Morning Church Service

Tropical Storm Ernesto surprisingly affected us here in Haiti this morning, on its way to Central America.  Rain during the day here is treated like a significant snow storm or blizzard in New England.  When the clouds start gathering, make sure you have all the supplies you need and head home.  Should the rain catch you before you arrive, RUN for your life!  This morning, when we got up for church, we were greeted by rain.  There was a thick cloud cover that’s different from a regular thunder storm.  We wondered if anyone would show up for church.

Little by little things are changing for the better at the church.  When we arrived, we found only the pastoral staff present.  I went into my office to start catching up on emails, realizing that we would have a very small service that would start very late.  As it ended up, we started only a little late and we had a whole lot more people than I would ever have expected.  There are a few key people in the church that don’t go out in the rain, due to medical conditions and they end up really sick if they get wet and cold.  Lex went to pick them up and by the time he got back, we had a church full of people.  It poured during much of the service and then trickled off as the service ended.  Everyone was able to go home without getting wet.

It was a great service.  We were happy to have a team from the Hands and Feet Project join us.  Pastor Tony Stiff from Center Point Community Church (Rosedale, CA) joyfully assisted Lex in his message this morning, about the importance of prayer in our lives.

During the song service, we sang one of our favorite songs, Heart of Worship.  The Lord infused me with joy during the song as I remembered a conversation I’d had with our architect a couple of weeks ago.  He had pointed out to me that by most American standards I would be considered poor.  It didn’t phase me too much at the time, although it did surprise me to hear it, as I’ve never considered myself “poor.”  This morning we sang, “…though I’m weak and poor, all I have is yours…”  A smile came to my face as I realized that there are people who think that I am poor.  I imagined, too, that some people may even feel sorry for me.  My smile grew.  I found that thought quite humorous.

I suppose by normal means of analyzing a person’s net worth, I may come up quite short of middle class America. But am I poor?  I began to think about it.  I live in a house with my loving husband and our amazing children.  I’m passionately committed and in love with all of them.  Our children have never had to beg for food and have never gone a day without it.  I have hundreds of friends around me and an entire community looking out for my well-being.  I have hundreds of friends in other countries, whom I know are praying for me.  I am in good health – healthier today than I was several months ago.  I am happy.  I work hard, but I wouldn’t want it any other way.  I am able to help others in many ways on a daily basis – I find many opportunities to put action to my faith and consequently feel very satisfied and content.  My needs are always met and my desires are usually met.  I have friends who have all kinds of neat things.  I’m happy for them and I enjoy their neat things when I’m with them.  I just feel blessed to have friends and enjoy good times with them.

I’ve decided that though I may appear poor, the reality is that I am truly among the wealthiest people in this world.  It’s possible that one day the Lord will guide us back to America to live and I trust that He will care for me there just as well as He has here.  But, I am truly content where He has me.  I’m still smiling, because I so prefer the wealth in my life today over the dreams of wealth that I had as a young person.

The Vine

This week we had a team from the Vine Community Church (Cummings, GA) visiting us in Haiti.  The team leader, Holly and Angela are friends from their youth, so it was extra special for them to see each other again.  Pastor Jon Adams shared at several of the church services in both Thozin and St. Etienne. The team worked on the school construction, in the clinic/pharmacy, doing children’s and village ministries, singing on the worship team and they even found some time to enjoy the ocean at the mission house.  We’re grateful to the Lord for all the lives they were able to touch this week.

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School Construction Update

It’s so difficult to find a good set of stairs, that are properly and evenly spaced, here in Haiti.  The architectural design for the school is highlighted by impressive staircases at the entry way.  From the very beginning of construction I’ve been “warning” people that we need to have someone who KNOWS how to make stairs here when we form the stairs.  We decided to work on them while Paul was here last week.  We barely got them ready before Paul had to leave.  We finished pouring them at about 10PM and Paul left the next morning at 5:30.  Phew!!!  They look like they’re even and that’s the important thing.

Besides the stairs, we also continued the floor and beam forming, as well as the reinforcing for them.

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Be Like Brit

It’s so exciting to see construction nearing completion at the Be Like Brit orphanage. They’ve been moving a lot of soil up there. Take a look at the size of the septic system they’re installing! Please continue to keep the Gengel family and this project in your prayers.  As you can see in this picture, they are providing a lot of jobs for the people in this area.  This means that fewer children are going to bed hungry tonight.  We are so grateful.

Save These Dates for Us!!!

For those of you in New England, September 15th we will be having another open house.  We’d love to see all our old friends and all our new friends that we’re yet to meet!  Please, save this date for us!!!  Please contact Patty Sparks at (508) 826-7374 for more information.

If you are in Western Pennsylvania or Eastern Ohio, join us for a fund raising dinner on September 30th.  We don’t get out that way very often, so please take advantage of this time.  Save the date for us!!!  Please contact Joy Youell overjoyed3@hotmail.com for more information.

We are so looking forward to this upcoming trip to the USA.  Please, contact us to make arrangements to get together.  Your encouragement is sooooo appreciated!!!

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