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!

September's almost over...

With the end of September coming up, we are hoping for some cooler weather.  Actually it hasn't bothered me so much, but it sure has taken a toll on Don.  He's not alone in that.  Everyone seems to be tired of the heat and humidity.  Are we ever pleased by conditions?  We complain it's too hot, too cold, we complain we have too much rain, not enough rain.  We grumble and complain about the governments (no matter which country we talk about).  Where does praise and thanksgiving come in?  I've had so much time to simply "think" lately.  And a lot of it has been on attitude and circumstances.

For the last 7 weeks I've done almost nothing but lay or sit.  I don't handle that very well.  And I was complaining about it.  Then I felt guilty.  Honestly, WHY was I complaining?  Don and Vero were watching Savanah.  Don doing most of the cooking and between him and Vero the house was cleaned and wash done.  Maybe not just as I would have wanted to do it, but it was done.  I was able to pray and read and yes, heal.  

Then I got to thinking... I was complaining when in the US that all I was doing was looking at 3 walls and a ceiling and I could do that at home.  I should have been praising God that I COULD see.  That I COULD read.  We forget the everyday things when we look at circumstances.  Yes, my foot hurt.  Yes, I didn't like being in a wheelchair.  Yes, I got frustrated when I couldn't DO things I wanted to. But what about what I COULD do?  I was able to talk to my children often.  I was able to rest and relax.  And I was able to go to the store (although it took Don a lot of work for me to do that).  I should have been praising God Don was there to help.  That I was able to talk to my kids.  That I could enjoy talking with friends and co-workers at MFI.  

Then I started thinking and praying... God help me to be more thankful for what I have.  Help me to be thankful that I have a way to get the help for my situation.  Help me to spend time praying for those I love and for those who have situations even a lot worse than mine.  And most of all Lord, help me to be Your light for others.  Help me to stop complaining and to start praising and showing others that there is hope and peace through you.  Then I prayed... LORD USE ME IN MY CIRCUMSTANCES TO BRING GLORY TO YOU!   

Am I feeling better?  Am I healing?  Yes, to both.  But more to the point, I'm letting God use me in His way now, WHERE I'M AT, for Him.  I am so blessed by so many people and by so many things.   I look at the wheelchair I used... I'm out of it now... but there are others who will never leave theirs.  I put the crutches aside and am thankful I don't have to use them... when others would be happy to have the chance to use them.  And the cane...I don't use it often now, but it will be unused soon... when others would be happy to depend on something so simple.  God has blessed me and I want to share that with others.  

I'm actually starting to catch up on my work here.  Not all of it, but it will come.  One huge miracle is that I sat down at my desk top.... remember the one that quit working and no one seemed to be able to get it up and going?  Well, I don't know how (yes, I do, the Lord!!) but I (YES, ME, KAREN) got it working.  I am able to use it now ON THE INTERNET, too!!!  And Don found out (another miracle) that the reason we had so much trouble getting on the internet was not our satellite server, it was our WI FI!!!  A new on is on order and we are praising God for that!!  

Yes, I know, there are those of you out there who thought it was all me... that anything electronic I touched quit... but guess what??  It wasn't ME, it was circumstances again.  God is so good to us and He sure has been working in our lives lately.  

We finally have the papers on the trucks up to date so they can be used.  Then we found out there was no fuel to be purchased at this time.  So, trucks were still sitting.  Don found some fuel he forgot he had and was able to get to town today.  And then one of the stations now has fuel.  We definitely walk by faith, and God has walked before us in that.  

In just one week we have the BIG DAY at the airport here.  On Oct. 2nd, American Airlines will have their first flight into CAP.  We have a plane that day, so we will be there, but it will be a huge celebration for the airport too.  Don and I will both be going, if we can find someone to watch Savanah.  We have been at the airport longer than any other person there. We have seen a lot of changes over the years but this is one of the biggest ones and we are happy to be a part of it.

Well, my "quiet time" has ended.  Savanah has woken up, so I'll close.  We are praying God will work in your lives as He has been doing in ours.  That He opens your eyes to see how blessed you are by all you have and all you can do.  Now we, as well as you, need to start using those blessings to honor Him, and to show others what blessings God has bestowed on us.    

We are finally HOME!

It's with joy and thanksgiving I can say we are finally home.  On my return visit to the doctor, he said I could go back home, if I kept an eye on things.  And he sent me with a month of antibiotics.  We had a good flight back.  Our friend Ray brought us home from the airport.  What a relief to be back home again.  I wanted to share a picture I took on the plane.  It was a great sunrise right after we took off from Fort Pierce.  (I put the photo here, but not sure if it's working.  If not I'll try again in a day or two to post it.)

I will share that my kids had told me to not overdue when I got home.  Well, sad to say, I wasn't able to follow that.  Don had so much work waiting for him when we got here, that I had no choice but to take on Savanah again.  He is still pretty much making meals and doing dishes, though.  And that is a HUGE help.  And he has hired a gal to come and do floors and ironing, too.  He had talked about that before and it's a big help for me. 

I am still having some effects from the virus.  Joint pain and headaches are with me pretty often.  I have started walking as much as possible now, too.  I simply cannot stand sitting here and watching everyone else do the work.  It's been over a month of being in bed or just sitting in a chair.  My foot still has it's moments, too, but that will go away in the near future. 

We were amazed at the way the airport is progressing.  I did get another tour (in a wheelchair) and was happy to see so much accomplished.  On Tuesday, one of our head guys at MFI will be coming in for a couple of days.  We will be trying to figure out exactly what the airport expects of us here, and what MFI will need to meet their expectations.  Harold will also share what MFI would like to see accomplished in the future here in CAP with our airline.  So Wednesday will be my first venture out from the house. 

Don has been working on so many things here.  We do not have either of our vehicles on the road yet.  We need one sticker on each and we seem to be having a bit of a problem getting them.  It is a problem, but yet, Don has been able to get a lot accomplished here because he can't get out yet.  The main thing right now is our electric situation.  Don has the needed items to get it done, but he will need help to finish it up.  And he also brought the needed items to get the tile in Vero's house and get her electric up and going.  She is very anxious to get moved in.  So there are some prayers needed there.

As for the adoption, I haven't been able to talk to anyone yet about where it stands.  First, my phone ran out of time and we had a time getting a card to put in it.  Then the weekend came up and no one is around.  But the Lord knows all of that and is working on it in His way and in His time.  I have to believe that He knows where we are with it and is going to bring it to pass. 

Abbie is back in school and seems to enjoy it again this year.  She loves to learn and is absorbing knowledge like a sponge.  Savanah is .... well, Savanah.  She can be so sweet and loveable, and then she can be a real stinker.  But she is still a sweetheart to us.  And she loves to pray.  She'll take her dolls and sit down with them and pray with them.  She is a joy to watch.  Her favorite DVD's are Turtles (both one and two) and any and all Alvin movies.  She also likes Monsters Inc. 

Well, I had best get some more work done while I can.  Don just made Molassis cookies from his dad's "secret" receipt.  He said they are really good.  I'm not much into cookies, so I just believe him. 

Please keep us in prayer.  For me to get rid of the aftereffects of the virus and to completely heal from the cellulites.  For Don, as he takes on the many challenges and work awaiting him.  For our vehicle papers to be completed.  And for Savanah's adoption.  And pray for Vero.  She has so much on her plate and she is working non stop all the time.

Thanks for being there for us with prayers and support.  We know the Lord is with us and keeping His hands on us.  We pray He is working in your life as well.

Another of "those" months

It seems our life is never "dull".   Although I would not consider this last month fun...it certainly has not been dull.

After my last post, I was getting near to catching up on things...well it never happened.  We were home a week and a half and I was hit with the Chikungunya virus.  At some point I will write that whole experience up so others will know exactly what people went through.  At this point, just let me say that you would not believe what it is like.  After about 4 days, I thought I was feeling better.  I had gotten a rash on my leg (as part of this virus).  It was between the ankle and the knee.  It was swollen and an ugly rash.  It started to clear up and like a switch was turned on, my foot swelled up and turned beet red.  On a pain scale of 1 to 10.... 10 being the worst, the virus had my body at about a 12 or 12.5.  Once the virus started receding the pain was all concentrated on the foot.  I couldn't walk.  Our friend Belle, who is a nurse, came often to check on me.  (Keep her in prayer, she went through a lot with me, believe me.)  She had been checking with Dr. Mono each time I talked to her, or when she would stop in.  Finally after a week, Dr. Mono came with her.  He said what I had was cellulites.  With my allergy to so many meds, he put me on one antibiotic.  Finally on Monday, the decision was made for me to fly stateside for treatment, since I was not responding to what I was taking. 

On Thursday, Don and I flew out.  We landed in Fort Pierce and headed to the emergency room.  Actually to the trauma center here.  Great hospital and staff.  After lots of tests and lots of probing they said, yup, that's what I had.  They added another antibiotic to what I was taking.  This is the third day and I am finally starting to respond to the meds.  Still not walking, using a wheel chair.  Not sure at this point how long we will be here.  Can't really leave until it's well on the way to being healed.  We have had to stay at a hotel, since the wheel chair wouldn't make it into the house we had hoped to stay at for a few days.  At this point, I'm tired, worn out and so ready for this to be over.  Three weeks of laying in bed is about all I can take.  Doc said two to six weeks to be totally over it all, but I should be on the way to "normal" (whatever that is) soon.

So, we are asking for prayers.  I know many, many are already praying, but please keep them coming.  And pray for Don.  He's not the best "house mother" and he said he will NEVER work in a hospital.  I think these three weeks have really worn on him, too. 

We know God is in charge and we know He can heal.  So we are depending on Him to step in and keep things on the way to healing.  We have not lost hope in Him, nor have we stopped believing He is in charge of all things.  So, I'll simply rest in Him and let Him guide and direct what happens. 

So, until I can get to the point of writing more and sharing more of what this virus is and has done, I'll close and give glory to the Lord for keeping us this far.  He knows where we are at and what we are going through.  So, I'll praise Him and rejoice in the fact He has me in the palm of His hand.

Back in Haiti

I'm thankful to be on here again.  This system is really driving us to distraction.  At times we go days without connection, then it's fine for a day or two.  But we have to believe God knows all of this and will help us struggle through.  I have had to remind myself that when we came to Haiti, almost 31 years ago, that we had only letter mail for communication.  No internet, no phones to speak of and not even Ham radio at that point.  For a phone line we had to travel 12 miles, get in line (for maybe up to 6 hours) then pray we could connect...but that was very iffy... and IF connected to an operator, then we had to pray we didn't get cut off, which was a real possibility.  So, waiting a day or so to get on internet isn't all that bad, since we can reach so many.  I don't pray for patience, I pray for endurance.  

We arrived here last Thursday, a week and one day ago.  We were still settling in on Friday when we got a phone call.  The gal and her daughter who clean the dorm called.  Juliette (the mama) said, "You said if you were here  you may be able to help with Maz's (daughter) flowers for her wedding."  I had totally forgotten that, but said yes.  Then asked when it would be.  "Tomorrow!"  Well, that threw me for a loop.  But I could praise the Lord for Carolyn (a good friend from West Palm Beach).  She had been here while we were gone for a wedding and did all the flowers for that wedding.  She had left them here.  I asked Maz what color she wanted.  She said whatever you have is fine.  That at least made me happy.  So, decorations were right there for me.  But I had to work on flowers for bride, groom, maren, paren (God parents), mothers and pastors and whoever else I could get done.  I did most of them with what was here and felt fine.  Decorating the church on Saturday was another trial... no one there had the key.  Had to call all over and find someone to let us in.  An hour and a half later we were able to get in.  One gal there wasn't happy with anything.  She was no relative and just a distant friend.  So we ignored her.  We went home to change and Savanah went down for a nap.  Don went to the wedding, I didn't.  Savanah slept through the time for the wedding, so her and I stayed home.  Don took photos, and they didn't turn out good at all.  Something wrong with the camera.  But we were glad that situation was over. 

Then Sunday I had to lead English church.  I had no idea who our speaker was, but simply planned it as if we didn't have one.  July and August are very slow months for our church.  We ended up with about 20 Haitian fellows, Don, Savanah, me and our other committee member (and piano player), Enoch.  We have a hard time getting the Haitians to respond to the praise and prayer time.  I shared all our blessings with them and asked if anyone else had any praises to share with us.  At first nothing....then one man stood and praised God for being with him in a tough situation.  From then on, maybe 7 or 8 stood up and shared.  That was such a blessing for us.  Then Enoch gave the message.  What a powerful man he is.  God used him to touch all those there, including us.  We had a fantastic service praising God.  What a great start to our return to Haiti, seeing God working and using people. 

When we first arrived in Haiti, we were amazed at the progress at the airport.  It's still a ways from being done, but it is really moving along at a fast pace.  The director took Don and I through the whole building and explained so much.  We really were amazed.  And on October 5th, American Airlines will be flying in with their first flight.  It is already booked solid.  So, we really are moving into the 21st century.  

Oh, wanted to share one more picture with you all.  (I keep forgetting all the blessings we have had...and I'll probably end up sharing more later when I go through the photos we took.)  This photo is another 4 generation one for our family.  On our travel back to Florida to fly back, we were able to spend one night with our son, Tim.  His daughter was there with her twins, so we took the opportunity to get that four generation photo.  These two little ones are doing great after a hard start.  Aren't babies fun?  Yes, we did the twin thing, too, and it's a bit tough at times, but worth it.

And then, of course, Savanah.... She has grown so much in the 3 months we were gone.  But always ready for a photo.

Well, I'd best get back to work and start catching up on things.  Three months of mail and other work to do and get caught up on.  I hope to be back on here soon with some more photos and news of how things are progressing here.  

Remember to keep praising God for what He does in your life.  Both the big and the small.  He does a whole lot more than any of us realize in our lives.  Keep Jesus at the front and center of all you do.  Blessings to all!!!