Next Step...

We have been blessed with another beautiful spring season in our home. Actually it isn't just the home I feel blessed to have for another spring, it is the surrounding area/yard/view that I appreciate so much. Watching spring come to life here is amazing. We have open fields with all kinds of wild plants coming to life. Woods that seem so transparent in the winter, fill in the blink of an eye. Early mornings and just before sunset when the deer venture out into the fields, there is a peace that comes from seeing them trust the space. Standing in the back of our property with the view of the mountains turning green and the silouette of these massive mountains as we witness the sky turn orange, pink, purple or any combination of the three in the evening takes my breath away. One of my favorite things when the weather turns warm is sitting on our front porch on my comfy rocking chair sipping coffee just taking it all in and seeing God's hand in all of it. I wonder how similar this is to Heaven.
Now, we begin to let go. We committed to giving it all up last summer when we opened ourselves up to follow God's leading in our lives to move to Haiti. We have talked about this and tried to prepare ourselves for it and now we are doing it. Our house goes on the market April 1st, 2010. This is the next step. We feel peace because we know without a doubt this is where God is leading us.


We have asked for many prayers over the course of the last few months and you have been faithful and have encouraged us by your support. We ask you to join us now as we pray for God's timing to be evident to us in the selling of our house. This is the key to our timing in moving.
We are also in the midst of several other important decisions in how some specific details will be taken care of, schooling for our kids, preparing them, and ourselves to move to another country. Thank you for praying with us and for us as we move forward.

Jeff and I are humbled and blessed to be serving our God in Haiti. We trust Him to walk us through this and to take care of the details.

Blessings,
Deb

"Home is where your Heart is"

Jeff is quite busy in Haiti. Up until now, he has only gotten to see the Good Samaritan kids late in the evening for short visits. But, tonight they are having a great time with the kids, Max and Margarette, Pastor Nathan and some other friends celebrating Martine's birthday!
The military came in and built a new tent system for the kids several weeks ago. They built them up off the ground so the beds stay dry with all of the rain they are getting. The girls continue to be happy and are doing great.
Jeff has been checking out housing for us, for the guest house, for the girls, for a boys orphanage, etc. Many meetings and business. All ground work stuff that has to be done.

Tony joined Jeff on Sat and seems to have fallen in love with the country and of course the kids too.
Gesner is doing really well. He now has opened a barber shop and Youdeline is working for the red cross. They are living in a house constructed out of sticks(the long branch like sticks you see for sale when driving around the city limits, I assume) and tarp. Jeff and Tony will be helping them build a second room on their "house" so they have a bit more space to be inside. They will also be helping them move the barber shop to a new location.

Schneider is doing great. His cyber cafe is running really well. He is also doing a good bit of translating for organizations.

Fan Fan is still trying to get things going with his school, but nothing happening yet. He needs work.

The next few days will be busy as well. They have more visits to make. More kids and leaders to visit. More needs to evaluate. A lot of information is being gathered.

Thank you for your prayers so far. Please continue to pray for Jeff and Tony as they minister to the Haitian people.
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While Jeff serves in Haiti, I am here in Carlisle with the 5 kids who need me to be here right now. We are doing our normal thing. School, homework, activities, taking care of things at home. It has been a blessing to see Max and Berothie blend so well with our own children. It has been really cool teaching them things about our culture and them also teaching us about theirs. It has been an unexpected blessing to be able to blend our lives with Haiti here before we even move our family there.
Pastor Nathan called tonight and spoke words for me. He said "your heart is in Haiti, you are there, but your heart is here". At the time I couldn't figure out why he said it. Then I talked to Jeff. He mentioned Pastor Nathan's concern that I hadn't been to Haiti since October. He thought (as has happened with others in the past) that I had lost interest in Haiti and was having second thoughts. Him saying to me that my heart was in Haiti was his way of confirming with me my desire to help and to allow God to work through me in Haiti. When I hung up the phone, I realized Pastor Nathan was exactly right. My heart is in Haiti because that is where God is leading me. As hard as it might be to give up what we have here. As hard as the transition might be. As hard as it might be to home-school my kids. As hard as it will be to learn another language at my age. As hard as it is to step out of my comfortable life. As much as I love what we have here...family, friends, church, security...The saying "Home is where your heart is" means I belong in Haiti. We belong in Haiti.

Back to Haiti!!!

I'm headed back to Haiti on Thursday morning. There is so much to do in a matter of a week, but that's been our M.O. as of late. We have been very busy over the past two months. Starting a ministry from the ground level is a ton of work, but it's also an awesome experience to help start something new and different.

One word that keeps coming up time and time again is "Focus" Which the word in itself may not seem very challenging, but when the ministry that is being developed is in a country like Haiti, it can be heart wrenching trying to figure out where that "focus" needs to be. Then standing firm in that focus when there are so many needs right in your face just walking the streets of Haiti. Watching a young man swing a sledgehammer over and over again on a mountain of concrete in hopes of finding peace by digging out the remains of the one he loves. Seeing a sea of tents knowing that the wind and rain are on the way. Seeing the desperation in the eyes of a college graduate because he can't feed his family. Seeing a child beg knowing that it's possible that if he or she comes back empty handed, they'll be severely beaten by their owner.

Even though we feel the vision and focus for the ministry has been a process that has developed through time, prayer, fasting, listening, and from the advice of many, sometimes we still question. How do you see what we've seen and not question? How do you hear criticism from people you care for, who's passion is not the "focus" and not question?

Even though the questioning is hard and sometimes hurtful, it has also been a source of strength and faith. When we question, time and time again it brings us back to the very same place. The "Focus"

My hope and prayer for this trip (and for my journey) is that God will continue to show me His love and compassion for people he puts in my path, both in Haiti and right here in Carlisle.

And even though our ministry may not be able to focus on every ones needs, take heart, I believe God is able to. Even yours and mine...

Bondye beni,

Jeff

Some more about Recon Trip!!!

As we headed for the airport, there were a number of uncertainties. Where were we going to sleep? What were we going to eat and drink? Will we be able to buy food and water for our orphanages? How were the Haitian people going to treat us in a time of desperation? So many questions without any real answers, however, one question that we could answer was “why”. We wanted to do everything we could to help our children and Friends in Haiti.

As we drove through the streets of Port-au-Prince, is became quite clear to us, that this was an overwhelming and devastating event that happened here just 12 days prior. This quake had no bias. It paralyzed the rich, the poor, the powerful, and the weak. Our eyes became fixated on the destruction; our hearts were breaking for those that lied beneath the rubble, and our minds were stuck, overwhelmed, and unsure of how we were going to carry out this task. Fortunately, we were not alone in this endeavor.
Many of our orphanages and ministries were severely damaged and no longer suitable for occupancy. Fortunately, at the last minute, we dedicate almost all of our luggage space to tents, rope, and tarps. We were able to set up temporary shelters for our orphanages, a church, pastors, and the parents of Good Samaritan.

We also took down some money to use to buy food and water. God on the other hand had a different idea. He constantly gave us direction and provided three different avenues to attain food, water and supplies. We spend the next three days gathering and distributing God’s bounty. When it was all said and done, we secured and distributed over $100,000 worth of food, water, and supplies. We were unsure of what some of the supplies even were, until our translators shared with us how critical it was to get them.

We also had no intention of getting into the medical supply business, but again God had other ideas. He provided over 150 cases of medicine, vitamins, and first aid supplies. Unfortunately it was all labeled in Spanish. After almost deciding to take them back, we decided to call a friend of ours Dr. Jude. It turns out that he was working at a clinic very close to one of the poorest sections in Port-au-Prince and they were in desperate need of medication. So we packed up two truckloads of medical supplies and took them to his clinic. Oh, and if you were wondering, unknown to us before the call, Dr. Jude is fluent in Spanish.

Through the generosity the church, the community, and God hookin us up food and supplies, we were able to use the money that we took down for renting a new facility for the Good Samaritan orphanage. We were also able to hire teachers and buy school supplies, so the kids can finish out their school year. And provided financial aid to the orphanage for their on-going expenses.

Needless to say we were all humbled. Humbled by the fact that God choose us to carry out a small part of His vision. Humbled by all the love, prayer and support we received from our families, the church and the community. But maybe most of all, we were humbled by the Haitian people. They are people of faith, people of honor, and people of Hope. Here are two quotes that we will soon not forget: As Pastor Nathan pointed to a 10’x10’ ripped canopy, he said with great joy and content in his heart, “This is my home now, and I thank God for it” and when I asked Dr. Jude what will he do with all this medication, he raised his hands and said, “Dear brother, what is freely received, is freely given.”

Come on out!!!

Tomorrow, Sunday February 21, The Carlisle Brethren Christ Church is dedicating the whole morning services to the relief effort that is being done by our church through our ministry in Haiti. That is also my excuse for not giving you any further updates lately. We have been working diligently on providing you as much helpful information as we can during this service. You can get service times and directions by going to www.carlislebic.org. Tom Hale and my brother Doug have been working very hard to bring our ministry and the recent recon trip to life through video. We will also be thanking the people, organizations, and schools that have help us carry out this effort through their very generous financial contributions followed by a time of sharing with everyone how we plan to continue with the relief effort and how people can continue to stay involved. We will end the morning by introducing a new project called "House for Haiti" headed up by Doug and Randie Thomas. I know this has been expressed before, but I am constantly amazed by the love and support we and the people of Haiti have received in this time of need.

Hope to see ya there!!!

Haitian Orphanage Finds Grace In A Time Of Despair : NPR

The Leogane orphanage we have held very close to our hearts finds relief in a big way. We continue to be amazed at the provision God has given our friends and affiliated ministries in Haiti. This orphanage was in great need before the earthquake and was left with nothing after the earthquake. Nothing that is material anyway. Their faith remained and is spoken of in this article. As we have said many times before the faith of the Haitian Christian people amaze us and this proves no different.
The Canadian Army will remove rubble and rebuild.
The removal of rubble and rebuilding in Leogane seemed insurmountable in our eyes, however, our God is a God who provides and without a doubt has moved mountains here.
We will continue to support this orphanage in any way we are able until a permanent support is in place. We pray for wisdom for those involved in the rebuilding as they assess the situation and decide what is the best set up for this orphanage.

This article was posted the day our team traveled home:

Haitian Orphanage Finds Grace In A Time Of Despair : NPR

Deb

The Trip!!!

As we got into the van and headed for the airport, there were a number of unanswered questions. How are we going to get from Santo Domingo to Port-au-Prince? (which is a seven hour trip by car) Where were we going to sleep? How and what were we going to eat and drink? Are we going to able to buy food for the kids at our orphanages? How were the Haitian people going to treat us in a time of desperation? So many questions with no real answers. There was one other question that came to mind as I was driving the recon team to the airport. It came from a reporter that I did an interview with the week before, quote "Sir I need to ask you this, WHY?". That is a question that all of us in that van could answer very easily, "obedience". Our job was to be obedient to what we felt God wanted us to do and leave the details and the results up to him. What we all found out is, that God is not only the King of the universe, but He's a pretty good travel agent as well.

We arrived in Port-au-Prince a half a day ahead of schedule and got right to work. We went to visit our kids at Good Samaritan and set up the tents and the tarps that we brought for their temporary shelter. They were thrilled to see us and after a lot of hugs and kisses, they jumped right in and helped us get everything set up. (Thanks Rick and Denise for donating the money for all the tents, tarps and supplies)
Knowing that we were going to head to Leogane in the morning, we headed down to the UN base to see if we could get some food and water. We hooked up with the Commander of supplies and he gave us 480 MRE type packets and a whole skid of water (about 120 cases) At the end of the day, we looked up, knowing who was responsible for our productive day and I feel He looked down, smiled, and thought, "wait till tomorrow".

Wednesday we got up, loaded up the trucks, picked up some of the girls at Good Samaritan, and headed to Leogane to visit an orphanage we've been helping over the past six months. When we arrived we found this:



One hundred children lived in that building. The Pastor "just happened" to send them all out to play about 15 mins. before the quake and all their lives were spared. We also found that there was a UN base about a mile from the orphanage and they were taking care of the kids by bring them of food, water, and a large truck load of lumber and tin. The UN Soldiers are going to build them a temporary shelter and are going to keep an eye on them as long as the base is there. While we set up a tent for the Pastor/Father of the orphanage and his family, the girls from Good Samaritan cleaned up the kids and braided all the girls' hair. Momma Cazeau made and brought a hot meal for all the kids and we were able to help serve and watch all the kids enjoy Momma's cooking.

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On the way back to Port-au-Prince we stopped at another orphanage our last team spent some time with in December in Petion-ville. Again to our surprise that orphanage also was able to get hooked up with food and supplies. We counted over 50 bags of rice along with other food and water. We left feeling very encouraged that others were also in this fight and the food and supplies were getting out to the right places.

So on our way home from Petionville I decided to call a friend of mine that is running a clinic right near where we staying. He told me that they could really use some food because they concentrated so much on getting medical supplies in that they forgot that they were going to have to feed their patients at some point. They were reaching that point and didn't have much to give them. So after talking to the other guys we decided to give them about 200 MREs. We also gave some to an orphanage that we also knew needed food. The rest of the MREs we gave to Poppa Cazeau and he distributed them to the tent community where we were staying after it got dark. We got a lot of little winks of gratitude from those in that community the rest of the week.




Thursday was another full day. We went to a dear friend of ours, Pastor Nathan's home to see how we could help him and his church. We found his house, which is directly above the church, was destroyed. We set up a 20' x 30'tarp for his community to use for shade and Church. We also gave him some supplies and a small tent for he and his family. After a time of prayer with him and his family, we headed off to Freedom House Orphanage to set up their large tent and to evaluate their needs. We found that their building was in good shape, but they were low on supplies and especially water. So before we left we gave them some money for water and headed out with a mission to find food.

After a conversation with Anderson Cooper from CNN along the road, we found out that one way to get food was to head down to the airport and try to get hooked up with Miami University Hospital. So Matt and I went to check that out and along the way we dropped off Marv and Doug at the UN again to see if we could get more MREs. We were able to reach the hospital via an armed escort through a secured area and were able to talk to a person at the hospital. They told us to go back to the UN and ask for OCHA reception and they may be able to help us. Just minutes after telling us that, Marv called and said they got a line on food, turns out they were at OCHA reception and got paper work for us to pick up food in the morning. After hanging out with the kids at Good Samaritan, we went back to our little tent community for the rest of the evening. As I laid in the back of a pick up truck trying to get some sleep, I looked to the Heavens once again in awe, and again God smiled and said "wait til tomorrow"

We had one mission on Friday and that was to get as much food and water for our orphanages and affiliated ministries as we could. The first warehouse we went to was not open due to the mob of people that were standing at the gate trying to get food. So on to the next one. We didn't really have any idea what was there, but we did know that whatever was there we could have. We got there and the person that was in charge of the warehouse pointed us to the end of the facility and said take whatever you want from this section. "Take it all if you'd like" he said. We loaded up a large 14' box truck three times along with six pick-up loads.

Some examples of what we were able to secure were:

Over 12,000lbs of rice.
Over 6,000lbs of beans.
Over 4,500lbs of tuna/sardines
1000 12'x12' tarps
500 cases of water
cases and cases of toilet paper/hygiene products/diapers
2700 Energy bars

Total estimated value was around $100,000

We were also able to get 150 boxes of medical supplies. The supplies were all in Spanish and labeled. Antibiotics/Cardio/Pediatrics/Pain reliever/First aid. After we talked about it, we decided to give Dr' Jude a call. Dr. Jude has worked with our teams in the past and helped us run a clinic in Leogane this past Oct. and Dec. He informed us that he was working at a clinic right outside one of Haiti's poorest sections and that they needed med.'s desperately and oh yeah, we also found out that Dr, Jude is fluent in Spanish. Seemed like a good fit.

So that gives you an idea about the first half of our trip and here are a few more pictures. I'll fill you in on the rest soon.

Keeping Looking up,

Jeff




Leogane Pastor/Father of the Orphanage





One of our girls at Good Samaritan feeding a liitle one from Leogane