Don't ask me what the photos have to do with everything written below, except it gives a new peek into our preschool.  The lower pictures are of Al and Bev Carpenter, Barb Macleod, Janice Myers and I.  Directly above are Jan and I in front of the first orphanage gate.  The blue motor cycle belongs to the ministry and is used at the orphanage for runs to wherever.  It was purchased by a Wisconsin group and is exactly like the other one that we have at El Shaddai site (and purchased by the Fearing group, WI).

Better go get supper on the table and cut  the boys hair, haven't forgotten!  Read below.

What a Day!

Monday's are always challenging are they not? Or maybe it's me, but every Monday is one that by the end of it, I'm glad it's over. Having said that, I also have to say it's been a good day, the word is hectic, I think. Challenging and hectic?

The team from Wisconsin, headed by Mark Grassman, had a great time going to the mountains with Nancy. They got there about 8PM on Friday night and returned to Port Sunday evening. Because they couldn't get a bus to come to St Marc, Gary went to Port to pick them up. Tired, hot and dirty, they got here about 8PM. I'd made tuna sandwiches, had some left over rice and beans, chips and that filled the void for them, although, Mark was attacked by diarrhea during the night. Was it the tuna? Or water on the mountain? Nancy said, "Surely not the water because they'd installed a water purifier." (Which was their biggest reason for going). Morning came a little too early for Mark! The two other men with him did what was planned for the morning which was to dismantle the old storage house out back so they can build a bigger, newer one. As we grow, we need more room. I still can't figure out why the Lord never provided the money to build on our property. We certainly could use a compound about now, with people and "stuff" in every conceivable corner of this house. I guess the answer to that would be whatever it is and my place is to be thankful for what we have, which is way more than those in Port. A solid roof over our heads as opposed to a tent roof.

School proved to be challenging as one teacher didn't show up and Cindy Rahl was taking her turn at the kindergarten class after Janice Myers did it last week. Since Hormise didn't come (due to a long bout of diarrhea, she and daughter both) I had to change my plans and be in the classroom. Oh dear! Those little ones! How many are there? Many! They seem to be everywhere. We've taken in several new ones since the earthquake, and the new ones are from Port. One little girl will not sit at the table, but we made her and then compassion took over and I sat with her. Her head came over on my lap and she seemed calm. What did she experience in the quake? Is she really traumatized or is she spoiled? Wading through that will take time I'm sure, but she did settle and became part of the group as the day wore on. So, having conquered that problem and Elizabeth working well with the children, I exited to the big school where I manned the testing room for the rest of the morning. That's an interesting place to be….doesn't take a lot of energy, just eyes everywhere making sure the kids don't cheat. And, grading which is even more interesting when you read that God is between the stars and the earth that's why the stars twinkle. Some of their answers can be quite amusing.

We had a teachers meeting at 12:30 which meant the children were dismissed at 12. That was another experience because I was back at the preschool, and what a noisy bunch during lunch. More work to do in getting transition times organized. Isn't there someone who has expertise in this field who can come and do the job right? Since they finished eating, I decided they should put their chairs away and sit on the floor. Chita la! Said I pointing to the floor, no one would move. Aww, come on kids, surely you understand my Kreyol! I finally did get them all to sit after barking the order several times only to find out that Haitian parents tell their children not to sit on the floor. (They are always on the floor as younger ones, but somehow the message is taught that as school children they shouldn't sit on the floor). FINALLY, it was time for them to file out and get on the bus only filing is not something they like to do, so struggle again getting them to each take a turn at the door without pushing and shoving.

Does it sound hectic yet? I came home to find everyone leaving their job because it was time to leave but the work was not completed. Madame Pierre was still sweeping (due to having to go to the market and making salad and potato salad) while the wash ladies said goodbye because their work was done. Another problem. How can you all leave her with so much left to do? Easy. Our work is done. But how can you simply leave? Then offense at my suggestion that Madame Pierre had more work than they had, blah, blah, blah.

Putting it simply, it's Monday. Tomorrow will go smoothly I'm sure. I think I'm sure. But, before tomorrow there is Oliver and Junior's hair that needs cut and they won't let me forget as it was supposed to have been done over the weekend. Plus, there is supper to get and a trunk with crafts in it to find.

We are blessed to have Mike Harrawood here from Family Harvest in Chicago (Tinley Park) but at this point I'm not sure what he's thinking he came to. This mission is moving faster than I can. God spoke to Gary's heart at Christmas and said, the mission is going to change, are you ready for ten more years. Pretty interesting considering what we are doing now compared to a year ago.

 

BUILDING THE HOUSE OF THE LORD

When Pastor Cesar, our wonderful Bible school student joined Bible school, I asked "Why are you here?" He had been through seminary. His answer was, "I sense the Holy Spirit here and I like the way you teach the Word of God." That was nearly three years ago. Every Saturday he came/comes with three other people, which is a hardship for someone who lives just outside Cite Soliel, the poorest section of Port au Prince. He had to make sure he had the money to get a bus to and from (and many times he only had enough to get to school, we'd help him get home).
He became one of our most diligent students and asked us if he could start a Bible school at his church. We approved and he has 40 students to date.
On January 12th, his little church came down, while he was having Bible school. He told me he was teaching, "Knowing Your Ministry." Every thing fell, but due to the humble structure no one was hurt, just frightened.

Twenty two members in his church lost their homes in the quake. When we visited him shortly after the earthquake, the one thing we could do for this faithful man of God was to rebuild his church. We brought in an engineer who told us exactly how to build it, earthquake safe. This venture is not cheap, but Pastor Cesar will have a church to house people during the night, when the rainy season comes.

He already has 43 new converts and his church is going to be twice the size it was before. We are so honored to be the carriers of the funds and overseers of this project. But, it's the people in the States who are funding it. Thank you if you've got any part in this building project. You are truly building the "house of the Lord."

Pastor Cesar said, "I want a baptismal pool. I believe that when they get saved they should be baptized." If you knew the Haitian thinking toward baptism, you'd know this is a powerful statement.

Pray for Pastor Cesar as he is coughing up blood although he does not seem sick. He is seeing a Dr. God is the healer, the Body of Christ needs Pastor Cesar! He will graduate from Bible school in May.

God is continuing to bless us with people to help. This week, Janice Myers, from Family Harvest and Cindy Rahl, from Florida, both teachers. They are a huge asset at El Shaddai. Cindy will stay until the 27^th and when Janice leaves on Saturday another Family Harvest person, Mike Harrawood will come in. When Mike leaves, Tasha Witherspoon will join us for a week. We are thankful for this wonderful help. Also, this week, a Wisconsin team from Appleton will arrive (actually today). They are a construction group. Mark Grassman and his team will do some welding, electrical work here then travel to a small village in Jacmel to install a solar powered water filter system.

Dan Joshu will travel in April to attend a conference that will better equip him to lead El Shaddai in the fall. With the teacher expertise we've received and this training, the next level toward excellence will be achieved. I stand back in awe at God answering prayer.

The Holy Spirit is prompting me to add this note: Please be encouraged about your prayers. Are you praying and nothing seems to be happening in terms of answers? Don't give up! God's listening and putting all the pieces in the right places so the answer is powerful and accomplishes His eternal desires. We pray "thy Kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven" there are no mistakes, the answer comes and is perfect because heaven is perfect. When He answers the answer is multiplied many times over. We prayed for a second vehicle, we got two more. We prayed for help, we got many more. During the time of praying we kept working and believing. Luke 18:1 says: Men must always pray and not give up. Giving up means caving in. What do you cave in to? Doubt and unbelief that what you are praying will not come to pass. I've heard it said, God will move heaven and earth to answer prayer. Our answer came due to an earthquake. Rather interesting isn't it?

May your day be filled with HIM.

Carolyn

A day going to the airport with the Fearing group.  We delivered food to Pastor Cesar, rice and beans so that he could feed some hungry kids that I've pictures of down in the blog.  Gary gave him explicit instructions that Doug, Lois, Niki and Lynn wanted the children fed everyday. We have enough food to go back again.  Then we checked the church.  The blocks are going up, and everything was okay except for a few adjustments.  Pastor Cesar will listen, that's why we like working with him.  He also loves and serves the Lord with all his heart, laboring in that dusty vineyard near Cite Soliel. 

We were able to tour a tent city which was quite organized and funded by the Lyons Club.  As you can see it had order and the tents for the most part were large and well built.  One picture is the inside of a tent home and as you can see they had very little.Others had beds.  You can imagine how warm these tents get as temperatures are hovering in the high 90's some days.  The other picture is the palace and the tents that are everywhere in that area. 

Children in a yard, living in makeshift tents in Port.
A picture of the destruction that still prevails as life goes on day to day in Port au Prince. 
Doug and Lois Fearing, Niki Briggs, Pastor Cesar and Lynn all from Wisconsin who came to bless the people with food and provisions, teach at El Shaddai, and take home memories that changed their lives forever. 

Recap of Busy Days

Well, SI is gone then we had four more people the day they left, the four from WI, Doug and Lois Fearing, and two others, left yesterday. Gary went to Port to pick up a Pastor from FL, Baptist, big church who will spend the night and a day or so.  We were working with a church member (business man) who was supporting another work (Haitian run and one of our employees, he would send money to Touch to give to Daniel for a school and all the time ask us questions about us, and how we believed the Haitian school was doing).  He would give us 50 dollars a month for our trouble and service and sometimes send money in at Christmas.  After being faithful to help him do what he does for about three years, his pastor is coming to check us out.  So, I'll let you know how that goes. 

Remember Pierre, the guy with the badly burned neck, etc?  He's, right now, getting surgery by Italian doctors on an Italian boat. They came to St Nicholas after all our people left and their expertise was fixing facial problems. We took Pierre and they are fixing him. Isnt' that wonderful? 

If you checked fb and all the pics of the hospital or my blog, what was done here by the SI medical group, Diana and Brian Moreno was probably the best care anyone could get. They sure worked hard.

We are still working on the school wall getting it up according to the engineer, Jeff Samida, so that it's earthquake safe. No wonder the Haitians can't do things that would last an earthquake. It's very expensive.  Also, giving $$ to Pastor Cesar in Port to rebuild his church. He isn't in Port but near Cite Soliel on Route Nef.  He's a good pastor and he'll have a fine church, earthquake safe when it's all done. 

Sunday a woman from Family Harvest is coming in for a week to work at El Shaddai, Monday a woman from FL is coming to work at El Shaddai as well.  Then when the FH woman leaves we pick up a man from FH to work another and when he leaves another gal coming in for a week.  And the FL woman will be here for three weeks.

We have two Haitian boys now living with us.  You knew we had Jr from the orphanage that Silsby visited (who may get released from jail this week) and the other is from Port.  His sister lost everything in the quake wanted him to be someplace. Nancy Hibbard, who works with us knew a Dr from Portugal who orchestrated getting him off the street.  Both are delights really and not a problem at all.  We all take turns doing things for them if need be but they are pretty easy. They both go to El Shaddai.

The orphanage has opened it's girls' home, with twin 2 year olds.  So, we have room for more kids that may come our way.  The boys house can hold 8 and the girls house the same.  (Have 6 boys now). 

Let's see......the SI team worked on Adolph's house and made it quite nice to handle about 18 people, I think.  We slept ten (Dr's and nurses) along with regulars, Dan, Nancy, Gary and I and not one stopped up toilet.  Pretty good huh?  We fed 21 SI people a night plus us, plus Pastor Jeff Perry was here with another guy for two nights so the number went up.  The SI builders made a serving bar along the grill work and benches for the two long tables (that have been here forever) and the space where the banister came around the stairwell (that created an opening that nothing fit in, they made a big pantry.  They made shelves downstairs kitchen which I'm trying desperately to make into a nice place for teams to have morning coffee and breakfast rather than coming up here. 

That's about it.  All in a week!!  While many, many people at the hospital were getting quality care and surgery. 

Port is still a mess, nothing is really getting done except the highway and that's working very well.  (DR is putting it in).  Tents are everywhere.  Every available space. It looks like Cite Soliel.  Can you imagine Port becoming Cite Soliel.  No one seems to have a good plan to fix the problem. 

Falling asleep at the computer.