him take Berjline. He had already taken Berjline's clothes and was about to snatch her away, when Venita cried for help and her family hid Berjline for her.
We had been praying about the situation all week, and of course we could not contact Venita because her phone had been smashed. So Carol and I decided to go up the mountain on a Sunday afternoon because on Sunday's there is very little traffic. Unfortunately, it started to pour rain just as we got to the dirt road. The road quickly turned into a river flowing swiftly down the mountain. I looked at the road as a challenge, but Carol was a little frightened. But our trusty Toyota 4WD pickup made it up no problem. Venita was so excited to see Carol, she ran over and gave her a big hug!
It's hard to describe Venita's house when it rains. Picture drips all over the place, and one in particular on the bed where she and the 3 children sleep. In addition, she had 20 bags of cement taking up 1/4 of the house because during the earthquake, two out of the 4 walls of the house fell down. The other two walls are just tarps and plastic sheeting. She said that at night all kinds of insects and animals crawl inside for "shelter".
Later I found out one type of animal that visits her in the middle of the night: Tarantulas! When we were visiting a new-born baby next door, one tried to crawl into the house where the baby was sleeping, so I killed it with a stick.
Since Venita wanted to fix up her house, and had a week of vacation before school started, we invited her and her 3 children to stay with us while the house was being worked on.
Now they are peacefully sleeping in Ricky's old bedroom.
Poor Venita has been through a lot since the earthquake, so pray for her as she faces this next challenge. And pray for marriages here in Haiti and in the US, where Satan still seeks to destroy families by sin and unfaithfulness.
I went mainly because I had heard that they had been reunited with their third child who had been staying with relatives until they could afford to send her to school in the fall. Bejano, the Dad, had just gotten a job teaching men about domestic violence in the tent camps. Venita had her old job teaching school back, so with 2 incomes, it finally seemed that they would be able to build a house and live as a family again.
So I was delighted to meet Berjline, a tall, toothless five year old! She was all smiles and giggles and adored her little brother and sister. It was great to see them all together.
But then a few weeks later I got a call from Venita. She was talking very fast in Creole and knew she was very upset, so I asked Margaret, our cook, who is also a wonderful Christian, to try and make sense of what she was saying.
It turned out that Bejano admitted to having an affair with another woman that had already resulted in a baby outside of the marriage. Now he wanted to take Berjline away from Venita so she could help his girlfriend with the new baby, sort of like in Cinderella with the step-mother. Ironically, the man who taught other men about domestic violence threatened his wife and smashed her cell phone in his anger when she refused to let him take Berjline. He had already taken Berjline's clothes and was about to snatch her away, when Venita cried for help and her family hid Berjline for her.
We had been praying about the situation all week, and of course we could not contact Venita because her phone had been smashed. So Carol and I decided to go up the mountain on a Sunday afternoon because on Sunday's there is very little traffic. Unfortunately, it started to pour rain just as we got to the dirt road. The road quickly turned into a river flowing swiftly down the mountain. I looked at the road as a challenge, but Carol was a little frightened. But our trusty Toyota 4WD pickup made it up no problem. Venita was so excited to see Carol, she ran over and gave her a big hug!
It's hard to describe Venita's house when it rains. Picture drips all over the place, and one in particular on the bed where she and the 3 children sleep. In addition, she had 20 bags of cement taking up 1/4 of the house because during the earthquake, two out of the 4 walls of the house fell down. The other two walls are just tarps and plastic sheeting. She said that at night all kinds of insects and animals crawl inside for "shelter".
Later I found out one type of animal that visits her in the middle of the night: Tarantulas! When we were visiting a new-born baby next door, one tried to crawl into the house where the baby was sleeping, so I killed it with a stick.
Since Venita wanted to fix up her house, and had a week of vacation before school started, we invited her and her 3 children to stay with us while the house was being worked on.
Now they are peacefully sleeping in Ricky's old bedroom.
Poor Venita has been through a lot since the earthquake, so pray for her as she faces this next challenge. And pray for marriages here in Haiti and in the US, where Satan still seeks to destroy families by sin and unfaithfulness.
Saturday, August 27, 2011
The Lord takes away, and the Lord gives
The Lord takes away, and the Lord gives
Our car battery died the other morning, just as we were trying to get Carol to school on time. The annoying thing was that it was less than 2 years old, and supposedly had an 85 month warranty. So I emailed Interstate battery customer service and explained the situation, expecting to maybe get a portion of the price I paid for the battery back.
In the meantime, I got the battery tested, tried to charge it overnight, and had a mechanic look at the car to make sure it was not an electrical problem. All tests showed the battery was really dead, and so I went out and purchased a battery for $160 US.
Our car battery died the other morning, just as we were trying to get Carol to school on time. The annoying thing was that it was less than 2 years old, and supposedly had an 85 month warranty. So I emailed Interstate battery customer service and explained the situation, expecting to maybe get a portion of the price I paid for the battery back.
In the meantime, I got the battery tested, tried to charge it overnight, and had a mechanic look at the car to make sure it was not an electrical problem. All tests showed the battery was really dead, and so I went out and purchased a battery for $160 US.
The story of Bernadette
As we were leaving to get Carol to school on time the other day, we saw a young lady near our gate gesturing for us to stop. We were running late so we didn’t stop, but when I came back from dropping Carol off, she was still waiting near our gate.
I asked her how she knew us, since I did not recognize her. She said she had seen us at Quisqueya Chapel where we attend church, and also knew mutual friends who had helped pay for her schooling when she was young.
Then she began to tell me her sad story: She was pregnant and the Father of her child started to beat her after he found out she was pregnant and didn’t want to get an abortion. I invited her into the house and invited our cook, Margaret, to join us. Margaret is a wonderful Christian woman who is also very wise, and she listened intently as Bernadette told her story.
Bernadette had been badly injured during the earthquake and showed us her disfigured arm and also where they had sewed up her stomach due to internal injuries.
She told us how her church had disciplined her for getting pregnant before marriage and was not allowing her to attend Sunday morning services. We asked her where she was living, and she said with her Mother, who was not a Christian. She said her Mother was very upset about the pregnancy and was very mean to her most of the time.
We asked her if she had ever accepted Christ, and she said she did have a personal relationship with Jesus. I then asked her if she had asked for forgiveness for her sin and showed her 1 John 1:9.
She was quite open and seemed to be sincerely repentant.
We prayed with her after we talked and she shed a few tears. It had probably been a long time since she heard words of comfort instead of condemnation.
After Margaret fixed her a good meal with lots of protein in it she seemed to feel better. As she left, we told her she could come back if she needed more help, or just to pray.
PS: Bernadette came back today and we prayed with her again.
I asked her how she knew us, since I did not recognize her. She said she had seen us at Quisqueya Chapel where we attend church, and also knew mutual friends who had helped pay for her schooling when she was young.
Then she began to tell me her sad story: She was pregnant and the Father of her child started to beat her after he found out she was pregnant and didn’t want to get an abortion. I invited her into the house and invited our cook, Margaret, to join us. Margaret is a wonderful Christian woman who is also very wise, and she listened intently as Bernadette told her story.
Bernadette had been badly injured during the earthquake and showed us her disfigured arm and also where they had sewed up her stomach due to internal injuries.
She told us how her church had disciplined her for getting pregnant before marriage and was not allowing her to attend Sunday morning services. We asked her where she was living, and she said with her Mother, who was not a Christian. She said her Mother was very upset about the pregnancy and was very mean to her most of the time.
We asked her if she had ever accepted Christ, and she said she did have a personal relationship with Jesus. I then asked her if she had asked for forgiveness for her sin and showed her 1 John 1:9.
She was quite open and seemed to be sincerely repentant.
We prayed with her after we talked and she shed a few tears. It had probably been a long time since she heard words of comfort instead of condemnation.
After Margaret fixed her a good meal with lots of protein in it she seemed to feel better. As she left, we told her she could come back if she needed more help, or just to pray.
PS: Bernadette came back today and we prayed with her again.
Saturday, August 13, 2011
YABT Haiti and Diplo Foundation Graduation
One of the partnerships we have through Young Americas Business Trust in Haiti is with the Diplo Foundation. They offer on-line courses in internet governance with the goal of educating those who set national policy in the basics of how the internet is goverend. In Haiti, very few understand all that happens behind the scenes to make the internet work.
After we ate lunch one of the topics we discussed how to protect Haitian children from on-line pornography and child predators. None present knew of any laws in Haiti that have been enacted to address these threats to Haitian society.
This is a practical example of how the Diplo training can impact Haiti.
In addition, I purchsed Bibles in Creole for each person who attended. I said that neither YABT Haiti nor Diplo are Christain organizations, but I am a Christian and had purchased Bibles for them to have with my own money. I left the Bibles on a table, and said anyone who wanted to could take one. Every single one of the participants took a Bible, including the head of the Haitian equivalent of the US FCC (Federal Communications Committee)!
Friday, July 22, 2011
What is it like to drive the back roads of Haiti?
The area where we travelled has no road maintenance, so when it rains, sometimes deep gullies form and mud holes develop that become deep from trucks sloshing through them.
Just last year we were in the general area, and the roads had just been finished so they were in good shape. But after no maintenance for a year, they are getting really bad.
Our most treacherous journey was to Bassin Bleu near Jean Rabel. It started to rain when we were most of the way there, and we stopped to think about whether we should continue. But the rain let up, and Pastor Pierty, who was driving, thought that we could make it.
Even in 4WD we were slipping a bit, especially on the hills, but we still made progress. We had about 5 people in the back as well, and sometimes they were slammed against the rails when we slid.
Then suddenly, while going up a hill the truck began to fish-tail. I looked up and it seemed like we were going to go over a deep embankment on our right. But just at the last minute, Pastor Pierty got the truck under control and we made it up the hill.
When we finally got to the school we were rewarded by a bunch of kids waiting for us inside the small school made of mud walls with a thatched roof.
Thank God the rain had stopped by the time we headed home, and we didn’t have any more problems, but it is definitely a trip me and my Canadian friends will never forget!
Canadians have a Haitian adventure
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From July 11 through the 18th, 2011 we hosted four young Canadians who wanted to help us start teams in 8 schools in North-West Haiti: Art, Nick, William and Kate.
Here is a short summary of the trip in numbers:
Number of decisions for Christ: 60
Number who want to study the Bible: 50
Number of Christian books distributed: Approximately 5,000
Canadians who survived: 4 Canadians who did not: 0
Haitian coworkers: 6 – Ronald, Sylvain, Debreus, Jean Paul, Maxime and Pastor Pierty
Schools visited: 9 Schools who got sets of equipment: 10
Number of complete sets of short, jerseys and socks donated: 13
Number of balls collected: 120
Number of miles driven over some of the roughest roads in Haiti:
Number of flat tires: 1
Each day we got up early and drove over rough roads to visit 2-3 schools mostly in remote areas. When we got to the schools we played games with the children that showed up (it is summer vacation here), and explained to the school director and pastors who to best use the books we gave them. One of the books is called “25 stories from the Bible”. Other titles were: Pilgrims progress in Creole; Sharing your faith; New Testaments in Creole; Growing in the Christian Life and God’s Marvelous Creation.
After playing games with the children, I shared my testimony of how I was shot and showed the children the bullet holes in my truck. Then Sylvain shared the Gospel in a simple way and gave an invitation.
In the afternoons, we held an evangelistic soccer tournament for 8 schools. We handed out hundreds of tracts at these games and at the final we shared the Gospel and 16 people indicated they trusted in Christ.
For three nights we also showed Christian films to the community and hundreds of people attended these as well. Some people trusted in Christ as a result of these films as well. We showed films like “The Combat” and “The Solution” that contrast Voodoo with Christianity. We also showed 2 films for children on the life of Jesus: “The God Man” and “The Jesus Film for Children”.
So we thank our dear Canadian friends for collecting lots of equipment and donations to make this trip possible and finance a great soccer tournament. The team from “Mosquito Bay” won the tournament. This is an Ocean side community know for its quantity of bugs!
Thanks to our Canadian friends from the University of Moncton and this recent team, we have more equipment than we have ever had, and have been able to start 20 new teams just this year, so now we are up to 80 teams all over Haiti!
Monday, July 11, 2011
Mission to the NorthWest of Haiti
Starting today (July 11th), I will be welcoming a team of 4 tough Canadians who I challenged to come work with me this summer to reach 9 villages in this remote part of Haiti.
Our Haitian team of myself, Ronald William, Jean Paul Noel, Sylvain Nelson and Debreus Dreisnel will be joining them on this thrust into an area steeped in voodoo.
We are partnering with our Crossworld Co-Workers, Bruce and Deb Robinson, and 9 UEBH churches in each of the villages we will be visiting.
To attract the community, we are sponsoring an evangelistic soccer tournament throughout the week with the final game on Saturday.
We hope to visit 2-3 different villages each day and do sports with the children and distribute books entitled "25 Stories from the Bible" to each student at the local Christian Schools, about 50% of which have not yet trusted in Christ.
We have found that when a child trusts in Christ, his parents often react positively to his child-like faith and come to Christ as well.
I will be away from the internet during this time until July 18th, so as God brings us to mind, please pray for us!
Our Haitian team of myself, Ronald William, Jean Paul Noel, Sylvain Nelson and Debreus Dreisnel will be joining them on this thrust into an area steeped in voodoo.
We are partnering with our Crossworld Co-Workers, Bruce and Deb Robinson, and 9 UEBH churches in each of the villages we will be visiting.
To attract the community, we are sponsoring an evangelistic soccer tournament throughout the week with the final game on Saturday.
We hope to visit 2-3 different villages each day and do sports with the children and distribute books entitled "25 Stories from the Bible" to each student at the local Christian Schools, about 50% of which have not yet trusted in Christ.
We have found that when a child trusts in Christ, his parents often react positively to his child-like faith and come to Christ as well.
I will be away from the internet during this time until July 18th, so as God brings us to mind, please pray for us!
Hold the Fort!
As I was preparing to lead the Worship service at Quisqueya Chapel this past Sunday, I came across this story:
Near the end of the American Civil war, the Confederate Army under General Hood tried many times to repel a Union army under W.T. Sherman three times its size. On the 5th of October, 1864, the Confederate army of Hood, in a carefully prepared movement, went behind the Union army stationed near Atlanta, GA and commenced the destruction of the railroad leading north, burning blockhouses and capturing the small garrisons along the line. Sherman’s army was put in rapid motion pursuing Hood, to save the supplies and larger posts, the principal one of which was located at Allatoona Pass. A million and a half rations of food were stored here and it was highly important that the earthworks commanding the pass and protecting the supplies be held.
The area was completely surrounded by the Confederates and the Fort was asked to surrender. The Union commander refused and a sharp fight commenced. The defenders were slowly driven into a small fort on the crest of the hill. At this moment an officer caught sight of a signal flag far away across the valley, twenty miles distant, upon the top of Kenesaw Mountain. The signal was answered, and soon the message was waved across from mountain to mountain:
“Hold the fort; I am coming. W. T. Sherman.”
Cheers went up; every man was nerved to a full appreciation of the position; and under a murderous fire, which killed or wounded more than half the men in the fort—the Union General himself being shot three times through the head, and his Colonel taking command, though himself badly wounded — they held the fort for three hours until the advance guard of Sherman’s army came up and the Confederate army was obliged to retreat.
After hearing this story from a civil war veteran in 1870, Philip Bliss, the composer who wrote the melody to “It is well with my Soul”, wrote the words and melody of “Hold the Fort”. Philip died in a tragic train accident at 38 years of age at the height of his evangelistic music ministry and was about to join Dwight Moody in Europe when the accident happened, killing him and his wife, and leaving his two sons as orphans.
Just as the men of the Union army held the fort, we need to remember to “hold the Fort” of God’s Kingdom here on earth against the “Devil’s schemes” and his rulers, authorities, powers of this dark world and spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” (Eph 6:12). This church is in a strategic position here in Port-au-Prince! But just as the Union army fought to save badly needed supplies, supplies needed for the Union to win the war, so we must give and supply the needs of this church so that it can be a haven of hope, a fortress for God’s Kingdom here in PAP. Rest assured that God’s Kingdom is coming! In His last words in Revelation Jesus reminds us: “Yes, I am coming soon! (Rev. 22: 20). Until then we need to pray, give and work for the defense and advancement of his Kingdom here in Haiti and around the world.
Hold the fort Philip Bliss
Verse 1:
Ho, my comrades! see the signal waving in the sky!
Reinforcements now appearing, victory is nigh.
Refrain:
“Hold the fort, for I am coming,” Jesus signals still;
Wave the answer back to Heaven, “By Thy grace we will.”
See the mighty host advancing, Satan leading on;
Mighty ones around us falling, courage almost gone!
Refrain
See the glorious banner waving! Hear the trumpet blow!
In our Leader’s Name we triumph over ev’ry foe.
Refrain
Fierce and long the battle rages, but our help is near;
Onward comes our great Commander, cheer, my comrades, cheer!
Near the end of the American Civil war, the Confederate Army under General Hood tried many times to repel a Union army under W.T. Sherman three times its size. On the 5th of October, 1864, the Confederate army of Hood, in a carefully prepared movement, went behind the Union army stationed near Atlanta, GA and commenced the destruction of the railroad leading north, burning blockhouses and capturing the small garrisons along the line. Sherman’s army was put in rapid motion pursuing Hood, to save the supplies and larger posts, the principal one of which was located at Allatoona Pass. A million and a half rations of food were stored here and it was highly important that the earthworks commanding the pass and protecting the supplies be held.
The area was completely surrounded by the Confederates and the Fort was asked to surrender. The Union commander refused and a sharp fight commenced. The defenders were slowly driven into a small fort on the crest of the hill. At this moment an officer caught sight of a signal flag far away across the valley, twenty miles distant, upon the top of Kenesaw Mountain. The signal was answered, and soon the message was waved across from mountain to mountain:
“Hold the fort; I am coming. W. T. Sherman.”
Cheers went up; every man was nerved to a full appreciation of the position; and under a murderous fire, which killed or wounded more than half the men in the fort—the Union General himself being shot three times through the head, and his Colonel taking command, though himself badly wounded — they held the fort for three hours until the advance guard of Sherman’s army came up and the Confederate army was obliged to retreat.
After hearing this story from a civil war veteran in 1870, Philip Bliss, the composer who wrote the melody to “It is well with my Soul”, wrote the words and melody of “Hold the Fort”. Philip died in a tragic train accident at 38 years of age at the height of his evangelistic music ministry and was about to join Dwight Moody in Europe when the accident happened, killing him and his wife, and leaving his two sons as orphans.
Just as the men of the Union army held the fort, we need to remember to “hold the Fort” of God’s Kingdom here on earth against the “Devil’s schemes” and his rulers, authorities, powers of this dark world and spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” (Eph 6:12). This church is in a strategic position here in Port-au-Prince! But just as the Union army fought to save badly needed supplies, supplies needed for the Union to win the war, so we must give and supply the needs of this church so that it can be a haven of hope, a fortress for God’s Kingdom here in PAP. Rest assured that God’s Kingdom is coming! In His last words in Revelation Jesus reminds us: “Yes, I am coming soon! (Rev. 22: 20). Until then we need to pray, give and work for the defense and advancement of his Kingdom here in Haiti and around the world.
Hold the fort Philip Bliss
Verse 1:
Ho, my comrades! see the signal waving in the sky!
Reinforcements now appearing, victory is nigh.
Refrain:
“Hold the fort, for I am coming,” Jesus signals still;
Wave the answer back to Heaven, “By Thy grace we will.”
See the mighty host advancing, Satan leading on;
Mighty ones around us falling, courage almost gone!
Refrain
See the glorious banner waving! Hear the trumpet blow!
In our Leader’s Name we triumph over ev’ry foe.
Refrain
Fierce and long the battle rages, but our help is near;
Onward comes our great Commander, cheer, my comrades, cheer!
Saturday, July 9, 2011
Mud and Rivers and rocks, Oh My!
For all those fans for 4 wheel drive, have I got a road for you!
Last week I drove from 7 AM to 7 PM on some of the worst roads in Haiti, straddling "mud tracks" 2 feet deep, fording rivers, and beating my tires up on "washboard" rock formations that loosened up every bolt on my Toyota pickup (and even shook some completely loose).
I had a full load of 5 people inside the truck and two men outside sitting on top of 50 cases of Christian literature, soccer equipment and suitcases.
Our first stop was a remote church where we delivered lots of books to be distributed next week during our visit with our Canadian Friends. Then we tried to hook up with a Haitian pastor who had just had a bad motorcycle accident, but couldn't wait until he got home.
Our last stop before heading to La Pointe, was to drop off the rest of the books that will be distributed to 9 different churches between July 11 and 16th. There are colorfull "25 Bible story" books, Pilgrim's Progress in Creole, Bibles and booklets for children that clearly explain the Gospel.
There were also Literacy "primers" to teach children how to read in Creole. When i got to this remote village, I decided to test the reading skills of the children gathered around. To my amazement, even the smallest child seemed to be able to read the letters with ease and even some sentences! The future of Haiti is definitely the children!
To get to La Pointe, we had to cross a wide river that trucks have been know to get stuck in. Naturally, I was a little nervous, and it didn't help that some of my Haitian companions told stories of people they knew who got stuck when water stalled their engines and the car drifted down the river a bit!
We made it across, however, thanks to "guides" that sat on my hood, sometimes pointing in different directions!
I was glad to get even a cold shower that night to wash all the dust off and crawl into bed!
Sylvain and Sylvena's Wedding
A wedding is always a cause of celebration in any culture, but it takes on new meaning in Haiti where most children are born out of wedlock, and many couples don't have the money to get married in a "proper fashion". Teenage pregnancy is still a huge problem here and has been exacerbated because of the insecurity in the tent cities.
So when a couple does their best to celebrate their union in a way that glorifies God, and his goodness in bringing them together, it is indeed a special occasion.
Sylvain and Sylvena met in Port-de-Paix where they attend Ebenezer Baptist Church. She is a Kindergarten teacher, and her students attended the wedding and sang a cute song for the couple. Sylvain is a school teacher and also works for Compassion and Ambassadors in Sport. He also has his own evangelistic ministry in the area that seeks to go into remote areas and share the Gospel.
I was asked to pray at the wedding, which was a great honor, and of course I had to write down the prayer since it was in Creole and I didn't want any mistakes!
I also helped out by driving the wedding attendants to and from the wedding and helping them keep out of the mud, since it had rained earlier that day.
In all, it was a great celebration and reminded me of how thankful I am for Carol and our children, the fruit of a godly marriage - and of course I prayed the same for Sylvain and Sylvena!
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Richard arrived safely up north
Thanks for your prayers. Richard arrived safely up north. Sunday, he made excellent time getting to Gonaives in 2 1/2 hours, even though sometimes it can take 4 or more hours.
Yesterday he drove around a lot (about 10 hours) getting to Port-de-Paix and then having meetings in that general area.
Yesterday he drove around a lot (about 10 hours) getting to Port-de-Paix and then having meetings in that general area.
Monday, July 4, 2011
If justice seems so elusive to you that you don't even try to acheive it, is that a kind of oppression?
This is a note I put on facebook this morning.
I was actually invited to a 4th of July picnic and even though I wasn't really in the mood, I knew it would be a good thing to do. I'm glad I did.
Please comment on this note--I'd appreciate your thoughts.
"I'm trying to be in the 4th of July spirit, but I just had a heart-breaking talk with a Mom whose son (one of the most honest, good-hearted, unselfish people I've known) is in jail. He's been like a son to me and it's really hard to accept this. I get angry with people involved in this and disheartened knowing a little of what jail is like in this country. He contracted malaria this week. I'm thanking God that at least the prison provided chloroquine and rehydration fluids.
The saddest part is that it seems the Haitians involved don't feel that they can even try to prove that he is not the one who's at fault. They are so used to the idea that you can't fight "city hall" or anyone (in this case, it's probably individuals), it almost doesn't occur to them to try. And partly because of this, we have been uninformed, and misinformed about what actually happened. It doesn't seem worth it to those involved trying to piece together what happened because they think you'll never be able to prove that he didn't do it. What experiences must they have had if they act this way? Or is it just hearsay? So, instead they are focused on trying to raise the huge amount of money to pay back the organization that is out the money.
To answer my question above....if you think about the Merriam-Webster definition "unjust or cruel exercise of authority or power" it doesn't seem like that's what's happening here, at first. But, what if the LACK of exercise of power or authority allows some people in the society to take advantage of someone else without punishment?
Sadly, we have lost time not knowing many of the facts in this matter because of hopelessness--at least in their society and justice system. They do hope in God, but, I guess like all of us, they only think He will work in certain ways.
Hmmm. Need to go pray some more."
.
I was actually invited to a 4th of July picnic and even though I wasn't really in the mood, I knew it would be a good thing to do. I'm glad I did.
Please comment on this note--I'd appreciate your thoughts.
"I'm trying to be in the 4th of July spirit, but I just had a heart-breaking talk with a Mom whose son (one of the most honest, good-hearted, unselfish people I've known) is in jail. He's been like a son to me and it's really hard to accept this. I get angry with people involved in this and disheartened knowing a little of what jail is like in this country. He contracted malaria this week. I'm thanking God that at least the prison provided chloroquine and rehydration fluids.
The saddest part is that it seems the Haitians involved don't feel that they can even try to prove that he is not the one who's at fault. They are so used to the idea that you can't fight "city hall" or anyone (in this case, it's probably individuals), it almost doesn't occur to them to try. And partly because of this, we have been uninformed, and misinformed about what actually happened. It doesn't seem worth it to those involved trying to piece together what happened because they think you'll never be able to prove that he didn't do it. What experiences must they have had if they act this way? Or is it just hearsay? So, instead they are focused on trying to raise the huge amount of money to pay back the organization that is out the money.
To answer my question above....if you think about the Merriam-Webster definition "unjust or cruel exercise of authority or power" it doesn't seem like that's what's happening here, at first. But, what if the LACK of exercise of power or authority allows some people in the society to take advantage of someone else without punishment?
Sadly, we have lost time not knowing many of the facts in this matter because of hopelessness--at least in their society and justice system. They do hope in God, but, I guess like all of us, they only think He will work in certain ways.
Hmmm. Need to go pray some more."
.
Sunday, July 3, 2011
Prayer requests
Here are some prayer requests for Sunday and Monday:
Please pray for Richard today as he drives up to Gonaives and tomorrow when he'll be driving on worse roads to Port-de-Paix and La Pointe.
Pray for the AIS "Team" as they have a lot going on this week up in the north:
1. Sylvain Nelson's wedding! - He has been working with AIS for years and is currently a part time administrator for the northern regions. (Tuesday, July 5th)
2. For book distribution - over 10,000 books to be brought to 3 regions. "25 Greatest Bible stories" and "Book of Hope" (both in Creole, but giving you the English names), and Bibles.
3. For Equipment distribution for soccer teams in 3 regions.
4. UEBH Beraca Conference - Representatives from the UEBH churches and ministries all over Haiti meet together for a few days of teaching, worship and spending time together.
5. Meeting with the AIS-Haiti Regional Committee in Gonaives.
Thank you for praying!
Please pray for Richard today as he drives up to Gonaives and tomorrow when he'll be driving on worse roads to Port-de-Paix and La Pointe.
Pray for the AIS "Team" as they have a lot going on this week up in the north:
1. Sylvain Nelson's wedding! - He has been working with AIS for years and is currently a part time administrator for the northern regions. (Tuesday, July 5th)
2. For book distribution - over 10,000 books to be brought to 3 regions. "25 Greatest Bible stories" and "Book of Hope" (both in Creole, but giving you the English names), and Bibles.
3. For Equipment distribution for soccer teams in 3 regions.
4. UEBH Beraca Conference - Representatives from the UEBH churches and ministries all over Haiti meet together for a few days of teaching, worship and spending time together.
5. Meeting with the AIS-Haiti Regional Committee in Gonaives.
Thank you for praying!
Friday, July 1, 2011
YABT training for Young Life - How to Write a Business Plan
Here are some pictures of the YABT training for the Young Life group that started last weekend and continues tomorrow and Sunday.
Tent Camp for 18 months and still no where to go for many
I couldn't stop the tears from rolling down my cheeks as I sat in a circle together with 14 IDP* (refugee) tent camp leaders and the pastor of the church property where the camp sits. The camp is supposed to be dismantled by the Fall and these people need somewhere to go. We had just finished two hours of discussion about how to help people in the camp understand their God-given talents through ABCD: Asset Based Community Development.
As a North American, I wanted to go in and fix their problems like I order a hamburger at McDonalds. But there are no easy answers when it comes to assimilating the thousands of people in IDP camps back into the mainstream in Haiti. Imagine living in a tent for 1 ½ years! That’s not a week’s vacation with your family.
I’m not sure of all the emotions welling up inside that caused me to cry, but I know deep inside I wanted these dear brothers and sisters in Christ (who were volunteering their time to help others in the tents) to know that somebody had heard their cries and cared about their challenges. I wanted them to know that I (and all who support us and pray for us) was there to encourage and comfort them in a seemingly impossible situation.
I told them frankly that I didn’t know how God was going to deliver them from this situation, but at the beginning of the seminar we all confirmed what we knew: God loves us, and all the people living in tents; God would not ask us to pray for our daily bread without giving us a way to earn it or find it, and God has given each one of us talents and abilities to serve him, and serve others.
Without the caring heart of Mark Bradley, a fellow Crossworld missionary, and his wife, Anne, I would not have had the opportunity to share with and learn from these dear people. But when Mark asked me to visit the camp with him, and we started to talk to Pastor Renes about the challenges he faced, I decided to meet with them to discuss ABCD which I had just read about in the book “When Helping Hurts”.
So with Mark’s help I learned enough about ABCD, and the spirit behind it, to lead a discussion with these leaders.
ABCD starts with the perspective that God has given everyone talents and abilities that they can use to help themselves and others. Instead of asking the refugees what they need, ABCD asks them what they HAVE in terms of skills, community connections, business experience and personal assets. It seeks to engage everyone in finding solutions to pressing community issues rather than doing things for people who “have nothing to offer.” In Mark 6, Jesus started with what people had, a few fish and loaves, and proceeded to turn it into a feast for 5000. When we offer what we have to God, he can do miracles – and that is what Haiti needs right now – lots of individual miracles.
Even though I had never taught this material before, the discussions we had energized me, and God helped me find just the right illustrations to help the group understand the concepts. Once this was done, we worked together on putting together a survey to help people discover their talents. I left it up to them to decide whether they would survey people individually or in groups, and also when and how they would get together to discuss the results of the surveys and hopefully find some ways to connect needs in the community with skills their neighbors have.
I plan to meet with them on July 21st to discuss their findings and try and find ways to link their abilities with my network. In the meantime, please pray for this whole process, and pray that God will make a way for these dear people leave their tents.
Rich
*Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) – people are not technically considered refugees if they are in such a camp in their own country.
As a North American, I wanted to go in and fix their problems like I order a hamburger at McDonalds. But there are no easy answers when it comes to assimilating the thousands of people in IDP camps back into the mainstream in Haiti. Imagine living in a tent for 1 ½ years! That’s not a week’s vacation with your family.
I’m not sure of all the emotions welling up inside that caused me to cry, but I know deep inside I wanted these dear brothers and sisters in Christ (who were volunteering their time to help others in the tents) to know that somebody had heard their cries and cared about their challenges. I wanted them to know that I (and all who support us and pray for us) was there to encourage and comfort them in a seemingly impossible situation.
I told them frankly that I didn’t know how God was going to deliver them from this situation, but at the beginning of the seminar we all confirmed what we knew: God loves us, and all the people living in tents; God would not ask us to pray for our daily bread without giving us a way to earn it or find it, and God has given each one of us talents and abilities to serve him, and serve others.
Without the caring heart of Mark Bradley, a fellow Crossworld missionary, and his wife, Anne, I would not have had the opportunity to share with and learn from these dear people. But when Mark asked me to visit the camp with him, and we started to talk to Pastor Renes about the challenges he faced, I decided to meet with them to discuss ABCD which I had just read about in the book “When Helping Hurts”.
So with Mark’s help I learned enough about ABCD, and the spirit behind it, to lead a discussion with these leaders.
ABCD starts with the perspective that God has given everyone talents and abilities that they can use to help themselves and others. Instead of asking the refugees what they need, ABCD asks them what they HAVE in terms of skills, community connections, business experience and personal assets. It seeks to engage everyone in finding solutions to pressing community issues rather than doing things for people who “have nothing to offer.” In Mark 6, Jesus started with what people had, a few fish and loaves, and proceeded to turn it into a feast for 5000. When we offer what we have to God, he can do miracles – and that is what Haiti needs right now – lots of individual miracles.
Even though I had never taught this material before, the discussions we had energized me, and God helped me find just the right illustrations to help the group understand the concepts. Once this was done, we worked together on putting together a survey to help people discover their talents. I left it up to them to decide whether they would survey people individually or in groups, and also when and how they would get together to discuss the results of the surveys and hopefully find some ways to connect needs in the community with skills their neighbors have.
I plan to meet with them on July 21st to discuss their findings and try and find ways to link their abilities with my network. In the meantime, please pray for this whole process, and pray that God will make a way for these dear people leave their tents.
Rich
*Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) – people are not technically considered refugees if they are in such a camp in their own country.
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Prayer Requests
Please pray for safety for Richard as he drives around town. He did a special meeting this morning with the leaders of an IDP tent camp that is going to be disbanded soon. The people need wisdom and help with people getting resettled. Thank God for a church in Pennsylvania who is partnering with the church at this site to pray for, to have a partnership with them and help in whatever way God leads them.
Please pray for Ronald and Sylvain who are up north (again) conducting training.
Pray for the YABT training that will continue this weekend at Young Life.
thanks!
Please pray for Ronald and Sylvain who are up north (again) conducting training.
Pray for the YABT training that will continue this weekend at Young Life.
thanks!
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
What is she doing?
"Madame, Emmanuel told us he saw you walking on a thing in a room and you didn't go anywhere! We want to see this thing!" Francelaine & Geovania asked me.
No, I didn't let them watch me walk on the treadmill. And, no, no picture of me on it. ;) But seeing how silly it seems to them, since they have to walk just about everywhere and wouldn't if they didn't have to, makes me think & pray about whether we're really getting anywhere as we put out effort in our ministries.
In fact, our recent CrossWorld retreat was a all about evaluating what we spend our time doing and what effect it has. We read the book "Live Like You Mean It" by T.J. Addington and spent time clarifying what we think God has us here for, what we need to do to accomplish that, etc. It has been challenging and refreshing.
If you would join us in prayer about this, we'd appreciate it. And, I think I need to use our "most used word" of the retreat to ask specifically for prayer...."intentional." Pray that we would be more intentional about all that we are here to do. Thanks
No, I didn't let them watch me walk on the treadmill. And, no, no picture of me on it. ;) But seeing how silly it seems to them, since they have to walk just about everywhere and wouldn't if they didn't have to, makes me think & pray about whether we're really getting anywhere as we put out effort in our ministries.
In fact, our recent CrossWorld retreat was a all about evaluating what we spend our time doing and what effect it has. We read the book "Live Like You Mean It" by T.J. Addington and spent time clarifying what we think God has us here for, what we need to do to accomplish that, etc. It has been challenging and refreshing.
If you would join us in prayer about this, we'd appreciate it. And, I think I need to use our "most used word" of the retreat to ask specifically for prayer...."intentional." Pray that we would be more intentional about all that we are here to do. Thanks
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Training in Cabaret in the North
Here are some pictures of the training that went on up in Cabaret on Saturday.
Each team was given some equipment to start with.
Each team was given some equipment to start with.
Saturday, June 25, 2011
Reorganizing the "Soccer Depot"
Working on the depot. We call it "the soccer depot." It's where we keep the donated sports equipment, first aid materials, training materials, Bibles, books, and equipment for showing films.
BEFORE:
AFTER:
And, yes, there's Jean-Paul again. Ronald and others also helped on this project.
Before there were only a few shelves and mostly there were cardboard boxes piled on top of each other. The contents was scribbled on in marker, for example "shirts." This time we have uniform labels on each box that fit into plastic sleeves so we can write on each box exactly how many we take out or add to it. This picture was actually taken before we completely finished the job.
We are setting in place a more organized method of tracking all this "inventory" as it comes in and goes out to the (over 70) teams our 10 regions around the country. We hope to replace the cardboard boxes with plastic tubs over time, but that' the next step. It's good to have the time to do this so that things will be more streamlined throughout the year. And it was really nice to be able to find the tools to work on this project because of Kevin Belmont who helped us clean out and reorganize our personal depot!
BEFORE:
AFTER:
And, yes, there's Jean-Paul again. Ronald and others also helped on this project.
Before there were only a few shelves and mostly there were cardboard boxes piled on top of each other. The contents was scribbled on in marker, for example "shirts." This time we have uniform labels on each box that fit into plastic sleeves so we can write on each box exactly how many we take out or add to it. This picture was actually taken before we completely finished the job.
We are setting in place a more organized method of tracking all this "inventory" as it comes in and goes out to the (over 70) teams our 10 regions around the country. We hope to replace the cardboard boxes with plastic tubs over time, but that' the next step. It's good to have the time to do this so that things will be more streamlined throughout the year. And it was really nice to be able to find the tools to work on this project because of Kevin Belmont who helped us clean out and reorganize our personal depot!
Friday, June 24, 2011
Jean-Paul graduated from seminary!
By the grace of God, one of our AIS-Haiti workers, Jean-Paul Pierre Noel graduated from STEP seminary last week. Here's a picture of him with his fiance, Christelle Francois. They are planning to be married in December, 2011.
Jean-Paul did an internship with AIS-Haiti after his second year in seminary. He has been faithful in volunteering and recently started working in a part time position with us. He is a gentle, gracious Christian who is a joy to work with.
When I say that he graduated "by the grace of God" I'm not implying that we weren't sure of his capabilities. Although he may say that in all ways he needed God's grace (I think that's true for all of us), but I say that because Jean-Paul did not have enough money to attend STEP. God graciously provided, even in the last week of school, a donor from our home church, Crossing Community Church, gave a very generous gift that allowed Jean-Paul to pay off all his debt! We praise God for this.
For the time being, Jean-Paul is still working with us part time in Port-au-Prince where he plans to live after he is married. Please pray that God would provide funds for us to increase his hours with AIS and that he will be able to help us lead AIS into the future.
Jean-Paul did an internship with AIS-Haiti after his second year in seminary. He has been faithful in volunteering and recently started working in a part time position with us. He is a gentle, gracious Christian who is a joy to work with.
When I say that he graduated "by the grace of God" I'm not implying that we weren't sure of his capabilities. Although he may say that in all ways he needed God's grace (I think that's true for all of us), but I say that because Jean-Paul did not have enough money to attend STEP. God graciously provided, even in the last week of school, a donor from our home church, Crossing Community Church, gave a very generous gift that allowed Jean-Paul to pay off all his debt! We praise God for this.
For the time being, Jean-Paul is still working with us part time in Port-au-Prince where he plans to live after he is married. Please pray that God would provide funds for us to increase his hours with AIS and that he will be able to help us lead AIS into the future.
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Training this weekend
Ronald William just arrived this morning up north where he, Sylvain, Debreus and Orvil will be conducting a training session for a group of 24 young men in Cabaret in the Northwest department who are interested in volunteering with AIS-Haiti.
Ronald had to get up very early this morning to take the bus up to Port de Paix and we were glad to get the call that he arrived there safely. Now, to get to Cabaret where they will hold the training day, Sylvain will be working out transportation for them which involves crossing (through!) several rivers, some of which are at flood levels. One especially is quite difficult right now. Please pray that they get safely there and then for Sunday when they will return.
A CrossWorld missionary who works up in that area has asked us to be in "serious prayer because there is so much potential" Also, the area is very heavily influence by voodoo.
Some of the participants will be trained to be coaches, some to be chaplains, and others to be administrators of the teams.
Ronald took a big bag of equipment with him to help 8 teams to get started. These teams will be associated with UEBH Christian schools in the general area.
Here are some pictures to show you what it's like crossing the rivers up north.
Here's one taken from a side window looking at a very full river.
Ronald had to get up very early this morning to take the bus up to Port de Paix and we were glad to get the call that he arrived there safely. Now, to get to Cabaret where they will hold the training day, Sylvain will be working out transportation for them which involves crossing (through!) several rivers, some of which are at flood levels. One especially is quite difficult right now. Please pray that they get safely there and then for Sunday when they will return.
A CrossWorld missionary who works up in that area has asked us to be in "serious prayer because there is so much potential" Also, the area is very heavily influence by voodoo.
Some of the participants will be trained to be coaches, some to be chaplains, and others to be administrators of the teams.
Ronald took a big bag of equipment with him to help 8 teams to get started. These teams will be associated with UEBH Christian schools in the general area.
Here are some pictures to show you what it's like crossing the rivers up north.
Here's one taken from a side window looking at a very full river.
Saturday, June 11, 2011
Storm Damage
While we were away at a retreat with our CrossWorld colleagues, Port-au-Prince was hit hard by a storm this week.
Week before last, our friend, Kevin Belmont came and put in a nice, sturdy "staircase" made of discarded car tires filled with dirt so that Francoise could get up and down from the ravine to walk anywhere she needs to go and to tend to her garden that she has planted on the side of the ravine. You can see what looks like a big boulder next to her is actually the ground (the property she is renting to own) where she had planted some corn. Her house is up on the left and the blue tarp is her outhouse, which is now slanting down toward the ravine.
Sadly, many poor people live in ravines or on the edges of them. People like this were hit hard. Of course, certain sections of tent cities were also washed out. Thankfully our friend, Francoise was fine, but the water carried away earth, stones,and some of the "tire stairs". Please pray for the people of this ravine (Puits Blain & Vivy Mitchell) and another one on the other side of our neighborhood in the Delmas 75 area.
The picture below shows the lower tires that got washed away.
There is a good side to this, in that the path where Francoise's neighbors used to walk to get to anything outside of their "neighborhood" is gone--taken away by the water. So now lots of people are appreciating the tire stairs that Kevin built and at the bottom, they hop over to the "earthen boulder" and then hop to other chunks of land or rocks to get to or from their houses.
The down side of this is that something was stolen from Francoise this week and she's concerned that more things will be stolen.
It's interesting to me that her garden doesn't need to have a fence around it. She says that as long as people see her tending the garden, they won't take her produce, only if they think she doesn't live there anymore would they take it.
Another point of good news is that Francoise says that people who had lost everything were going around asking for sheets and clothing and we just received some sheets and towels that were intended for earthquake relief but sitting in customs for about a year. The reason for that was that the person they were sent to went back to the US because of health problems. So, now we have these available to give out.
In the picture below you see Francoise's next door neighbor's house. There used to be vegetation on the side of the ravine and it went gradually down to the bottom. Now it's cut away. The neighbor said that it would cost a huge amount of money to try to fix this.
Monday, June 6, 2011
Water Project inaugurated just in time for a rash of new cholera cases
Highlights from this week:
We finally got to "inaugurate" the water project in Verrettes. When we went out there, we heard that with all the rain we've been getting there has been a new wave of cholera victims. All the cases at the Verrettes church were treated and the people recovered, thank God.
Please pray: Our friend, Venita's two children, Sara and "Louch" (Gaeton) are sick with cholera-like symptoms and are currently on IV at the General Hospital. They are being told it's not cholera, but hopefully they are being treated as if it is.
I'm going to have to finish this post later....stay tuned...
We finally got to "inaugurate" the water project in Verrettes. When we went out there, we heard that with all the rain we've been getting there has been a new wave of cholera victims. All the cases at the Verrettes church were treated and the people recovered, thank God.
Please pray: Our friend, Venita's two children, Sara and "Louch" (Gaeton) are sick with cholera-like symptoms and are currently on IV at the General Hospital. They are being told it's not cholera, but hopefully they are being treated as if it is.
I'm going to have to finish this post later....stay tuned...
Monday, May 23, 2011
When you help the least of these…
When you help the least of these…
You may remember Davidson, the 11 year old orphan who lives with his Grandmother who is deaf.
This morning at 6 AM he rang our bell. It turns out that he was up all night in pain because of a tooth ache. One of his “baby” molars had a big cavity, and was causing a throbbing pain.
Since I had to take Carol and Ricky to school, I gave him some Tylenol and told him to meet me at noon with an adult from his neighborhood so I could take him to a dentist I know.
In the meantime, I called up a Haitian friend who is a dentist and made an appointment for Davidson.
By the time I picked up Davidson to take him to the dentist, I could tell that he had been in pain a long time. I asked him where his adult companion was, and he said no one could go with him. So I made the decision to take him myself. To make the ride shorter, I asked him to do math problems in his head. I wanted to see how well he would do since I had helped him get a scholarship to attend school. He knew how to add pretty well, and could handle money as well. But he was weak on subtraction, multiplication and division.
When we arrived at the Dentist’s office, we waited a little while so it could be “cleaned”. Apparently it hadn’t been used in some time since my Dentist friend often visits refugee camps to provide dental services.
We placed Davidson on the dental chair, and he laid still. The Dentist decided it would be best to pull the tooth, since it was a “baby” tooth. So, being the son of a dentist, I explained to Davidson that he would be getting a shot, and then would feel some pressure as the dentist removed the tooth.
This was Davidson’s first time at the dentist, and I saw a lone tear streak down his face even before the shot. He was clearly afraid. So I tried to comfort him, and soothe him. But nothing could prepare him for his first shot of Novocain, which I always said was the most painful part of getting a tooth pulled! But the little guy was very brave and did not move, but cried quietly as the shot started to numb his jaw.
It had been a long time since I had been present during a tooth extraction, and I forgot how big the chisel and forceps looked. I was afraid I might faint since I had not eaten lunch and it was really hot in the office without electricity to run fans or anything. But Davidson and I both made it through with flying colors!
The Dentist gave Davison some antibiotics and did not charge us for the extraction saying it was part of his ministry to the poor. I gave him a small amount of money anyway to encourage and thank him.
On the way home I purchased a bottle of water that was mostly ice and told Davidson to lay it gently on his cheek to ease the pain of the extraction.
As he lay on the backseat of my 4-cab pickup while I fought afternoon traffic in down-town Port-au-Prince, I couldn’t help but thank God for letting me be part of “The good works God had prepared for me to walk in” that day.
But my adventure was not over. I needed to take Davidson home and talk to his Grandmother about the medicine he needed to take. So he lead me down a big hill, up a winding, narrow passage way where water ran when it rained, then up a lot of stairs to until we arrived at his Grandmother’s house. She was so thrilled to see me, she ran down from her roof and gave me a big hug thanking me for helping her grandson. The she led me inside her one-room house and showed me where rain comes in through the cement roof. But she is one of the lucky ones – she owns the house they live in, and it did not collapse during the earthquake.
After explaining how to take the medicine and leaving some money for them to buy some pain-reliever, I prayed with Davidson and asked God to reduce the pain and help him to recover quickly.
As I walked the long path back to my car, I reflected on how much effort this 11 year old makes just to get to school every day. I was drenched with sweat just walking back to my car!
I know I can’t help every 11 year old orphan in Haiti, but God put Davidson in my path today, and I helped relieve his suffering in a small way. Thank you for your prayers and support that allow God to work through me to be your hands and feet here in Haiti, helping boys like Davidson in a direct way, but also influencing over 1,000 young soccer players through the over 80 teams we now sponsor in Christian schools around the country.
You may remember Davidson, the 11 year old orphan who lives with his Grandmother who is deaf.
This morning at 6 AM he rang our bell. It turns out that he was up all night in pain because of a tooth ache. One of his “baby” molars had a big cavity, and was causing a throbbing pain.
Since I had to take Carol and Ricky to school, I gave him some Tylenol and told him to meet me at noon with an adult from his neighborhood so I could take him to a dentist I know.
In the meantime, I called up a Haitian friend who is a dentist and made an appointment for Davidson.
By the time I picked up Davidson to take him to the dentist, I could tell that he had been in pain a long time. I asked him where his adult companion was, and he said no one could go with him. So I made the decision to take him myself. To make the ride shorter, I asked him to do math problems in his head. I wanted to see how well he would do since I had helped him get a scholarship to attend school. He knew how to add pretty well, and could handle money as well. But he was weak on subtraction, multiplication and division.
When we arrived at the Dentist’s office, we waited a little while so it could be “cleaned”. Apparently it hadn’t been used in some time since my Dentist friend often visits refugee camps to provide dental services.
We placed Davidson on the dental chair, and he laid still. The Dentist decided it would be best to pull the tooth, since it was a “baby” tooth. So, being the son of a dentist, I explained to Davidson that he would be getting a shot, and then would feel some pressure as the dentist removed the tooth.
This was Davidson’s first time at the dentist, and I saw a lone tear streak down his face even before the shot. He was clearly afraid. So I tried to comfort him, and soothe him. But nothing could prepare him for his first shot of Novocain, which I always said was the most painful part of getting a tooth pulled! But the little guy was very brave and did not move, but cried quietly as the shot started to numb his jaw.
It had been a long time since I had been present during a tooth extraction, and I forgot how big the chisel and forceps looked. I was afraid I might faint since I had not eaten lunch and it was really hot in the office without electricity to run fans or anything. But Davidson and I both made it through with flying colors!
The Dentist gave Davison some antibiotics and did not charge us for the extraction saying it was part of his ministry to the poor. I gave him a small amount of money anyway to encourage and thank him.
On the way home I purchased a bottle of water that was mostly ice and told Davidson to lay it gently on his cheek to ease the pain of the extraction.
As he lay on the backseat of my 4-cab pickup while I fought afternoon traffic in down-town Port-au-Prince, I couldn’t help but thank God for letting me be part of “The good works God had prepared for me to walk in” that day.
But my adventure was not over. I needed to take Davidson home and talk to his Grandmother about the medicine he needed to take. So he lead me down a big hill, up a winding, narrow passage way where water ran when it rained, then up a lot of stairs to until we arrived at his Grandmother’s house. She was so thrilled to see me, she ran down from her roof and gave me a big hug thanking me for helping her grandson. The she led me inside her one-room house and showed me where rain comes in through the cement roof. But she is one of the lucky ones – she owns the house they live in, and it did not collapse during the earthquake.
After explaining how to take the medicine and leaving some money for them to buy some pain-reliever, I prayed with Davidson and asked God to reduce the pain and help him to recover quickly.
As I walked the long path back to my car, I reflected on how much effort this 11 year old makes just to get to school every day. I was drenched with sweat just walking back to my car!
I know I can’t help every 11 year old orphan in Haiti, but God put Davidson in my path today, and I helped relieve his suffering in a small way. Thank you for your prayers and support that allow God to work through me to be your hands and feet here in Haiti, helping boys like Davidson in a direct way, but also influencing over 1,000 young soccer players through the over 80 teams we now sponsor in Christian schools around the country.
Saturday, May 14, 2011
Amputee Soccer Team at the Citadel
How do you get a person with one leg up the steep hill to the visit the Citadel? On horse-back of course. Unfortunately, the horse handlers beat the horses with wooden sticks (switches) and this sometimes makes the horse move forward suddenly. One of our amputee players lost his grip on the saddle, and fell off the horse, hitting his elbow on the hard cobblestone road. He was not seriously injured, but it certainly was a scare!
Once in the Citadel, the players had to climb lots of stairs and fully exerted themselves just getting around to explore this vast fortress.
Then at the end of the visit, they sang to a crowd of several hundred, with me singing bass to round out the harmony.
As the tour guide told us the story of how "King" Henri Christophe committed suicide after he became handicapped because of a stroke, I could not help but reflect on the irony of that story when looking at the Amputee soccer team. Here were poor men who, even though handicapped, were living a courageous life and fighting to survive on practically nothing. Whereas Henri Christophe had riches, fortresses, palaces and everything the world had to offer at that time, yet lost hope when he became handicapped. Why do the players of the Amputee soccer team have hope, where Christophe had none? Because most of the players on the team are Christian and are trusting Christ to meet the daily needs of them and their families.
Enjoy the pictures!
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Street kids in Haiti
When you are a missionary, you are like a Mom - you have to be able to do almost anything at any time, with little notice with practically nothing.
This trip was like that for me. I drove 8 hours up to Cap Haitian, mostly in the dark following a diesel exhaust-belching bus (Thank God for A/C!). On the way back, I did the same thing, but lead the way most of the time. I took care of first aid, food for 40 and had to go to the airport (1 & 1/2 hour round trip) four times to pick up 30 lost suitcases.
But the best part of the trip for me were the spontaneous moments when Haitians crowded around us to see what we were doing. Many times this trip I took the opportunity to share my Christian testimony and the story of how I was shot and survived. Of course it helped that I had the bullet holes in my truck seat and door to show the doubting Thomas's. Many listened with rapt attention, especially the children. On the last day in Cap Haitian I was at a park waiting for the team to show up and get on the bus.
A few street kids started to gather around me so I gave them tracts. Right away, one of the boys started to read the tract outloud - he was so happy to have something to read in Creole! He read straight through the tract without stopping with the correct pronunciation and intonation! I was amazed and asked where he had learned to read like that (80% of Haitians can't read). He told me that before his parents had died, they had send him to 5 years of school. He said his Father had died in the earthquake, and that his mother had died of cancer 3 years ago. I asked him why he didn't stay with his relatives. He said his Grandmothers were dead, and the only relative he knew about was an aunt in Ti Riviere which was over 60 miles away.
His name was Gilot and he is 11 years old. My heart was breaking. I so wanted to take him home and train his sharp mind!! The best I could do was get the name of his Aunt and give it to our contact in Ti Riviere where we have a soccer team to see if he could locate the boy's aunt.
As I kept talking a dozen more boys showed up, so I called a friend from the hospital we had visited and asked him if he knew of any place that helped street kids. He said there was a ministry that gave them a hot meal once a day right at that plaza. The boys knew of it, but said they didn't serve food on Sundays. So I gave everyone some crackers and water and kept talking to them. Out of the 15 boys or so, 3 could read!
Back in the 60's I remember an advertisement for the Äftrican-American college fund that said "A mind is a terrible thing to waste". Please pray for these bright young boys who could help their country so much if given a chance, and the right spiritual training.
This trip was like that for me. I drove 8 hours up to Cap Haitian, mostly in the dark following a diesel exhaust-belching bus (Thank God for A/C!). On the way back, I did the same thing, but lead the way most of the time. I took care of first aid, food for 40 and had to go to the airport (1 & 1/2 hour round trip) four times to pick up 30 lost suitcases.
But the best part of the trip for me were the spontaneous moments when Haitians crowded around us to see what we were doing. Many times this trip I took the opportunity to share my Christian testimony and the story of how I was shot and survived. Of course it helped that I had the bullet holes in my truck seat and door to show the doubting Thomas's. Many listened with rapt attention, especially the children. On the last day in Cap Haitian I was at a park waiting for the team to show up and get on the bus.
A few street kids started to gather around me so I gave them tracts. Right away, one of the boys started to read the tract outloud - he was so happy to have something to read in Creole! He read straight through the tract without stopping with the correct pronunciation and intonation! I was amazed and asked where he had learned to read like that (80% of Haitians can't read). He told me that before his parents had died, they had send him to 5 years of school. He said his Father had died in the earthquake, and that his mother had died of cancer 3 years ago. I asked him why he didn't stay with his relatives. He said his Grandmothers were dead, and the only relative he knew about was an aunt in Ti Riviere which was over 60 miles away.
His name was Gilot and he is 11 years old. My heart was breaking. I so wanted to take him home and train his sharp mind!! The best I could do was get the name of his Aunt and give it to our contact in Ti Riviere where we have a soccer team to see if he could locate the boy's aunt.
As I kept talking a dozen more boys showed up, so I called a friend from the hospital we had visited and asked him if he knew of any place that helped street kids. He said there was a ministry that gave them a hot meal once a day right at that plaza. The boys knew of it, but said they didn't serve food on Sundays. So I gave everyone some crackers and water and kept talking to them. Out of the 15 boys or so, 3 could read!
Back in the 60's I remember an advertisement for the Äftrican-American college fund that said "A mind is a terrible thing to waste". Please pray for these bright young boys who could help their country so much if given a chance, and the right spiritual training.
Saturday, May 7, 2011
University of Moncton Days 3-5,Weds, May 4, 2011 to Friday, May 6
Days 3-5,Weds, May 4, 2011 to Friday, May 6
Today is the big day of the U-13 soccer final. Before that, we have a big day planned: We will visit three sets of students at two schools. In Haiti there is such a demand for education, that the state schools (public schools) and some private schools have Morning and afternoon sessions with completely different sets of students.
So at one school we are visiting today, we are going to play with the AM section in the morning, and the PM section at 1 PM. After that is the final of the soccer tournament we have sponsored.
Yesterday I met with a reporter of one of the biggest radio stations in Cap Haitian (Radio 4VEH). He is going to advertise for the game this afternoon.
The soccer tournament final attracted the largest crowd we have had to date, outside of the Games played in 2007 in the National Stadium. We estimate there were over 1,000 people at the game. The sound system was very powerful, and as I arrived at the game late, I heard Jean Paul sharing the Gospel with the crowd. The 30-40 Evangelistic Counselors we had trained the day before were all there and they asked people to fill out response cards after the presentation. As we reviewed the cards after the game, 32 people indicated that they had trusted in Christ. In addition, many others asked if they could study the Bible with one of the three local evangelical churches represented. We gave the response cards to the representatives from the local churches to follow up with and met with them the morning after the game to give them some money to buy cell phone time so they can call and make appointments with those interested.
The Amputee soccer team also was at the final game and were introduced to the crowd, who cheered them as they shook hands with the players who were about to have a penalty-kick shoot out because the game ended in a tie: 1-1. It always breaks my heart when a young player misses a penalty shot which allows the other team to win the shoot out, but this is what happened.
After the game, we did the drawing and took advantage of the crowd that had gathered to go over the Gospel one more time.
The next day I got up early and went to help the Amputee Soccer team train the newly formed team from Cap Haitian. I then went back to the airport to get another 13 suitcases that were lost in transit (this in addition to the 16 that I had picked up the day before!).
We also sent Ronald William off to San Rafael to deliver equipment to 4 schools there that we had worked with before. It was a 2 hour trip on two motorcycles with two heavy sacks tied to the back. When he and his partner got back they were exhausted and had bloodshot eyes from all the dust.
That afternoon we played the first-ever Amputee soccer game in Cap Haitian to a crowd of over 400 people. I refereed the game and it was great to see them play again. The game ended 2-1, but most of the relationships that were made will never end, because most of the players are Christians!
We played in an interesting way so that everyone could participate. The amputee players played in the center of the regulation-size field, with 2 Canadian student players on each team playing only on the wings, and not able to enter the middle of the field. Those who played in the game said it was one of the best experiences of the trip for them.
We had practice with the amputee team the next day before we joined the Canadians to go to the Citadel. The Citadel is one of the “wonders of the New World”. It is a huge fortress built on the top of a mountain at the cost of the lives of 20,000 “free” Haitians, who were forced by Henri Christophe to build his palace and fortress.
It was a very emotional moment when the Haitian Amputee Soccer Team climbed up the stairs and entered this historic place. Ironically, Henri Christophe, who had everything – wealth, palaces, fortresses, and an Italian wife, committed suicide after he had a stroke and became handicapped. In comparison, the members of the Amputee soccer team are for the most part very poor and handicapped, but most are Christian and so they have hope in Christ and so courageously go on living.
Later in the afternoon, the Amputee Soccer team sang three Christian songs, including Amazing Grace, inside the Citadel where the acoustics were fantastic. We just started singing and then the whole Canadian team were attracted to the sound and so crowded around. Then the Canadian team started singing. It was a moment in time we all will never forget!
After the visit, I asked the Amputee soccer team if they still had energy enough to stop by the hospital in Milot to see if there were any patients who needed encouragement and prayer. The immediately said “This is what we came to do!” They found one lady who had just had her leg amputated due to cancer. She was discouraged because the cancer had spread to her upper leg and now she might have to have another operation to remove more of her leg. They surrounded her, hugged her, sang for her and prayed for her!
Thanks for letting me be your hands and feet in Haiti and “walk in the good works that God has prepared me to do” for His glory!
University of Moncton Team Day 2
Day 2: This morning we got up and organized all the Christian books to be distributed on this trip. In total we will distribute 3,750 copies of the “25 Bible stories booklets” and hundreds of other Christian books including 30 New testaments.
We visited the largest school yet with over 650 students. One of the guards at this school was a leg amputee, and he got very excited when I told him about the visit of the Amputee Soccer team. He is going to try and get off from work to attend the training and game.
Right now I am sitting at a school way out in the country and the students are just leaving in their blue uniforms. It is amazing that the internet is working out here!
The most exciting thing is that this morning two people trusted Christ today during one of the trainings we did at school for those who want to help us with evangelism at Wednesday’s tournament final.
In the afternoon, the Canadian women played a friendly match against a group of Haitian women, some of who had played on the National team. The Canadians scored first on a perfect shot that went over the goalie’s head and into the back of the net. Then in the second half, the Haitian women scored on a deflection, so the game ended in a tie.
The Canadian goalie said she had never seen crowds that big in her 5-year University career!
We are expecting even bigger crowds tomorrow for the U-13 boys final!
University of Moncton Team Day 1
Day 1 (May 2, 2011)
For the past 2 years, AIS Haiti has had a partnership with the “Right to Play” club of the University of Moncton in New Brunswick, Canada. This club works hard to collect soccer equipment for us. Last year they arrived with over 60 bags of equipment which greatly helped our ministry.
They also help us by doing physical education activities with the schools we work with.
This year they came with over 100 bags of equipment and they are helping us open up a new territory in the North-east department of Haiti in a town called Terrier Rouge near Ft. Liberte.
The team of 36 students from the University of Moncton in New Brunswick, Canada arrived on May 1st after much trial. Some of their flights were cancelled due to bad weather in their area, and the airline said they wouldn’t be flying out until Tuesday. Eleven members of the team that could not get out of Halifax drove 10 hours to Montreal so they could arrive on time. They did not sleep for 3 days, and when they were re-united with the team in Port-au-Prince everyone cheered!
Monday, May 2, 2011 was our first day visiting schools in Terrier Rouge, and before our first school visit, we were greeted by the mayor who gave an address in the town square complete with music, singing and dancing!
Right now I am sitting in my car at a small school outside of Terrier Rouge and the team is playing with the kids who are laughing and having a great time.
At each of the schools we visit, we are giving them a booklet called “25 stories from the Bible”. In addition we are sharing with them a simple way to present the Gospel using the 5 “Gospel colors”. Today we gave out more than 1,000 of these books. As God’s Word goes out, we are praying for a great harvest.
Please be praying for us Wednesday as that is the day of the tournament final, and we will be doing evangelism at half-time!
Saturday, April 23, 2011
AIS Haiti and YABT Haiti have a new office
Thanks to a project sponsored by a European Foundation, we have a new office with new office equipment.
It is just off of Delmas, one of the main roads in Port-au-Prince. We are sharing the building with a Haitian organization that works with refugee camps and trains youth in English and computers, so we have a lot in common!
Pallets bring strength and security to tent dwellers
As thousands of tons of aid and goods have come into Haiti, so have thousands of wooden pallets.
We are able to get these pallets for free from a Christian ministry and we have been distributing them to our friends who live in tents.
Unfortunately, women who live in tents are very vulnerable to attack and rape since tents have no security.
We encourage our friends to build make-shift walls out of pallets that are not easily broken into and then mount a wooden door to make forced entry more difficult.
So far we have distributed over 20 pallets to 3 different families.
Saturday, April 9, 2011
The finals of the Verettes Soccer Tournament
And the winner is... The Kingdom of God! Every time we do an evangelistic soccer tournament there is a physical battle on the field and a spiritual battle in the hearts of those who attend. On the field, the boys play their hearts out and often get bloody cuts because the fields are mostly rocks and sand. Those who do evangelism are cut by the jeers of spectators who do not care about what is being shared. Last time I passed out tracts and talked to spectators, some tossed them back at me and asked for money instead.
One of the Semi-finals was held between a public school and a Christian school. After the game we showed a new evangelistic film in Creole and about 300 people stayed to watch it. Before the film was over, we stopped it and gave an invitation. Although no one indicated they trusted in Christ at that time, the good seed was sown, and we know that God's Word always has an effect on the hearts of men.
A few days later the final was held. The team from a little town of Castra won the match and was very happy to receive a nice trophy. This was an event these boys will remember the rest of their lives. Once again the good seed was sown through handing out tracks and a short message at half-time.
This week there is a final in Leogane, and we are praying that God will touch hearts there as well!
One of the Semi-finals was held between a public school and a Christian school. After the game we showed a new evangelistic film in Creole and about 300 people stayed to watch it. Before the film was over, we stopped it and gave an invitation. Although no one indicated they trusted in Christ at that time, the good seed was sown, and we know that God's Word always has an effect on the hearts of men.
A few days later the final was held. The team from a little town of Castra won the match and was very happy to receive a nice trophy. This was an event these boys will remember the rest of their lives. Once again the good seed was sown through handing out tracks and a short message at half-time.
This week there is a final in Leogane, and we are praying that God will touch hearts there as well!
Monday, April 4, 2011
Haiti has a New President!
If a movie star like Ronald Reagan can become President of the USA, and an action film star like Arnold can become governor of California, then why can't the king of Compas, become president of Haiti?
With over 60% of the population of Haiti under the age of 25, it is no wonder that the youth of Haiti voted for their hero.
Here is an AP story on the his victory:
http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2011/04/04/general-cb-haiti-election_8391009.html
Associated Press
Michel 'Sweet Micky' Martelly wins Haiti election
By TRENTON DANIEL , 04.04.11, 07:47 PM EDT
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti -- Musician Michel "Sweet Micky" Martelly scored a come-from-behind victory Monday in Haiti's presidential runoff, according to preliminary results from last month's election in which he easily defeated a former first lady for the leadership of a country facing enormous challenges.
Martelly, who has never held political office, received nearly 68 percent of the vote in the two-way race with Mirlande Manigat, electoral council spokesman Pierre Thibault said in an announcement that was immediately followed by noisy celebration in the Haitian capital.
The popular musician, a star of the Haitian genre known as compas, had trailed Manigat in the crowded first-round election in November. But his campaign gained momentum in the second round and many voters seemed enchanted with his lack of political experience in a country where the government has failed to provide many basic services.
Martelly promised profound change for Haiti, vowing to provide free education in a country where more than half the children can't afford school and to create economic opportunity amid almost universal unemployment.
"I'm going to celebrate with the people, then I'm going home to my kids," Wilson Goren, a 32-year-old street vendor, said as fireworks erupted around him after the results were announced.
Final results are due to be released April 16.
With over 60% of the population of Haiti under the age of 25, it is no wonder that the youth of Haiti voted for their hero.
Here is an AP story on the his victory:
http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2011/04/04/general-cb-haiti-election_8391009.html
Associated Press
Michel 'Sweet Micky' Martelly wins Haiti election
By TRENTON DANIEL , 04.04.11, 07:47 PM EDT
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti -- Musician Michel "Sweet Micky" Martelly scored a come-from-behind victory Monday in Haiti's presidential runoff, according to preliminary results from last month's election in which he easily defeated a former first lady for the leadership of a country facing enormous challenges.
Martelly, who has never held political office, received nearly 68 percent of the vote in the two-way race with Mirlande Manigat, electoral council spokesman Pierre Thibault said in an announcement that was immediately followed by noisy celebration in the Haitian capital.
The popular musician, a star of the Haitian genre known as compas, had trailed Manigat in the crowded first-round election in November. But his campaign gained momentum in the second round and many voters seemed enchanted with his lack of political experience in a country where the government has failed to provide many basic services.
Martelly promised profound change for Haiti, vowing to provide free education in a country where more than half the children can't afford school and to create economic opportunity amid almost universal unemployment.
"I'm going to celebrate with the people, then I'm going home to my kids," Wilson Goren, a 32-year-old street vendor, said as fireworks erupted around him after the results were announced.
Final results are due to be released April 16.
Monday, March 28, 2011
Conference encourages Non-government Organizations to use Haitian Companies
Junior Bataille translates
According to recent statistics, less than 2% of relief monies has been spent through Haitian companies. This means that Haitian companies that could help NGO’s reach their objectives are not getting the business. Partners Worldwide, a Christian organization we partner with, held a one-day conference on March 25th to try and play match-maker between NGO’s and Haitian companies. Junior Bataille translated between French, Creole and English. Daniel Jean-Louis organized the conference, and I networked to find out what kinds of businesses successful Haitian companies are engaged in.
Visit to Venita's house
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You may remember Venita and her baby Sarah. This is the Mom and Baby that stayed with us for about 3 months after the earthquake. First she found out that her son was still alive, and then she finally got in touch with her husband and older daughter who had fled to the Dominican Republic after the earthquake.
Now they are living in a small shack on some property owned by their family. It is way up on one of the mountains surrounding Port-au-Prince. Just a 30 minute climb in a car takes you to an area surrounded by scrub trees and practically desolate. The main industry is digging into the side of the mountain for sand and rock that is used in construction in the city down below.
Please pray that we would find culturally correct ways to help this family!
Monday, March 21, 2011
Amputee Soccer Team sings at Quisqueya Chapel
I met this weekend with Pastor Evens of the AHFA board and also 8 players from the team. Pastor Evens informs me that 3 out of the 5 board members are essentially inactive and that the team has practiced only once or twice since returning to Haiti.
I met with the 8 players on Saturday to rehearse two songs that we were to sing at the church I attend on Sunday. However, Sunday was election day, so only 3 of the 8 could come and sing. With me singing we made a nice quartet! People responded very positively and after church we sold snacks and raised over $100 US, which is enough to pay for 1-2 practices.
I also found out that since their return to Haiti, at least 2 babies have been born to members of the team.
Please pray for the team as they face many challenges both personally and as a team.
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Election Day in Haiti
Today is the runoff election for President of Haiti. The polls are open and the lines are long. But in at least one large tent city, there is no polling place.
Pray for safety. Last night Wyclef Jean, a rap star who tried to run for president but was ineligible, was shot in the hand. The car he and other entertainers were in was shot at. He is OK. He has been living in the US but is in Haiti to support one of the candidates. We don't really know if this had anything to do with the election per se.
Other than this, it has been very calm here the last few days.
UPDATE: many polling areas are waiting for materials, although they were supposedly open at 6am.
We're on our way to church (don't worry it's not far) to pray for the elections and worship God. Richard is worship leader this morning.
Pray for safety. Last night Wyclef Jean, a rap star who tried to run for president but was ineligible, was shot in the hand. The car he and other entertainers were in was shot at. He is OK. He has been living in the US but is in Haiti to support one of the candidates. We don't really know if this had anything to do with the election per se.
Other than this, it has been very calm here the last few days.
UPDATE: many polling areas are waiting for materials, although they were supposedly open at 6am.
We're on our way to church (don't worry it's not far) to pray for the elections and worship God. Richard is worship leader this morning.
Elections calm
The elections were calm. It will be a couple weeks before we get the results. If we get through tomorrow OK, things could be peaceful until then. We'll see.
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