Hello,
I have some exciting news, prayer requests and a story for you this morning :)
Today Mike will be teaching part of a two day conference for the Pastors of our ministry and the greater Gonaives area. There will be about 150 in attendance. He will be teaching on some basic Biblical concepts, like baptism, communion, mentoring new believers and 5 other topics. Please pray the Holy Spirit moves, opens eyes, minds and spirits. Please pray for the words to go from being nouns to verbs. In other words to become actions, part of their lives and the hands and feet of Jesus.
On another note I, Chris, personally am requesting your prayers. I have been having many problems with my right eye this past month. I have been communicating with an eye doctor in Bellingham. At first it seemed like I might be experiencing Retinal detachment, but now it may be more likely vitreous detachment. Because of the unknown diagnosis along with eye site being precious, we have decided to fly our family home a bit early this year. We will be flying out of Haiti Tuesday. Thanks to Dr. Larson's help I will be seen next Thursday in his Bellingham office. I would really appreciate your prayers for my eyes, eye site, our travel and that we can get things pulled together in preparation of leaving a bit earlier. I am busily trying to complete Christmas gifts and celebrations for the Children's village.
The exciting news is that this Monday we will be opening our NEWLY REMODELED MEDICAL CLINIC. We will be more then doubling the size of our medical clinic. We have hired a second Haitian doctor, a third Haitian nurse, and finally have found a Haitian DENTIST, we are so very excited! We are also adding a laboratory! Huge changes for the community of Marose and the surrounding area. Please pray as the new team merges with the previous staff. Also pray for wisdom and compassion as they help each patient. And for additional funding for new staff, pharmaceutics and lab supplies.
The STORY takes place in the mountainous village of Sedron. Mike was asked to preach there, so off we trekked winding up through Myan and on up the mountain side, through the river multiple times, up narrow paths, finally reaching our destination. When we arrived we walked down steep stairs leading into the building on the mountain side. They started with a lecture type Sunday school for all ages. Then we experienced amazing worship and little singing groups, Nathan brought his choir from Pass Rein and Sedron had their own choir. Then Mike preached and we had an amazing prayer time. The offering was most enjoyable, these people know how to tithe. There were baskets of fruit, vegetables, even chickens in the offering. (The chicken became quite loud, haha, so they had to be removed before I could get a photo:( Joshua and Joey, if you are reading this, you would have loved being there filming.) Afterwards they served lunch. During the prayer time one girl in particular needed prayers for delivering. After the church service she came up to Mike and I and said she wanted to share a bit. First she introduced us to her Jimo, twin sister. Then she shared that recently she had become quite sick. I think she is 17 or 18 years old. She shared that her whole family went to church and that her father was a committed Christian. She said her mother told her she was a Christian, but when hard times came she would turn to voodoo. So when this girl became very sick, the mother insisted that she take this girl to a witch doctor. That week the mother passed away. The father brought her to church and as we prayed Jesus healed her. Praise God!!! I am so sorry the mother passed away, but so glad that the daughter was healed and God was Glorified!!! A great example of God being victorious! Please pray for this girl, her family and the community of Sedron as they process all that has happened. The community of Sedron now wants to become part of our Bon Berger, Ki bay lavia, Good Shepherd, life giving church community. We have shared with them that this is a process that takes time. Through relationship they will learn more about what we believe and we will learn more about how they will walk out being a life giving church. Please lift them up in prayer for open hearts, minds and spirits. Please pray for Nathan and the ministry, for discernment. The leaders of Sedron will be at the conference today.
Thank you so much for faithfully lifting the ministry and our family up in prayer. We could not be a part of this without you.
Blessings,
Chris
