Category: News (Page 48 of 100)

Hi everyone,

Terry and I hope all of you had a great Easter. Part of Missouri got an April Fool’s joke played on us by having snow and measurable snow at that for the first time since 1940…on Easter (and no, we don’t remember 1940)!

Unlike Christmas in Haiti, when only those who have money can afford to take part, everyone can enjoy Easter, including those who practice voodoo. In addition to it being a holy and celebrated day by Christians, it is a day when those in voodoo make a yearly trip to a waterfall in the village of Souvenance. There, they spend the day taking part in ceremonies to express their devotion to voodoo spirits.

Obviously, all the churches teach against that belief, but it is there. Each church in any part of Haiti must contend with voodoo daily as do the kids attending any church or mission sponsored school, especially if their family members are involved. In rare cases, such as in Belanger, the land for our school and church was donated by a man who was involved in voodoo.

Christian churches, such as the one we sent pictures of the last few months, are deeply grateful for the support they receive from their Christian friends in the U.S.

Terry continues to have problems with the treatments she is on. She began one treatment, had allergic reactions, started another, and had to stop it. It seems what she is taking now is not going to cause the same problems. The problem with it, and something we will have to deal with, is the bad headaches and body pain it is causing, along with severe fatigue. She has two months of treatment left before they will consider a transplant.

So…we need continuing prayer for the pastors and teachers of the churches and schools in Haiti, and at the same time Terry’s health concerns. We always appreciate everything you do for our friends in Haiti and for us.

-Steve and Terry

Hi everyone,

First the pictures: From the first time in Haiti until now, we have always seen the women sit apart from the men. In some of the larger churches in Port Au Prince you may see them sit together but not out in the villages. And the women always have their heads covered with something, usually how you see them here.

The man at the podium is our friend Prophet, pastor of this church and over the school there during the week. You need to notice the speakers behind him as well. When there is electricity, it can get loud under a tin roof. If there is no electricity, they use a small generator during the song service then turn it off for preaching. Its still loud, just not for as long.

Also notice the benches- they are used for church and desks for school. When we first bought one of these, they cost less than twenty US dollars. Now, ones like these are fifty dollars and since we use so many, any extra funds we have are used for that.

We have always made it a practice to not influence how or what they do in their service unless they’ve asked, and they have. Some things they change and some, such as the head covering, they leave. One thing we can say is that they have church and they are in no hurry to get home.

Next, update on Terry: This time around her chemo is in pill form, rather than a shot in the tummy 3 times a week. For three month she will take Pomalyst for 21 days then off 8 days. When that is complete they will do another stem cell transplant. At some point between now and then she will have a catheter surgically implanted in her upper chest. That sounds terrible, but it makes blood draws and everything else so much easier on her.

Remember to pray for our friends in Haiti and for Terry. We appreciate everything you do for them and us.