New Generation Ministries Blog

Hello again,
It was another good day in Haiti. The day started with a mother bringing her sick baby to the medical clinic for help. We only have funding for the medical staff to be in the clinic 2 days per week, so when a team is at the orphanage they try to help with minor things. This baby had sores all over her body, so they cleaned her up and did what they could for her. Then they transported the mother and the baby to the hospital, the hospital said the team had done what they should have. The hospital prescribed medicine, so team went to another part of town and bought medicine for the baby, then one of our interpretors spent some time explaining to the mother how she was supposed to care for the baby.
The team also went into Gonaives to help serve at Emory's, feeding the poorest of the poor. This is one of the regular places our teams serve.
When we first started serving here, it was in a corrugated metal room.
The children would line up and the first 250 would get in and be able to eat.
The rest would not. It would most likely be the only meal the child would receive that day.We used to have to help feed the little ones who could not eat fast enough, so that the older ones did not eat their food. It was overwhelming for many of the team members.They have built a small school now, so we come along side of them and help serve the school children in their classrooms first and then a much smaller group in the original metal room. It is much more peaceful now. They have some very dedicated teachers from the states helping now also. It is an opportunity to truly be the hands and feet of Christ reaching out to the poor.
The team also spent time training the workers in the orphanage on using the stove and sinks. Mike was wondering if this would be viewed as some white persons great idea and if they would want to continue working the way they always have. Some of you may remember stories of Mike showing them how to prepare Gleaners soup and they were very skeptical about a man cooking. Those of you that know Mike can probably picture him joking and teasing with the cooks. In the end the children loved the soup, the cooks learned how to cook it, and it is served 5 days a week to all of our school children and handed out regularly to those who need food. All that to say Mike started out joking and teasing, but explaining the benefits also, both for food safety and the health of the cooks who would no longer be breathing in fumes from an open fire contained in a small building. After showing them how to light the stove, he had them all try a few times. He said when he showed them the commercial sinks and how to use the faucets in the kitchen and laundry room and the stainless steel prep tables (to save their backs) they almost cried.
Needless to say the training went very well and the workers feel blessed, thanks so much for all of you who have helped us to purchase the kitchen and laundry room equipment. It is playing a large part in lighting the burdens
of our staff, some of who worked for free in the beginning of this ministry.
The afternoon consisted of baptisms. Two women from the Marose community were baptized along with Jason and Annika from our team.
Baptisms in Haiti consist of a musical parade of people worshiping, as they walk down to the river. Then prayer and a full immersion into the water and being covered in white fabric as you come out of the water. It is very celebratory and powerful. Something Jason and Annika will never forget.
Tomorrow the team will begin their journey home. They will leave very early in the morning. Please pray for safety and no car problems and all of the connections to work. It is about a 24 hour trip in all. Also pray for their hearts
and the hearts of the children as the team leaves.
Blessings and thank you so much for your prayers.
Chris