Mike and I with Margie, Rebecca, John Paul and Louisiana

All of the teachers

Teaching and sharing with passion

There were 41 teachers in attendance

Hello, 

Hope you are enjoying the cooler weather, we have yet to have a break from the heat, it still feels like summer here. I am missing the blustery fall weather.

Friday we had the privilege of having one of our friends Margie visit. Margie is an educator who also lives and ministers in Haiti. She has experience working with children who struggle in school. A little while ago she expressed interest in teaching some of the educational "tools" she uses to our teachers. This is an area that has been on my heart for many years. So Saturday we held a teachers conference. Margie has two Haitian friends who are educators that also have experience working with students that need a different approach to being schooled and the three of them each took turns teaching and sharing their experiences. Part way through the conference we prayed over each teacher individually. It was very refreshing for me as I watched the reception of our teachers to some of the new concepts they were being taught. In Haiti they teach using rote memorization, which covers only one learning style. Margie and her friends shared from real life experiences and gave examples of how to apply it to the teacher's classroom situations. The teachers in the conference engaged with what was being shared, we are so excited to see what God has in store for the coming days, weeks and months. Please join us in praying for the future education of these children.

Blessings,

Chris

Trisha and Fletchers playground

Finished!

breaking ground

first piece up

hot work out in the direct sun

monkey bars

crawling

sliding

climbing

Beautiful!

lining up for a new school back pack

happy

checking it out

New back packs filled with school supplies.

Hello,

We wanted to write and share with you that the Children’s Village has been blessed with a new playground. We have had a team here building the playground for the past 5 days. The playground has been built in honor of the memory of Trisha and her son Fletcher. Trisha’s mother was part of the group who was able to come to Haiti to see the playground being built. Part of honoring Trisha was to put stamped dragonflies into the concrete because she loved them. As they were finishing up the last details dozens of swarms of dragonflies flew over the playground, as if God were honoring the tribute to Trisha and Fletcher. When it was finished, Nathan asked the children to come to the playground and he shared with them that the playground was built as a tribute to Trisha and Fletcher. Trisha’s mother also shared her heart with the children. Then they worshiped together and prayed over the playground. It was very moving.Today the children were really enjoying the playground. It is beautiful, you should see it. So I will post photos. 

One of the girls on the trip (a granddaughter) choose to raise funds to purchase backpacks and school supplies for her Senior Project. She raised enough funds to purchase a backpack for each one of the children in the children's village. The children were thrilled to receive the new back packs with the school supplies.

Once again, thank you for your faithful prayers, we depend on them.

Blessings,

Chris

Fabric for the high school uniform shirts and blouses.

Fabric for the pants and skirts.

The youth we are sending to high school in Gonaives come from many of the villages we minister in.

Two of the cuties in our Peru school.

Such a blessing to know that because of some of you these children get to attend school.

You can see the excitement in his face.

Each child is so precious to Jesus.

How could you not want to help her?

It was such a blessing to be able to pray over each of these children.

Hello,

After a huge undertaking School is well under way here in Haiti just as it is in Canada and the US. It is amazing how much there is to do, to help over 1300 children get ready to start school. There are teachers to hire and train, classrooms to expand, books and uniforms to purchase, photos to be taken of each child for sponsoring. Then for the children in the orphanage there are additional needs like black school shoes, barrettes and hair ribbons to match their school uniforms (all barrettes and ribbons have to match school uniforms in a country that cannot afford education, go figure). All has been accomplished now and school has been started. It sometimes seems so impossible this time of year but, we have always strongly believed that “Education” is the best way to help the people of Haiti rise above the oppression that has held them in poverty, illiteracy and unemployment for generations. We believe there are two important ways education helps.The first is the education of the soul and heart through the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ. The second is the education of the mind in adults and children at the Primary, Secondary and University levels. And so in spite of the hardships of starting up school each September we know it is one of the keys to freedom for the Haitian people.

Mary and Ian have taken photos of most of the school children for us and the children are ready to be sponsored. We have a new sponsor software set up on our website that is easy and safe to use. Because our schools have grown from 700 children to 1300 in the last two years we have a huge need to have children sponsored. We have children of all ages available. Would you please prayerfully consider helping to change the life of a child and their family? You could make all the difference, it is only $30 per month and provides so much. Thank you ahead of time for choosing to bless the children.

This past week Mike and I were blessed to be asked to pray for each of the children at the different schools. Please remember the children in your prayers.

A few days ago I was able to purchase a pallet of used clothing here in Haiti for the children in our Children's village. I bundled a couple of outfits up for each child and had fun passing them out. Mary helped me give them out to each child and Ian took photos. 

We would really like to thank you for your faithful prayers. You have been helping to move mountains this past month.

Blessings,

Chris

Photos of Radio Bon Berger, 106.1 FM

Good Shepherd's Radio Bon Berger

Getting ready for the grand opening

The logo, Jacob our son designed the shepherd and crook, Joel from Pass Rein designed the rest

Beautiful artwork for welcoming guests 

Inside the station

Mike contemplating before giving the message for the grand opening

Radio Bon Berger 106.1 FM

Hello,

We wanted to share some very exciting news with you. For years Nathan has wanted to have a Christian radio station to share about Jesus. When Mike and I began to minister along with Nathan, we too thought it would be a great idea. With so much on our plate so to speak, a Christian radio station was a far off dream, until.....one of our leaders in Pass Rein shared the dream of a Christian radio station. He along with one other leader began trying to make the dream a reality. They began with miscellaneous equipment they scrounged for and started to broadcast out of the closet in our Pass Rein school director's office. Then they began to remodel a small hut on our school property. Last night we had a celebration for the grand opening of Radio Bon Berger, 106.1 FM Stereo broadcasting out of Pass Rein. They play Christian music and have Christian talk shows where people can call in and ask questions. They have already had over 200 people call in to ask questions.They have visited these people and brought over 40 people to the Lord.

Pass Rein is a mountain village, so it is a perfect height to broadcast from. We have reports of people as far 1 1/2 hours northwest of Pass Rein clearly hearing the gospel on their station. We have been told by people in the north part of Gonaives and in Perou, Poteou, Marotte, Marose and Gross Morne that they can hear it. They are now working on a better tower so that they can broadcast all the way north to Cap-Haitian, Haiti's second largest city. God's dream is becoming so much bigger than ours. God is so amazing, he just keeps birthing the next thing He wants in this ministry faster than we could ever plan it. Please keep the radio station in your prayers, it has the potential of reaching so many more people for Jesus.

Blessings,

Chris

Some of our boys under our shade trees, just planted earlier this year

Ian and Mary with one of our girls

marbles, very important in an orphans life

jumping rope is also very important in an orphans life

one of our creative little ones

Pray For Haiti

A mountain top view of our city, Gonaives is the 3rd largest city in Haiti

Fabric for the high school shirts

A new school shirt for the primary children

Measuring and cutting for school uniforms

Hello,

Hope you are enjoying the fall season. The last couple of evenings here in Haiti have been in the 90's. Looking forward to a little bit of fall weather :) 

I have bits and pieces of Haiti news to share with you. Tonight in Marose there were two salvations. Praise God! Also a very interesting thing is happening in Pass Rien. People have been coming forward who attended the crusade two weeks ago, and sharing that they have given their hearts to the Lord ! We have been told about 5 people giving their hearts to God after the crusade ended, all of which say they heard the Gospel message at the crusade, God works in ways that are entirely His, for the purpose of Glorifying Him :)

We want to send a huge thank you out to Bart and his friends from the men's group at Northwest Community Church. They raised enough funds for us to purchase a transformer so we can have power again. A novel idea after going 3 1/2 months without power. The power company here told us there were not enough people on the line to fix the old transformer, which blew because too many people were stealing power. So now thanks to Bart and friends, WE HAVE POWER :) I forget sometimes we have it, it has become a habit when it is dark to go grab a flashlight so I can keep working. The kids laugh and remind me to flip on the light switch :) God is good, he even cares about the little things. Our little refrigerator, which had become a fancy cupboard is cold again. We do not have to turn the generator on to use the internet. Although the power company installing the transformer, cut the internet line in 6 plus places, causing us to have power, but no internet for 9 days. But we have both now! And we are praising God for it.

Mary and Ian who have been with us for almost 3 months now have been a huge help with school start up. They have been at each school registration updating school photos. They have also been helping us get ready for the new school year. With books, shoes, uniforms, photos, tuition etc. This time of year for us is overwhelming in every way possible. We are so thankful for their help.

We also would love to give a huge thank you to Bob and Rose and their Mission store. This summer they raised enough funds  for the ministry to purchase a commercial copy machine. This has been huge in preparing for school. We have been printing materials for school and also for the the pastors training. We are so very grateful to all of the people who contributed to the Mission store. It has been such a blessing.

And now for the story. A week ago Mike needed to go to Port-au-Prince for meetings and supplies. It takes about 3 hours to get into the heart of Port-au-Prince and he was on a tight time frame, so he was not able to stop and eat until late in the afternoon. He was very hungry so he ate in the car as he drove, thoroughly enjoying his meal of chicken. As he was driving he started laughing at himself, thinking what it might  look like to others around him. As he pulled up to a traffic light, he saw a young boy begging from the median in the road. Mike reached out the truck window and gave the boy his meal. The boy looked quickly around to see if anyone saw. Usually there are people everywhere even in the middle of the road. But, there was no one. Mike watched him sit down on the curb and fold his hands to give God thanks before he began to eat. Mike drove away with tears in his eyes. Times like that are so precious. 

Thanks and blessings for coming along side of us to help the people of Haiti.

Blessings,

Chris

Pass Rien Crusade Marching Video

Video wouldn't upload onto blog but you can see it if you follow this link.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wah-ZuU-2BI&feature=youtu.be

Praising God in Pass Rien

Saturday night at the crusade

All on our feet, about to march and claim the field for Jesus

The stake in the ground, claiming the ground for JEZI (Jesus)

Wow GOD is so POWERFUL!

Hello,

We wanted to thank all of you so very much for coming along side of us and fasting and praying for the Madame (witch doctor) and the crusade in Pass Rien. Your responses were encouraging and faith building. One of our friends is a Christian medical doctor and he felt like it was fitting for him to fast and pray, Christian doctor vs. witch doctor. Another one of our friends was having his birthday party and during the party had everyone stop and spend time in prayer. Another couple are vacationing in Europe and said they would spend time in prayer. So many of you were willing to give of yourselves.

The response of the Madame I do not know as of yet, but God does :) I do know the Holy Spirit moved powerfully last night. I will let you know as soon as I know more. 

The response during the crusade was huge, your prayers moved kingdoms. We worshiped together first for a couple of hours. Then Mike preached. Near the end of his sermon a stake was driven into the ground claiming the soccer field for Jesus. This field has been used as a military type training ground for voodoo, and last night it was being claimed for Jesus. Then everyone at the crusade marched all over the field singing worship songs and claiming the ground for God. They marched and sang for over 1/2 hour. It was an amazing sight, seeing Christians marching together for Jesus felt like a glimpse into heaven. So very POWERFUL. After everyone finished marching, 13 young adults came forward and gave their lives to the Lord. So far this week there have been 38 salvations during the crusade. 

This morning before we went to church 5 people who were not at the crusade called Nathan and asked what the white stake,with Jezi (Jesus) written on it was all about? It had not even been 12 hours yet! Thank you so very much for your sacrificial prayers and fasting.

Today, Mike felt like God was saying that Pass Rien was like a lamp stand to put a lamp on. A lamp stand where His light will shine from. His children do not get to chose the lamp stand. He chooses the lamp stand, and He has chosen Pass Rien. 

Tonight is the last night of the crusade, we would appreciate your prayer once more.

Blessings,

Chris

Prayer and fasting needed

Hello,

A quick note to ask for prayers and fasting today (Saturday). Today I am going to be fasting for the madame (witch doctor) in Pass Rien. I normally would not share with anyone that I am fasting, but I would like it if you would join me. She has caused so many problems in Pass Rien and she is fighting against us, Nathan, his family, the ministry and the village of Pass Rien. I believe that Jesus wants her heart, would you please help by praying and fasting for her with us? I would love it if you would respond with a quick yes or something, so I know we are going to battle over her soul together. Jesus promises when two or more are gathered He hears our prayers.

We are so thankful for your prayers for the crusade, Thursday 5 more people accepted Jesus into their heart. Last night 5 women were delivered and many, many came forward for prayer. We also found out that voodoo witch doctors use this same soccer field Nathan felt called to hold the revival on, for practicing and teaching voodoo. They use the field like they would for military training. So tonight when Mike preaches we are going to ask the 700 plus attendees to help drive a stake in the ground for Jesus. We are going to be asking everyone to walk all over the property area and claim the ground back for God. Again, we would love it if you would agree in prayer together with us tonight. We need the power of prayer together to accomplish this. I wish you could be here standing with us, but we know God will honor your prayers to see his kingdom come to this area of Pass Rien. Thank you so, so much.

Blessings,

Chris

one of our little ones

trying to make the children's village green

even the older girls like to swing sometimes

joy