The team and also Max...

 We have a team in.  They came to help with the bucket ministry.  And WOW...they did an awesome job.  Their goal was to do 120 buckets.  We thought maybe 2 or 3 days, but they worked themselves out of a job in ONE (yes 1) day.  Okay, you may think filling 120 buckets in one day is not a big deal.  BUT consider the fact that:

• They had to label all the pop bottles with "l'huile" (oil), 
• Fill each of those 240 bottles with oil

measure and bag into ziplock bags: 

• rice, 
• beans, 
• cornmeal, 
• flour 
• and sugar.  

Each of these items was a different amount.

• Then they had to make sure each bucket had one (or more) of each of the items needed.
• THEN search out the scriptures and coloring booklets and crayons to put with these items.  (These were out in the containers, with rusty hinges and difficult to open and close.)
• They bagged up 12 crayons in ziplock bags for each bucket.
• And finally putting the lids on them.  (This was not easy as some of the lids didn't fit correctly).

I had bagged up the hotel soaps and shampoos we had before the team came. I also washed all the bottles for oil.  Had I known they were so proficient I could have let them do that, too.  

I was able to get some photos of them working.  But sad to say, I have none of them distributing buckets, since I didn't go with them.  I think they will go and deliver more before they leave.  They said there were some VERY, VERY happy people who received the buckets.  One older man said he was VERY hungry and had no idea where he could get food.  God answered prayers for many through this team.

Here they are pouring oil into bottles.

 That is Savanah above, "helping" get buckets full of oil to the right place.  Below is some of the food purchased for them.

  Above, bagging rice, and then putting bags of rice into the buckets.

 Bagging the beans.

 And our faithful workers.  JOB WELL DONE!!!

I referred to "Max" in the title.  A couple of days ago, when doing the daily devotional a good friend gave me, I came across the following and thought it was something we should all think on.  I hope you enjoy this exert from Max Lucado's book, "Grace for the Moment".  

James 2:6  "Faith that does nothing is dead!"
Faith is not the belief that God will do what you want.  Faith is the belief that God will do what is right.  God is always near and always available.  Just waiting for your touch.  So let him know.  Demonstrate your devotion:

•  Write a letter.
• Ask forgiveness.
• Be baptized.
• Feed a hungry person.
• Pray.
• Teach.
• Go

Do something that demonstrates faith.  For faith with no effort is no faith at all.  God will respond.  He has never rejected a genuine gesture of faith.  Never.
                                                          From "He Still Moves Stones"

We ask you to keep praying, for Haiti, for our ministry, for our health and for the Lord's will to be done through us here in Haiti.
Blessings to you!!!

Some of our blessings

 Just a quick note.  I had to share two pictures I just received today.  These are 4 of our oldest son's grandkids...so 4 of our GREAT grandkids.   The first one is Faith.  Can you tell where they live?  Yup, Green Bay (well, just outside of town).  But yes, Packer fans, for sure.The second photo has Faith in it with Hunter, Alex and Logan.  (Not in correct order).  We have 3 other Great grandkids, but no recent photos of them.  Kids are special blessings from the Lord, aren't they?  And then there are grandkids, and THEN GREAT grandkids. 

 

Well, just thought these were some special photos and wanted to share them.  We are blessed beyond measure.  And we are praying YOU are blessed also, maybe not with GREAT grandkids, but with many of the blessings the Lord has shared with you!

Till next time, remember, "When you walk with the Lord, you don't get bored!!"   AMEN!

Time is flying by

I did send out an email and decided to copy it here with some of the pictures from Savanah's birthday.  But being "technically challenged", the pictures loaded first, not where I wanted them, but oh well.  Here she is with her "Birthday Princess" banner.

 And with her interactive baby tiger.  She loves to feed him and hear all his noises.

 The kids all got into playing with her kitchen gadgets and balloons. 
And now.. on to the newsletter.....

Time is flying by again.  So much to do and not a whole lot of time to get it all done.  I look around at my "computer room" and think, nope, I HAVE a computer in here, but it's become a "drop everything in here" room.  It will take me a couple of days to clear it out, but I don't HAVE those couple of days.  Savanah loves to "help" with whatever I am doing, so I have to chose what to do, since I'll then have to "redo" it. 

We have been sort of going in circles with the adoption papers here.  The pastor who has the last paper needed is missing.  Well, not missing as much as can't be located right now.  He lives in an area where there is almost no communication, so it's a time of wait and see when he turns up.  So, we would really appreciate a lot of prayer in this whole thing. 

One of the main reasons we need to get the adoption done is because of my situation with this crazy virus I had.  Some of the symptoms recur when you least expect it.  Have had a couple of days of not doing much because of it.  With Don trying to get so much done, I can't expect him to be here with Savanah, either.  We have a small team coming in to help fill buckets for Don's bucket ministry.  So he had to spend a whole day getting the supplies to put in the buckets.  And he had to do some work on the truck to get it ready for the team.  We had two gals clean the dorm since it hasn't been used since June.  Normally they do a great job.  This time we realized we have to go over and redo a lot and get some major things done.  I really praise God for Vero.  She walks in, sees the needs and starts working.  She has enough on her plate without the extra work here.  But since I am limited in how much I can do right now, I really appreciate her. 

And then there is Savanah!!  She turned 3 this last Thursday.  We had a small party for her on Friday.  Since the schools were closed because of a holiday here, we had it for lunch.  Just three of her friends (plus on additional young fellow we didn't expect).  Our daughter and son had done the shopping for me to get her some presents.  (I wish they could have been here to see her expression with all they got her.)  The kids had pizza, jello and cake.  Sounds a bit "different" having jello with the pizza, but it's what they love, so it was what they got.  This was the first year Savanah blew out her candles.  Before she was really afraid of the fire.  And this is the first time ever she ate cake.  That was something she simply didn't like before.  She made up for it now, though.  The kids all had a great time, and that is what counts. 

Don is off today taking a bunch of young men to a place they want to set up a ministry.  We praise God these young people are reaching out and taking God's word to so many places where it hasn't reached yet.  Time is short and God is moving in so many areas. 

Our prayer groups are doing fine.  We keep uplifting so many things to the Lord and are seeing God work in many ways.  We pray you are doing the same, lifting up others and their needs to the Lord.  It really is such an awesome way to keep the doors to heaven open and also to draw others to HIM.  No, the Lord doesn't always answer in the way we expect, but He does answer and it's usually better than we expect.  I still believe that God is TOTALLY AWESOME in all He does and the way He does it!!

We pray you are in a place where you don't have to look for the Lord, but only to reach out and grasp His Hand.  He is there for all of us.  He is there for us in whatever and whenever we need Him to be.  Remember to also praise and thank Him for what He has done and continues to do for us (and you) each and every day!!!   Blessings!!!

October Catch-up

My email posted today:

I guess it’s catch-up time again.  Where to start?  Well, the foot is better, I’m walking fine, just can’t get a shoe on it yet.  Redness is about gone, but the swelling is still a bit of a problem.  Then I picked up either a cold or sinus problem.  But that’s gone now too!!  God is working it all out and I’m praising Him for that.

We had our “big day” at the airport last week.  American Airlines flew in.  It was total chaos and a real mess.  Thankfully our plane got in and out before AA came in.  But there were problems from the start.  We had 1, yes ONE outbound passenger and I had a horrible time getting him into the outbound area.  I think they only wanted AA passengers to go in.  They FINALLY let him go into the local area.  I was NOT a happy camper with that.  Then, since the plane was already in and everyone else had gone out there, I had to find a way INTO the airport myself.  I can tell you I was totally fed up with rude, nasty people by the time I found where I was to enter.  More bad stuff after our plane left.  We could not distribute cargo since AA was DUE in, not because they WERE in.  Our friend Ray and I decided to simply go home and let the others finish WHEN they were able.  Next fun…we were parked in and couldn’t get out. Sat 2 ½ hours in the sun and heat (no air conditioner working).  Finally after police wanted to break into the car blocking us and another driver wanting to flatten the guys tires, we bounced and moved the vehicle enough to squeeze out.  All the Haitians who helped us were so angry with the guy… not sure what happened after we left.  

The next day had another flight.  Our workers had to sit in the sun for 2 hours while AA did their thing.  Can you guess I’m not a real happy camper?  I’m going in tomorrow and talking to both the airport director and head of security to get things moving.  This is ridiculous. MFI has blown into CAP for over 35 years, probably close to 40 years.  Now they are treating us like they want us out of the way.  One guard said, so fly at a different time.  

Finally went to English church yesterday.  First time in 2 months, since I could not get up the steps.  It was GREAT.  We had Pastor Jerome speak and he is so gifted.  Gave us a lot to think about and pray on.

We think we have the final paper for the adoption here in Haiti.  I should find out more this week.  I believe everything is finished in Canada, so it’s a possibility for Savanah to be going home to her new family very soon.  Pray with us on that.  Her 3^rd birthday is in just 11 days and we would love to have the adoption finalized for her birthday.  I know, we are stretching it for that, but God is able, right?  He can do all things.

We have a team coming the end of the month to help Don with filling food buckets for distribution to the poor.  A family from our home church sent in a box of hotel soaps and shampoos and lotions.  Won’t fill all 100 buckets, but it is a great start.  People will love getting those in the buckets with the food.  That brought to mind the story from back when we had the puppet team. 

 Here it is:

The team went out once a month to evangelize.  They took John/Romans booklets, toys if they had them and small ziplock bags of the hotel soaps and shampoos.  When they came back the one time, the girls shared what happened in one home.  The older lady living there hadn’t been to church in a long time because she couldn’t walk.  So they started reading part of John to her.  Each time they’d stop, she’d say, read more.  After the whole booklet of John and Romans, they told her someone would come back with their Bible and read more for her.  Then Vero gave her a small bag of soaps and shampoo.  She started to cry.  Vero thought she had insulted her and she apologized.  The woman said, “NO! You don’t understand.  I’ve been praying for a bar of soap for 6 months.”   The guys went on, and the gals stayed, gave the woman a bath and washed her hair and then left her another bag of the soaps.  Vero came back in tears.  She said, “Mom do you know how many POOR people are out there?”  This from a girl who was raised in an orphanage.  So, yes, we try to put those things in with the food when possible.  What a way for God to answer a prayer, and for Him to show even the poorest can help others.  

Another prayer need…. Don is having a problem.  We have all the papers on the trucks, and we even have fuel now.  But he can’t use the big truck because he has 2 flat tires.  He simply turned on his air compressor to fill one, so he could get them fixed.  He blew out our electric.  We have no idea why or how it happened.  He finally got that fixed, but now he is working on the wiring so he can use the generator to run the air compressor.  It’s just one thing and another here.  He went to put in a new faucet in the kitchen… after 3 days, had to take the whole sink out to do it.  (things were so rusted).  Then the pipes leaked.  Hard to get back into the swing of things when you are fighting these “little” things here at home. 

Well, I’ve kept you reading and it’s now time to close out.  Savanah about to wake up and you don’t leave her out of sight.

  

You all have a super great day in the Lord. In the service yesterday, Pastor Jerome used the scripture in Mark 6, where the 5,000 were fed.  He said it doesn’t matter where you are, what time of year it is, what your problem is, JESUS IS ALWAYS THERE FOR YOU!!!!!   What a truth…and one we need to remember in all situations.  So, remember that in your circumstances, too.  Hang on, Jesus is on the way, and we feel He is coming soon!