We Just Got Home

We just spent this last week returning to Haiti so that Jane could work with Madam Johnathan and Pastor Migueloson as a team overseeing Starfish for the coming school term. My focus was to get up to speed with mechanical needs, available tools, and determine what we will need to bring.
It was good to get back after a one day delay in Fort Lauderdale due to plane breakdowns, spending the week as house guests of Kate Zlotnicki.
With a ring full of keys I headed down to the maint. shop but to my surprise the generator building next to it was silent. They tell me that E.D.H the local power company has been increasing on more of the time over the past two months which reduces the cost of electricity by approx. 50%. Its a good thing as I see that one of the generators is in parts with the field coils out being rewound.

Brett asked us to start settling the house where we will be living. After a walk through I see that a coconut has fallen through the roof over the living room. That afternoon we got a ride down to the new seminary to see the house hold furnishings Gordan and Doreen had left us that would need to be moved. As we were leaving to return to the OMS compound with the work team, it started to rain and rained for the complete 30 minute ride in the back of an open truck!

Friday morning while Jane worked in the office with Starfish, I proceeded to replace the damaged roof panel and in the late afternoon we moved a pick-up truck load of boxes back to our house ( with thunder and the threat of rain.) Saturday morning we moved all of the furniture and the rest of the boxes with the larger truck. As soon as we unloaded we went to town with Kate to a little place for American hamburgers and fries then off to grocery shopping.

The store was very neat, well stocked and modern [along with an armed guard] and about the size of a convenience store here.

As we compared prices gourdes to US$ we were a little set back by the cost. Many people at home believe that we should have no problem living very lavishly in Haiti on our US Dollar, well check this out. Deodorant stick 200 gourdes/ $5US, 6 eggs 75 gourdes/ $1.92 US, 1LB. spaghetti approx $2 US, 1 litre carton imported milk $2 US, 1 Kg powdered milk from Brazil 400 gourdes/ $10.26 US

After returning home from shopping Jane worked at settling the house while I helped with an electrical problem.

Sunday we worshipped with Kate at the Vaudreuil Church with one of our Haitian friends interpreting the sermon for me.

Sunday evening we worshipped at the radio station at the English service.

Monday morning we met with leadership and are very encouraged.

Tuesday evening Jane hosted a bar-b-que for the missionaries with all of the fixings that we had brought with us.

Weds. I was able to move the box crammed full of tools that Gorden had left for me up to the house.

It was a great time to be with the staff there in Haiti, they are all being stretched and are looking forward to our return. We only wish that it could be sooner than later.

Thursday it was good-bye and off to the airport for a day of airflights with a late arrivale here in Erie.

We are settled and anxiously waiting for our remaining support to come in to allow us to move in.

Bud

Traveling Again

Here we are at the end of April and the month went so fast. We are home for this week but will be speaking locally at the Weslyville Baptist Church on Wed April 29 at 7:00. Then on Saturday we will be leaving for New York City to speak at the First Wesleyan Church of Brooklyn on Sunday morning. We will quickly do a turn around and be home Sunday night. Tuesday morning we are heading for Haiti. I wish it was for a longer stay but it is only for 10 days. We are going over to see how I can effectively help with the Starfish Kids program from here in the states until we are fully funded. I am so fortunate to be able to work with two wonderful Haitian people Pastor Migueloson and Madam Jonathan. They are doing a wonderful job with the Starfish Kids program already. I am going to be joining them in ministry and am looking forward to it. Together we will share the joy of leading children to the Lord along with helping to provide some of the things they need to get a good education. Bud is going to be checking out what he will need to bring with him when we make the official move. We still have a long ways to go. We are over half way in our funding and are anxious to see how the Lord brings the rest of the pieces together. I hope to have lots of pictures to share with you when I return. Jane

One of the things that we are learning as we follow the Lord’s lead is to remain flexible. I have been asked to be the Sponsorship and Donations cordinator for the Starfish Kids program as part of my duties in Haiti. Starfish Kids is a child evangelism program that uses sponsorship and education to share the Gospel with over 7000+ children everyday. Over 1850 children receive shoes, school books and tuition. All 7000+ children receive breakfast everyday. I am excited to be asked to work along side two wonderful and dedicated Haitian staff. Together it is our desire to see more children come to know the Lord through this program. These children are the future of Haiti.

There is much to be done this time of year to close out the school year and make sure that everything is in order for the Fall. As you know we are still here in the states and are presently 50% funded. I am willing to do what I can from here to help in this transition but it would be so much easier and better for the program if I were there on a full time bases fulfilling my duties.

Bud was to be one of two full time missionaries filling the position of maintenance/mechanic. Because of reassignments in the field he is now the only career missionary in this position full time.

We are confident that the Lords timing is perfect and that He has a plan for our departure. That plan does require we be fully funded. As we continue on this journey we are learning what it means to totally depend on the Lord for our financial needs, to open doors and to share His work. We are trying to spend more time in the Word of God, which teaches us about patience, total surrender and what it means to trust him completely. There are days I fail, but I am so grateful that Our Lord is a God who allows us thru repentance and forgiveness to start over.

Prayer Requests

For knowledge and wisdom in the area of how to help the starfish kids program while still here in the states, raising funds.

Pray for our team that remains in Haiti. Our team is small but are very dedicated to the Lord and the Haitian people.

We are praying for Christians who will step out in faith and make faith promises in our name, for the next two years. We are in need of partners at all levels from $25 per month to $250 per month. We pray that they will realize it is all the Lord's. we are just returning a portion back to him for HIS use, winning souls in Haiti. We want them to realize what a blessing the Lord has for those who enter into His work with their lives and finances.
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Bud and I will be traveling to Haiti in May. This is in preparation for our new jobs. We hope that we will be moving there permanently by the end of Aug. Lord willing.

What Can a twelve year old do for Jesus?

For Kelli and Rachel it was simple. Ask your fellow students to help. Kelli and Rachel are members of Summit United Methodist Church and attend Robison School. We spoke in their church in February. Two days after our visit their teacher assigned the class each a country in Latin America. Kelli was randomly assigned Haiti and Rachel was given Jamaica and guess what, the next Sunday the speakers in church were missionaries to Jamaica. The girls did a wonderful job finding out everything they could about these countries. Kelli and Rachel both received 50 out of 50 points for their reports. But they wanted to do more. They approached their teacher and principal and asked if their classes could raise money to help fund the missionaries. Together the children raised over $113 for each missionary. God uses people of all ages to do His work around the world. We are never to young or too old to serve others. We are so thankful to all the children of Robison School who participated in this project and especially to Kelli and Rachel for their willingness to hear God's call to action. Every time we help a Haitian child, we are going to share with them, how the children in this school, cared so much about them that they help send us.

Graduation Day for My Mom

I would like you to meet my brothers and sisters. This is the first time we have all been together in over 21 years. We came together to celebrate the life of our mother and the love she had for us all. My mother and dad adopted 16 children and fostered 91 children. She was 91 years old and joined my father in heaven on March 13. We would like to thank everyone for the prayer cards and all the blessings you sent our way as we set this time aside to honor her. This was the answer to prayer for us all. Mom has been suffering with a lot of pain and physical limitation for a long time. In her last words she wanted us to all know that although she was not anxious to leave us she knew that it was time to go home and be with Jesus. She was so looking forward to it. My mother was called to be the mother of the world and God gifted her with all that she would need to do so. Her legacy also includes 45 grandchildren, 27 great grandchildren and 6 great great grandchildren who with out a doubt knew grandma loved them. Thank-you Jesus for loving us all so much that you came to die and pave a way for us to be able to enter heaven. My mother's favorite passage is in John and her funeral was held on 3:16. Thanks mom even in your death you wanted us to know about Jesus. Jane