Welcome Back to Ed

It’s great to see our friend Ed Locket back in Haiti. He spent a long time away and returned this week with a group from Rock Bridge Community Church (GA). This group has obviously been well trained by Ed in the arts of playing, singing, dancing and snuggling. The volume they were able to get out of our preschool classes was just amazing. They blessed many of the older elementary students with notebooks and also gave a donation for the school in St. Etienne. Thank you!!!

Ed Locket and guests descended on the Thozin campus with song and fun!

Ed Locket and guests descended on the Thozin campus with song and fun!

Now that we have supplies available (thank you to all the donors and teams that have carried them in!) the children are able to have a craft time during Children’s Ministry Sunday mornings.

Craft Time

Craft Time

In the new school building, the kids can gather all together in the activity for a time of prayer and worship, before going to individual classrooms, divided by age.

Prayer and worship in the children's ministry this morning.

Prayer and worship in the children’s ministry this morning.

The arrival of the new mobile medical clinic means many supplies have arrived, as well. The items for MOHI will be unpacked in January when our friends from the Chapel (OH) arrive. However, we were able to unload some special items for our friends from Archaie already.

Joe, from the COBBA orphanage in Archaie came to pick up goodies that were sent in the mobile medical clinic last week.

Joe, from the COBBA orphanage in Archaie came to pick up goodies that were sent in the mobile medical clinic last week.

Besides school happening daily, there’s always some other kind of work going on in the yard.  This week we had a lot of bench building going on.  We’re so grateful for all of you who have given towards the church benches.  We also needed more school benches.

More benches built this week!

More benches built this week!

Well, I guess it’s payback time.  Kevin, Tammy and Leah held down the fort while we strolled around America.  Now they are in the States while we and Angela stay on the front lines.  I suppose it’s fair enough, but I do miss them being here to toss ideas around with and be silly.

Oh how I would have loved to have had them here 13 years ago, when we were brand new to Grand-Goâve.  There were many times that I felt there was no one who understood what I was going through.  When I think about those times, verses from the book of James come to mind: “Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.” (James 1:2-4 NLT)  Well, I’m still far from perfect, but I can honestly say that I am approaching that “needing nothing” stage.  I’m amazed at how content I have become.  The Lord is truly my everything.

This theme has been reverberating in our church in Thozin since last Sunday night, when we broke out in a spontaneous song, singing “Be my everything!”  Again this morning, the church lifted their voices in worship, acknowledging that He is our everything.  “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5 NLT)

Here are some pics from this morning.  Soooo good!

The after church crowd!

The after church crowd!

Prayer and worship in the general assembly this morning.

Prayer and worship in the general assembly this morning.