WHAT WILL I LEAVE BEHIND?

"Let the oldest saint look well to the fundamentals of his piety, for grey heads may cover black hearts: and let not the young professor despise the word of warning, for the greenness of youth may be joined to the rottenness of hypocrisy".

Mr. Spurgeon always gives me something to think about and draws my mind to the Word of God and the adjustments that need made in this life. Many of the great men and women who've gone before us, manage to pinpoint a problem or bring light to an issue facing us today. As one who is moving quickly toward eternity, (simply because time moves so rapidly) bringing forth some wisdom from this vessel that would speak to those behind would be quite an accomplishment. But, the constant struggle to stay on the straight and narrow when it comes to sin of the heart , takes precedence so that correction keeps me preoccupied. One cannot impart wisdom without having conquered those nuances that keep popping up all too unexpectedly. Am I looking saintly and covering a black heart? Issues never dealt with do not go away but grow stronger as one grows older and "cover up" can be mastered to the point that no one can see it.

When I was 18, I attended a small, all girls' Christian college, far away from home. It was a wonderful institution for the most part as young women studied and worked together in preparation to become leaders in the Christian world. To keep tuition down, every student was assigned a job such as waitressing, cleaning, working the switchboard, etc. Waitressing and cleaning were not a problem for me but when it came my turn to work the switchboard (and I'm talking about the old fashioned plug in kind), training was brief and it was all very new to me. When the lights lit up and I had to connect the caller to the party they wanted, I began to get very nervous. One of my teachers (who was "old" and gray headed), received a call from her sister. I plugged the call in just fine, but then forgot which plug it was. Before long, I'd unplugged their connection interrupting their conversation bringing it to an abrupt end. I didn't realize what I'd done but due the sinking feeling of having made a grave mistake began to haunt me. An inside call came, I plugged the wire in and it was my teacher. She was screaming at me for having disconnected her from her sister. Through tears and embarrassment I managed to get her sister back on the line but I questioned the sweetness she seemed to generate in her Christian Ed class. Suddenly, I'd seen another side to the smile, the song and prayer that opened the class. I guess you could say, I questioned the reality of her piety. That was a long time ago, but at the moment it is as fresh in my memory as though it were yesterday. She's been gone a long but you know what? I don't remember anymore about her, other than what was just described. I remember hatred and a smile. If she imparted any wisdom, it was driven away by her anger.

How many times over the years of my life have I left that kind of impression on someone? When it's all said and done, what will people remember about me? It's so important to deal with heart issues and there are days when I fail miserably. But, can I wallow in the failures or repent, continue to walk the walk and ask the Lord to continue to uncover the blackness in my heart. The God whom we worship is a great heart-searcher; and of old his servants knew him as "the Lord which searcheth the heart and trieth the reins of the children of men." (Spurgeon).

Trusting you had a wonderful Christmas and that the NEW YEAR WILL BE FILLED WITH JOY AND PEACE IN BELIEVING THE WORD OF GOD.

Carolyn

 

MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM HAITI

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Christmas is Coming Soon

I'm sure no one need reminded of that fact, amen? We aren't counting the days until we leave for Christmas, there is so much going on and to do before then, we are asking for GRACE to get it all done.

The drama here is intense. If you read my last post this is to update you on the situation with our yardman. His wife will go to prison. He must leave St Marc as well and our student (their daughter) as well. When a death occurs like this one did, the neighbors ban together to get rid of the suspected murderer. The woman accused will probably never get out of prison due to the amount of dollars it would cost. She was taken from jail to the court yesterday, we have yet to hear what happened. At 6:30 AM, Antonio was at our gate, crying and shaking all over. WE had to tell him he no longer had a job with us, gave him severance pay and sent him on his way. He quickly handed over his keys because he knew we could not afford to risk lives by keeping him on as an employee.

Now we are hearing they both were involved in the occult and this trouble could be the result of years denying the Lord. We've preached to them in church services and in private about getting their lives right, never thinking they were into voodoo but now the hidden knowledge of their lives begins to surface as the Haitians talk to us. Never will they tell before the fact, but after the fact, truth comes out. So, here we are realizing again that the society here is quite secretive and you never really know what is what.

At the same time yesterday, Marko came in crying saying his mother just died. He had seen her an hour earlier. She's been sick a long time, was 45 years old. Farona cried and cried at school yesterday. After school, we were talking, Petit Homme, Marko and I. Farona was sitting closely next to me. When Marko said the body was at the morgue, Farona fell across my lap sobbing. It was all I could do to contain my own emotion. How sad for this family right now.

Have a blessed day. If any of you are facing difficult situations this time of year, allow the Word of God to comfort and keep you.

 

2Co 1:3 Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort;

 

2Co 1:4 Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.

 

Isa 40:1 "Comfort, comfort My people," says your God.

 

Sunday Morning, All Is Well

I'm sitting here thinking about many things but most of all how interesting life is and how one circumstance can change lives. This is a story about Haiti and how difficult it is for us to deal with what happens because our hands are tied. We are not Haitian. Believe this story or not, it is happening now.

We've known this family for years. He's our yard man, she's his wife, one daughter goes to El Shaddai, two young boys and another daughter live together in a house, we built for them, on land up the mountain. He is a peasant, cannot read. She has had some schooling, and for all she lacks, she's kind to her children. A three day old neighbor's baby became sick, she gave it some medicine (herbs, nothing from the pharmacy). The baby became sicker, looked like it was dying. The neighbors took her from her house, beat her, took her to the court and the baby to the hospital. While in the court, the baby died. She was taken from the court to the hospital to "give the baby life." You see, this woman is now believed to be a "lugaroo." Lugaroo is the spirit that comes to take a baby's life.

We've heard "lugaroo" for years. When people with new babies hear a noise on the roof, they say it's "lugaroo." This is very frightening to animists. We've learned conversion to Christianity does not take away the fear of lugaroo, for the majority. We've prayed in Christian homes, casting out that spirit and when we pray, they go in the name of Jesus. Only then do they believe in the power of Jesus to handle a spiritual situation. But, few come to ask for prayer help in these situations so the deception goes on.

Back to the story: When she could not bring life to the baby, (and I think she had to give her life in order to do that—and she refused), she was made to carry it to the morgue then immediately taken back to the court and placed in jail. That happened on Friday. We were in Port and didn't hear about it until Friday night. By the time we heard the story, much had been added and right now, we still aren't sure we have details. But on Saturday, the child who is our student, came to the gate. She said she couldn't go home because the neighbors would kill her. She's 12 years old. On Friday, when she left school (and we were getting into the car to go to Port) she let me know she was going home. Here it was Saturday and she was hiding in fear for her life.

As we talked, we got more details. Her mother had been beaten, she was in jail. Her father and the other children were hiding at a brothers house. There was not enough money for all of them to get a tap tap (pick up truck used for public transportation)to the village where they could live and be safe until all this passes. She stayed a while, took a shower, ate a peanut butter sandwich, and took the money we gave her to her father so they could leave St Marc.

I prayed with her about her mother which brought tears because she nor we know what will happen with this woman, who did not murder anyone, but the accusation stands. Jail here means no food, water, provision. She did have a family member bring a little food and water but what about today? Let me explain the hard part of all this. We could not take our El Shaddai student into our home because those who have threatened her life would have found her here and we would pay the consequences, i.e., manifestation, demand for money for the child's funeral, or harm to our whole student body. We cannot take anything to the mother for the same reasons. When it's Haitian against Haitian, the foreigner must stay out of it or the whole ministry could go down the tubes. Do you know how hard that is? We've know this family for nine years! They've never quite measured up to what we'd like to see, but because of the children, we've maintained their job and relationship.

She will appear in court on Monday, we cannot go to speak in her behalf. From there, if the peasants on the mountain have their way, she will be taken to prison. If she's released on Monday, the peasants will kill her (unless she can get out of town quickly). If she goes to prison she'll be there a long time because (like everywhere) it takes money to free someone.

How quickly life can change from ordinary to extraordinary, from mundane and routine to great suffering and tension. Four children's lives have been affected by superstition and rage. Our El Shaddai student will miss the best week of school and may never return, depending on the outcome of this thing. Their one room, tin roof house on the mountain will be torn down by the neighbors.

Any and all response is "this is Haiti" the hard, painful side. As Christians our desire is to help but in Haiti, our hands are tied but we can and will pray! Surely, there is a way to break the demonic back of superstition which prevails even in the church. We will continue to preach the Word and operate in the power of the name of Jesus.

 

 

Monday Morning, Thank You Lord For Giving Us A New Day

There are times when we need to sit and reflect on whether we are seeking God or substituting other things in His place. With busy lives and the busiest time of the year upon us, this meditation by Wade Taylor was one that ministered to me and perhaps to you as well. It's so easy to get "caught up" in what is happening, what will happen, how it all fits together and how we fit into it; when in actuality we need to get caught up in God. Have you ever had a lack in praying and seeking God and physical hunger takes you to the kitchen to satisfy this void? Nothing you eat satisfies but you keep trying. It seems a physical hunger takes over when the real problem is spiritual hunger. Without the spirit being satisfied by time with God our flesh takes over. I hope you get as much out of this as I did. We are in a day and time that we had better draw deep from the well of Living Water.

 

 

Entering the Depths with Jesus

Wade E Taylor

 
 

Many of us have formed an opinion of what a particular person is like.  Then when we met them, they were totally different than we had thought.  This is due to a "perceived" knowledge from which we formed an opinion, without "experientially" knowing them.

 
 

We began our spiritual life knowing that we needed to be "saved," but we did not personally know Jesus.  At the time of our salvation experience, there was placed within us the capacity and desire to personally know the One who redeemed us.  Because of this, we can, with the Apostle Paul, say:

 
 

"I long to know Christ and the power which is in His resurrection, and to share in His sufferings and die even as He died; in the hope that I may attain to the resurrection from among the dead. I do not say that I have already won the race or have already reached perfection. But I am pressing on, striving to lay hold of the prize for which also Christ has laid hold of me."  Philippians 3:10-12 Weymouth

 
 

We can be distracted from attaining this goal by trying to understand who the antichrist might be, or, what will happen to those who never heard the Gospel.  We are not called to understand these things.  Rather, we are called to come to personally know Jesus.

 
 

"For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, says the Lord.  For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts."  Isaiah 55:8-9

 
 

In His time and way, the Lord will reveal to us the things that we should know and understand.  If we understood God, He would be no bigger than our understanding.  This indeed would be a very small God.

 
 

As we devotionally spend time with the Lord in worship and waiting, we will receive spiritual understanding that will establish us upon a rock-solid doctrinal foundation.  As our spiritual life is established upon this foundation, and the Lord takes us beyond doctrinal basics, there is a "deep" within the heart of God that will reach out toward us, and stir us to seek to better know Him.

 
 

"Deep unto deep is calling. At the noise of Your water-spouts, all of Your breakers and Your billows passed over me."  Psalm 42:7  YLT

 
 

Even though we may not sense that this "deep" desire to personally know Jesus is within us, it is there.  When we are being stirred by the Lord, there is the ever present danger that we will seek some other means to satisfy it.  We often become so taken up with information about the Lord that we do not come to the Lord Himself, and allow Him to bring us into the experience of personally knowing Him.  We stop short of "experiential" knowledge.

 
 

"When they therefore were come together, they asked of Him, saying, Lord, will You at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel ?"  Acts 1:6

 
 

The disciples were seeking the external, rather than a change within their lives.  Many today are doing the same, seeking an adjustment in their personal needs, and their relationships with others, rather than facing the real need, which is within, and from which those things that are external will find their adjustment, or correction.

 
 

The Apostle Paul saw beyond the limitations of his natural life, and reached for the higher - that which is eternal.  Although he had counted all things but loss, the time came when he could say, "I have suffered the loss of all things."  He was able to accept this loss because all that he desired had been lifted from the natural realm into the spiritual, in which he found the satisfaction that he had so intensely sought.

 
 

John W Follette, who never married, had a unique relationship with the Lord.  While in His home one time, I noticed that he had placed three settings on the table when only he and I were there.  When I asked why, he said, "I always set a place for the Lord, then I invite Him to sit at the table with me, while I partake of my meal."

 
 

He was able in a practical, yet profound way to fellowship with the Lord, even during the necessary functions of life.  He found and entered into that for which he had been created.

 
 

The disciples had asked Jesus about the Kingdom being restored to Israel .  He answered, "It is not for you to know the times and seasons, but...."  He directed their attention to a present work that would inwardly change them, in preparation for the coming of the Kingdom.

 
 

As Jesus came up out of the waters of baptism, the heavens opened and His Father said, "This is My beloved Son in whom I am well pleased."  Immediately, "Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness being forty days tempted of the Devil…."  After this, the Word tells us that "Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit…" (Luke 4:1-2, 14).

 
 

Notice that He had gone into the wilderness in the "fullness" of the Spirit, but returned in the "power" of the Spirit.

 
 

Power is the result of a right response to our being tested and proven.  To be tested and come through victoriously will produce this empowering, which is broad in its scope and creates within us the ability to go deeper into personally knowing the Lord, and into the deeper realms of spirituality.

 
 

Thus, the King James rightly translates Acts 1:8.  "You shall receive power after…."

 
 

As we obey the Lord, the result of our obedience will produce within us grace, in the form of enabling strength, which will make it yet easier for us to obey.  If we disobey, it becomes easier for us to again disobey, as we become "hardened" and progressively, it becomes more difficult to hear His voice or His convicting presence.

 
 

Our obeying the Lord and receiving His blessing does not mean that we will never again have a problem.  After experiencing a time of remarkable blessings and provisions, things may get worse.  The Lord will test us to see if we are capable of rightly handling what we have already received, and if He might trust us with more.

 
 

As we come to better understand that the desire of the Lord is for us to enter into a close, personal relationship with Him, we will be able to fully trust Him, even when we may not understand.

 
 

Now, to the measure that we have come to personally know Jesus, we are ready to partake with Him in "fellowship with His sufferings" (Philippians 3:10).

 
 

Chicago Team Always a Blessing!

Gary went to Port on Saturday, while Carol Horrigan, Barb Macloed and I went to Montrouis to teach Bible school. When teams arrive, Gary and I must split our duties and guess what? I got the best end of the deal. I won't go into Port au Prince travel "blog mode" I'll spare you, but……we had been to Port on Tuesday and didn't get home until Wednesday of last week. Maybe I will tell you about that.

We received an unexpected gift for a new vehicle, the truck broke down, the team was coming so we rushed to Port to purchase something. Our good friend Johnnie Cavo and wife Claudette were nice enough to take us and stay with us until we had a van. That took all day! We still needed to buy groceries, so in our new Hyaundai van, to the grocery store we went. It was getting dark and the later it got the more convinced we were that going home that night wasn't wisdom, so we stayed in a guest house. This would mark the second time we've had to stay overnight due to a trip to Port without anything, no toothbrush, comb, pj's, clean clothes….not fun to wear the same thing two days without showering. My next trip to Port will be with an overnight bag!

We had a glorious time of praise and worship at Bible school which convinced me even more of getting the "best end of the deal." After Bible school, I took the ladies back to St Marc and while they joined with Al, Bev, Dan and Nancy at a restaurant for lunch, I packed a few things to leave for the resort where the team would be staying as we planned to stay a couple of nights with them. Driving alone to the Xuargua was an experience, something I'd never done before. It's taking us over a half hour to get out of St Marc, due to the terrible road conditions and a detour since they are putting in a new bridge. I started out at 4:00PM, it gets dark at 5:30. It was a long trip for some reason and I couldn't have been going more than 20 miles! At one point, I noticed a road block ahead with CIMO's, who are the highest government police. OH NO! I didn't begin to pray, I'd been praying but did say, "Lord, please, let them wave me on." They did. Had I been stopped, I could not have pulled out a license because it was at home. I drive so seldom, it's not a thought to have it with me. Whew! Got through that one, thank you Jesus!

When I got to the entrance of the Xuargua, Gary was standing there waiting. As nightfall approached, he was concerned as to my welfare. You don't want to be on these highways at night! It was great seeing the team. They were excited, but very tired. One suitcase didn't make it and it was the one with all the chocolate!!!! We did find out later it is at the airport. Gary and Peggy Phaby, will go there today and the rest of the team will go to St Marc. I thought they'd want the day off to swim since they won't have another, but they all want to work….just the kind of team I like!!!

Yesterday morning was fun as we split so we could minister in two churches. Brush arbor, but both churches were filled with the spirit of the Lord. Tasha Witherspoon, ministered to the children and the adults. Since it was such a young church, we are going back to minister to the men and women on purity (on Tuesday evening).

I got up at 4, intending to shower and wash my hair but there is no water!!!!!!!!! What kind of resort is this? Peggy had to move three times due to flooding in her room, hummm, that must be where all the water went??

So, my early rising gave way to pen some of the things that should be shared. I have tons of pictures but have to wait until I get to St Marc to upload them….another story that need not be told at this point.

We are looking forward to a great week, if I get my hair washed…………..be blessed!

Carolyn

I’m trying to get focused but this is more fun right now……

I was sitting here trying to focus on my lesson for chapel tomorrow but it's not working. Nothing is coming together. We finished our series on David and Saul, that centered around the Ten Commandments. Now what do we do? Lord, help!

I just got pictures unloaded from my camera and need to post them because they are "cool." I couldn't figure out what happened to the pictures I'd taken of Carol Horrigan since she is doing the Friday night children's church. Well, duh, they were still on the camera. Carol is a real trooper to teach the elementary kids on Friday chapel at El Shaddai, then do the Friday evening children's ministry (when we open the gates and let the neighborhood children come in. Then get up at the crack of dawn on Saturday to teach Bible school in Montrouis. It's a lot and we so appreciate her willingness to do the job! Not to mention teaching a group of children all week, keep her son Spencer on his toes with school work, and do some cooking as well in the evenings. I asked Kevin how he liked Carol's Old Testament Survey class at Bible school and his answer was: She sure is animated. Yes, that's Carol. The interpreters work when she's teaching. Last week she was up and down the platform steps so many times, I got tired watching her and the next thing I realized she was standing up on a chair up on the platform. Daniel was interpreting then and he looked, shaking his head, all the while smiling because he knew this is the kind of thing that will keep the Haitians attention.

The other thing Kevin said was that they were hearing things about the OT that they'd not been taught before. Thanks to Carol, her lessons will be with them for a long time to come.

I am going to get the photos on here and move back to my lesson, which still isn't coming together, lots of loose ends, nothing concrete.

Blessings!

 

 

Exciting Monday

It was exciting because we held our first parent / teacher conference with Dan Joshu at the helm, Nancy Hibbard doing the translating……..what a team!!! We had a pretty good turn out, about 30 parents so, now they know that Pastor Gary is no longer at the helm. He is, of course, but behind the scenes and whenever you give authority to another, you back away and allow them to stretch their wings. We have prayed for so long that someone would come along and take the school to the next level. We got our prayers answered in these two people.

Did I tell you the devil sent some young boys to steal from my classroom? Well, he did and they did and now I'm without scissors and paste for the kids. Right when I was patting myself on the back for being so organized! I had decided early this year to not allow the kids to keep their scissors because they take them home, or they disappear. My remedy was to keep the scissors myself, passing them out and collecting them when they were all finished. And they were stolen from me, imagine that!!! Windows here are open, slated to keep rain out but skinny arms can reach in quite far if you are tall enough. The first time they took brand new ball caps, several. The second time, even though I moved everything out of reach (or so I thought) they got the scissors. Mind you, they were in a large plastic container, in a plastic bag. They were able to reach (really reach) get the top off the container and get in to grab. Grab what? Whatever they could grab. I had a little monkey on the ledge to see if they'd take that, they tried. But his nose was just a bit too tough to pull through. Today the monkey was turned a different way and again, his nose to tough to pull through. SO, that's the way it goes, but a board is going over the window, never mind that we won't have the light and air! I refuse to lose anything else and spend time moving things everywhere away from the shelves.

Gary is working fervently on the Bible school books. What a job! First they had to be translated, then typed, then copied, then put together. We didn't have the help we needed last year but with Gary not at school much, he's able to get the job done. He must not get weary in well doing for he will reap if he faints not!!!! As will we all.

It's still quite warm here. We think it's cooling off then it heats back up. Staying hydrated is an issue. Especially when you put your stainless steal water jar in the freezer and the frozen water pushes the bottom out of the jar! I liked that bottle too. I am trying to drink enough but the cramping in my toes tells me I'm not. Water is not the most interesting thing all the time, but it's necessary and I'm thankful for a filter so that we don't have to run to town all the time to get bottles of purified water (five gallon jugs). It's saved a bunch of time. A wonderful ultra violet light filter! Will filter anything.

I'm going to close this out for now and add some photos. Life with the Lord is wonderful. We are exceedingly blessed to be saved. How could anyone who calls themselves Christian not Praise and thank HIM for taking us out of darkness and placing us in His marvelous light. In Him is light and there is no darkness. I'm so glad to be in the Light of the Lord.

Blessings to you!!!

I’m Excited

We got our satellite fixed. Starband has a new satellite or changed to another one, however that works….so we had to take our modem into the office here in Haiti, have it reprogrammed, then wait for it to get finished ( a longer wait than we wanted) plus, the dish had to be pointed in another direction. The guys came out once, said they couldn't do it that we needed a new pole. Try as Gary might, he couldn't find one so today! They came with a tripod device and got the dish pointed in the right direction. They had to drill into the roof ( flat, cement) and we wandered if the drill would come through the ceiling, but it didn't, Praise the Lord. All this cost us 200 American dollars and it was supposed to be free!!!! Not in Haiti, nothing is ever free. But, we now have speedy transitions from one thing to another on the internet. There are so many things for which to be thankful. Speedy internet is one but this morning……

…..I heated water to take a shower. Ahhhh, my quart of hot water with some added cold water made for a very nice shower. Well, not actually a shower. It was a soap up and pour the water over the body to rid oneself of the soap. But it was warm and as it hit my back, I thought wow God, I'm so thankful for this warm water, it feels soooooo good!

We find ourselves buried in work as we make changes at the school. I think I told you about making Dan Joshu the principal, and Nancy Hibbard the secretary. It's creating a whole different atmosphere as the children realize we have a plan!!! Our plan is to create an environment that will cause them to succeed! We often reflect on Kesmy and how hard he worked to graduate. Without arms, with seizures, this young man made it and you know what? He just got his tuition paid for to go to Moody, which was dream of his!! God is so very faithful! So, the changes were necessary. Gary was about to lose his wits running around fixing things that break, taking care of payroll, problems with people, and run the school too. Now, he has a reprieve. Dan has been taking the kids home everyday, so that duty is no more Gary's.

My first graders are the smartest class I've ever had! They amaze me. They are now reading and just about through with the 12 week program in nine! Amazing. The little munchkins are learning as well. They are so cute, I have to be careful not to begin cuddling them (which is what I'd love to do). Every day when they lay down for their naps, I take their shoes and socks off. Did you ever watch a young child's toes when their shoes come off. They curl them under and though they don't say, ahhhh thank you, you know they are feeling really comfortable to get those shoes off. I can't help but begin to massage them so they'll feel even better. They all go to sleep without an argument, they are ready. Their belly's are full and their feet are free. Humm, that could be a book title, don't you think?

So, now I can zoom this blog to blogger (I type in Word) and know there is enough speed to get it there. How many things can you think of for which to be thankful. Hot water? Feet free of shoes? God is so incredibly good to us!!!

Hoping this will work

We don't have satellite anymore for a while so while we are blessed to have another kind of connection, it leaves a lot to be desired. I've written posts on Word and tried to publish to no avail. So, let's see what happens here.
Things are moving along nicely. I've always said, "We need someone at El Shaddai, who can take the school to the next level." It doesn't take me long to realize that what we are doing is sufficient but it could be better. Praise the Lord for Dan Joshu and Nancy Hibbard. They are the two angels God sent to help us and together the school is raising the standard!! Dan is now the principal and high school teacher although, he's got time to circulate through all the rooms and solve situations he sees that could become problems in the future. The teachers are having to toe the line! Nancy has the office looking like a real office, not only organized but she's quite an artist and everything around us is changing, all walls are becoming picturesque and colorful.
God always answers prayer, we just have to be patient while He puts everything in order to make the answer the best ever.
Dan also drives the children home at night relieving Gary of that duty. I've said so many times that Gary works non stop and he does. With the added help at school he can work on other things like, manage the generator which is constantly needed new filters due to very dirty diesel gasoline, keep the truck in tip top shape, do all the business in town, make Bible school books (and if you think that's an easy job, come down and assist him or take it from him---multiple hours of work; manage the payroll as our staff continues to get bigger and bigger in number, manage the orphanage, tell Carolyn NO we can't do that, do you know how much that would cost? Well, that's about the way it is.
Bible school is going well. We are gearing up for a big children's crusade when the team from Family Harvest gets here. They'll do two nights, and it takes tons of work behind the scenes to get this to be successful. We have a committee working on it from the Bible school. All the students are excited about it. They'll do the music and the follow up ministry with the children. We'll have tons of pics and let you know what takes place.
My six children are doing well, but we are tightening up there too. If they don't memorize addition facts to ten in the next week......they better!!!! No more work will be done until they get it. They just have two more books in the 12 week pre-reading program because they've advanced so quickly but "how much is 2 plus 5?" gets a variety of answers and I'm determined they will aprann pa ke, know it by heart.
Hope I can post some pictures. Hot Saturday night. I thought we were cooling off but it got hot again.
Be blessed! Love to all. Carolyn

READ WHAT SPURGEON HAD TO SAY ABOUT GIVING

"Ye looked for much, and, lo, it came to little; and when ye brought it home, I did blow upon it. Why? saith the Lord of hosts. Because of mine house that is waste, and ye run every man unto his own house."

- Hag_1:9

Churlish (rude or miser) souls stint their contributions to the ministry and missionary operations, and call such saving good economy; little do they dream that they are thus impoverishing themselves. Their excuse is that they must care for their own families, and they forget that to neglect the house of God is the sure way to bring ruin upon their own houses. Our God has a method in providence by which he can succeed our endeavours beyond our expectation, or can defeat our plans to our confusion and dismay; by a turn of his hand he can steer our vessel in a profitable channel, or run it aground in poverty and bankruptcy. It is the teaching of Scripture that the Lord enriches the liberal and leaves the miserly to find out that withholding tendeth to poverty. In a very wide sphere of observation, I have noticed that the most generous Christians of my acquaintance have been always the most happy, and almost invariably the most prosperous. I have seen the liberal giver rise to wealth of which he never dreamed; and I have as often seen the mean, ungenerous churl descend to poverty by the very parsimony by which he thought to rise. Men trust good stewards with larger and larger sums, and so it frequently is with the Lord; he gives by cartloads to those who give by bushels. Where wealth is not bestowed the Lord makes the little much by the contentment which the sanctified heart feels in a portion of which the tithe has been dedicated to the Lord. Selfishness looks first at home, but godliness seeks first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, yet in the long run selfishness is loss, and godliness is great gain. It needs faith to act towards our God with an open hand, but surely he deserves it of us; and all that we can do is a very poor acknowledgment of our amazing indebtedness to his goodness.

I have seen the liberal giver rise to wealth of which he never dreamed; and I have as often seen the mean, ungenerous churl descend to poverty by the very parsimony by which he thought to rise. Men trust good stewards with larger and larger sums, and so it frequently is with the Lord; he gives by cartloads to those who give by bushels. Where wealth is not bestowed the Lord makes the little much by the contentment which the sanctified heart feels in a portion of which the tithe has been dedicated to the Lord. Selfishness looks first at home, but godliness seeks first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, yet in the long run selfishness is loss, and godliness is great gain. It needs faith to act towards our God with an open hand, but surely he deserves it of us; and all that we can do is a very poor acknowledgment of our amazing indebtedness to his goodness.

In uncertain economic days we must trust in the Lord and realize that we live by what we give. Jas 1:27 Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you. NLT ……..Carolyn

 

 

 

 

YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT WILL HAPPEN ON HAITI’S HIGHWAY

We had an adventure yesterday. We had to work Agape mail, as did a friend of ours from a mission north of us. Karen got to our place, we started out nice and early, arrived in Port in good fashion. Karen had some business to do, we had some business as well, got that all done and on to Agape. We worked our hour and a half, no problem, in fact boring as there were not many customers to wait on. When we finished there at 1:30PM, we went to eat lunch (across the street). Lunch, in case you are wondering, consisted of a cheese sandwich for me (Gary has meat on his) a small cup of Haitian coffee, and a coke. (Plenty of caffeine). Back in the truck to the Caribbean Super Market. We took our time shopping because this was our first trip there since we arrived in Haiti on the 5^th of September. (It's the only place we can purchase meat and a few American items not found anyplace else).

When we left the Caribbean, Gary decided to go out of Port the back way because the traffic would be horrific on Delmas. Well, the traffic was more than horrific on this back way. It's a long way out of town and we crept along, sitting for long periods and for what reason we still don't know. By now it was after four, and it gets dark at 5:30 and we aren't close to getting out of the city. (NO one ever wants to be in Port on the roads after dark). When we got to the main road, Gary decided not to go through Bon Repot because of traffic so he went left to the shorter way out of town, which was a longer way because we were far away from the shorter way, but that's what we did. Finally, after 5 PM we were headed to the highway.

Darkness dropped on us quickly as it always does but there were lots of dark clouds in the sky so it wasn't long until it was raining. Not a good thing either in the dark on the highway. Since construction has begun on our new highway there are piles of rocks that cut the road in half (because they are working on drainage systems, very important but can be quite hazardous when the road is cut down to a one way.

When we got about an hour from St Marc, traffic came to a dead stop. People were milling around and it was evident there was an accident ahead. Two trucks tried to pass one another in an area where there was a rock pile. Impossible! They collided. No one was hurt, we understand, but here we sat, in the rain, in the dark, and could go nowhere. Gary finally got out, walked to the accident site, came back with this report. If they would move the rock pile all traffic could get through. But no one would touch the rocks, they weren't their rocks to touch.

We waited until a policeman came. He moved all traffic to one side saying there was a truck coming to move the trucks. Now we were pinned in. Karen, in the meantime, called her Haitian assistant to come with his truck to get her. He was coming from De Shappelles which is about an hour or more from St Marc. We knew that if we could get turned around, we could go back to Montrouis, to Mike and Marions' house and spend the night. But, we had to wait with Karen and we were pinned in.

The rain fell harder. A guy came by selling Conche(snails with hot sauce) and of course, we weren't interested. It would have been nice had someone come by with water, but no one thought of it, I suppose. We did get a laugh out of the fact that this little business man was seizing an opportunity.

Finally, Karen's guy called to say he was on the other side of the blockage, Gary went to meet him to bring him to Karen. Karen and I discussed the fact that we didn't think things through clearly, as she should have gone with Gary but there are always those "duh" moments in what we considered a crisis.

Karen gone, we sat with the rain pouring and thoughts of "we could sleep here, couldn't we?" When thirst was about to overtake me, I remembered buying two bottles of grape juice. Gary got out in the dark, rummaged through the groceries and found them. Ah, relief from thirst!!! Now what? He decided that if the guy in front of us would pull up he could swing between two big trucks that were beside us. The guy wasn't around.

Several young men approached us to say they would show us the route to St Marc. They were pesty and this was becoming a tense situation. Just about the time Gary emphatically said, "NO" (because there was no other route to St Marc, we knew that). The truck in front of us not only moved up but moved out completely. It didn't take a rocket scientist to tell us to get out of there quickly now that there was room for us to swing between the big trucks. The thugs were still trying to stop us and get us to listen to them. We were out of there and on our way to Mike and Marion's house.

Gary was wet, we were both tired, the truck had to be unloaded of groceries (ours and Karen's). Mike and Marion asked if we'd like to sleep on air mattresses, yes that would be fine. They blew them up, we plopped down with our clothes on, and had a night's rest. This morning, we made our way back to St Marc. Had the moved the trucks?? No, they moved the rocks!!!!

IT RAINED LAST NIGHT!

We were getting desperate. The heat and humidity was doing us in and all of a sudden thunder in the distance. Then lightening and more thunder, closer this time. Before we realized it a rain!! Beautiful, wonderful, cooling rain. Our night was easier for sleeping, and no sweating. We are blessed to always have a fan compared to the hundreds of Haitians who have no means of relief. Kevin said he sleeps on the bed a while, then the floor, then back on the bed. It is certain that whenever you complain there is someone who has it worse than you do. No wonder God got so angry with the Israelites and their complaining against Him!

Gary is on his way to Port today. It's mail day and he also will purchase paint for the school. It's time to put a new face on the walls. Not a cheap venture. Thanks to Nancy Hibbard who raised the money for this project.

Yesterday, Gary and I decided to go to the store about 4:30 PM and pick up peanut butter and a couple other things. I've said before, going to the store takes about an hour and most of that time is driving. Anyway, we went, were almost back home when the phone rang. The bunk beds for the orphanage were finished and needed to be picked up. So, we were on to the welding shop to get them. When I say it, what comes to your mind is not what it is. This shop is totally outside, welders wear sun glasses, each have their own particular job to do, all sit waiting for their special job. Located on a street near the electric company is "welding row", as I call it, because there is electricity there most of the time. ( I wonder if they pay a bill? Or tap into others' power? I'll vote on the second thought because it is the right answer).

As we rocked and bumped our way to the welding shop, we didn't consider the situation we'd have. Three sets of bunk beds, only one would fit in the truck. A tap tap driver spoke up, "I'll take the other two beds for you , for 100 Haitian." Gary said no, he'd give him 50. The guy said no, he wanted a hundred, so Gary said, too much, that he'd do it himself. As we fought traffic, the pot holes, people and dust all the way to MacDonald, I questioned why he didn't just give the guy the 100 dollars because this was going to take us hours, going back and forth. NO WAY! Said Gary. Too much! (One of the many differences between he and I is that the price of 100 H in my opinion is not too much to pay for convenience in a very inconvenient city----it would have been about 12.50 USD and the distance between the welding shop and orphanage is about five miles of long difficult driving………not too much, I say).

I was "COMPLAINING" about this taking us all night (exaggeration) Gary had a brilliant idea (maybe to shut me up?) and made a phone call to Yvesner, asking him if he'd mind using his truck to get one of the beds and that Gary would meet him at the welding ship and get the third one. Ahh, good idea Gary. It was still going to be at least two more hours before we would see home. (I decided rather than have my brains shaken from rocking back and forth in the truck on the second trip, to visit Bev and Barb while Gary made his second trip). When he got to the welding shop, the tap tap driver had both beds on his pick up truck. He said, "I'll deliver for 50." NOPE, I got my guy here who wil take one and I'll take the other. You lost the job by not accepting 50 on the first trip! So, the tap tap driver went away sad, Gary was glad and put one bed in his truck and one bed in Yvesner truck, and both lumbered to MacDonald. It was 8:30PM when we got home from out "trip to the store."

But! the orphan boys were thrilled with their bunk beds and Gary was able to go to Port this morning without having to think about beds on top of everything else he has to think about, I had a visit with Bev and Barb and it even rained last night!

Bible School

Wonderful Sunday

Sunday morning, quiet and alone in the room, although everyone else is in the kitchen, fellowshipping around breakfast and some good smelling bisquits that Carol made. It's causing my stomach to growl but sometimes, you just have to tell your stomach to be quiet. I remember the first time I heard that statement. When I asked Petty Tom what they did when they were hungry (during the years without a job), he said "I tell my stomach to be quiet." Could that be a long lost secret to weight loss?

Yesterday we opened our first teaching session of Bible school with worshipping the Lord, spending more time at it than an opening song and prayer. Oh my! His presence descended and we had a hard time stopping. I placed it on Youtube: walkersable is the name of our site. It's also on Facebook, just a brief glimpse into our time of singing which remains with me today.

On Saturday we all meet here for a Haitian meal and fellowship, about the only time all of us get together and now there are nine at the table. (Nancy Hibbard, Carol and Spencer Horrigan, Dan Joshu, Al and Bev Carpenter, Barb Macleod, Gary and I) Bev brought Pablo because his coughing is quite intense and the nanny isn't real good with sick children. He is so tiny we forget he's two years old. The other reason for Bev's precaution was the death of a little girl Barb had in her house for two days. The child was nine months old and weighed nine pounds. Barb wanted to get her to the Cuban doctors but death intervened. It happened about three in the morning. Barb got up to her crying, gave her a drink of water and a few minutes later she was gone. This is the second child Barb has had die while in her care. That's a pretty big load to carry. Haiti and death go hand in hand and it can be very hard to live here. The little girl had never been fed breast milk or any milk for that matter. The poor Haitians give a newborn a porridge made of flour, that's all. How can that sustain life? Your question may be, why didn't they nurse her. Most often the malnourished mother has not milk and peasants do what they've seen their family members do. Barb didn't know anything about this child early enough to really rescue her. Of course, our conversation centered around what we could do and how it all boils down to money. Solomon said: Ecc 10:19 A feast is made for laughter, And wine makes merry; But money answers everything.

And the Word tells us that God supplies all our need. We have a place for boys, we need a place for girls. There is nothing like planting in famine and reaping a harvest. This House of Hope was birthed right at the time of the economic crisis and it will go on and prosper in the name of Jesus. We will see another house for girls.

 

Aside from that, Bible school was glorious yesterday. We were thrilled at the attention of the students, the presence of the Lord and the joy of sharing the Word of God. You know how it is when things you do "feel good". In spite of the heat we were intense as we taught. Even Kevin, who is recovering from Bells Palsy was very intense as he translated for me.

 

Yesterday reminded me there is no place else I'd rather be than here, laboring in this vineyard. May you all have a wonderful day, worshiping the Lord!

We had the most fun yesterday in my classroom. I brought a floor puzzle back with me of the world. It's foam, each piece about a half inch thick. When worked it's quite large. We all got on the floor and we all worked together getting it done. When it was done, they laid down on it as though it were a mat for sleeping (two boys could fit at one time).

In a classroom of five boys and one girl, you all can pray for me. I'm working without an interpreter so they are learning English and they are learning to respond to my limited Creole. (I know I should know the language by now, but it is very difficult due to hearing problems and a multitude of other things that I need to remember all the time-----that's my excuse, anyway).

I don't have pictures of the puzzle working effort but I do have a request. We need floor puzzles. As I watched them working together and cooperating with one another, I realized there were many positive things going on in their minds and hearts. If any of you can acquire them, whether new or used, make sure all pieces are there. We have one they worked on the other day and when they finished about four pieces were missing which is very disappointing.

On another note; we had to take our newest boy at the orphanage, Pablo, to the Dr. He has pneumonia. With the medication and prayer, we are sure he will recover quickly.

Have a blessed day!

TWO NEW BOYS AT ORPHANAGE

We were given a nice donation which opened the door to bringing in two new children. These boys have been on a medical mamba (peanut butter loaded with vitamins and minerals for severely malnourished babies) but Bev Carpenter noticed that once off the program they were dealing with hunger again. The day we decided to take them, the mother gave them to the orphanage. They didn't cry for her at all which is not uncommon when "home" (no food, furniture, or attention) has nothing to offer. Now, Peter, our little guy who was dying in May, has playmates. These two boys are three and two and you can see from the pictures, they are way undersized for their ages. Thanks to the donor for the gift of love which is giving life to two very special boys!

Friday Chapel

We had a wonderful time worshiping the Lord today at El Shaddai. Everyone (almost everyone) was singing with their whole hearts to the Lord. We were about ready to close when I felt the Holy Spirit wanted me ask Farona and Kevin come up for prayer. They did. Daniel prayed for their healing. Farona has a rapid heart beat and it hurts but of course, Dr's here can find nothing wrong and Kevin has been stricken with Bells Palsy. We declare both are healed. But greater than that, one of the teenage boys said he wanted to get saved!!!! He came up even at the laughter of a couple of his friends. Pastor Samuel (who came today just to worship with us) prayed over him. GLORY HALLELUIA! Today will long be remembered by me. God is so good!! Good news is to be shared. Tomorrow Bible school begins!!!! Dan I know you are reading this, and I know you are rejoicing!

We went from being crowded in the other building to our new building just for the little ones.

Hello Mommy, I'm not crying anymore.

Newsletter

Hi Everyone,

We got back to Haiti and was hit, not with a hurricane, but with the most intense heat we've ever had.  Day after day, temperatures are in the 90's with humidity high in the 80's.  The heat index is reaching as  high or higher than 133 degrees.  I made the statement the other evening that I was glistening, not with the presence of God but with sweat!  So, now the standard joke is, "I'm beginning to glisten."  It does cool off about 4 AM and for that we praise the Lord. 

El Shaddai is now in full swing with 73 students!  We don't know where they came from but they've come.  We grew by 20 children this year.  You may or may not know that we acquired another house and decided to put the pre-school, kindergarten and first grade in it.  With 29 kids and five teachers, the three room block house is filled, most of the children are pre-school.  Cute as they can be!

  It's an  honor to be able to sow love into their little lives.  Love being; instruction, correction and order.  Few have that at home.  Last year, there was a break down in nap time.  This year, I insisted and after the first week the little ones go willingly to their nap after lunch.  One little girl had orange hair from malnutrition and her skin color didn't look right. In one week, vitamins and daily food, has changed her hair and skin color.  I'm always amazed at how quickly children change when they have nutrition.  We could use chewable children's vitamins.  If you can acquire them, it would be great.  Our supply will only last another month.

With Carol Horrigan (from Iowa) and Nancy Hibbard from Wisconsin, we are meeting the needs of children who struggle in school.  Carol has six children that either struggle with reading or math.  One is ADD, the others just need one on one attention.  Nancy, being bi-lingual, has the non-English speaking older boys who really weren't doing well last year. She has six students as well.  With them carrying that load, the other classes are flowing nicely.  Dan Joshu is coming back in a week or so for the high school kids.

The Carpenters are working hard at keeping the orphanage flowing smoothly.  We are getting ready to take in two more boys, one four and one two years of age. Both are in diapers, so they are very needy.  (They don't wear diapers now, they have no guidance or training but run naked all day and barely have enough to eat at anytime. The four year old looks two.  Please pray with us as we begin preparing for them to come into the home.  Three of the boys we started with are now in Haitian school.  Peter is doing well, no pictures because we've not had the time to visit the home.  The beauty of having a couple like Al and Bev is knowing they are doing a work for the Lord with excellence. 

I just had a chat with a former student, who is now in New Jersey.  As I read his comments, I had to thank God and I hope  you see the importance of what we do.  This young man came to us in early 2008.  His mother sent him to an uncle in Haiti, because he wasn't doing his school work, was staying out late, no drugs but had been caught stealing.  When we enrolled at ESLC,  we thought he was a nice boy but he kept trying to beat our system of teaching and failed everything.  Then he received Christ.  A total change in attitude and work ethic. The second year he worked during school and after school and got to grade level.  His mother agreed to take him back.  We chatted via Facebook all summer and last night this is what he said:  Thanks to El Shaddai, I am finding everything but chemistry easy. I'm beginning to feel like a "geek" because I answer so many questions in school.  Sometimes, I decide to sit there and be quiet.  He's active in church, even speaking to his peers on occasion! 

You've heard us speak of Kesmy, the boy with no arms.  He came from an extremely poor, voudou village, in the Artibonite Valley.  He is now in college in Michigan.  He loves the Lord and desires to be in ministry. His goal is to go to Moody Bible Institute.  


These successes are what makes our mission worth while.  So, as I struggle with four ornery boys in first grade (and one sweet girl), I keep my mind on the fact that one day, they too, will be iout of high school, serving the Lord with gladness and will be leaders in their generation for Christ.    

 
Bible school starts on Saturday.  We are very excited to welcome new and continuing students.  We should have at least 100 this year.  Carol Horrigan will teach Old Testament Survey to the whole school, Barbara Macleod will teach incoming students. I'll have second year students and Gary will teach third year students. 

We also have an opportunity to open an International College of Excellence course and are in the  process of planning just how to schedule it before we begin enrollment.

Please continue to pray for us.  Our biggest need right now is another vehicle!  Please look at the attached pictures.  If we had $6000 dollars we could purchase a bus that would help us tremendously (but purchasing used vehicles is so tricky here because they are usually worn out, have hidden problems and cause a lot of headaches later). If we had 26K we could buy a sixteen passenger van.  Right now, all our American staff and any teams coming in have to ride in the back our our truck, it's hot, dirty, and makes traveling very difficult. 

Thank you all for reading this email.  I'm beginning to glisten so I'll sign off and head to a cold shower.

In Him,
Pastor Gary and Carolyn

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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HELP

We are finding a great need for sturdy trucks for our little children and the boys at the orphanage. We need puzzles, blocks, legos, dolls…toys that young children like to play with. Toys can be obtained at garage sales, resale shops and from children and grandchildren. Please do not send McDonalds toys. We need sturdy trucks, cars, pull toys, peg board toys, puzzles. You may send them to the following address.

Gary Walker #15298 PAP 100 Airport Ave. Venice, FL 34285

If you can, send 3.00 per pound to the ministry to cover the charges we receive from our air carrier and from customs. It would help our general fund a great deal. Thank you for responding to this very urgent need.

 

YIKES!

As you know we moved the little ones out of the building we use for school to a new building. It's great but we are having a hard time getting organized so that we are flowing. It is still crazy! First of all we don't have the right chairs and are using adult chairs which is taking up more room than necessary and creating a lot of distraction. Secondly, the set up isn't right yet. Thirdly, I can't be there all the time and have to keep running back and forth between both buildings and the house, getting supplies, etc.

And then there is the pressure one puts on oneself. Am I such a controller that this happens or is it a desire to see things run smoothly as I know they can. I'm talking about naptime. The little children need to take a nap. Experience has been that unless I do it and set the example, it won't get done. So, example time has started. On Tuesday, I set the beds down (we have five, we need six more, anyone want to buy them?) told the staff that as soon as the little ones finished eating, they were to come and lay down. Some did and some wouldn't, so there I was, patting, holding, frowning, etc., until the criers succumbed to sleep. On Wednesday, the child that went right to sleep the first day, was having no part of it. He screamed, fought, and struggled against me for more than twenty minutes. I don't think he ever had to do anything one time in his short life. I won but was exhausted when I got home at the end of the school day. By next week, nap time will be routine. My staff think I'm strange but that part of me that says we will do what I know is right to do will not allow me to give into the lackadaisical approach to life. The thinking here is that little children cannot be taught but must be allowed to do what they want to do, then when they are six or seven, they are beaten for disobedience. How can we change that thinking?

We had a new little girl yesterday that cried and threw up and cried and cried. Now, I had compassion on her because she was totally petrified at having had to leave her mother. She's two, soon to be three. Another little girl pooped on the ground instead of the toilet. (Common because that's what they've always done and have to be taught to go on the toilet).

In spite of it all, we got through the day. The little ones got up from their nap happy as could be and now we get to do it all over again today.

I don't know if blogger got the picture deal fixed so I can place them on the blog or not, typing this in Word and can't apply pictures here. So, if I can get them on, I will and if I can't click the icon that says Facebook and you'll see all our pictures.

I got up early, have spent time with the Lord and ready to go again today. In my attempt to tell you about the day, I hope I've not made you think I'm complaining. There is no where else I'd rather be than here doing what we are doing.

Blessings!

Carolyn

THE WEATHER CONTINUES TO BE HOT AND DRY

This has been an interesting "rainy" season. It's not raining. The mountains are getting rain but not the valley. St Marc had a flood downtown the other night, no rain fell. The water from rain on the mountain, rushed down overflowing the river and main street, Grande Rue, was under water again. We heard thunder and saw lightening last night, all ran to the porch as God turned on the air conditioning, but no rain and soon our cool air died down to become a very hot night. This morning I went out to the porch in the dark, and nearly sat on Nancy, who had chosen to sleep there rather than in her room.

I'm reading a book by Mrs. C. Nuzum, The Life of Faith. She was a missionary to Mexico and the reason I bought the little book (from Billie Brim Ministries). I thought I would read about a woman's exploits in Mexico, but she doesn't really share that. This book is about faith and how to acquire it. One of her questions: Are you redeemed? Well, yes, of course. Then she asks about the curse, and her question becomes, do you have a problem with sickness, poverty, sin, etc? If so you are living under the curse. Pretty interesting and very soul searching as she carries you through all those scriptures which declare wholeness if we but walk in them. And of course, how easily we slip into those things such as murmuring, backbiting, complaining……..all of which keep us from walking in full redemption! God help us to see where we are, cry out for where we want to be. Forgive us and fix us Oh God!

We looked at a mini bus yesterday. It is a 1994, Ford, runs well, would be a great addition as we struggle getting kids home from school and getting teams from the airport. They are asking $6000, which is negotiable. Gary is going to get someone to look at it underneath. It has 170,000 miles on it, came from FL. Perhaps the Lord will provide the funds if it is truly the vehicle we should buy. More on that later as things develop. And, please pray with us about this.

Looking to have a wonderful Monday. All the kids will have books, and we should be in full swing, since our curriculum came. What an answer to prayer!!! We all agreed the curriculum would be there on Saturday and released from customs. When Gary got to Port, the mail people called him and said his stuff was being released from customs and how would he like to go to the airport and pick it up from there (which helped the Agape people to not have to lug it all the way up Delmas to our little post office). He ended up having to wait 2 and a half hours, but he got it all. The company made a very minor mistake and it won't affect our getting into full swing today.

May we trust in the Lord with all our heart and lean not to our own understand, in all our ways, may we acknowledge Him and He will direct our paths today. A righteous man's steps are ordered by the Lord. Isn't that comforting. Every step I take, every move I make is ordered by HIM. Certainly leaves no room for anxiety does it? If I follow those thoughts on anxiety I would fill the page with the Word that tells us to stay away. Right now I don't have that time, but if the Holy Spirit is speaking to you about being anxious, look up peace and read what the Lord has to say. And walk this day without a care because He is truly in charge of our lives!

Blessings!

Carolyn