March Newsletter

The following is our newsletter that we sent out today, March 28th.  The photos I had put in there are ones that have been on here at different times.  Other than that...here it is:
 
Greetings!!
 

It has been a bit since I’ve written, so thought I’d do a bit of catching up.  I try to do posting on our blog, but that too has been a bit.  But there may be things there you all haven’t seen/heard, so if you get a chance check it out.

I think I need to back way up and fill you all in on some of our times here.  Back in November we had a family come in to help with our bucket ministry.  Well, we thought it would take them a while to get through the ones they wanted to do.  Wrong!  In just a couple of days they had finish a whole lot of buckets to help the poor.  And they were able to help in other areas and see other things, as well as our rains. (Traveling in the back of the dump truck in the rain is an “experience”!)  We were so thankful for all their work and all their help in many areas.  Thanks Schanz family for ALL you have done!!!

No teams in December but English Bible Fellowship took up a lot of my time.  Planning and getting ready for Christmas was a bit time consuming.  We were also still having the effects of the aftermath of the hurricane.  And so many, many people needed help.  

Then January came around.  THAT was a busy month.  First our team from our home church.  The day they came in, we received word our son-in-law had passed away that morning.  I, Karen, left 2 days later to be with our daughter.  Don stayed with the team.  I am totally amazed at how much they did.  Two of the team came to do buckets.  The rest came to do a pastors conference and a VBS at the orphanage, plus a bit more.  We thought the buckets would take all week.  Two days...yes TWO days and they were done.  So, they also completed a whole lot of work around here that was SO VERY much appreciated!!

I was with our daughter for a week and a half.  It was a hard time, but also a time to be together.  Three of our other children were able to come, also, two with spouses.  So, it was a reunion of sorts, too.  The pastor did a GREAT job on the service.

When I returned, I was met at the airport with some of our friends (who had also come while I was gone) leaving.  Bud and his daughter were leaving, while Jane stayed another few days.  And while they were here, the leaders for our next team came and stayed at the dorm also.  The day Jane left, the team came in.  So it was busy here while I was gone and after I got back.

Then we were into February.  Our grandson, Gregory had made plans a long time ago to come and help us.  Just a week or so before he was to leave, his dad (our son, Dale) was able to make the plans to come along.  They stayed almost 2 weeks and they also accomplish a whole lot of things.  I don’t have space to put it all down here.  But we sure were happy they were here.

A couple of weeks after they left and into March, Dr. Bibiana and her doctor friend from Argentina came to stay.  Bibiana is Savanah’s new grandma. They came to work, but also spend time with Savanah.  And again, what a blessing to have them.

Well, on to Savanah.  Please keep the prayers coming.  Her adoption is finished, but her one paper for her citizenship in Canada has gone missing.  She is ready to go home, but until that paper is found…. Here she is.  She talks constantly about “going home to Canada” to her family.  

And with all of this, Don has been working (when it’s not raining) on Vero’s extension to her house.  A blessing beyond measure is the finances to finish it.  Praise God it’s there, but working around the rains has been a situation.  And he has been delivering food (the BUCKET MINISTRY) out to the very needy.  Plus a lot around the house, too.

I’m still working at the airport and was able to put on one more worker to help us out.  With the time crunch with American Airlines coming in, we have to work fast to get things accomplish quickly.  This one more worker is a blessing for us!  Keep MFI in your prayers, too.  The new (to MFI) DC-3 will prayerfully be leaving Africa soon, to come to the US for the finishing work.  Then we’ll have another plane to help the mission community in many countries.

As we look to the future, we have a team coming this month.  And our plans for making a trip to the US are starting to work out. This year we will be driving and hoping to see many of you on the trip. Tentatively, at this time, we plan to head along the eastern coast and up to Pennsylvania, then over to Wisconsin.  We have not set dates for places yet, as we are waiting to talk to some people first.   If anyone would like us to stop, let us know.  We would love to see everyone, but know it’s not possible. 

 

Our date for leaving Haiti is May 25^th, and we are just starting to make plans now. Please pray also that Savanah will be with her new family in Canada by this time.  We have been saying this for almost the whole 5½ years we’ve had her, but it IS SO close now!!

Aside from prayers, we have praises, too.  Many of them.  Our grandson, Peter (Dale’s youngest) is in Bible school preparing for missions.  And besides praising God for his willingness to serve on the mission field (somewhere), we ask for prayers for wisdom and guidance in his decision as to where that will be.

We can praise God for all He does.  He has brought back some former missionaries to visit, with us and with others.  But being able to visit with them has blessed us a lot.  And we’ve met new friends as well.

We have been learning and using more corporate prayer lately.  We do need to pray together, if in person, or from far away.  Praying and reaching out together is so important.  We praise God for those who do pray with us, both here and in other areas!  So please, not only pray for us, but pray WITH us.

Yes, we do serve an AWESOME GOD!  It’s a joy to see and hear others say that now...God is SO VERY AWESOME!!!

We’ll be in touch soon, and if you’d like us to stop, let us know!!

In Him, Through Him and For Him,

Don and Karen

Support:

For Tax Deductible Gifts:

Online Donations for our Account —

  www.WorldOutreach.org/donations  

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Or Mail check To:         

World Outreach Ministries

P.O. Box B

Marietta, GA 30061    (designate:  Don & Karen Davis # 10 account)

Our Blog:  www.DavisInHaiti.blogspot.com

E-mail:  Davis2Haiti@gmail.com

On into spring...

Greetings to all,

We have been really busy this last month, but that is not an excuse for not sharing.  It's just been awesome watching how the Lord works in so many, many ways.

In looking back, I cannot pinpoint certain things we have accomplished, but I know we did a lot.  Of course, we are always busy with Savanah.  She is SO active and is always on the go.  But she can be so cute, too.  Over the last year and a half (thanks to our daughter Christine's smart move), Savanah has been into the "Doc MacStuffins" DVD's and toys.  At first I thought, oh cute, then I sat and listened to what actually went on in the movie.  There are SO MANY great things encouraging children in life.  Not a Christian movie, but a great children's guide.  Just emphasizing everyday things we try to teach children.  And we are so happy she is listening and following many of those things.

Of course the work at the airport continues.  We were able to hire another worker to help out.  He is a real blessing and a strong Christian.  Someone who had been on the plane said, "oh, so you only spend a hour or so a week helping MFI?"  Wow, they have no idea.  On plane days we are there long before the plane, and long after it is gone.  And on the day before planes, I try to get all the paperwork needed accomplished.  So, it's actually two full days and two partial days helping with MFI.  But it is so worth it.  I enjoy working with people, and especially with our pilots.  They put in such LONG days.  Each flight day is about 14 hours for them.  And all the preparation work for loading the planes is part of their work, too.  So, please keep them all in prayer...all those who work with MFI, not just the pilots.  They are ALL working to help the missionaries and to get the Lord's word out to the world.  And their motto "Standing in the Gap" is so very true for all of us on this end.  This is a picture of some of our workers.  There are two missing but I seldom get the chance to catch them all together, standing still.

 

 Someone asked me isn't it hard, not being with family and friends in the states?  I said yes, in many ways it is, but then I remember the joys and peace of being right where the Lord wants us.  I am constantly thanking God for internet, phones and letters.  Our lifeline to our family.  We are able to get pictures of most of them via emails and that is a huge blessing.  I found a picture on pinterest that says it all.

 I really liked this saying.  As long as we are able to connect with people (family especially), distance doesn't seem that great.

Okay, have had a LOT of questions on where Savanah's adoption stands.  Well, we have had her with us for 5 years and almost 5 months now.  Praise the Lord her adoption IS finished.  She does have a passport.  But the wait is for ONE paper, finishing her citizenship for Canada.  It is somewhere in the Canadian embassy... just waiting to be found.  She so wants to be with her new family.  All she talks about is mommy, daddy, and her three sisters.  She was blessed to have Grandma Bibiana come and spend a week at our dorm with her Argentina doctor friend.  I praise God that Bibiana is able to come and spend some time with her, because she is a positive link to Canada for Savanah.  So, again, we ask you to continue prayers that will move this young lady home to her new family in Canada.  

And now on to some heavy prayer requests.  First and foremost, we have had horrible rains lately.  It just keeps coming and coming.  Although the streets had been cleaned up after the tsunami, we are getting back to how terrible they were then.  Mud, rocks and garbage are now, AGAIN, filling the streets of Cap Haitian.  People are suffering so much again.  And add into that, the exchange rate.  Now, for foreigners who have American money, the constant rise in the percentage rate is not a problem.  But with this rise, prices also increase.  The majority of Haitians do not have an increase in income and they were having a hard time BEFORE this increase.  A lot of prayer is needed.  The suffering is increasing.  PLEASE keep these two things in your daily prayers.  Pray for the rains to stop and for the economy to ease off.  

Something else I found on the internet is what I want to close with.  Blessings!!

"May God give you perspective on the things that frustrate you.  May your heart of compassion grow for those who suffer in unimaginable ways.  May you pray as passionately for them as you do for yourself.  My God protect you from a small, selfish mindset.  May He fill you up with thanksgiving and joy for the freedoms you enjoy!  May He renew your resolve to be a grateful, humble soul.  And may He use you tomorrow in ways that surprise and bless you!!!"