Saturday, September 20, 2008

Crash makes Mdme Kiki cry...with joy and a homesick heart!

(Left:Christine Stevens & Melissa) (Below:our granddaughter, Alexandra)


Well with all the things going on with Lonia we haven't had the time to properly introduce you to the new help we have these days. Her name is Christine Stevens. She moved to Haiti in August, hook, line and sinker. She has committed to serving at least two years with us. Of course selfishly we are already praying that God has plans for her to stay longer. This is Chris in the red shirt with the blond/brown hair and yes, you guessed it, she's the bleached out one, with Melissa sitting on her lap. Melissa is our grandchild who lives with us she is five. We ask you to pray fervently for Crash, forgive me if I call her that. It is her nick name and it is all I could do to introduce her as Christine Stevens. Now you know from here on out when I am talking about Crash, it's her. Pray for her to have the strength to face each day in Haiti and let God do the rest.

Actually my friend Chris called me and said go check your e-mail and get a tissue but it's a good thing. This is the first time Crash has been able to send pics since she got to Haiti because it is Haiti and as we all know, "everything takes longer than it takes!". I have thought of and talked to Wilckly and Bioude and everyone else on the phone but haven't seen pictures. Obviously I was a lot more homesick than I thought!!!!! Imagine that? Did it help that Ashley screamed and kissed the screen when she saw our little granddaughter Alexandra? She just turned one in September. We can't believe how much she's grown and changed. Ashley couldn't believe how long her hair is now. Then Ashley said, "I can't wait until March so we can go home to Haiti." Kelsey on the other hand, shouted to everyone, "MY DADDY, IT'S MY DADDY". Very humorous since a day hasn't gone by when she hasn't asked to see her daddy or when are we getting on the plane to go see her daddy or when is her daddy coming to see her. At any rate it has been a great Saturday to see pictures of home. To see our family and dear Bioude who always helps balance the boat while others are busy trying to rock it. Thanks Crash! We needed that.

We have finally finished fencing the yard so animals can't come through. We couldn't plant anything because peoples animals walk around freely at Cariess and will devour whatever you have if it isn't fenced in. We have eight goats of our own now. This might not look like the ideal Iowa cornfield but we can find the corn and that is what counts. We have about two hundred banana plants planted. Why so many, you ask? We have a lot of mouths to feed and it looks like no one will be able to buy rice because it will be so expensive because of all the The crops are growing in the yard that we have finally fenced completely, so every one's hurricanes destroying the rice crop in Haiti. Praise God our crops are still standing and growing. We will keep adding goats to our herd. We will have our own meat. Praise God for the property we have and that it is finally fenced in. We spend money every month on continued construction. In Haiti you don't truly own something until you have it fenced in with block or rock walls, have buildings on it and people living on it and still many times it is questionable whether you own it. That's just Haiti. Pray for us as we try to become more self sufficient especially with our food. We are anxious to do a fish pond project which would provide more meat and protein for ourselves and eventually enough for the daily feeding program we plan to have in our school. PLEASE PRAY FOR THIS TO BECOME A REALITY. IT IS MORE IMPORTANT NOW THAN EVER. Haiti has taken a hit from these four hurricanes that could be irreversible. It is going to be very, very important that we are able to produce as much of our own food as possible. Please pray that all of these projects will come together.

Somebody once asked me, "Dee, why don't you and Wilckly just choose one thing to do in Haiti and stick to it instead of going in so many directions?" I said, "You try living in the middle of the people for one week and just choose one ministry to focus on. If they haven't run you out of town by then, we will certainly take your advice!" The question was asked because of the lack of understanding of the Haitian culture we live in. It is a third world or fourth world company depending on where you get your information. Basically means no matter who you are, when you are in the middle of it the only way to survive is to meet as many needs as you can no matter how different and varied they are. It doesn't even matter that it is your area of expertise, it just matters that you attempted to meet the need.

Can you imagine living in the middle of hungry people and trying to tell them you don't help with food, you only do education or medicine. Trust me they will not just give you an understanding look and go away. They will either force you to move your program elsewhere or add a new program like helping to provide food for them. We are so fortunate to receive 25 boxes of rice from Feed My Starving Children and Love A Child. This might not go far but it certainly helps the people, especially the children, know we are trying to meet their need for food. Above and to the right is a picture of Wilckly in the middle of a bunch of school and neighborhood children. He is distributing the rice bag by bag because there was such a great need at this moment. It was impossible to give it to just the school children we usually give it to. We thank the Lord for blessing us with this wonderful, "manna from heaven", if you will. To so many of them it has been just that. Above and to the left is a picture of many of the parents. They need food for their children. They need an education for their children. They need people willing to invest in the future of their children. They need the Lord in their lives.

Please remember all though the flood waters have past, the water has gone down....the real disaster has just begun. If you aren't able to give a monthly gift to help us work in Haiti but continually pray for us and our ministry, we really appreciate that. If you've been thinking you can't really make a monthly commitment but you would like to give a one time gift that would really make an impact, whether it is $5, $50, $500 or even $50,000, the time to make a difference is now! There are so many needs to be met. There are people to
feed, clothe, house, employ, educate, train and basically live out Christ's example before them. There is so much truth in the lyrics of the song that says, you may be the only Jesus some people ever see. If you would like to send your help at this time, make your check payable to :

NORTHEAST EVANGELISM memo: Dorce'
send to: Fred Green
900 South Clark St.
Moberly, MO 65270

Your gift is tax deductible. We thank you in advance. No gift is too small
or too large when given to the Lord. He will make all gifts sufficient.


Please continue to lift in prayer all of the people of Haiti as they try to get their bearings, pick up the pieces if they can find them and keep their heads up and keep going. One thing I know is that they are a resilient people. In most cases, like Lonia, absolutely amazing. You can't begin to imagine the hardships those people live through on a daily basis. Pray that many will come to know the Lord personally through all of this devastation. Pray for us and our mission that we will continue to live out Christ before them in a way that would make them hunger and thirst to know the Savior. It is not an easy task but it is the one that is set before us and we know we will reap the harvest if we do not grow weary. It's a promise. The exciting thing is, in spite of the hardships of ministry the Lord is impacting the lives of the Haitian people. People are coming to know Him. This is a baptism by immersion in the ocean near Cariess with fellow believers looking on and encouraging them. Please rejoice with them and pray for these new babes in Christ. Pray for them to remain faithful to Him.

Please pray for wisdom for Wilckly as he and I dream and plan the future of the mission work at Cariess. Pray that we would continue to dream big and dream what God wants to happen there and not what Wilckly and Dee want. Pray that we will continue to grow stronger as a couple whether near or far away as we are right now. Pray for strength for each of us to endure all that we face in this time apart. Pray we, our children and the mission will all be stronger for it. We, as always, thank you as you partner with us in whatever way to help us continue the work in Haiti. Please pray about visiting us in Haiti to actually see the work. May the Lord bless you and yours for a wonderful time of serving Him with everything you have.

In Chist,
Dee

4 comments:

anna e said...

again, I'm reminded to pray for you and your family and everyone working w/ you in Haiti. I'm praying for you all a lot.
I love you guys so much!

God bless

Blessing Hearts International said...

Thanks!!! We could survive without the many prayers that hold our ministry together. Thanks for remembering us.

Dee

Blessing Hearts International said...

Sorry for the typo. You know I mean we can't survive without your prayers.
Dee

Tammy said...

So awesome that you can see pics of your loved ones there! It is good to see Wilckly and Crash and all the beautiful Haitian people! My heart aches for the task they face cleaning up after the hurricanes. How overwhelming it must be for them..but once again..I am inspired and encouraged by their perseverance & pressing forward to advance God's Kingdom...no matter what the cost! Praying & praying for you! Love U!