As life goes on....

Hello again from hot and humid Haiti!  Well, it seems it's been that way for a while anyway.  It's been a couple of "interesting" weeks in several ways.  

I'll start with an update on Bev (sister-in-law) and Bob (brother).  Bev is slowly recovering, but still has to deal with the broken bones and pain from them.  I am so thankful for phones that work and that I CAN call her once in a while to check on how they are doing.  Bob?  Well, that has been a roller coaster ride.  He has gone from breathing on his own pretty much to being put back on the ventilator.  Responses?  Very limited and not sure if he hears at times.  But our nephew made a comment that Bev took to the doctor.  Bob was on so much pain meds, there was no way, if he COULD respond, that he would....he was drugged out.  Thankfully the doc took that into consideration and cut back on the medicine.  He does respond, sort of...not sure how much.  He is in a new hospital now.  It's one where they are working on trying to get him off the ventilator and the trac tube, and getting him to breathe on his own.  It may take a while if they can do it.  Talked to Bev and my niece, Dawn, this morning.  I was glad to hear Dawn had flown down to be with Bev, even if only for the weekend.  They were able to spend time with Bob and he also had some friends who had come to visit.  They had the TV on to the sports channel and a Packer game was on.  Even if he lives in Florida, he's still a Packer fan.  They are doing all these little things to help to get his mind working on things.  So, I think things are looking up.  We'll see as time goes on, but sure would appreciate the prayers to continue.

Don has been busy, too.  With the situation with no rain for so long, people were really in need of water.  So, it was back to putting the tank on the truck and delivering water.  And he is working on a security door for Vero's house.  He has one done, but needs to get the other one done, also.  And then when I have to be at the airport, or airport meetings, he has to be here to get Savanah from school at 11, and then be here for Abbie when she gets out, if we aren't back yet.  So, he is being kept pretty busy all the time.

And speaking of the airport, MFI sent down our "official" sign to be put up.  When we got there last Tuesday, the airport had mounted it and we are now "official".  Like we haven't been for over 40 years?   But it's nice to see the beautiful sign up now.  And I thought I'd share it with you here. 

 

 Since we are not at the airport every day, we will be sharing our desk and space with MAF.  We also have a new airport director.  Had our first "airport meeting" with officials from here and Port au Prince this last Friday.  I think the Lord has blessed us with another good director.  

Yesterday we were also blessed... Savanah's grandma, Dr. Bibiana, came to visit.  We'll get to see her again today before she has to head back to Canada.  I hope to get a picture today so we can share that with you.  When we hoped she would be at English Church, Savanah kept saying, "I want to see Grandma Bibiana".  Then added in, "And Ruby and Lexi, too!"  She didn't realize that her new sisters would not be with grandma.  But she did get to see some pictures of them, anyway.

Yesterday at English Bible Fellowship, we had a Haitian pastor (Wilbur Merzilus) speak.  He had such a good message and one that we sure do need on a daily basis.  He used the passage from Mark 4: verses 35 to 41.  This is where Jesus was in the boat with the disciples and the storm came up, while He slept.  Does this sound like us?  When the storms come (problems, illness, money, whatever) what do we do?  Like most, we worry, and fuss and wonder and try to fix things our way.  When it all fails, THEN we turn to the ONE who can calm the storms.  And then when Jesus does calm the storm, we are in awe, like the disciples, and say, "...Even the wind and the waves obey Him."  I think this is a message we need to re-read each morning, so that when problems come our way, and they DO, we can turn to the STORM CALMER and release it all to Him.  Yes, many times we do need to put feet to our prayers, but our FIRST response should be to Jesus, then follow where He leads.

Well, I will leave you with that thought.  I have to remind myself to keep my eyes focused on Jesus and not on the problems of the world.  We need to remind each other to do that.  And praying you are in that place where the Lord can richly bless you in ways you never imagined.

School starts

Greetings and praying your weather is a bit cooler than ours here in Haiti.  Yesterday at the airport was a scorcher.  But we managed to get through it okay.  We really are praying for some rain to quench the ground and help some of the surviving crops.

Today we got both our girls off to school.  Abbie is in 5th grade this year and Savanah is in kindergarten.  We were a bit concerned she would have a problem, but she did fine.  Both girls like school this year (yup, that is the first day comment from both).  So thought I'd share some pictures for you.

 

 

It's obvious which one is Abbie and which one is Savanah.  Abbie just got her new glasses yesterday.  We are praying this resolves her headache problems.  

As I was downloading the pictures, I had gone back and checked email.  I received the following letter from a friend here in Haiti (Belle).  Our world is in a sad shape when things like this happen.  But we can do as asked and pray, and pray strongly.  Here is that letter:

Date: Aug 26, 2015 11:14 AM

Subject: Joint Heirs Prayer Request from Dan and Marilyn Wilson

Missionaries who are in the areas that are being attacked by ISIS are asking to be showered in prayer. ISIS has taken over the town they are in today. He said ISIS is systematically going house to house to all the Christians and asking them ​to denounce Jesus.  He said so far not one child has. and so far all have consequently been killed.  But not the parents.  The UN has withdrawn and the missionaries are on their own.  They are determined to stick it out for the sake of the families even if it means their own deaths.  They are very afraid, have no idea how to even begin ministering to these families who have had seen their children martyred.  Yet he says he knows God has called them for some reason to be His voice and hands at this place at this time.  Even so, they are begging for prayers for courage to live out their vocation in such dire circumstances.  And like the children, accept martyrdom if they are called to do so. 

These brave parents instilled such a fervent faith in their children that they chose  martyrdom.  Please surround them in their loss with your prayers for hope and perseverance.  One missionary was able to talk to her brother briefly by phone.  She didn't say it, but I believe she believes it will be their last conversation.  Pray for her, too.  She said he just kept asking her to help him know what to do and do it.  She told him to tell the families we ARE praying for them and they are not alone or forgotten -- no matter what.  Please keep them all in your prayers. This came this morning...Just a few minutes ago I received the following text message on my phone from Sean Malone who leads Crisis Relief International (CRI).  We then spoke briefly on the phone and I assured him that we would share this urgent prayer need with all of our contacts.  "We lost the city of Queragosh (Qaraqosh). It fell to ISIS and they are beheading children systematically.  This is the city we have been smuggling food to.  ISIS has pushed back Peshmerga (Kurdish forces) and is within 10 minutes of where our CRI team is working.  Thousands more fled into the city of Erbil last night.  The UN evacuated its staff in Erbil. 

Our team is unmoved and will stay.  Prayer cover needed!" Please pray sincerely for the deliverance of the people of Northern Iraq from the terrible advancement of ISIS and its extreme Islamic goals for mass conversion or death for Christians across this region.  May I plead with you not to ignore this email.  Do not forward it before you have prayed through it.  Then send it to as many people as possible.  Send it to friends and Christians you may know.  Send it to your prayer group.  Send it to your pastor and phone him to pray on Sunday during the service - making a special time of prayer for this.  We need to stand in the gap for our fellow Christians.  Thank you for all your prayers !!!!

Dr. Becky Peters - Professor of Education

Director of Lutheran Teaching Programs, Colloquy, & Lutheran Placement

Concordia University - Irvine, California

   
We can praise God for being in a place where this isn't happening, but we can and should pray for these missionaries and for the Christian families who are going through this.  And pray for the Lord to intercede and remove this threat.

For now, keep your eyes focused on Jesus and keep praying, and praying, and praying.