I’d like to give you some quick updates and share a few pictures with you from Haiti. After that, I’d like to share with you a few of my thoughts about living in this world today in the midst of terror. I hope you’ll find some hope and peace in these words.
MOHI Medical Clinic
Along with our partners at Bless Back Worldwide, we have worked hard to hire and train a Haitian medical staff. It blesses me so much to see pictures like these. Dr. Lavaud is referring to the clinic’s protocol, which Leah Fuller and Dr. Roy Blank (and a few others, too) worked diligently to create. Dr. Emmanuel is sure to get the patient’s ID card to ensure the records are recorded properly.
School
Maintenance
With about 800 students in school, there are always plenty of maintenance jobs to be done. We are blessed with a staff that is willing and able to work hard to keep things going. We are so grateful to all of our generous supporters who enable us to buy necessary materials and pay salaries to keep the facilities in good shape. Thank you!!!
With about 800 school students, our campuses require lots of maintenance!
Love of Country
Here at Mission of Hope International, we are committed to maintaining a love of country and respect for the Haitian flag among this young generation.
Just like in your country, times have changed in Haiti, too. Lex’s dad almost landed in jail one day. He was working in his garden one morning, which bordered the property where Lex attended grade school. He was oblivious to the fact that the flag was being raised in the school yard. In that time period, everyone stopped what they were doing at 8 o’clock in the morning, for the singing of the national anthem. And no matter what you were up to, you stopped for the raising of the flag.
Today, the national anthem is still played on radio stations at 8 o’clock, but people don’t usually stop to participate in the singing. The flag is raised in most school yards at the beginning of the day, but traffic continues driving by while it’s going on. Nevertheless, the flag goes up at MOHI schools each morning. The children stand at attention and sing while it goes up. And the Haitian people, no matter the problems they see in their country, LOVE Haiti.
MOHI students are learning respect for the flag and love of country.
Butterflies
Amy did her first project with the preschoolers this week and it was a HUGE success. The students colored coffee filters, which Amy later turned into butterflies, and they learned a song about a butterfly…
“Fly, fly, fly butterfly
Over my village
Fly, fly, fly butterfly
Over my house”
On Friday they put the two together and added some flying butterfly movements. It’s was a precious site!
It’s the butterfly workshop!
Class Picture Excitement
Madame Jennifer is a favorite teacher at MOHI. Notice she had all the girls cross their legs for this photo?
Our second year preschoolers are working on their smiles.
Although it seems like school has just started, these kindergarten students are already preparing for their graduation ceremony in June!
Love These Students
Love these little boys!
Madame St. Fort helps our little students to avoid accidents.
Church
One of the great benefits of the recent time change is that church service in Thozin has actually been starting on time! It’s really nice to start at 7:30, before the sun has done much warming. When church is over, it’s just starting to get hot.
We had an energetic service and a great message from Pastor Lex. He pointed out to us that often times we come to church and pray to Jesus and sing praises to Him, but can’t even look one another in the eyes. We need to remember 1 John 4:20, “Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen.”
Two of my “distractions” this morning during church service.
Pastor Bauvais is a prayer warrior!
TODAY
It’s been a tough month in this world, as we have seen such an escalation in terrorist attacks. Our hearts are grieved as we pray for the families of the recent victims in Russia, Lebanon, France, and other countries. We ask for strength, that they can wake up every morning and continue living without that very special, loved one by their side. I despise death – not for the one who dies, but for the ones left behind – for the pain it inflicts on the living.
Terrorists often cause death, but they also cause terror. Have you heard fear (terror) come knocking on your door lately? Do you find yourself having conversations with yourself: Should I avoid crowded places? Should I forget about that trip I’ve been planning so I don’t have to go on a plane? Am I sure I want to fly through THAT major city??? It’s commendable to be strong and to be brave, but it’s pretty impossible, unless you have some assurance – an answer for the “what ifs”.
Personally, I NEED that assurance in order to function in this life. I believe that there is more to life than my eye can see and my mind can comprehend. I need to know that there is life after death – that there is Someone watching over my loved ones when I leave this world. Deep down inside, I KNOW that I cannot sustain my own life. I am very, very dependent on the One who created me. And I am very grateful for the assurance I find in His Word – the Holy Bible.
Jesus is praying for you and me. Do NOT Fear!
Do you have that blessed assurance in your life today? I often hear my husband tell the church, “You may know how many days you have today, but you don’t know how many you have left.” Perhaps it would be wise for each of us to live our lives today, as if it were our last.
Let’s make sure we say “I love you” often and give lots of hugs and kisses today. Let’s do our best to do good today and not evil. Let’s purposefully edify those around us and not tear them down today. Let’s do something special for someone today, instead of waiting for “one” day. Let’s ask forgiveness and freely give it today.
You may not change the world, but you may, if you start today. Make a decision today to follow Jesus and He will empower you to live today. And by doing so, you will most definitely see your own life changed.
