Happy New Year!

Terry and I hope all of you had a very good Christmas and are ready for 2013.

Thank you to all who sent cards/emails for Terry concerning her Mother’s death. Since it happened around the holidays, it was especially hard on her.

2012 was quite a year in Haiti. From very dry, to much rain, and always hot. Progress was made in the destruction of damaged buildings from the earthquake (3 years ago) but mostly in the business sector. A few new hotels have been built in hopes of bringing tourism to the country. You might think they would start at building things a tourist would want to see, but in this case the hotels come first.

The country was hit hard by more than one storm, damaging crops and killing several people — most notably Sandy. The tropical storm system sat just off the south coast, bringing heavy rains each night before it moved across the southern peninsula and became a hurricane. One night, after several nights of heavy rain and wind, a piece of tin popped up right over where Terry was sleeping. The heavy rain was not funny; it pouring in on her was…to me. It wasn’t a trickle, but more like someone pouring from a bucket.

Not funny, though, because there are still those over three hundred thousand living in tents, and because of the cholera that is still killing people and may never completely stop.

In December we did our Christmas parties at the schools and we have posted some pictures of these. It may just look like kids eating beans and rice, but it is a big deal to them. Before going Terry had put together a checked bag full of individual bags of candy for each child. We bought more there to hand out and drinks for each too. Along with the beans and rice, we included chicken with this meal. That is a real treat for them.

We begin 2013 (our 19th year in Haiti) with high expectations for the year. Those expectations are to continue to do the same things we have been able to do in years past: God, schools, nutrition and health care. Those are the things you have helped provide and, God willing, we can continue to provide them.

Thank you for every single thing you helped with in 2012. It all helped, and in doing so, touched the lives of thousands of people.

Serving HIM together

Steve and Terry

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.