Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Hello,

The team has made it safely up to the orphanage. Thank you for your prayers. After leaving the airport in Port-au-Prince, they visited the orphanage in Pation-ville, where 3 of our 4 adopted children are from. They met with the director and left photos and a letter for the mother if she comes by to check for any info. Their father died before they were put up for adoption. The team then traveled to Nathan's for lunch, which is always a special treat.

Once they arrived at the orphanage they spent time with the children and staff. The children are always so happy to see everyone. They especially love it when people come that have been on trips before. They connect and remember, as relationships are very important in the Haitian culture. Mike said that they are having a special children's church from the previous Sunday to this Sunday, every evening for one hour. The children can take turns leading a favorite song or sharing on a favorite bible verse. Tonight, Mike said there was a little 10 year old boy from the community sharing on John 3:16. Mike said he was really cute, and did a really good job.

Tomorrow they will spend more time with the orphanage children and unpack all the supplies for the orphanage they took. Each team member gets to take their 2 carry ons. The ministry uses the 2 additional allowed pieces of checked luggage per person. We pack them full of supplies. An average 40 foot container costs about $11,000 to truck, barge, pay duty and truck again up to the orphanage in Haiti. So the 2 allowed checked bags per person is really important to the ministry. It allows us to ship 10 to 32 large Rubbermaid bins full of medical and orphanage supplies each trip, depending on the number of team members traveling.

Tomorrow evening the youth rally will begin. Nathan and the team are hoping for about 500 teens and young adults. Jeremy and Mike will probably be sharing and then they will show the Jesus film in Creole. Please pray for open and prepared hearts. The youth rally will also last all day Friday and will end around 12:00 on Saturday. Nathan, Mike, Jeremy, and Jacob all have teachings prepared, and most likely some of the other team members will share. They have all kinds of fun activities planned. Please pray that the youth that God is drawing come, and that traveling costs do not keep the youth away, pray for their protection as they travel. Please pray that the Holy Spirit shows up, that hearts are opened and kids are healed. Also that there is enough food prepared to feed them all :) This will be a huge under taking by our staff. Nathan, Mike, Jeremy and Jacob will also be meeting with potential youth group leaders through out the rally, to try to teach and equip them. Please pray for wisdom and guidance. Thanks so much.

Blessings,

September Haiti Team


Monday, August 29, 2011

Prayer Partners: I know that it doesn't seem like it has been very long, since we arrived back home after the last incredible trip. But it has, and so off we go to continue what would best be described as the hardest yet most fulfilling thing that I or most anyone could do. God has used our willingness to answer this calling to stretch both Chris and I far beyond what we could have ever thought possible. There have been times when we literally didn't see how we could continue on, but at the same time we have had such an inner peace and joy that it is hard to describe. We are compelled to press on. We feel useful to the King and a benefit to His Kingdom. We are downright amazed at times that God would consider us worthy of His presence let alone His business.

One of the ways that God has blessed us the most is our family. We just celebrated our 35th wedding anniversary and have six grown children and three little ones still at home, and we are in the adoption process for two more from our orphanage. Most of the six are married and all seeking to follow hard after God. It is truly an amazing testimony of His great love for us. As parents, we could not feel more satisfaction from anything else but watching our children grow up into the wonderful Christian moms and dads and people that they have become. A real treat for me this trip is to be accompanied by Dustin, my #2, and the twins, Jeremiah and Jake, # 4 and 5, and Jesse our first adopted son as a baby 22 years ago, # 6. He has not been back to Haiti since then. This will be a real experience for him. And Jesse'e fiance, Mia. What a precious addition to the family, we are very proud of her. For those who have heard my personal testimony, you would never had thought it possible. But with God all things are possible.

Please pray for us as we minister to the youth during a youth rally on this trip. We will also teach the pastors association, and attend to the business of this "many faceted ministry" that we are involved. And as we minister to the children and friends and people from Haiti that we have come to love very much. My beautiful wife Chris will send the encouraging daily up-dates and prayer requests, that you love to read, for the duration of the trip. These requests for prayer are so very vital to our success in this battle, that we boldly continue to ask for them in His Holy name............... Thank you..............Mike

Monday, August 1, 2011







Hello,

The team arrived home safely. The airlines put them up for the night in a hotel and they were able to fly home the next morning. They were also able to get the I600 adoption paperwork signed. This is for the first family adopting from our orphanage. There are four families adopting altogether including our family. Thank you so much for all of your prayers during the trip.

Please continue to pray for the little girl with a hole in her heart. We have a new possible source for helping us find a hospital that will do the operation she needs.


Blessings,

Chris