Category: News (Page 81 of 100)

Friends of Haiti,

Another year gone by. It seems with each one that passes, the next one goes by faster!

It has been a good year, but one not without its ups and downs. Haiti has had more than one deadly flood, one of those being “Sandy,” and at least two since then. The cholera epidemic continues to kill people. But there have been good things happening there too.

The majority of the earthquake-damaged buildings and houses are gone, and new building is taking place. There is talk everyday about what is coming and what has already happened. Some things bring some new jobs – jobs that pay $5 US per day, but nevertheless a job – and there are rumors of new hotels and attempts to create a tourist market.

On a personal note, some of you know that Terry’s Mother passed away just days before Thanksgiving. She had not been sick, and we were with her the day and night before she died. We are very thankful for the time we were able to spend with her.

Ministry wise, it has been a great year, because you made it that way. The ministry continues in many areas: from the daily vitamins the school children receive to the schools that are teaching a new generation how to read and write; feeding programs providing hot meals to those who would go without; churches teaching them there is another and better way; and the medical care they would surely go without.

All of this is because of you who give financially, provide supplies, or pray for Haiti and the ministry. We feel we can safely say that there is not a single person we come into contact with that is not thankful for you and the sacrifice you have made for them during 2012 as well as years past. We know that it is through and because of God’s blessings we are able to do the things there we do, but we also know it is because of you. All of the Haitians we interact with – and Terry and I as well – pray the knowledge of what you have helped do in Haiti is a blessing to you this holiday season.

We pray that your Christmas will be bright and the New Year your best ever.

Friends of Haiti,

It would be hard to believe that anyone on this side of the world and in fact, several other areas of the world, would not know about the storm named “Sandy”. Its also hard to believe it began as a tropical low, then depression just off the south coast of Haiti bringing us hard rains at night and cloudy days.

It was the first time Terry has been able to spend any time with me there since the earthquake and only because I wouldn’t let her come down. When the storm intensified and made its turn north, to cross Haiti, we flew back to the U.S. I don’t like doing things like that but since Terry was there, and we were in a low lying area, it turns out it was a good thing we did. To date there are 60 known dead and several missing.

It was not so much the wind, although one of our schools lost part of its roof and suffered water damage, but most damage was caused by the days of pouring rain that caused rivers to fill and overflow.  The mud slides and rock slides killed people and animals, and destroyed what was left of the remaining crops after Isaac crossed the country several weeks ago.

You have to wonder how much a country or a people have to endure. Some there and here say it is because of the voodoo in the country. In the beginning, in 1994, we might have agreed, but not now. We are sure of this: No one gets over continual pain or death or hunger. Haiti needs help financially, to be sure. But it also needs our continual prayer. Not just one when something like this happens, but fervent prayer every day. All of you know what the Bible says about that and we need to do just that.

Other than the storm, the schools are running smoothly as are the feeding programs . We have posted a few pictures of the feeding programs along with a couple of pictures of Terry with some of the kids.

We appreciate what you do each month to help us there. As we enter the Thanksgiving and Christmas seasons, please continue to pray for the people of Haiti.

Steve and Terry