Kalano, Francesca and their family

Their marriage

A sweet couple

Praying together during the ceremony

Hello, 

I  am writing to share a story. It involves some dear friends of ours. As I have said in the past Mike has said we have been called to minister in Haiti, but in the rural areas, not the city. But sometimes I think God just smiles down on us and thinks, they haven't a clue what I am up too. Slowly more and more of our neighbors in the city, have been asking to know about Jesus. This story is about one of those families.

So the story begins during this past July. Kalano and his wife started asking questions about our family and our faith in Jesus. Mike answered the questions as they came and then one day he asked if they were interested in Jesus, why they did not go to a  church? Their answer was a common one, "everyone says we cannot go because we do not have any clothes nice enough for church". Mike told them that they could come to any of the churches in our ministry with Nathan, and they would be accepted, no matter what clothes they had on. 

They shared that they each have a child from another relationship, and that as we knew their youngest child was both of theirs. We assured them that God was a God of forgiveness and acceptance.They shared that they struggled to find jobs and that they felt their lives were a mess. Over the next day or two they decide that they wanted to give their lives to Jesus. Mike shared the life giving gospel message with them. They accepted Christ into their lives and asked if they could go to church with us. We said yes, even though we already have on average 12 to 13 of us in the truck going to church each Sunday. They went the next Sunday and loved it. They came forward for prayer, and the healing started.

 The next thing they asked was if they could get married so that they would be right with God. They were one of the couples in the group we married on September 3rd. They also started reading the bible. This is huge, as the wife has some education and can even speak some French. But, God is performing a miracle with Kalano. He is not educated and cannot read and write other then to sign his name. But in his hunger and passion to know God more, God in his mercy has allowed Kalano to read and understand the bible. He still can't read anything else. 

God has also given Kalano a passion to learn and a sense for business. A little while later, Kalano came and asked if he could open the boutique that came with our house. It has been closed since we moved into the house. It is a room about 6 feet by 8 feet. There are two 500 gallon water tanks above this little room, set up for a purified water business which has a window opening to the street to sell through. We decided to take a risk and invest in him to start a business selling food items, toiletries and purified water. He and his wife have been running it now for a little over a month and they are doing wonderful. They are so faithful and such hard workers. They share their struggles and ask how they can learn and grow in their marriage, family and life. They also share their dreams. It has been such an honor and blessing to be involved in their transformation. They are a very sweet couple and have become friends. We are so thankful for what God has done in their lives. Two weeks ago Francesca, the wife, shared her testimony in church. God is such a good God and it is truly a gift to be able to see him move in peoples lives. Please keep them in your prayers as they learn how to walk out the lives they have been called too.

Blessings, 

Chris

It's so hard to sit and take any time to marvel at the miraculous way God covered us these past few days. It's hard when there are so many others that were not so covered. If you want to see it that way. I think he has us all in his sights.

We spent the day helping many of them with their physical problems. And God has used this hurricane, or the fear of it, to open a door for us to help their spiritual problems as well.

God knows what he is doing...

It is us who do not really know most of the time. I think there's nothing wrong with that, as long as we are closely following Him...
So, if you don't really know most of the time, how closely are you following Him?????

Mike

The second meeting of our neighborhood church

Mike sharing Jesus with the Non Christians

and Christians in our neighborhood.

Mike passing out rice in Gonaives

Mike passing out rice in our neighborhood.

Mike passing out rice.

Passing out rice in our neighborhood in Gonaives.

Nathan passing out rice in the community of Marose

Nathan passing out rice in Marose.

One of our boys helping pass out rice.

Passing out rice.

Passing out rice to the community.

Nathan in Marose.

October 5, 2016

Hello,

We want to thank you all for praying so much for our family and our friends here in Haiti. We so appreciate all of your prayers. We experienced miracles because of them. 

One of the precious miracles was a surreal feeling of Peace. Yes, the anxiety of the long wait squirt out differently among our family and friends, but over all we experienced a Peace that only could have come from God. I know I for one, on the Sunday morning the hurricane was first chosen to hit, was contemplating the what if's, in regards to the approaching  hurricane. But a peace that is hard to explain covered us, it was tangible, you could touch it. That, as the unknown approached was a miracle. 

Another miracle happened in Artibonite, where Gonaives is located. One of the reports I read said that after the hurricane first hit the south of Haiti, the storm started to come apart and the wind was not as concentrated, although it remained a category 4 hurricane. It stated that the hurricane passed the west and northwest part of Haiti, before regaining its concentration and moving on. I am not sure if that is the reason or not, but as the 140 - 155 mph hurricane passed, the winds were not nearly as destructive as they should have been for that speed. My phone said they were 76 miles per hour with gusts to 105. They certainly did not feel that strong. We did receive rain and lots of it, hence a little flooding, but nothing compared to what we were expecting.  I believe there was a huge covering over us and God showed his mercy and grace to us even though we were so undeserving of it. 

The third miracle we personally experienced was that of asking the people in our neighborhood to come out onto the street and worship and pray to God together Monday evening before the hurricane hit. We had between 30 and 40 people show up. Most of them not Christians. Mike shared about how Jesus desires them as they are, not after they are fixed up and dressed up. He explained that the religious rules that have been put on them are man's rules, not God's. He shared the simple gospel and then we worshiped and passed out muffins.

As we were thanking them for coming, some of them asked if we could do this again in the street? Some of them asked if this could be their church. We prayed for one teenage boy for healing. Then we all went back to our homes and waited for the hurricane. 

This morning we went back out into the neighborhood and asked the people to come once again so we could explain God's miracle of being spared and Thank Him. Again Mike shared a little bit about God and explained why and how we could thank him. We also prayed and worshiped again. This time we had closer to 50 people come. Afterwards we passed out rice to each family to help them. 

Nathan also passed out rice to the community in Marose around the orphanage. We have passed out a lot of rice and will continue to reach out and help with rice and whatever else is needed to help the people who have experienced some flooding or other problems due to the hurricane. Please help us reach out to them, help us to continue to be the hands and feet God. You can donate on our website, the link is below. You can say it is for hurricane relief. We would so appreciate the help.

Another miracle was that the hurricane did reach a category 5 (the highest rating possible)  before it struck Haiti and then changed to a category 4. Because of hurricane Matthew reaching a 5 in the Caribbean and because it was in the Caribbean longer than any other recorded hurricane it's name will be retired in history, scientists say.

Please continue to pray for Haiti, Cuba, the United States and the other countries hit by hurricane Matthew. The southern part of Haiti was hit very hard. The mayor of Jeremie said 3 historical buildings were destroyed and many roofs are gone and most of the town is flooded, and many have died. There are many little villages in South Haiti that have experienced the same things. Please continue to pray for them. And please continue to pray for us as we help people recover. 

On another note I just read more rain is coming like 14 inches plus! Please continue to pray.

Blessings,

Chris

October 4, 2016

It is 6:20 pm. According to this satellite photo we should be a little more than 1/2 way through with the hurricane. This is good news, prayers answered. The rain is still coming down hard, hopefully the canals and rivers are handling it. Please keep praying. The south part of Haiti did not fair so well.

Blessings,
Chris

October 4, 2016

It is almost 5 pm. Rain is increasing a LOT, some flooding, this picture is across the street from me. Literally 6-7 feet away. Wind not bad yet. We have been without power since 5am. Pictures from friends coming in from the south, in Haiti show much damage and flooding. So far we don't see major damage thank goodness. Thank you to all who have been praying. Please keep praying.

Blessings,
Chris

October 4, 2016

Nathan going out to buy rice, to help people through this hurricane. Kind of cute, you can't see his flip flops and shorts :)

October 4, 2016

Hello,

Just lots of rain so far. Many news reports are saying it is past Haiti. It is not past us, it is not even to Gonaives yet. Friends in Port au Prince are saying it is in Port au Prince now.
We are 81.1 miles from Port au Prince, 2 hours and 31 mins. by car. We are just experiencing the beginnings of rain and wind. This is an extremely slow moving hurricane. 6 miles per hour, even though the winds within the hurricane are 140 to 155 miles per hour. So please, please keep praying. The people here along with us need God's mercy and grace. Most likely it will not clear us before morning. God is in control, just trying to have peace literally in the midst of the storm. We have so many we love and care about here. They are important to God and his work here in Haiti. We are praying He is somehow glorified in this storm, bringing more people to life in Him. We need you to keep pleading before Him for Haiti.

Blessings,
Chris

October 3, 2016

We gathered our neighbors together for Prayer and Worship, Christian and non Christians together. Four different neighbors asked if this could be their church here on our street. Jesus with feet.

The house across the road from ours, it was destroyed in the last big hurricane, still full of mud and  not repaired.

Hello again,

I am writing to keep you abreast of all that is going on here in Haiti. Sometimes God is moving quicker then I can keep you updated :) 

Since the Madame, Mariette, has given her life to Jesus we have had many salvation's. One of the salvation's was for another man who is a killer by profession. There have been 8 additional salvation's in the area which she lives. Also the other day two of the madame's nieces called Nathan and said because of the huge change in the madame, they too would like to give their hearts to God. People are coming and giving their hearts to Jesus without anything being said. God is just lovingly calling them to him. Please continue to pray for the Madame's husband, he still has not given his heart to the Lord. We continue to have interesting dialogue with him​. I actually like him a lot, God has given me a heart for him.  I am pretty sure that he is really close to giving his heart to Jesus. Also, please keep praying for the Madame as she adjusts and learns how to live a new life. She is having a hard time with no income, loss of possessions, loss of friends, a community that is embracing her with caution and her not understanding how to walk out her day now. It is almost like learning how to walk again in the spiritual realm. 

One of the very cool results of her transformation is the fulfillment of a prophecy.  Back in May of 20ll, when we first felt called to minister in Pass Rein, the madame told Mike and Nathan that she would give them a piece of her property on the top of the hill by the voodoo camp. She never followed through with it, as she meant it as a manipulation tool, and because Nathan and Mike did not want to join forces with her, so it never materialized. Mike has felt ever since, that the ministry was supposed to have the land, that it was really the Lord's land. Well, now that she is saved she has come back to Nathan and Mike and said she wants the ministry to have the land again. Nathan feels like we are supposed to have a prayer and worship time on the land and drive a stake into the ground claiming it for Jesus, much like we did in the voodoo camp many years ago and like we did on the soccer field about a year ago. Prayers are huge, they move mountains, they move hearts, thank you ever so much for yours.

On another note we need your prayers for safety and mercy for us and the people of Haiti, as hurricane Matthew heads our way. Last night it became a category 5 hurricane, changing back into a 4 this morning. So far it is in line with Jamaica, with parts of it moving along the west coast of Haiti, right where we are ministering. It is supposed to hit Sunday night. Haiti is still recovering from previous hurricanes and earthquakes, because of deforestation and poverty dwellings Haiti will not fair well if hit with a category 4 or 5 hurricane. Please pray for mercy and protection. Right across the street from our home, literally about 6 feet from us, are the remains of a home destroyed in the the 2008 hurricane. There are many scattered though out our neighborhood. I will post a photo. We really need your prayers. 

Blessings,

Chris