Love those Akron Folks!

It’s been great having Ben DiMarco and Jason Ball, both from the University of Akron, back with us in Haiti for the past week.  They are both hard workers, willing to pitch in where ever they are needed.  They spent time on the school construction in Thozin and with the medical clinics in St. Etienne.  Ben has been fixing some computers and ordering parts for one of our vehicles.  We appreciate their efforts in support of the mission and the people of Haiti.  Now, we are looking forward to Becca and McKenzie’s return next month.

Medical Clinics

We appreciate the team from Bob Heier Ministries who spent 5 days with us this week.  Along with Angela, they conducted four days of medical clinics in Thozin and St. Etienne.  Rosenie Jean was thrilled to bring little Kristi to Sally Heier, who had suggested a hospital for her, as well as what ended up being her final diagnosis.  This week, many others shared in Rosenie’s sentiment that God had sent Sally to save her baby’s life.  One toddler had been burned six months earlier on his lower back.  He still had an open wound that was festering terribly.  The team was able to clean it out and put a fresh dressing on it.  Another woman came with her baby, who was born with a hair lip.  She is failing to thrive, because it is so difficult for her to suck.  Sally will be sending special bottle nipples with our upcoming visitors, to help the mother keep the baby fed.  Another child had been badly cut by a piece of metal roofing.  He really needed stitches, but it had been 5 days – too late.  The team was able to clean it up, bandage it and give him antibiotics to fight infection.  These are just a handful of the people who are grateful for the help they have access to through Mission of Hope International.

 

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Madona Bazil, who was in our first graduating class last year, has been going to nursing school this year.  She was pinned last Sunday and then spent the week working in clinic, too.

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School Construction

Construction continued moving forward this week, even though our American job supervisors were absent.  Most of the ground floor walls are up 16 courses from the footings.  We have continued with back filling, as well.

Pray for Jean

Jean, the newest addition to the missionary compound’s staff, suffered terribly this week from a hernia.  We encouraged him to visit the Cuban doctors to have the hernia repaired.  He did and is recovering.  Please keep him in prayer this week, that he would recover quickly and the Lord would make him whole.  Thank you.

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Be Like Brit Friends

A group from Becker College (Worcester, MA) arrived here in Grand-Goâve yesterday afternoon to work with Be Like Brit.  We were happy to have them participate in the Thozin church service with us this morning.  We look forward to spending the week with them.

Missionary Life

I was asked today, “What is the one thing that is most challenging to your ministry here in Haiti?”   I responded with the first thing that came to my mind, “Me.”  I am the biggest challenge to our ministry here in Haiti.  I can’t do everything the way I want.  I have expectations of how I want to live my life.  Just like you, I have to make a choice every day to lay down my life for the sake of another – to pick up my cross and follow Jesus everyday – to die to myself (the desires of my flesh) so that I may live with Him.  I miss living with just my husband and children.  We always have people around us.  But God had a different plan for my life and I am not complaining.  I am so grateful for HIS will being accomplished in and through me.  So often we think we know what’s best for us, but our lives are not to be about us at all.  We are called to be living sacrifices.  There is nothing in this life that can compare with being used by the Master!!!

This evening’s English Worship Service is coming to a close and I’m listening to Angela lead the people in a song called “We are.”  This song cuts to the heart of what I’m trying to say…

“We are the light of the world – We are the city on a hill – We are the light of the world – We gotta, we gotta, we gotta let the light shine.”