We are just so blessed by the wonderful people who volunteer at Mission of Hope International. Week after week we have beautiful experiences to share of how people are impacting our communities here in Haiti.
Team Spring Fever from Bless Back Worldwide (Charlotte, NC)
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This past week started out with another team from Bless Back Worldwide. Their main focus is medical ministry, but they also have partnered with us in some great village outreaches, education projects, teacher training, food distributions, building homes and more. I just find myself falling more and more in love with these folks! Many of them are giving up a week’s worth of a good salary to spend a week serving. In addition to that, they are spending money from their remaining salaries to provide all sorts of medicines and supplies to make a difference in the lives of so many. All of us here at MOHI are so grateful for the sacrifices of so many. Thank you.
Medical Clinic in Thozin
Medical Clinic at the St Etienne campus of MOHI
Medical Clinic in Thozin
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This trip, Dr. Carmen was able to spend one on one time with Dr. Lavaud, helping him to hone some of his skills with electronic medical records, some new lab equipment and general advice for best care options. They also were able to go over our protocols and suggest some updates to them. It was another great week of team building with our staff.
Carolyn, aka Grammy, was not about to wait around doing nothing. Each morning she popped right out of the car and went straight to the class rooms. The teachers and students loved having her work with them. She also had a group of high school girls that she worked with to prepare a dance presentation at the women’s conference. They all worked hard and made Grammy proud with their lovely performance.
Carolyn (aka Grammy) and her daughter, Dr. Carmen, enjoy a dip in the ocean at the missionary compound.
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Lynda, who owns and operates hair salons in Charlotte, spent some time teaching about proper hair care procedures, including making some hair products for the girls to take home with them. As we begin preparing for vocational training for our high school students, seeing the girls enthusiasm about cosmotology was quite exciting.
Bless Back Worldwide team member, Lynda, shares her hair care expertise with some young women.
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Team Spring Fever planned a wonderful evening of appreciation for our general mission staff. They decorated the choukoun with Easter colored flowers, tablecloths, plates, cups and plasticware. They also made the dessert!
Appreciation Dinner in honor of MOHI staff
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We were also joined this week by MOHI board of directors member Pastor Carlos Pereira, his wife Rita, Pastor and Dora Bonanca and Joao Raposo. Their focus was participating in the women’s conference. Pastor Carlos and Rita have ministered at all of our women’s conferences and we hope they will continue to do so. They always bring great encouragement to our family, as well as to the entire MOHI family. The Women’s Conference was a great time for our everyone, including our local missionaries. We received many testimonies of people really hearing a message from God directed to them personally. Oh, and Dora play a mean accordian and sings the most worshipful melodies. What a blessing!
The Women’s Conference
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Our latest arrivals came all the way from Norway, via France, arriving at the mission after dark on Thursday night. Friday morning they were able to meet with Melissa from Bless Back Worldwide in order to access some of their dental supplies. Anna-Lena will be spending her time here helping with tooth extractions and pain management related to tooth issues. She found out right away that there will be no lack of patients for her to see. The team will also be doing some physical therapy work and holding some soccer events.
Anna-Lena and her team from Norway arrived Thursday night
Anna-Lena has plenty of work to keep her busy for these two weeks!
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We were happy to see our friends from Blue Ridge Christian Homes (IN) come to install the pump on the well they drilled a couple of weeks ago. As you can tell from the pictures below, we have some good water pressure and a more than adequate supply for this little community.
Blue Ridge Christian Homes came out to install the pump on the newly drilled well.
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It was time for mid-term exams this week. Both of the MOHI school students were hard at work studying for and then actually taking the tests.
Students taking exams at the St Etienne campus of MOHI
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Saturday we had a visit from our friends at White Stone Church (Knoxville, TN). We are excited to be partnering with them. Many of you contributed major funds to the land purchase in Thozin and White Stone Church is putting in the rest. We are ready to purchase (Praise God!), but are waiting for the seller to return to Haiti for the sale, later this summer. We have been working with White Stone Church on plans for the land, including a discipleship/sports/tutoring/feeding program, a snack bar and shops for vocational training. It’s all very exciting. Please join us in praying for this project as we all exercise our patience for the seller to arrive.
Miles and Larry from White Stone Church (Knoxville, TN) stopped in for a quick visit this weekend.
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Between the many team members and my son who gave me lots of gifts, my daughter who posted the sweetest happy birthday post on Facebook to me and my hillarious husband, I had a truly wonderful birthday Saturday. For those of you who don’t follow us on Facebook, here’s what you missed about it:
“We have never been big on celebrating holidays (other than our kids birthdays when they were little). I’ve never started a fight with Lex because he didn’t get me flowers for Valentine’s day. So, today I literally got more birthday presents than I have since probably my 16th birthday. So many sweet people in my life made gestures of love, for which I’m very grateful. I guess Lex was influenced by it all. He stopped at the little “convenience” store at the gas station in town and bought me a cake. When he got home, he opened the door with this ridiculously HUGE grin on his face (pretty much like in this picture!) and started laughing while holding out this little cake. He laughed and laughed and said, “What?” Hahahaha… hahahah… “Just because after all this years of marriage..” Hahahaha “I finally bring you home a cake…” hahaha “You don’t have to look at me bad for that.” Hahahaha. As he starts laughing harder, he says “I’m laughing because I bought the smallest one I could find!” (He knows I won’t even eat it!) I thought it was a riot. Yeah, we are a peculiar pair. I love it!!!!”
Happy Birthday to me from the silliest husband!
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Once again, I am forever grateful for all of you who take the time to read these posts, pray for this mission and send money to keep it going. Thank you! Have a blessed week and please check in again next week!