Friends of Haiti,
As usual, nothing is in the news about Haiti unless there has been a “natural” disaster such as a tropical storm, hurricane … or an earthquake. You would have to look deep to know there is a “political” disaster in the works now with the presidential election — or the lack of one. On February 7, the current president is constitutionally mandated to hand over power to the incoming president … but there isn’t one. Instead, Haiti will be ruled by an interim government until they can come to some sort of an agreement between the two parties involved. As it is, there are violent protests every day which have shut the country down. The people this hurts are, naturally, the poor, or those who can make some sort of living selling what they have, or those who sell for someone else in the market areas. Even those who drive the tap-taps have to stay at home. It also hurts the schools, because no one is willing to send their children to school as these things are happening. When a strike is called, everything is expected to close and there are consequences if you don’t.
Steve was to have gone there on the third weekend of January to meet with everyone, but the American embassy advised him to not make the trip right now. Hopefully after the 7th, things will get to the point he can go. Until this happened everything was running smoothly as far as ministry affairs go. All the schools were back in session after a long Christmas break and kids there (just like here) were looking forward to spring break. In Haiti it comes during the Easter period so if some, like Beaubrun and his family, want to travel they have time before school resumes.
February 6th marks the one year point since Terry had the stem cell transplant and on the 4th she will have a full body scan and extensive blood testing to check for cancer cells. She is still having a lot of leg and foot pain, and it has also started in her hands and back as well. Since it has been so cold, she has to wear gloves most of the time because her hands are cold … even when inside. So we hope everyone will keep her and that date in mind and prayer.
Thank you for everything you do to help make our friends’ lives easier in Haiti and for supporting the schools and feeding programs. We don’t know what they or we would do without your help and prayers.
Serving HIM together,
Steve and Terry
