Our Newsletter Jan. thru March 2013

This year we are centering on PRAISING the Lord in all circumstances and in all ways.  Our human nature tends to be the “asking” type.  But in God’s word, one of the first things He says is Praise, so we are learning, even in difficult situations, to PRAISE HIM!  And to be thankful.  He is working for and in us all the time and we need to acknowledge that.  It’s a lesson in “Leaning on the Everlasting Arms”.

We’ve been blessed so much lately. Yes, we have had problems, and some MAJOR ones, but God has helped us through them.  For instance, our pump in the well went… and we had one here to replace it.  God had given Don the wisdom a few years back to have one on hand.  And parts needed for repairs… the little store right near the house has had just what Don needed, when he needed it… the list goes on and on. 

It’s been an interesting two months here.  I’m glad I’m back at least one day a week at the airport.  This has allowed me to see the major changes in both the country side and at the airport.  Wow...they are working non stop to get things in shape.  The airport has been long overdue for it’s changes.  But it’s amazing how much has been done in the last few months.  We have an excellent director there and we are really pleased he is moving things along so quickly.  We have always BEEN an “international” airport… now we are starting to LOOK like an International Airport.

Since the president declared Mardi Gras (Carnival) to be held in Cap Haitian this year, the city itself has undergone some major repairs and uplift.  But the biggest thing we have seen is the roads.  Oh my goodness, we can travel to town with only a few minor bumps now.  But they are redoing the main roads all over Haiti.  Does this mean we are on the way to a big improvement in the whole country?  We do not know, but we sure can pray for that.  Just know that I, personally, am TOTALLY enjoying the fact that we are  not jarred into major pain by traveling to the airport anymore.  Even the back road we take has been redone.  So, with everything else, I am praising God for our wonderful roads. 

We ask that you lift up MFI in prayer.  They have been growing by leaps and bounds the last couple of years.  There is a possibility that they may be making more flights than on just our two normal days a week.  But those extra flights would not require all missions to come, just the workers.  They would be cargo flights and there would be a container to store the cargo (at the airport) until our normal flight days.  This is a huge undertaking for MFI and for us.  But if God is directing it, He will also direct us in what to do and how to do it. 

We’ve had teams staying at the dorm pretty often.  Another mission has requested the use of the dorm for their teams.  It’s good that the dorm is not being “unused”.  And the added blessing is that we are not the ones responsible for these teams.  We do the set up for the teams, and the final clean up, but we have two gals who help, so there isn’t the work load we used to have with that. 

We have prayed about the fact that we don’t see a lot of “long term”, or “life” missionaries coming to Haiti lately.  Everyone commits to a year or two, but not many want to commit to total service.  Well, one of our friends daughters has come to be full time here.  She will be heading up the Awana program in Haiti.  Talk about someone with a heart for the Lord and His work… Jenny is a gem.  We know God will use her a lot.  Please keep her lifted up in prayer.  God is showing her in many ways that He is with her and guiding her.  We are very thankful for her heart for the people.

A real blessing for us is that a Pastor friend, Pastor Cebien, has agreed to be with us on Wednesday evenings for a time of prayer.  We can feel God working through this time.  And we have others coming to pray with us, too, and that is awesome.  One week he brought three other Haitian pastors. What a wonderful time of prayer and rejoicing.  And now we have some missionaries coming, too.  I have felt for a long time that we needed to start committing more and more time to prayer and praise, and this is an awesome start to that.  Being with other Christians, both American and Haitian, in dedicated prayer time is such a blessing and uplift. 

One of our friends (Jenny) had a team in and they wanted to spend one day doing buckets for us. We haven’t been able to do that for a while because of resources, but this will be such a help to so many.  This group was spending their “Senior Trip”, coming on the mission field and working for others.  They did a FANTASTIC job… filled 24 buckets in ONE morning.  They had to fill bottles with oil, bag bulgar and beans, clean buckets and lids, write on the rice packets (IN CREOLE) and THEN put it all, including tomato paste, spaghetti and tracts, in the buckets.    And then they got to deliver a few of them in the afternoon.  God used these kids to help a lot.  And they worked in several other places as well.  GREAT JOB GUYS!!

We are asking a LOT of prayers for Savanah’s adoption.  We thought we were at a standstill, but it seems, with a lot of prayer, God is opening doors.  We don’t know for sure how this will all go, but God knows and HE will make happen what He wants.  Please pray with us that mountains will be removed, and hearts touched.  We do serve an awesome God who is able.  A quick update here… God REALLY IS moving mountains for Savanah.  We have met with our case worker in UNICEF… wonderful Christian gal.  We met with our lawyer here in Cap… another wonderful Christian.  We are praying the paperwork in Canada will progress as quickly as the work here seems to be going.  God is not only opening doors, he is placing His people in those doorways.  Isn’t He AWESOME?

Along with Savanah’s adoption we are praying for little Sammy’s adoption.  He is in the care of our friends, Jane and Bud.  Actually, the reason we HAVE proceeded with Savanah’s adoption is because of Jane and the people she had dealt with here.  They have hit some glitches and can use a LOT of extra prayers, too.

Last weekend, Jane and Bud gave us a “surprise” 50th wedding anniversary party here in Haiti.  They had invited the mission community to be a part of this.  It was a wonderful day with a LOT of friends.  We even had 3 Haitian pastors come.  What a great time we had sharing our joy with them.  We went to a new hotel/restaurant and it was beautiful there.  And it was such a nice meal.  God has richly blessed us with good friends here in Haiti as well as in the United States.

We’ve been blessed by spending a bit of time with a gal who has been so important in 2 gals lives here, but also in helping the IDADEE orphanage.  We’ve known Kim for many years, but this has been her first trip to Haiti.  She met one of the gals she supports for the first time.  And was able to see her son, too.  So, like us, she is now a “grandparent” for a sweet Haitian child.

Please keep us in prayer.  We leave to go stateside in April.  Don is having cataract surgery.  He has worn bottle bottom glasses since 6 years old.  The doc said after surgery he MAY need reading glasses only.  Can you imagine that?  After over 60 years, he will not need glasses all the time. 

And we will also be blessed by being able to spend our 50 wedding anniversary with our family.  Spending time with family is SO important.  We know we’ll be in Wisconsin while it’s still COLD… maybe not for those living there, but for us it will be.  And we’ll be picking up our daughter in Mobile, AL and taking her with us, so it’s all three of us will be adjusting to the cold weather.  But we’ll do it, for sure.

Until next time, and probably from the US, we’ll send out blessings and encourage you to step out and share Jesus with someone in need!!