God provides

I should have known. My God reminded me today that He is in control. He loves these kids so much more than I do. The orphanage I was most concerned about, I just couldn't kick the thoughts that were running through my mind about the kids at Leogane before we got news that they were ok. The past few days were filled with thoughts of their fear, their hunger, their thirst, their need, not just of the Leogane kids, but all the kids we minister to and care for. But our God provides.

Today the guys traveled to Leogane. They drove through Port-au-Prince. Jeff said it is real bad. But, they got to Leogane to find that a UN soldier camp had brought them lots of food and supplies already and had lumber there to build a shelter. The guys set up a tent for the pastor. Margarette and some of the older girls from Good Samaritan Orphanage went with some clean clothes and hygiene supplies and cleaned up the kids and did the girl's hair. Margarette didn't like those kids being so dirty last week when she visited:) They have supplies for now, but a long road to recovery is ahead of them. The pastor is basically starting over with no building for these 90 children and his family.
The men traveled to the Petion-ville orphanage to find 50 bags of rice and other supplies. Relief has found them. The kids seemed to be doing pretty well for now. We don't know how long relief will come.
Answered prayers today:
*safe travels
*a good day, despite seeing the city so devastated
*how could the kids at Leogane not feel loved by Margarette and the girls cleaning them up and doing their hair?

Yesterday one of the stops was to visit Pastor Nathan. When he started his church, he had turned the bottom floor of his home into his church. In July '09, we delivered chairs to his church (they were sent in the sea crate). We found out afterward how thankful he was that God provided the chairs because every Sunday a group of men came to the church, prayed they would get enough chairs, then went out into the community and asked to borrow chairs. They returned them every Sunday afternoon. Very humbling. In Oct '09 we took him a portable sound system because we found out that he rented one every week so the people who couldn't fit inside his church, but stood in the street, could hear him preach the gospel. Very humbling. Again, he gave God praise for providing. This was so important to him to be able to preach. When the earthquake hit, Pastor Nathan's home was destroyed. The church has sustained damage. Now he and his family sleep outside in the street. Sunday before Jeff left, Pastor Nathan called to see if Jeff could bring him a megaphone because he needed to be able to preach the gospel. He lost his home, he is sleeping on the ground on a floor mat and cardboard beside his building, and he just wants to share Christ with people. Very humbling.
Tomorrow, the agenda is:
*getting pastor Nathan matresses, pillows, and sheets
*going to the UN to try to get food for Pastor Nathan and his congregation
*visiting Freedom House Orphanage, setting up tent shelter

Prayers for tomorrow:
*discernment in helping Pastor Nathan
*If there is a need they should help meet, that God would reveal it
*Relief to be brought to areas that still need it

Today, we are humbled...God provides
~Deb