Orphan Sunday November 2, 2014

November 2, 2014

Hello,

I wanted to share my heart a bit on this Orphan Sunday. I know Mike has written a few short notes to you already. But I feel called to share a story. If you take time to read it, it will touch your heart.

It is amazing to me, that after 40 years this November of walking with God in a personal relationship, that I realize more and more how much I do not know, and how very far I fall from being like Jesus. I feel like I should be so much closer but then He reveals another broken part of me.

Last night was all night prayer and worship in Pass Rein. As I stood and assessed where I would sit or stand in the crowd of probably 300 at that point a little girl about 7 years old named Schinina ran to me in the dark and threw her little arms around my legs and held on for about 5 minuets. Her cousin T-LeLe and her love hanging out with us when we are in Pass Rein. I was offered someone else's chair, which I usually turn down, but I was already tired and it was all night prayer and worship so I accepted the offer. Schinina crawled up on my lap and grabbed my arms and wrapped herself up in them. She only left my lap when she had to pee, as she put it, or when I left to pray over someone. Mike had brought a couple of handfuls of peanuts with him, a gift from a pastor and his wife who send treats to us sometimes. I put a handful of them in my pocket and let her pick them out and eat them.

She stayed with me until 4:30 in the morning. When church was over I walked with her in the dark to the short path that leads to her hut. She started to tell me why she could not go to the hut. I told her she needed to and kissed her on the forehead and said goodnight. Then I walked away. When I turned back I could see her coming after me. It made me cry. Cry because she wants love so badly, cry because I see her wandering all over Pass Rein with no one watching out for her, cry because I can not protect her, cry because I can not heal the fungal spots on her body, cry because I can not make sure she has eaten that day.

During the night we prayed for at least 40 people for healing and restoration, we also prayed for over 80 young girls who were struggling sexually. From my experience here I would say most of them were not choosing sex. It was humbling to watch that many come forward knowing their own community was watching and ask for help and prayer. But, among the huge numbers there is always the “one”. The “one” God points out. The “one” your called to minister too! It means I will be on my hands and knees in the dirt with her, it means I will probably get scratched or accidentally kicked in the process. It means I will hold her sweaty body and try to keep her from writhing too much and hurting herself on something, it means I will look in her eyes and try to see if the enemy's legions have left her or if Jesus has more work to do. The “one” is why I said yes to Jesus.

But, I have to remind myself of that “one”, when the beggar will not stop harassing me, when the man in the market is making sexual comments about me, that I only understand in part, or when I get upset with a child who has made a bad choice for the 12^th time, I have to remind myself of that “one” when I am hot, frustrated, and exhausted. Oh how I wish I got it right each time.

The other day Mike and I were having a disagreement and I said “it's not fair I have given up everything, my home, my belongings, my children and my grandchildren, everything.” It made me even more mad when he said I had given up little in comparison. But he was right. You see God is changing my perspective, it is starting to not look so American, but it is not looking Haitian either, It is looking a bit more kingdom like. By this statement I do not mean that I am more Christ like, quite the opposite, I just see my short comings and failures oh so much more lately.

I am trying to spend my life on the people of Haiti and there are days when I struggle just to see joy. Days when we have no water, the solar power has failed, when we do no have money for the 1150 children the school directors have just finished signing up, When the nanny's are not doing what they have been asked, when some of the children have made a poor choice and the enemy is riding on my back and whispering in my ear, failure, your a failure. Sometimes I am trying to discern whether God is trying to tell us something or the enemy is attacking us, and I want to just sit down and cry. We are in the front line and in desperate need of people being with us.

One of the verses I hang onto is 2Corinthians 4:16-18;

“Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”

So in closing we need you. We need your prayers, we need your notes of encouragement, we need your physical support, we need your financial support, we need you to share with others, but above all we need to get more of the children sponsored out, so we can meet their needs. So little girls like Schinina have food, water, medical care and the ones caring for her understand protecting and watching out for her. You see it is very holistic, it is like everything is broken and needs to be retaught. Please help us in the battle for His children...He is calling!

Blessings,

Chris

November 1, 2014

Hi again from Mike on this "Orphan Sunday' weekend. We at New Generation Ministries are trying to use this designated "orphan Sunday" weekend to bring much needed awareness to the plight of the vulnerable children in Haiti and around the world. Millions of children in every country are in need of your prayers and your help. "We want to bring to you the revelation of the heart of God for these children." We want you to be aware of the needs they have and how easy it would be for you to help. New Generation Ministries is;

• Providing Safe, Healthy Care for 55 Orphans
• Providing Christian Education to 1,150 Students
• Providing Medical Care Clinic for the area
• Providing Jobs and Job Training 
• Providing Food and Clean Drinking Water 
• Providing Adult Education
• Providing Life Giving Churches
• Providing Good Haitian Leaders
• Providing Life Giving Community Conferences

You can help us reach these children by sponsoring one or more of them to receive help from the list above, plus the deep satisfaction of giving such a wonderful gift to a child, who has absolutely no way to pay you back, other then by becoming healthy, growing, flourishing, and blossoming into the greatness of what God has planned for them............ Mike

October 31, 2014

Good afternoon everyone; We are rapidly coming up on "Orphan Sunday." If you have not heard of it before, then let us tell you about it. Orphan Sunday is the dedication of the first Sunday in November to raise awareness of  the plight of the orphan. This year Novemeber 2, 2014 is the Sunday set aside for you to join together in unity with other believers for the sake of orphans and vulnerable children around the world. Won't you please join us in prayer for these children?

• This is your opportunity to be in alignment with the heart of God in His concern for these vulnerable children. 
• This is your opportunity to offer up prayers according to His perfect will for these vulnerable children. 
• This is your opportunity to bind the tragedies caused by this world, and loose the compassion of Heaven for the sake of these vulnerable children.

"Lord, you tell us that you are near to the downtrodden and destitute. Your heart aches for children that face the world alone. You champion the cause of these children all over this world who have no one else to take their side. And you have called us to do the same."

So will you please join with us in prayer, and an effort to reach out to the lost and hurting children in Haiti.

How can you help?

• Pray for these children
• Pray for the people who are helping them
• Sponsor a child in Haiti
• Encourage your friends, family and co-workers to sponsor a child in Haiti
• Send financial support for this ministry

The best way that you can get involved and help this ministry reach out to the vulnerable children in Haiti, is to sponsor one or more children from New Generation Ministries at just $30 per month. 

Blessings,

Mike and Chris

Our October team from South Carolina baptized 13 believers from Marose

Emmanuel one of our boys from the Children's village being baptised.

Pastor Neely's team baptizing.

Proud papa at the baptism.

Wonder what he is thinking?

Hello, 

I am sorry that it has been sooo long since I have written. A lot has happened since I wrote last. First of all Jacob and Amber have decided to go back to Lynden, they were here for 3 months. Amber is due with her fourth child in the beginning of January and their midwife was not able to come to Haiti after all. They also found that the paperwork to get American citizenship looked like it could take a few months. So they are back in Washington and we miss them very much. I am hoping to be back for the holidays in time for their birth and the birth of my son Jeremiah and his wife Davida's child, which is in the beginning of December.

So the next happening, was my daughter Rebecca and her husband deciding it was more expensive to live in Haiti then they realized. So Rebecca and her son Felice flew back to Washington to spend time raising additional financial support. She has been running their home in Gonaives for the boys who have aged out of the orphanage. So, in the meantime our family has moved into the transitional home and are watching over it until they return, which should be early spring. 

 

I am doing better health wise now, but have been really sick again. What I thought was a really bad flu that I  was just not getting over as fast as I should have, turned out to be typhoid. I waited until I realized I was not getting better and went to see a doctor during the weekend. He gave me IV fluids and medication and told me to come back the following Monday and have labs drawn. I had the labs drawn the following Monday, but then had to wait for results. So, by the time I realized I had typhoid, I was already getting better. The  doctor did prescribe different medication once he knew I had typhoid though, and after almost two weeks, I now am feeling better. I am looking forward to getting my health and immune system built back up, when I am stateside over the holidays. I would greatly appreciate your prayers, as I think my immune system is pretty much done here.

We have had the pleasure of having the team back from South Carolina. This is their fourth year staying with us. They came up from Bercy on Sunday, for their third annual crusade and pastor's conference with our ministry. Mike preached that evening as the opener for a week long crusade in Marose. On Monday, they held the first day of a two day pastor's conference. In the evening pastor Janice preached at the crusade. Tuesday the team visited two of our schools and then held the second day of the pastor's conference. That evening pastor Willmar preached at the crusade. Today, Wednesday, the team visited the prison in Gonaives. They brought food and toiletry gifts for about 300 prisoners. In Haiti, you are not fed in the prisons. You need family or friends to bring you food. The conditions are really bad. The prisoner's tie their one sheet to the bars, like a hammock, so they do not have to sleep in the pee that is all over the floor. Only some of them are able to use their sheet as a hammock, as there is only so much room. Some of the prisoners have served their term, but do not have the bribe money they need to pay to get out of prison once their term has been served. The prisoner's also are guilty until proven innocent, unlike in the U.S., where they are innocent until proven guilty. Mike talked to one pastor who has already served 29 months and has not been formally charged yet.  It is incredible what conditions humans are some times subjected to. Nathan, Mike and the team had about 6 older Haitian teen age boys with them. Mike took the boys aside and talked to them about what they could see and their life choices. It was a pretty emotionally moving day. Tonight, Virginia preached at the crusade. Each evening's ministry time has had many people coming forward for prayer. Tomorrow the team will be participating in about 30 baptisms and then in the afternoon they will be visiting the hospital in Gonaives. They will be bringing toiletry gifts again and the team will be praying for the patients and families. Again, even in the hospitals, the family and or friends are responsible for the feeding and cleaning of the patients and their bedding in the hospital. I do not know what happens if there is no one to help. I do know that in our churches, members have gone in to help the people with no family. We do not realize how blessed we are in the states. Please pray for the baptisms, hospital visit and the crusade in the evening. 

On another note, we have applied for a visa appointment for Jonathan Erwins and Lydia Mannrose. We are supposed to hear when the appointment date will be on Monday. Please pray for a date before the holidays, so that we can come home as a family for the holidays. Also please pray for a favorable grant of a travel visa for both of the children. We know of some families where some of the siblings, but not all, were granted visa's. We really need your prayers, so that both children are allowed to come back for the holidays with us.

Thank you so very much for your prayers. We really depend on them. 

Blessings,

Chris

Adding the second floor to Dita's Home

The older girls, two of which will be moving to Dita's Home, the others will follow soon :)

Inside Dita's Home

The second story

The kitchen and eating area

Our older girls

Mail and dreams

Hello,

I am writing tonight with two things in mind. The first is our headquarters in Lynden is located on a rural country road. Occasionally the local teens like to play pranks. A typical one is to knock down or smash a mailbox while traveling 50 miles plus as they go by. The other is to stick a firecracker or other such explosive in the mailbox and blow it up. Melissa told us that is what happened on Saturday. So besides having to replace our mailbox, we also need to let you know that if any of you sent any mail the last few days, including automatic bank checks to our home address could you please let Melissa or Dustin know. If you sent them to our PO Box there would be no problem. We would really appreciate it you can contact them at, melissaleland@newgenerationhaiti.org

You can also reply to this email and we will forward it on.

Sorry for the inconvenience, we just have no way to know who's mail would have been in the mailbox. I would like to strongly encourage everyone to use our post office address in the future it is; 

New Generation Ministries 

PO Box 42

Lynden, WA 98264

Thank you so very much !

The second thing I would like to share is a small dream I have for the children. Thanks to many of you we now have about 5 boxes of children's books collected. We also have puzzles, games, color books and various leftover VBS crafts for children. I let a couple of children come into my home at a time and spend time drawing, reading or playing. It would be nicer though to have a room set up just for these activities. I have also wished we had a room set up to pray with the children in a semi private place. As I have put more thought and prayer into this I believe I have found a solution. Nathan, Mike and I use our own places for an office, rather than the room here in the children's village designated for an office. Sooooo.... My heart would be to turn the designated office into a library/game/prayer room. So here is where some of you come in. I need a little help, not much. First I would need some wood for book/game shelves. The current window we have in the office has opaque amber colored glass, great for privacy, but it lets very little light in. So I would love it if someone would help me change the amber glass out for clear glass. I also would love to paint the room. Painting the room would obviously require some paint, but I would also love to bless the children with some painted murals in the room. Which leads me to another way you can help, I would love it if any of you would feel led to come help me paint some murals. I know some of you are very talented in this area and would enjoy helping paint the room. I would be open to art work that fits your talent. We do have a projector too, if that would help. Any takers????? Please let me know :) I am excited to get started. 

Blessings,

Chris

Helping Papa Mike

Greetings,

We really appreciate all of the people that have supported us over the years by giving financially, going on trips, or lifting us up in prayer.  To show our appreciation, we would like to invite you to a BBQ.  This is not a fundraiser.  This is simply an opportunity to bring together all of you that have a heart for Haiti.

We are excited to share with you all that has been happening in Haiti.  We have had an eventful summer and Mike will be here to update us and to share our vision for the coming months.  We will be providing the dinner.  Bring your kids, bring your friends, bring your neighbors, leave your check book at home.

The BBQ will be held on Saturday, September 6th at 5:30 p.m. at Henry's Pond in Lynden.  9030 Guide Meridian Rd.  Lynden, WA 98264.  (Henry's Pond is just a couple of miles from the Canadian border, so we hope some of our Canadian friends will join us!)

We look forward to seeing you all on the 6th! 

The Lelands

Our swarm of honey bees. They decided they like it on our porch.They are already building a comb.Trying to figure out how to make a bee hive, so we can put them in a safer place.

I know this is blurry, but I thought it was cute. This little boy built his own guitar and was playing it during worship just to the side of the tent.

So hungry for Jesus

I want to share with you a fun thing we have been able to do the last couple of mornings. The community of Pass Rein is so hungry for God and trying so hard to figure out life differently, that besides meeting for church every night, they also wanted to have a men's conference and a women's conference and this week a marriage and family conference. So yesterday Nathan, Mike and I, and today just Mike and I sat with them and let them ask questions, any question they wanted to. We have had a lot of interaction, a lot of oh my's, a lot of hard life questions and a lot of laughter​. It has been great. The youth have now come to Nathan and said they want a conference too, so they can learn about life. Please, please pray for these families, that their eyes, ears and minds would be open and that they would understand the things of God. Not life like Americans, Canadians or even Haitians, but Kingdom life, life like God created them for, like Haitian Christian men and women. 

Thank you again for helping us to put Bibles in the hands of the Haitian believers. You have helped to give 100 bibles towards our goal of 300. What a huge blessing.

Eating at my daughter Becca's house in Gonaives at her new table made by Scott.

The table is 15 feet long and really built well, to withstand teenage boys :)

Jacob has been teaching the older boys how to work out. It has been a good way to relate to them. 

Tyler, Christina and Jacob building up Janae's two front teeth.

A Very Cool Little God Story

Hello,

I wanted to share a "rest of the story" as Paul Harvey would have put it. 

So the story starts... with God drawing a man to the well. A man who does not know God.There are two natural springs that I know of in Pass Rein. The springs are places that draw community for obvious reasons. One of them is located across the road just outside our church meeting tent. When church or bible study are happening anyone at the spring getting water cannot help hearing what is going on. Frequently we pray quietly for the people at the spring or well. Yesterday morning Mike was preaching in Pass Rein and Nathan was preaching in Poteau. While Mike was preaching a man came to the well  and as he was drawing water he said he could feel the presence of God. So he stayed by the spring and listened. He said as he listened to the white man, God showed him that our church was in the center of Pass Rein (a mountainous village of about 3000 people). He said he could see flames of fire in the spiritual realm over the church. Then he said he could see the flames of fire spreading out over the village and valley. He said he knew it was the spirit of God. The rest of the story is... that He came back to church that night, last night and gave his life to the Lord.

God is soooooooo amazing!!!!

When I was reading in the bible today this was the verse I read; Isaiah 9:2-3

 

The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone. You have multiplied the nation; you have increased its joy; they rejoice before you as with joy at the harvest, as they are glad when they divide the spoil.

God just keeps blessing and we are sooo very privileged to be a part of it. Thank you sooo very much for your prayers, and help both physically and monetarily. We could not AND can not push through the darkness without you. Your response was great for bibles, I wish that every one of you who helped to give bibles could stand with us and see the smiles break out and the joy take over as they hug their bibles to their chests. A sneak preview of heaven :)

Blessings and thanks

Chris

Huge Victory !

Hello,

Thank you for praying for us. Everyone here is slowly but surely getting past their sickness. Stephanie and Jason made it home safely as did the Teen Challenge team. So we are down to one family from CTK Snohomish visiting now. Tyler and Jacob have worked on the electric and plumbing at my daughter Rebecca's house. They are working on the electrical for Dita's home today. 

On Saturday evening in Pass Rein 25 more people gave their hearts to the Lord. Last night there were 6 more salvations and we prayed for at least 30 people all together. These salvations in themselves are huge, and I know that God sees us all the same, we are all sinners and need to be saved, but we are so excited to share about one salvation in particular. We live and minister in an area where the surrounding villages are among the top voodoo villages in Haiti. Three of the villages are the ones that were advertised as destinations to see voodoo during Haiti's annual carnival. Two Sundays ago a man came to the church service in Pass Rein. He came again yesterday, and 

​ received salvation.​ It turns out that this man is the boko  (head witch doctor) for the area of Gonaives and Enerey. For those of you who have been here, when you are on the mountain behind the orphanage and look down onto the valley as far as you can see, you are looking at about 1/3 of the area he is over. He wept and wept for all that he had done. God is so amazing, to think that He would save us when we are so evil, He loves us and forgives us when we are at our worse. I think God has big plans for this man. He has influence in areas we would never be able to speak into. Please pray for him and his family. The enemy will not be happy  with his decision and he will have to find another way to make an income and support his family. It will change absolutely everything for them and many others.

We have had so many salvations lately in Pass Rien that we have a good problem that you can help us with. We could really use more bibles for all of the new Christians. We are able to purchase a new complete bible in Creole for $10. If any of you would like to help us, you can go to our web site newgenerationhaiti.org. On our web site you can use credit card, pay pal or your bank. You can also send a check to our ministry if you would prefer. The address is New Generation Ministries, PO Box 42, Lynden, WA 98264. Again thank you so much for your prayers and help.

Blessings,

Chris

Jim Glynn and Teen Challenge sharing in Marose

Team Challenge praying for people in Pass Rein

Jacob teaching baseball

Doesn't he have a great smile. He is one of our newest, he says he is 6yrs looks like 4 yrs to me. 

Nathan's grandmother is in the middle, her sisters on either side. She is 82, her sisters are 80 and 84. The life expectancy for a Haitian adult is 52. Amazing!

Nathan and his grandmother :)

Hello,

It is hard to believe we have reached the midpoint of summer. I am not sure I am ready for fall and back to school yet. Our summer got off to a late start this year.

I know it is also the start of back to school supplies being both available and on sale. We would greatly appreciate your picking up some extra supplies for our children when you pick up supplies for your children. There will be over 800 children this year that you will be helping to go to school. 

We have a small team coming today. They have had some flight delays. Please pray for safe and on time travel for the rest of their trip. They will be doing some medical outreaches. Stephanie will also be updating the medical records of the orphans in our Children's Village. I am looking forward to spending time with her. She lived with my daughter Rebecca and her family for a year and then with our family for a year. She also spent 2 months here in the Children's Village.

Last weekend Nathan, Mike and I went to Arcahaie for a crusade and wedding. Mike preached twice and Nathan preached once. Nathan also led worship once and directed the choir. There were 5 salvation's the night Nathan led worship and Mike preached, also about 25 came forward for prayer. This particular church does not usually have ministry time afterwards so it was a new experience for them. 

Rebecca took possession of her house in Gonaive on Monday. We are working out the legal paperwork at the moment so she will be able to start taking children who are still trying to finish school, but are aging out of the Children's Village soon. 

Everyone here is also working hard to finish Dita's transitional home for the girls before the school year starts. They are pouring the ceiling/roof today. After the cement is set they will start laying the blocks for the walls of the second story. 

I think we may have seen the world record for the most live goats carried on a motorcycle. Would you believe 14 goats. It was an unbelievable sight. 

My waiting list for sponsoring an orphan has been fulfilled. 

I have three new orphans to sponsor out, so if any of you are interested in sponsoring an orphan please send me an e-mail and I will send you a photo and give you more information. 

Thanks so much for all of your prayers. 

Many Blessings,

Chris