Monday, February 16, 2015

Amen!
Ruth holding our new little boy

Our new little girl

Hello,
A lot has happened in the last couple of weeks. I will try to catch you up on a few things and then I have a story to share. 

First of all Mike made it back to Haiti safe and sound, thank you for praying for him. 

We also had a small team of two this past week. Alice who's husband and adult son have been to Haiti with us before, wanted to come and experience Haiti for herself. Her mother, Ruth also came. The day they arrived there were protests because the prices of gas have not lowered, even though they have in most parts of the world. Because of the protests Mike could not get to the airport in Port-au-Prince to pick them up. Nathan's wife's brother, Pastor Jeremiah picked them up and they spent the first day with his family. Mike said they made it up to the orphanage the next day and spent time holding children and playing with them. One of the days they made valentines with the children. They also did glo-sticks and special snacks with the children one evening. On another day they cleaned and organized our medical clinic.  Which we GREATLY appreciate. They flew back out Saturday morning. 

Tomorrow we will have another small, two person team leaving for Haiti. Josh and his friend will be filming footage for a Logo's software video and they will be taking footage for a video for our ministry as well. Please pray for safe travel for them, and for all of their gear to arrive safely. Also for creativity and a clear understanding of the heart of what God is doing in Haiti.

Now for the story, while were stateside for the holidays this year, four more children joined our Children's Village. Three boys and a girl. All of the children are from different families. The unusual part is that two of the children are  handicapped, but they are from different families. ​Both of the children were abandoned in Pass Rein. Some of the people from the church in Pass Rein came to Nathan and told him the children had been left to survive on their own. The little girl is about 6 years old, she is unable to use her legs. She uses her arms and her torso to get around. The little boy is about 3, he also is unable to use his legs, but he does not have the strength in his arms to get around and he is unable to even sit up by himself. In the US or Canada their situation would be difficult, but in Haiti they will not be able to survive without help. Our Children's Village is not handicap accessible, we are on a sloping hill. But we felt that what we had to offer, was better then how they were living. One of the men on staff has built the little boy a chair without legs, so he can sit upright part of the day. Mike said they both have really sweet spirits and he is trying to evaluate what would be best for them. Haiti is not a society that puts a high value on the handicapped. Lack of education and fear play huge parts into the future of children like these two. But, GOD DOES VALUE THEM. Please pray with us as we try to decide what is best for these children. Please pray for discernment and wisdom. We are uncertain at this point how long they will be with us. We would like to model compassion, as well as try to show a bit of God's heart toward them. We would appreciate some of you, who God is tugging at your heart strings right now, to commit to praying for them on a daily basis. We would also appreciate it if some of you would be willing to help support an extra care taker for them. We also need and would appreciate some of you who are willing to pray for wisdom for us and a worker to discern the avenue of best care for them, as there are no services or assistance in Haiti for the handicapped. At this point we really need to discern what part God is calling both you and us to play in their little lives. Only God knows their stories. I will try and post their photos on the blog. Thanks for all you do for us, the ministry and the little ones in Haiti. 

Blessings,
Chris

February 3, 2015

Hello, 

Hope all is well with you. Just a quick note to ask for prayer. Mike is headed  home to Haiti. He is on the shuttle going to the airport this evening. We would appreciate prayers for safe travel and on time connections. Also for him as he re-adjusts to life in Haiti. He is returning alone this time. The children and I will follow him in a month, along with a small team. I would appreciate prayers also as our five children will be here with me.

Thank you and Blessings,
Chris 

January 31, 2015

  Prayer Partners:  Mike here; many of you have heard my own story of growing up as a child without a father, security or stability, and how miraculous it was when God, so graciously, stepped in and revealed himself to me at age 22. How He forgave me and healed me and adopted me into His own family. Through no deserving of my own, he gave me His name and left me His inheritance. Aside from surrender and obedience, this was the compelling reason why I followed Him to Haiti; for the sake of the children here, children just like me!
    Jesus has commissioned us to give more than just warm feelings and good thoughts to the least of these children. He has called us to this place, to walk with Him into the lives of these children, to see, smell and taste what they, see, smell and taste, and experience what they experience. Jesus wants us to feel, first hand, what He feels for these children who are so much less fortunate than the majority of children in the rest of the world. He has called us to physically bring them food, clothing, education, and medical attention. He has called us to emotionally comfort them when they feel abandoned, alone and scared, to spiritually extend the grace of God to them when they are lost and hurting. He has called us to extend the power of God to them when they are in chains and have been unfairly handed unhealthy generational ties or curses. The Bible says that “We will not hide God's wonders from the children; we will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of our Lord, His power and all the wonders He has done.” (Ps. 78:4)
    God has called us to lead a charge of His army to “Lift the burden from their shoulders and destroy the yoke of oppression on them” (Isa. 10:27),  And "You are His army." 
   Some of you may be right in saying that we are not all called to sell our possessions and move to Haiti or somewhere else, but please don’t miss the fact that WE ARE ALL DEFINITELY CALLED TO PARTICIPATE IN OUR FATHERS WORK!!!
   We are so very, very grateful to have you in the army behind us, supporting us, praying for us, standing in there with us. This is a war, a spiritual war, an all-out assault on the next generation of Christian leaders. We desperately need you to continue to stand in prayer and support with us. Will you help us, even if it puts you in a place where you have to depend more on God’s provision, because “we gave everything we had to help the poor” (Mk. 12:44)
   We really do appreciate you and want to thank you so very much for your continued and on-going prayers and support for us and this ministry. With you this army will prevail unto victory in the mighty name of Jesus…….…...Mike

January 13, 2015

ANNIVERSARY

  Today, January 12th marks the 5th anniversary of one of the most devastating and destructive events in world history. The Haiti Earthquake.... The sudden shaking of Haiti that destroyed most of it's capitol, Port-Au-Prince, left hundreds of thousands of people homeless, and children orphaned. It took the lives of almost 300,000 innocent people. Many of you remember the horrific news pictures and the immediate pleas for help from this poor country. 
    Now 5 years later, most of the world has forgotten, or assumed that all things have been fixed or restored. Unfortunately, this is not so.... Many of the people of Haiti still to this day, live in rubble, or tent slums, or orphanages because of the earthquake and are desperately waiting for the relief to come.
    Your have helped New Generation Ministries bring long term, sustainable programs that will educate, train, and equip the Haitian people to rise above their helpless condition and achieve the life God intended for them. Planting Life-Giving Churches, Setting up free Christian Schools and The Good Shepherd Children's Village, offering Medical Care, and many other life-giving programs. Is there really hope for Haiti......YES, and the fruit of the presence of God is showing itself in miraculous ways. Hundreds are coming to know Jesus as their savior, getting delivered, baptized, even married. Transformation is before our very eyes. YES, there is much hope for Haiti, and you are helping it happen. Thank You so much and please continue to pray and contribute towards the relief that Haiti is waiting for.....

Mike

A NEW YEAR THROUGH NEW EYES.....

Hello,

Hope your holidays were wonderful. We are so thankful for all of you, your prayers, support and encouragement. We have enjoyed seeing many of you while we have been back. Mike has been preaching and we have been sharing with many. We still have more speaking engagements and meetings, hoping to see as many of you as possible. 

This trip has been especially fun, as we have been able to see things through new eyes. Both Lydia and Jonathan, (their new English names, traditionally we have kept their Haitian names for their middle names), have been so fun to be with, as they take in so many things we take for granted. One of Jonathan's first comments was "how come the cars are all so clean". They have been excited over things as simple as bubble baths, and moving dental chairs and also over more complicated things, like the Seattle Monorail and skyscrapers. Just the airplane flights getting here were amazing to each of them. They have never seen grocery stores, large churches, malls, freeways, so many new things, some of them so weird if you think about them, like the produce department having the sound of thunder and then raining on the vegetables, machines that blow warm air into your home, machines that wash and dry your clothes or dishes. So many things we do not even notice. Ferry boats, dogs as pets, coats, mittens, Christmas trees, the list is so long. Thank you to all who prayed for our family and visa's. It could have turned out so different, but God prevailed. 

Please continue to pray for the Children's Village and our Good Shepherd Ministry in Haiti, along with Pastor Nathan. Your prayers would also be appreciated as Mike shares and preaches here in Washington, In both places please pray for hearts to be connected to Jesus and the Holy Spirit to be present.

Blessings,
Chris