In the almost 25 years working in Haiti, we have not seen things this bad. Bad yes, but not to the extent the entire country has been shut down. There isn’t a day there aren’t protests and some days, violent protests. Even the church is involved and the protesters say they aren’t stopping until the current president steps down. Fair or not, they aren’t stopping.

Obviously, this isn’t helping the existing problems of being so poor as a country, and with prices as high as they are, even those with money can hardly afford it even if they can find food to buy. Those with jobs can’t afford to pay transportation costs to get where they need to go and those who drive the tap-taps (taxis) can’t afford to buy gas.

Schools, which should have started the first of September haven’t started and there are no plans to reopen until everything is settled. No one would actually bother them if they did open, and no one would harm the school kids coming or going. But no parent wants their children on the streets with all this going on.

Without a doubt Haiti needs our prayers and those who work with us need our support. We aren’t the only ministry affected – every ministry in the country is affected, as are all the programs, especially the schools and nutrition programs. We appreciate those who have given some extra in the past few months to help offset the increases we have to deal with.

After saying all that, it almost seems we shouldn’t even think of a happy Thanksgiving, but we as a country sure have a lot to be thankful for. Even with all the problems going on around us each day, we are very blessed.

Terry had surgery to place the port in her upper right chest and has completed three days of chemo. The first “dose” took 15 hours – 8 the first day and 7 the second. It is done slowly because they don’t know how you will respond to the medication and of all of the side effects that could happen. She is having only two side effects: headaches during treatment and fatigue. She does this every Thursday, starting at 8:30 am if you want a good time to pray for her. We were told they want to do the second transplant by the end of January. And, who knows, maybe we won’t have to do it at all.

Thank you for all you do; the cards you send and the help you provide our friends in Haiti. One of the things we are so thankful for is the friendships we have built over the years, and we are so thankful for each of you.

School isn’t off to the start we hoped for in Haiti. The continuing political problems have prevented it from starting on time. Those over the schools thought there is no sense in the kids trying to get to school with the problems going on around them and then trying to get back home too. Fortunately, all the storms that have formed have by-passed Haiti and we haven’t had that worry.

One of the concerns we face each day is the older folks who live near the schools. In Haiti, if you are a woman, elderly and have no family, you’ve got problems. Each day several elderly ladies come to eat with the kids because this is their only meal too. Since there is no social security system in Haiti, they also have no access to health care, except through mission clinics. I have seen them turned away from some of those if they can’t pay something. During my first trip to Haiti in 1994, that was one of the things that stuck in my mind – older folks and kids turned away because they had no money.

We provide figures about the nutrition programs at each place, but those numbers don’t include the elderly who eat, or the kids who aren’t in school who come to eat, or to clinic. They aren’t turned away and they have never had to pay.

These pictures show some of those who eat daily; they are also provided any medication they need, which is almost always blood pressure meds.

Some, such as the woman I am sitting with, are given a sow, some are given chickens, and we have purchased a goat for some. Following the lead of the Heifer Project, each person who gets an animal must pass one along to another woman who will do the same for someone else. It doesn’t cost that much and in a very short time, they can provide for themselves.

Terry has surgery to have a catheter placed in her chest October 10th. Chemo will begin after that, and hopefully a stem cell transplant before Christmas. She has a rough road ahead and needs your prayers.

We appreciate all you do for us and for our friends in Haiti. All of you are always in our daily prayers and we are very thankful for each of you.