The saga continues

Another day in a destitute country.
It is SO hard, facing people with so many needs and not have anything to give them. We were given a donation and it went out to help quite a few people. One family has a shell of a house left, but if you touch the wall, the whole thing will collapse. The neighbor said they could move in with them. This was good, except the neighbor has no roof on their house. But, it has walls that are standing. What we gave them put a roof on so they are out of the weather.
Another missionary sent an update from what they are hearing... here is part of it:

Even if they replant now it will take months for something to ripen for harvest. Bananas take a year or more, cassava is a minimum of 6 months. Beans are their quickest crop and this is the season we are entering but all their bean fields are along the river which is still flowing water and all their fields have been moved around, some don’t even exist any more.

This is from an agriculturist. The problem, they have nothing to plant if they could. We have come to the point here where an old saying comes into action. "Give them a cup of corn. Will they plant it or eat it? If they plant it, they will die before it grows, if they eat it, they will die not long after that." What would YOU do in a situation like this? I just don't know what I would do. A LOT of prayers are needed to keep things going in Haiti. It's such a sad, sad situation.

Don spent yesterday composing a letter to send out as soon as we get stamps. His heart is breaking for all those he has to turn away. Keep Don in prayer, too. I know the Bible says the poor will always be with us, but we didn't realize that we would see them, by the dozens, each and every day!! This is a hard place to be right now.

The bright spot? Abbie, of course! We've been having "tea parties". We start out with, "How was your day?" Now when we sit down to eat, SHE wants to pray, and she prays for everyone and everything. Then after "Amen", she looks around, picks a person and say, "Well, grandpa, how was your day today?" She is definitely a very bright spot in a dark time.

We do have other bright spots as well. One family we helped lives not far from here. All of a sudden he had 32 relatives from Gonaives living in his yard. Needless to say, they didn't fit in his home. But he didn't complain, even though he was trying to feed and house them. He said, at least they had a place to go. He is working on getting their home cleaned up and livable again. Not an easy task, but he is trying to lift their spirits as he works with them. He is a strong believer and his faith is showing through. He makes the trip to Gonaives and works, then comes home and works here, but his outlook is great.

Lord, give me a spirit like his and like so many others, who have nothing, yet can see the sunshine through the rain.

Till next time!!! God bless and keep smiling...makes people wonder what you are up to.☺