Progress

Chris & Rebecca Girvan arrived in Haiti just two weeks ago, August 17 and are going to be working with Haiti ARISE until June 2011. They will be teaching ESL, doing basketball clinics and youth Bible study. With the myriad of other ministry opportunities we are sure they will be busy and get their hands dirty. Becca grew up a farm girl and Chris is from Red Deer, Alberta. This is Chris' third trip to Haiti. They spent two years previous in South Korea teaching ESL, so the culture is quite a contrast to the fast paced, high tech city life. So far they are enjoying themselves. They will be working with the Haitians to keep the work going while we are in Canada. You can follow their blog at In His Service. Things are starting to progress. Four posts were set yesterday for the new wall system and the footings for the tech school are being dug. The road is being fixed too with the Bobcat, smoothing it out with rubble removed from the property.

-9/2/10

Another Month of Challenges

It is hard to believe a whole month has passed by since I have written anything. One day passes into the next here with so much activity that time slips through my fingers. It does not take long after being back down here to be hit with a myriad of challenges. Necessary tools are not at hand, equipment breaks down daily, office electronics don't want to function properly in the heat and the power goes on and off as if at it's own will. If we keep the North American mindset of productivity here, frustration mounts up when things don't run smoothly. However, we do our best to flow with the rhythm and accomplish what we can. It was a blessing to have Chad and Kelly O'Neill here with us for five weeks. They were a big help in many ways, and adjusting to the pace and obstacles that are around every corner here was a big lesson for them too. Working together provided us the encouragement and strength to press on and learn together.

Alice, Kelly and I worked to get all of the Education Fund reports done, having students come do photos, provide info and write letters. Between temperamental ink cartridges and wacky connections with laptops and printers, we found joy in talking with students, hearing their stories and experiences from the earthquake. It is so satisfying to be able to help these young people continue their schooling and encourage them in their faith. A team from Nelson, BC also came to offer a hand. We built a new playground for the elementary school. Watching the thrill in the children's eyes as they flew down the slide made from plastic barrels is great. The yard is going to be a buzz of commotion very soon, with 200+ kids coming for school!
-8/30/10

Time to Regroup

It has been a busy week already since coming back. There are so many things to attend to, so much to reorganize, plan and set back into action. The feel in the country is a mix of anticipation and discouragement. It has now been six months since the quake and so many are still living in a state of limbo, waiting for help, expecting to get ahead, but daily facing the reality of a slow rebuilding process.

We are working hard to construct temporary elementary classes to open in the fall. This week is also occupied with preparing Education Fund Reports and Student cards. We are delighted to have some helping hands with us. Alice Smedes, one of our Canada board members, is here again to help with the reports and with our kids. Chad and Kelly O'neill from Surrey, BC are here with their 10 month old, Dublin, for five weeks to help in construction and administration. They wil be keeping up a blog that you can follow here: O'neill's In Haiti. We will get a newsletter out very soon to update you on all the details of what is happening!!

-7/20/10

Refreshed and Ready to Run

As a family, we had some time this month to refresh. Marc, baby and I went on a REAL holiday, for the first time in 10 years- meaning totally away from work and just having fun!

Before we were married, I served in Italy for 2 years under Steve and Patti Gray teaching in an international school and always said I would return one day. Marc and I have been saving airmiles since we started traveling back and forth to Haiti for that purpose and this year being our 10th anniversary, as well as undergoing so much stress, we felt it was the right time to go.

And we are so glad that we did. The sites were amazing, walking through the same places where the Apostle Paul walked! We came home refreshed and now feel ready again to put all of our energy back into the work in Haiti. We will back there Tuesday, July 13th and be joined by Chad and Kelly O'neill from Surrey, who will be working with us for the summer. We have four other couples lined up this fall to come work. Rebuilding projects are going to commence right away- the technical school foundations, the medical clinic & home rebuilding in the community. We have also built temporary classes to open the elementary school in Sept. We are moving from immediate relief phase to rebuilding for long-term. Unlike many relief organizations, we are rebuilding our community to last, even if another earthquake would hit the country. That includes teaching the locals to build better and using the local resources to ensure sustainability. I can't wait to be back. It's gonna be a sweaty summer in the Caribbean humindity!

-7/10/10

Last Team of the Season

One more team has come to serve the people with us. This time the focus will be for the children, a much needed time to share with them the love of Christ and encourage them that they are important too.  There will be 3 days of Vacation Bible School this week. The following week will be a sports camp for the teens for 3 days. We usually hold basketball camps each spring, Not long after the earthquake many of the young men who come to the camps came to Marc and asked if we planned to have it this year. They expressed the need to have an outlet, a way to get their minds off of all the stress of the past few months. So they are looking forward to it, and we are too, cause it is an awesome opportunity to share the gospel with young men and women who normally would not come to church. A part of the team is keeping a blog that you can follow if you like: My Deep Thoughts, by Jon Theissen.

The kids and I are packing up again, for the fourth time in six months, and heading down to WA. I look forward to the day when we won't have to pack up again... maybe someday... soon. I can't wait to get back to Haiti, to get back in the sweat and back in with our friends. Soon...

-6/8/10

Positive Outlook

Spending the very short week back in Haiti with Marc, the leaders, the staff and the medical team was so refreshing. It stimulated again all the vision and heart in me for the work of the Lord there and renewed my sense of hope for the people. In the many talks I had with so many of our friends, hearing their experiences and stories, I found an underlying theme. One put it very well. Marc Eddy with a very positive attitude said that this earthquake has brought many to Christ, and if that was the only purpose in it all, the hardship and suffering are all worth it. He is so right. Many all too often forget God when life is easy, comfortable and void of conflict. It is when we are laid bare, stripped of all that God is able to grab hold of hearts best. Though there is a sense of fear of what may come, the many so dear to us in Haiti seem to be all the stronger in faith for what they have survived. It was a wonderful trip, one I can't wait to make again, as soon as possible and for a longer period. I am ready to go home, where my heart is.

-6/2/10

Follow With Us

Clinics are running smoothly, and almost all of our Haiti ARISE board members are here on the ground with us. It is really exciting. There will be blog posts from the others here, and you can also follow the blog from Jen Hartley, our communications director at A Restless Green and the HFL Medical team blog at HFL Haiti. Thank you for your prayers, support and encouragement. We WILL see this nation rise.

To leave here is going to be very difficult for me. I was very tempted to tell Marc to fly down here with all the kids and lets just stay. There is so much to do and even more so, there are so many here to love. As I have conversations with staff, family and friends, they all want to recount the dramatic events of the past months, with much expression and demonstrations. They are so lively, full of enthusiasm and love, despite all the challenges that they are facing. Difficulty is nothing new to the Haitian people. Suffering seems to be a way of life here. Though it is not chosen or prefered, it does form such a depth of character in a person, and draws them to rely on God's power and omnipotence. Yet, the earthquake is far beyond what any here have ever experienced, and the trauma of it is still having an impact. There is small pockets of progress happening, clean up of rubble, homes beginning to be rebuilt.

-5/22/10

Back Home... for a Little While

Finally, my feet have hit the ground again in Haiti. It has been different, and am sure it will continue to be for this week and a half. So much has changed. Haiti is not the same country it was before that defining moment of January 12th. A day that will definitely mark the history books. But I am feeling such an amazing peace, a true happiness, knowing I am back where I was called to be. The medical team is getting set up for clinics to begin this afternoon, we have already done our debriefings and staff meetings. I am right back into the heart of things. And it feels so right. Just missing four things- Asher, Miesha, Jasmine and Marc. The kids are anxious to get back here too. With tears down their little cheeks, they said "Why can't we come too and see if it is safe now for us to go home?" I wish they were here. Marc will be coming Saturday and our dear friend Kim will be watching the little ones. I am not sure of the likelihood that I will get to blog daily, but will try. The blog from the medical team can be followed though. Click on this link to Hungry For LIfe Team Blog.

Please keep us all in your prayers. We will be doing not only medical, but also be doing PTSD talks and times of prayer with the people. There is still so much fear, uncertainty... One thing I know. For now, I am home.

-5/20/10

Stark Contrasts

The snowy blizzard in Central Alberta today reminded me, yet again, of the stark contrast of Canadian and Haitian life. My, how I miss the warm weather of the Caribbean. I was struck though, by the fact that here, in bad weather, I can run for a cozy cover and a fire place. In Haiti most people only have bed sheets now to cover their heads from the rain, and that surely won't keep them warm. These tent cities will be the collective reality for probably months to come.  This is certainly only aggravated by the recent and less than inspiring news from President Preval to the shell-shocked and displaced masses that they could expect yet  another, even larger, quake. He told them not to retreat back into any cement buildings, so even if their homes are still standing, they are sleeping outside.

I feel a different sense of displacement, a separation of family and a sort of loneliness that you just can't experience in Haiti.  In Haiti there is just no space for this sense of separation. I am going on four months now up in Canada. I know God has his hand of protection on us, but there is still so much emotion that goes with being isolated from all that I love - my husband, my dear friends and my calling. Yet each day, His mercies are new every morning, His grace sufficient for another night. Though my sorrow lasts for the night, I find new joy just around the corner in the fresh smiles of our new baby Ariana, the laughter and jokes of our older two and the new-found facial expressions of our Jasmine heading for her twos.

Marc will be home in a few days, leaving the staff and David and James to continue to capably oversee the work. We are so blessed with amazing, vibrant, passionate people in Haiti to work with us. It is a good thing, because Marc is in desperate need of a rest. As am I.  For now, I will cuddle up under my fuzzy blankets and thank God for the shelter from the storm.

4/27/10

Photos & Updates

Here are some links to other blogs, one from David and James who are in Haiti for another month.  Run The Race. The last recent team from the Link Church in Medicine Hat, BC were in Haiti April 6-13th. You can see their blog with video coverage at: Haiti Trip. We also have a new album of photos posted on Facebook: Wall Progress, April 2010.

A Song for Haiti

We received this email today and thought you would all enjoy:

"When I returned from Haiti one of my wife's friends put us in touch with a guy out of Halifax who is the worship leader at Emmanuel Baptist Church in Halifax and is a music producer as well. He and a large number of East Coast musicians were in the final stages of a project to put together a video in support of Haiti and he was very excited to talk with me about Haiti Arise, my experiences there, and see some of the images I had from my trip. The link below will take you to that finished product and I am sure you will recognize some of the pictures and video used. They also have included the link to Haiti Arise as one of two options to donate at the end of the video as a result of the conversations.

Bondye beni ou, Aaron"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QHXC9xthxMM&feature=email

Sense of Security

It has been a great week with Marc back here. The kids, my mom and I drove down to WA two weeks ago, I booked a romantic hotel in Seattle and set the kids up at my sister's. Marc was scheduled to fly in on Wednesday night, March 24th, but due to storms, airplane troubles and flight regulations forbidding airline staff to work overtime, Marc did not get to fly in til Thursday... so... I had a relaxing evening in the hotel by myself. Couldn't really cancel the reservation at 1AM, so I decided to just enjoy the peace. We had a great time when he got in though. We went to a Celtic concert, visited with my family and of course, talked a lot about Haiti. It has brought me a sense of security having him here. I am more anxious to go now than before, to be with Marc, to see everyone, hug friends and see firsthand what has happened. Marc expressed how challenging it has been for the people to work through the fear and uncertainty of life there now. Getting the wall up around the property has been a vital step though, in re-establishing security, but even deeper than that, bringing a sense of healing to our people and reassure them that they are protected. You see, as North Americans it is hard for us to understand why a wall would be important. Yet, we too have walls.  Homes are enclosed and provide us with a sense of belonging and protection from vulnerability and danger. In Haiti, the people do not spend their time inside their homes but to sleep. Their homes are open. It is the walls around their homes and around the places that they consider shelters of safety that bring them protection. Now, all the walls are down, people are sleeping in the open and their fear of vulnerability is apparent. So, yes, the wall brings much more than just tangible security. It brings healing.
-3/30/10

Anticipated Family Reunion

I am very anxious for tomorrow to arrive, as Marc will be coming back home for a week and a half. It has been too long being apart. But God is faithful. He always takes difficult things and teaches us through them. I want to share that this time the distance has really brought a sense of revival in our marriage and also an urgency to regain the focus of making our family our priority. It is so easy to get caught up in the havoc of crisis and overlook what is right in front of you - the children. In this resepct, I have completely sensed God's presence and grace knowing that he allows me to be in North America rather than Haiti so I can give them my attention despite all that is happening. Though I am anxious to get back to Haiti, I am also grateful for this time and all the more excited to have Marc here with us for the little time that he can.  He will be going back again with the next team, and returning again when they return. This is only a season and so we endure, believing that through this God will bring greater blessings.

-3/23/10

The Brink of Revival

Another month has passed by and the Haitian people are attempting to return to some sense of normalcy. Schools are still not in session, yet children seem happy, playing in and around the thin walls of tarp tents. I can’t help but think how we really are blessed in Grand Goave. God has preserved us in so many ways, and given us the ability to be able to help the people.

The timely partnership with Samaritan’s Purse has made it possible to provide the needed shelter, water and sanitation for our community. We have been able to employ so many people in so many different kinds of jobs. All of our staff and technical school students, as well as church members, are making wages which help them to rebuild their own lives. This has offered a tremendous sense of hope. They are not relying on hand outs, but fully participating in the clean-up of their own community and support of one another.

Aftershocks are still being reported, this past week one centered in Grand-Goave at 4.8. This has had dramatic effects on the people’s psyche. Marc  told me that the people are plagued with fear. He can see it in their eyes, as they don’t know what will happen tomorrow. Those who have homes wonder if they reenter them, will they fall tomorrow in another quake? This has been so traumatizing. Yet there is always a silver lining. Many are being drawn to Christ and there have been so many conversions all over the country that we believe Haiti is on the verge of revival. In fact, as you may have heard, on February 12, a month after the quake, and what was supposed to be the start of Mardi Gras celebrations, President Rene Preval called for a consecrated 3 days of prayer and fasting instead. This is monumental! It could totally transform Haiti! The churches in every town were full of all kinds of people, including our own. Marc arrived in Haiti on the 14th, the last day of the consecrated fast, to find even well known voodoo priests crying out at the altar in our church. There was no room for the drums or the worship team to even set up. In the capital, it was reported that at least 1 million people filled the streets in front of the presidential palace each day from 6am-6pm praying, singing and crying out in repentance. There were thousands who made confessions of faith in Christ, including at least 100 voodoo priests, in PAP alone. To see video footage of this event, you can click on this link: “Haiti-A Call to Fasting & Prayer”. There are many other amazing videos which chronicle those three days posted on YouTube.
Haiti is reviving. Haiti is arising. Haiti is going to be glorious again, even greater than her former glory. This is the word for this beloved nation. Let us too keep praying and believing for the people of Haiti. Let us not forget.

-3/11/10

Sea of Blue

I finally had an opportunity to talk to Marc in Haiti where he has been for a week now. Email communication is still difficult, as our satellite was damaged and our secretary’s computer was destroyed in the quake. She has had to transfer everything over to another computer with which she is not familiar.  This means setting up email and our accounting system again. This is something that I would usually help her with if I were there so she is having to figure out some things as she goes.
Marc said that aftershocks are still happening and people are still not staying in their homes. Marc is also staying with about 15 others in an open shelter area on the campus. He has been very busy traveling around town, helping set up shelter tents for people who have lost their homes.  He is also helping to set up water systems with Samaritan’s Purse.

“There is a sea of blue tarps everywhere, throughout the whole countryside,” he told me, referring to the tarps brought in by SP. Now the worries are the rains. They have started to come. I heard word from Lifeline yesterday that heavy rains came down, filling up people’s tents. They tried to seal in the bottoms with rock and some kind of embankment around their tents. The assessment team is getting ready to head off and I wish that I could go. I am longing to see the faces of or friends, greet them with friendly kisses and hear their stories of resilience through yet another disaster.

-2/20/10

On the Road Again

Marc has gone again, back to Grand-Goave, where his heart has been aching to be. He was not necessarily excited to go back. He was anxious about the possibility of feeling the earth shake under his feet again but ready to get back to work.

And though I am sad to see him leave, I am looking forward to a little more rest and some time to just give the kids my focus again. The events of the past month have been pretty all-consuming. Life is slowing a bit and it seems to allow a sense of normalcy - even our Haitian friends are adapting to life after the quake and taking up their daily routines. Marc called from the Haiti ARISE campus once he arrived.   It was late in the evening after being escorted from Fort Lauderdale and through Port Au Prince by Samaritan’s Purse. He was happy to be with our staff again, playing cards and enjoying their company. He said that they were still having tremors - two today. Unbelievable. I asked him how he was handling that. He’s coping.

Amidst all the recent activity I have been enjoying our new little bundle, Ariana. My preferred name for her though is Peanut, for now, while she is so tiny. I am so thankful to the Lord for giving us such adaptable, calm babies. Especially in a time like this past month, God knew what I needed and what I could handle. No cholicy, fussy baby, praise God.

The other kids have been great with her. Jasmine just loves “beebee” to pieces, not feeling ousted one bit. In fact, she's becoming quite the little mama herself.  I have also been so grateful for the many hands that have been here to help us. My mom just left today after her month-long stay, and I miss her already. Our friends in Haiti are sure anxious to meet Ariana. They insisted on Marc bringing pictures. I don’t know when we will get to go back at this point. My heart longs to be there, but I am grateful to be here in a place where our kids are safe and sound.

-2/15/10

Progress on the Ground

The days do not seem to slow even though the news is beginning to wane from Haiti. There is still so much to be done. We are, however,  pleased with the progress that is being made on the ground with our Haitian leadership team in collaboration with Samaritan’s Purse. It has been a great blessing partnering with them there. They are helping with the immediate clean-up, provision of relief for emergent needs and initial repair to some of our damaged facilities.  Their engineer sent sad news that the technical school will have to be demolished. It seems, after seven years of work, we are starting all over. However, we hold on to the hope that it will be a better, stronger school the second time around. We praise God for his amazing favor in keeping our residential building standing solid. This is a great testimony of one of our core values of building naturally and spiritually with excellence. Marc has been busy with daily meetings and speaking engagements that have proven to also be profitable in getting the word out for help. We are finalizing our plans to send the assessment team down and we will keep you posted as work continues.  Please continue to keep the team and staff in Haiti in your prayers and pray, also, for the travel arrangements and well-being of our assessment team as they prepare to embark.

-2/9/10

Still Stunned Though News Slows

The events of the last four days have been a revival again of emotion, from exhiliration at plans coming together to intense despair in facing post-tramatic stress. After knowing that our staff and ministry were preserved with no deaths in our immediate circle of Haitian relationships, I had clung to that as a sort of coping mechanism to get through the past week. Especially with our baby coming and being born and the amount of energy that alone spent, I just had to cling to some sense of hope in the midst of all the despair. As news has slowed a bit too, we also had to take some time away from even watching any new reports. Marc has been experiencing a lot of effects of the emotional trauma, with recurring dreams of earthquake events, and disquieted fear striking him each time there is a loud noise or a small shaking. When we were in church last weekend, the large organ began to play a deep base and Marc suddenly braced himself as his heart jumped. Since Marc has returned I think I also took a position to be a support to him, putting my own anxieties and emotional weariness behind me. This weekend though, the events on the ground in Haiti became raw and real to me again. We watched a documentary by Marc Driscoll of Seattle Mars Hill Church of the condition of churches throughout PAP. I think I had kind of convinced myself too, as another way of coping with the shock of the whole disaster, that the churches must have been preserved. I knew that the majority of Catholic churches had been destroyed, but had not heard much of the Christian churches or of people who wer believers dying. Well, watching the stories unfold of some churches that experienced tremendous loss of both their facilities and congregations was too much for me to bear.

I suddenly realized that there may be many more people that we know and love that may have been lost. Just days before the quake, we held our annual Pastor's conference. Bob McGregor and Henry Mears of MFI who were our guest speakers, had left on Monday, just a day before! We have yet to hear from the majority of these pastors and their congregations, their churches, their homes. There is still so much unknown.This brought me to another complete breakdown. The trauma will take a long time to work through- and I was not even there, on the ground, losing my own children and home...

So, I know it has been three or four days since we have gotten news out to you again. We are working on it, believe me. We have lots of very exciting things to share, plans and progress of what is happening. Yet, I have not been able to emotional sustain much more. As I sit down in front of the computer, my mind goes blank, I don't know what to convey. Fortunately, we have an amazing team around us, both in Haiti and in North America and you will be hearing from them too as we progress. So please keep praying and keep Haiti in your heart. Don't let it slip away like news of yesterday. We will be sharing again with you all shortly! I know that there is much hope in this desperate situation and we will hold onto that.

-2/1/10

Whirlwind Days, Renewed Strength

The range of emotions the human heart can endure is astonishing, at best. From the depths of despair to the hieghts of joy... I have felt them all in the past 12 days. Having Marc come back home, though he has been so torn by leaving, has given me a renewed sense of strength. I can now be strong for him and I give thanks to the Lord as I feel so much of my energy must be supernatural. Cell phone service in Haiti seems to be improving as we have received a few calls from our leaders and one of our nephews who lives with us. The reports from them are encouraging, at least for our area. They are very positive; the people are all still camped out together at the compound and the technical school, even after the last 6.1 quake, is still standing!  Security is becoming more of a concern though, as they say the food situation is becoming more dire. There does not seem to be any aid from outside getting into grand-Goave, or for the western part of the island. People are till fearful of entering back into their homes, since structures are still falling. Many more homes collapsed in town after Thursday's last quake. Our major concern now is getting people into at least temporary shelters before the rainy season hits, which is due at the beginning of March.

It was a tough choice for Marc to come back to Canada, but our Haitian leadership team, as well as the Nelson team insisted he return for many reasons. Our staff of Haitian told him numerous times how grateful they were that the kids and I (Lisa) were not in Haiti during this time. Seems God's sovereign hand saved us for this time, even when we did not know or understand why. The leaders urged Marc that it was important for him to be home with us, especially now that our baby is due any moment- already overdue by a day. The mix of emotions, joy of new life and the sorrow of so many lost, have made it challenging for Marc to sleep, but at least he is getting rest. The second reason they pressed him so urgently to return was to share firsthand with as many people as possible of the desperate need and situation of Haiti, and to instill a sense of hope that Haiti will yet again ARISE! A people so resilient, that have endured so much suffering for long enough, and are determined to rise up again. Marc stated this morning while speaking at CrossRoads Church in Red Deer that, "I challenged the people before I left Haiti, though we may fall, we will rise again! And we will be an even better nation. God wants to rebuild Haiti into a glorious nation and though we don't understand all that has happened, I know that he could not build on the unstable foundation our country had. He must build a new, solid foundation."

So, our hope rests in the Lord and we will wait on Him for renewed strength and a new song! We also wait for a new Honorat to come into the world, another nation changer...

-1/24/10

A Clearer Story

I am of course overwhelmed with gratitude that my husband has returned safely to us up here in Canada. The reunion with him was more emotional than could be imagined and many news media were there to witness it, as well as many of our friends and supporters of Haiti ARISE. Thank you to those of you who came! I know it meant a lot to Marc. We have already scheduled meetings for this week and next, working to get mobilized strategic efforts and partnerships with groups, organizations and businesses who are eager to help us get immediate, short and long-term help to Haiti. I don't imagine life slowing down anytime soon, and hoping that baby #4 will just hold on a little while longer before deciding to come! This weekend, which is my due date, we plan to be in Red Deer to speak at two churches.

Hearing Marc's firsthand account of the initial quake and the days following is completely captivating. He is somber and having a hard time being here and not there. But our Haitian leadership team, who are strong and able, urged him to be here with us and to be a spokesman for Haiti ARISE to garner as much help as possible. The situation is beyond what any of us here can fathom. The images, video and reports don't even begin to help us capture the experiences those on the ground are having. As Marc has recounted some of those first moments to some here already, he shared of the fear and terror of it all... here are some of his words from the experience that is still unfolding:

"When the earthquake hit, I had just come downstairs from the technical school. Classes were all going on and I was calling to Mitou, our computer teacher to come help me with something. As he came downstairs too, suddenly there was this huge sound and something like an explosion threw me up into the air. I thought it was a bomb at first and I cried out 'What is this!' I thought I was dead, then I opened my eyes to find I was still alive! Then I tried to run, but the ground and trees rolling rolling and moving, as well as the buildings, back and forth. I fell to the ground and tried to crawl into open space and heard all the students upstairs screaming and falling all over. No one could get out the door cause the shaking was so bad. I yelled 'Get out, everyone get out of there!'

Then I remembered all the missionaries and tried to get to the other building to yell the same thing. Since they had just arrived at the compound, not even 45 minutes before, many of them were showing and ran out of the building naked. We scrambled to get them towels and something to cover them. Everyone was terrified and screaming. Then I thought, this must a tsunami and we need to get to higher ground. I was thinking to climb the mountain, but Julihomme took the missionaries as fast as he could away in the bus to Lifeline Mission. We left so quickly, no one even closed up the building. Everyone was just running! Geanne, our secretary, was thrown across the office and her computer crashed to the floor. We stayed at Lifeline the first night, some sleeping in the bus. Every aftershock was more terrifying, cause no one knew when they would stop or if more buildings were going to collapse. Going into the streets, people were running out of their homes, screaming and crying out to God. At Lifeline, there was a 3 year old boy that was brought in with a crushed leg from a block falling on him.

The missionaries were calling for me to come and pray cause there were no other pastors around. I laid my hands on his little heart and prayed and prayed, but his heart stopped beating. I cannot get the image out of my mind, his leg flattened and his parents standing by utterly helpless and devastated. His little body just could not bear the pain anymore.

"All of the events were just so many to recount. At night the next night another huge tremor hit around midnight. We were sleeping under the tin roof of the church and everyone jumped up and ran out screaming fearful of it collapsing. We decided to sleep in the open field. We could hear all night and each night that followed the rumbling under our pillows before each following tremor. No one could sleep. The tension was just too great. There was a rumor that the tremors would not stop until there was one the same magnitude as the first that had hit Tuesday.

"After two days, our compound was full of people just looking for an open, safe place to stay. Some of our staff risked a lot to go inside the resident building, which I couldn't believe is still standing with no damage! They got the propane stove, pots and pans out to set up a cooking station near the well by the church. Our other well that fed water to the building was not accessible, since the water tower fell flat to the ground. We made food and fed the missionaries and all those seeking refuge at our place each day. There has been a steady flow of people coming for water too, as in our area we have the only source of water- Thank God two of our three wells, one by the church & one on the goat farm, were functioning. We also had lots of gas left from the leader's conference that finished just days before to keep the generator going to pump water.

"This is an experience I will never forget and never want to go through again. I am still in a lot of shock. I can't get the images of Port Au Prince out of my mind, all the bodies. Rebuilding Haiti is going to take a very long time. But you know, I have hope. I know my people. Haiti has suffered so much for so many years, we are a resilient people and we WILL rise again, a better Haiti, a more beautiful Haiti, one that will give God praise. I had a conversation with a voodoo priest, who told me that he had lost everything. I invtied him to the compound and told him, 'Well, I think it is about time you reconsider who you are serving.' He shook his head and agreed with me. God is going to revive Haiti.

"I am back in Canada now, but only for a time, to raise more awareness, strategize and get back as soon as possible. The people need so much. No aid is getting through to towns like Grand-Goave. We did not see any outside aid come in the whole time. Thank God we are there to help, as well as Lifeline Mission. We are doing all we can to help the immediate need of food and water. But the people need shelter. The rainy season will be coming very soon and we have got to get people into places of shelter!"

We are truly grateful and moved beyond words for all of the support and prayers, calls and emails that have come in from friends, supporters and strangers all over the world. Thank you for helping! Haiti is going to need it for a long time and we pray you would consider partnering with us long-term. The Haitian people are well worth investing in, a beautiful, treasured people by God and though it is so hard to understand why such a disaster would strike, we know that God has greater plans in store for His beloved island. The first black republic in the world, called to be a leader among the nations, once the Pearl of the Caribbean, will be so again!

-12/20/10

Haiti Is Impacting the Nations

Haiti, Oh, Haiti

Haiti Oh Haiti how I wept for thee,
When first I heard of your tragedy.
My heart was broken for your suffering,
But hopeful of what tomorrow might bring.
Nations that might have ignored you for years,
Will be sending aid through this veil of tears.
So take heart my friends and try to be strong,
Just know that God has been with you all along.
Once you were known as the "Pearl of the Sea",
Perhaps once again so shall it be!"

-1/18/10

More News Comes Home

Today was another encouraging day for some of us, yet still frustrating for many. The parents of Mt. Sentinel students on the Nelson, BC team in Haiti grow more anxious daily as their kids are still in Haiti. The Haiti ARISE staff, Kootenay Christian Fellowship staff and Mt. Sentinel staff have all gone to great lengths to contact anyone we can in Parliament, Foreign Affairs, DART and airlines to mobilize their evacuation. We have been given confirmation from more than one of these sources that help is on the way. In the meantime, we all hold our breath. We received more communication from Haiti today that indicated they are still experiencing aftershocks and everyone is on edge as tension mounts, prices rise and food and supplies become more scarce. Looting has begun as desperation begins to take over. Pastor Jim Reimer reported that $10,000 was stolen from our compound, as someone broke into our finance office while the building was unsecured. This was money that was withdrawn for the team's expenses just before their arrival- it may seem odd to have that much cash on hand, but in a place like Haiti when the country is functioning, getting to the bank is difficult.

I know it is hard to imagine there being any good news during a time like this, but there is... in light of such terrible destruction and depravity, the generosity of the Canadian and American people has been astounding.

The whole world is being moved by Haiti's overwhelming, traumatizing plight. It has been too long, taken too long for North America to wake up to the condition of our dear neighbor Haiti. Finally, though at such a horrible cost, the world is rallying behind a nation that has been hopeless and helpless that we pray will result in a true rebuilding. The loss of life, a severly precious price... but we cannot lose hope. We must help to restore, rebuild, renew! There are fundraising efforts happening all over the nations on behalf of this 10,700 sq mile island. Just for Haiti ARISE alone, today Urban Thrift of Calgary held a fundraiser bringing in $5,800 CDN for Haiti Relief. Next Saturday, Jan 23 a Benefit Concert will be held in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan expecting to bring in $30,000 CDN. In Aberdeen, Washington, churches are rallying together to hold a Banquet Fundraiser in the coming week. As well, donations have come in online from as far as France and Hawaii totalling so far to more than $15,000 US. And the government of Canada will be matching all of these donations $1 for $1. We are working now on strategic plans for relief and rebuilding in partnership with Hungry for Life, in Chiliwack, BC as well as on the ground in Haiti with the neighboring missions of Grand-Goave: Lifeline Christian Mission, Mission of Hope and Heart to Heart.

Again, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORT, PRAYERS AND SACRIFICE OF DONATIONS. Please continue to give. We may very well be able to rebuild a NATION!

-1/17/10

A Day of Good News

Cheryl Middlebrook recieved word from Doug, her husband, who is accompanying the team in Haiti. Here are his words.

"Hello...
Living in the church has not been to bad. Kind of like the way camping used to be. We are all healthy, except Sue who may have cracked a rib. But the Tylenol I have is helping her sleep at night. We have 6 other Canadians from Tiano with us and a lot of the locals.
I’m going to try and send pictures on but we have very limited internet. Our sattelite dish (at Haiti ARISE) is broken so we have to go to the internet café and well you can imagine it is swamped. We are in good spirits considering and I have stories to tell when I get home! Pray that we stay safe, healthy and that we will be able to leave. You have more info then we do. We know Port Au Prince was devastated. We don’t know if airlines are coming in... The two ladies from Chile that were staying with us had a helicopter come and take them home.  We took the students on a walk around to the goat farm property and community area. We met a lot of people who lost everything. The students collected all the extra money they had to buy food for the locals. They collected over $2500.00 to buy 4000 lbs of rice. The rice feeding became chaos, crowds came from everywhere. Some people we very angry, some trying to get seconds. Most of the students went back as they could not handle the chaos.

The main house is standing well very little damage done to it but the school will need to be rebuilt as well as the entire wall around the compound.. Well we ran out of propane so they cooking the old fashion way [over an open fire].
Doug"

Getting this word was a great relief, as well as the news that the foreign affairs will be going in to evacuate the team tonight or tomorrow:

"I am happy to tell you that word was received today (Friday) from the federal government that, after assessing the situation, they now have a concrete plan for the group’s removal and will move on it as soon as possible. We assume this means when transport is in place to do so.

Please do not hesitate to contact our office again, should you wish to do so.
Sincerely, Alex Atamanenko, MP, BC Southern Interior"

They have also assured us that we are first priority for receiving aid brought in to Haiti for relief!

Finally a Word

We have finally gotten an email from Marc. It is brief, and obvious that any help is needed! Here is Marc's email:

"We made it safe and sound. Everyone from the team is fine and most of our haitian. some has houese fell on them some came out some not yet. We have no more school, the walls are fell. the west part of the country is totally distroyed. there is no houses stand up. the estimated death for now is 700,000. Lots still not found. Let everyone know any help is fine for we have nothing to help the people. Love you and can'wait to see you all."
by for now.

marc"

So please keep praying and sending in aid. We will be holding a fundraiser at Urban Thrift in Calgary on Saturday, 10am-6pm. Any purchases made, the profits will be going to Haiti ARISE for Disaster Relief. There also will be a benefit concert being held in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan next week. For more details about that, please contact Eric Fawcett on our contact us page.

We will be working to mobilize some teams and aid to be sent down ASAP. Thank you again to all of you who have been praying and sending in support!

A Tearful Day

It has been a tearful and overwhelming day and night. The magnitude of this earthquake that has hit home for my family is really more than devastating. I sit by the phone and email with abaited breath waiting for any hint of news... Marc and our team are safe, but the technical school is damaged. There are still many others I think of that are a part of our ministry and community that we do not know if they are dead or alive, many young students in PAP, many friends with family there. It will be a long time rebuilding... Please, keep praying. I did receive news from Heart to Heart, which is Marc's brother's orphanage, Luc Honorat. This is the email from Rebekah Larkin, staff at H2H:

"I am at another mission using their internet.  Grand Goave was hit hard & our compound was severely damaged.  The quaks continue to hit us but they are less severe but strong enough that buildings continue to fall.  By nothing less than the grace of God the children living at H2H are alive & not badly hurt.  We had 4 kids in PauP and we have only found 2.  We are still looking desperately for Kaka (Renel's brother) & Emilio (Jay Michel's brother). Most of the exteral walls of the compound have colapsed.  The kitchen/dining room/guest house/depot has collapsed completely and the church is beyond repair.  We had 7 kids cleaning the guest house when it fell, but we got them removed & they are only minorly scratched.  The ground is shaking as I write and I really shouldn't stay here long.  I hear the phone service should be up by next week but I don't know that for sure.  I will make a huge effort to come to this mission daily to connect with you.  Please pray for us.  Pray for strength.  We can't go into any buildings so we are all sleeping on the open area in the compound. People are starting to travel between towns and since last night news is coming to us about the deaths & the devastation of our family & friends.  Amos' wife was killed when the building she was in colapsed. Pastor Luc & his family are fine.  Many others  have died or are badly injured. We are still very much in survival mode.  Our food depo is completely buried, along with all our cooking pots, etc.  We have borrowed & scrambling to buy food locally.  I connected with the UN this morning & they have promised to return this afternoon with their Commander.  We need your prayers more than I can tell you, we are struggling.  We know we have been covered by the grace of God as it could have been so much worse for us.  We are all praising God for his mercy and we know he will continue to care for us"- Rebekah Larkin

Lifeline Mission, who has the only available means of communication through their sattelite internet, expressed on their website blog that tremors are still being felt today. Amos, whose wife was killed, is Marc's nephew. She was 8 months pregnant.

-1/14/10

A Small Word... Awaiting Details

I just received a very brief email from Haiti, a friend at the other mission in town whose internet is functioning, that the team there are all safe. There is damage though to our Technical School building. The walls are cracked and some broken. As well the perimeter wall around the property is all fallen down. I have been waiting for word all day and to just get two lines is really frustrating. But we must trust that God has it under control. The important thing is that everyone is safe. We are praying for lines of communication to open up and I imagine that the team will be mobilizing to see what kind of aid they can provide. I have so many questions running through my mind and have been receiving calls and emails all day long from anxious parents, friends and family wanting to know more. We are all in the same boat though, having to wait. I am reassured by the verses in Psalm 62:1-2 that says "I wait quietly before God, for my victory comes from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress where I will never be shaken." There were reports that in the stillness of the night yesterday, the only sound heard in Grand-Goave were voices of those singing to God, praising and waiting on Him for help in this time of trouble.

Assessing the Damage

We want to say a sincere thanks to all of you who have already begun to respond to the plea for Disaster Releif Aid. We have had online donations coming in from all over the US and Canada. This will really help us meet the people's needs. Marc is there with a team of 24 from Nelson, BC. All are safe. They had made it to Grand-Goave from the airport in PAP just before the earthquake hit yesterday. They spent the night in a school bus for sure of safety at another mission in town, as our own facility may have been compromised by the quake. Marc, the leaders and team are back at our compound now, assessing the damage and we are awaiting with abaited breath for any news that may come. Please pray that God will open the lines of communication!! And that our friends and young people who are living in PAP for school or other things are all safe!

We will continue to keep you posted online here daily as we know more.

-1/13/10

Haiti Shaken By Earthquake!

Urgent prayers are needed, as a 7.3 earthquake hit Haiti today, just 15 miles west of the center of Port Au Prince, not far from Grand-Goave. News says that a part of the capital palace has collapsed as well as a hospital and I am sure many homes. Marc has been back down in Haiti since January 1 as we just finished up our Pastor's Conference. Today a team of 24 from Mount Sentinel High School and Kootenay Christian Fellowship in Nelson, BC has just landed in Haiti, not long before the quake hit. Marc called when the shaking began to let us know what was happening then, but he was not able to give much more info than to ask us to send out urgent prayer requests for the country. We are hoping and praying that they were already back in Grand-Goave when the shaking began. Port Au Prince is undoubtedly in rubble and trumoil, as power lines and cell phone towers are down, roads are ripped up and many homes have collapsed and slid down mountainsides.

We do not have more news from Haiti ARISE yet as we cannot get through, but will keep trying and be sure to post updates as we know. Lifeline Christian Mission, who is also based in Grand-Goave, has a post on their site as well that they are all safe, but have damage to their perimeter wall and block houses- fortunately all of their main buildings were constructed with stone and rock and are standing strong. It makes the scriptures just come to life even more. The house must be built on the rock! We are praying and believing our compound is safe. It is for sure that disaster relief aid will be needed, as we wait to hear of the condition of our community's homes and families. You can donate online or send a donation with the contribution form to go toward Disaster Relief. We will keep you posted!

...Praise God, an update has come for us. Lifeline Mission has sent us this email:

"Lisa,
Marc brought the team here to Lifeline because of some concern about the safety in the structure at your mission. They are all fine...sleeping in ourbuses tonight and someone (probably Marc) had brought them chicken and food to eat. They are doing Ok and I expect they'll make it back to your place tomorrow. But everyone is fine!

It's a mess here, Lisa...unbelievable!  Grand Goave people swarmed our grounds because they are all afraid of their homes. They know it's safer to
be outside during this type thing.  We learned that there has not been an earthquake in Haiti for 250 years. 

PAP is devastated but they say the airport did not suffer much damage.  They canceled all flights for tomorrow but I don't know about after that.  One
Haitian came here who had gotten treatment at Petit Goave by the U.N. for a severe scalp laceration.  He said the mountain is not passable and that he
had to walk here. That's all I can think to tell you now.  Oh, and there's no cell service. We have satellite internet!"
So please keep everyone in your prayers!

-1/12/10

'Tis the Season

Jingle Bells ring in the air over the radio, songs of a Winter Wonderland in French. A house here and there has hung twinkly lights and visiting the air conditioned bank with it's Christmas tree and wreaths, you almost feel like you are in winter. Still, the real sense of Christmas as most know it in the cold North, is far from Haiti. We are gearing up to have our annual staff party. The staff are all eager to sing, joke and exchange gifts in this year's program. Here, the feast will be fried chicken and plantains, rice & beans (Haitians can't live without that!), picklies, which is spicy coleslaw, potato & beet salad and ginger tea. We will throw in a little American tradition with Apple Cider and Egg Nog, even if I am the only one who will drink it.

Many Haitian families will be doing what they can to celebrate the holidays, though their situations are difficult. The majority will not have gifts to offer their children, a tree in their home or new clothes to enter into the New Year, but they will create what they can. They will gather together to thank God for his grace to bring them to the end of another year, Christian, Catholic and Voodou alike. They will cook up what goat, pig or chickens they may have been raising for the occasion and at the New Year, which is also Haiti's Independence Day, they will stay up all night, and drink ginger tea with bread.

The days are busy, trying to get everything set in place for our own departure. This will be our first white Christmas since we have established Haiti ARISE. Every year since 2004 we have been in Haiti for Christmas, but not really missing the snow. We are looking forward to the festivities with family and teaching the kids how to make snow angels before they freeze, rather than splashing in the blue Caribbean Sea this Christmas. Then right around the corner in January, our Annual Pastor's Conference will be underway. We anticipate hosting about 500-600 pastors this year- Marc will be doing so with the leaders, staff and church. I will be still in the winter wonderland, bundled up and waiting for baby to come... God has perfect timing in all things, even when it seems inconvenient at the time to us. For me, June would have been an ideal time for baby #4, but for God, this was His time! So, we hope to see many of you soon, unless of course the snow drifts are so high we will just have to stay inside and cozy up by the fire. We all want to be warm, don't we?

-12/9/09

Our Territory Is Not Our Own

So, another lesson in Haitian "rights" today. We thought we ought to begin the foundation for a wall around our new property, as nothing can be built without first being walled. Why, you ask? Well, here is a perfect example: As we dug the trenches, the next morning we came to find them all filled in, and the population of people behind our land demanding that we leave a route for them to pass through. They say the route has always been there, and therefore, we need to leave it. No consideration that the land is private, bought fair and square, including all the way up to the neighbor's wall. No consideration that most of these individuals fighting us received some of our land anyhow, as the  previous owner generously gave them parcels since they had lived there for so long, taking away from the total we were supposed to receive. No consideration that there is an actual road just half a mile further down the way.

Marc thought that he could stand firm, fight it and build the wall anyhow, but the people came and stood in the way of the workers, fighting with them so they could not work. Then they called the majestra, one of the town government officials to come settle the dispute. After long discussions, he told us that the Haitian law states if a foot path has been established for more than seven years and a land owner wants to wall his land, he must leave a four-foot path. Interesting though that all the little footpaths in Haiti pass through people's private property. And if someone purchases land, this is not made clear to them ahead of time, that they will not actually get all of their land. Hmmm... who has the rights?

Evidently too, since we are Christians, the people don't think we have any right either. We can't speak up, fight it or stand for what our rights should be. No, that is not our territory. We are just supposed to lay down and give them what they wish. Some spoke harsh words, declaring that even if we build a wall, they will come and destroy it. Others, to our defense, tried to remind the people that all we are doing is for the community at large anyway. And if they really wanted to have a road, why did they not come and civilly request so when the land was being surveyed?

Even in Jesus' home town the people dispised what he was trying to do for them. Well, seems at the last, Marc relinquished and decided to give them the road, even more so than they originally were claiming. Eight feet wide, along the whole wall, to give them a place to pass, even drive if they want. So, with God's help, even though they think they can claim natural territory, we hope we will win the spiritual territory by God's mercy.

-11/26/09

On the Road Up

We want to thank everyone for your prayers as Marc was not well. Sunday his infection came to a head. His hand and arm were so swollen he did not go to church, let alone get out of bed. He was in lots of pain even to the slightest touch on his hand or arm. We prayed hard as I even began to fear an infection spreading into his blood or worse. In the afternoon, many came to visit and pray for him. This is one thing  I love about Haiti, the community of support. It is not like the "lock-me-up and throw-away-the-key" syndrom we tend to have in North America when we are sick. No, here, everyone comes to share in your suffering, or bring some encouragement or prayer. Leah, a nurse from our curch, and another sister came to see Marc in the morning and treat him. Leah had a vision even before Marc was sick that he came to her with his two hands outstretched and asked her to pray for him since he was sick in his hands. She was amazed when she heard Marc was really sick, so she came to treat him and pray. They prayed, massaged, put on antibiotic cream. Then another sister came to bring a "Haitian" treatment, a plant called Gro Neg "Big Guy". She broke open the stems, squeezed the milk on the head of where the pus was gathering, then covered it with the leaf. She said, "Pastor, it is going to hurt, as it draws out the infection."

We feel since coming back to Haiti much attack, but our faith is even stronger. The enemy is not happy with the work God is doing here. If it costs us the sacrifice of our health, our resources and our comfort, it is all for the glory of God. It is all His anyway. He who is in us is stronger than He who is in the world!

-11/18/09

Urgent Prayer For Marc

We are asking everyone to pray with us for Marc. Last Monday, coming back from PAP his little finger was itchy. By the time they arrived home, it was swollen and had a small pussy pinhead, which we popped and drained, thinking that would be it. But then his hand swelled up even more and now, six days later, it is swollen all the way up to his elbow. He says it even hurts under his armpit. He has gone to two doctors, the first gave him ampicillin, ibuprofen and flamazine for infection, pain and to reduce swelling. The second doctor said that he popped it to early and it will have to rebuild the pressure to pop itself. He gave him something to clean it and some kind of cream. I can't remember what. I am getting pretty concerned as it is so painful for him, he cannot sleep or even talk much. Please, please pray for him. And if anyone has any other suggestions or clues as to what this could be or what we should do, please email us!!! Thanks.

-11/15/09

Reality Check

It has been a quick adjustment back to life here in Haiti. The weather seems hotter than should be for October, so any chance we get we are bearing as little clothing as possible, or taking a quick respite in an air conditioned room or under the cool pouring of our shower pipe- there is no shower head, so it's not like standing in those fancy "rain" showers. Just a pipe, but oh, so refreshing! We had our first team come from Red Deer and we served the community doing small health teaching and assessments for pregnant women, babies and kids. Almost all the kids that came in had scabies, an itchy bug that burrows under the skin. Fun. I have had my own sort of rash break out on all my fingers, but not so itchy, rather sore and irritating. Trying to figure this one out naturally without taking some strong antibiotics. So far, I've tried vinegar, vitamin E and stopped using my very nice smelling anti-bactierial soap from Bath and Body Works, thinking maybe it's an allergy. Maybe it's just the heat....

Well reality really hit me again that we are in a country where the people's needs are not being met by the social services that we so take for granted in US and Canada. We took the team to the hospital in Petit Goave, for a nice little tour to see the facilities, but even I was shocked, let alone the team, at the conditions the people were in with little to no assistance or care. One old man lay suffering from a recent heart attack and problems, needing to go for an echocardiogram, but his son did not even have the means to get him to PAP for it. Another man had been in the hospital already for 3 months with a broken shin bone, sticking out of his leg! He could not afford the surgery and hardly the medications, so he was just waiting... for what I am not sure. The wound was already healing over. He may never be able to fix it or walk on it again. Another woman was wheeled out to the outside corridor, left there to suffer in her pain since she had no family or money to take care of her. We prayed for her, the very little we could offer her, as she was covered in flies. One of the workers let us know a few days later that she died. The worst case though that thoroughly shocked us all was a young man that was brought in by wheelbarrel. He was found by a passerby on the street, unconscious and covered in blood. His body was seizing up stiff and he was severely dehydrated. No one knew who he was or if he had family so the doctors and nurses were not even going to treat him. The doctor said as he was leaving to just put some ice on his lips. I was horrified, as well as the townpeople who had now gathered. A big ruckus started as they yelled at the nurses to get out of their little cubicle and get the guy at least on an IV. Finally, reluctantly, three of them moved and hooked him up. Turned out the young man had a hernia and a stomach ulcer. We left the hospital all pretty silent, thinking. I was ready to empty my pockets, if they had been full of money, to help as many as possible. The reality of non-existent healthcare just makes me all the more grateful for what we have in Canada. Let's not complain. At least we can see a doctor the same day or even hour we go.

-11/3/09

Pockets of Change-

An excerpt from www.pocketsofchange.org, An Emotional Day, by Lorene and Justin Keitch

"We have had probably the most emotional day I can think of having in a long time. Actually, it’s probably the most emotional day both Justin and I have ever had together given the sheer volume of tears cried and heart ached. The saddest part of the day for me was finding out at the end of the day that a young girl in Haiti who we interviewed passed away. She was only 13 years old and was suffering from a very large cancer tumor on her face. When we interviewed her, there still seemed to be hope that she would get better. Then when we were working at Hungry for Life this summer I found out the doctors had stopped her treatments because they said there was no hope anymore. So I prayed for a miraculous healing. But God has decided to take her home instead. It is hard to believe she’s gone. I talked with her and hugged her and interviewed her dad only a few short months ago. This was very hard news for me to take.

The internet here is in the room Pastor John and Nadia are sleeping in, and Nadia came in the room just after Justin told me the news and I started to sob. She called Mary to translate and then Pastor John came in and prayed with us. They both praised God that Dachemie was in a better place now, and John shared with us an encouraging story about a woman here in the Ukraine. We will be meeting with her and I will write about her story soon after we interview her this Sunday. But he told me her story because her mother died and, because of that one death, four people have come to Christ. So you never know what will happen as a result of Dachemie’s death." - Justin and Lorene have been traveling the world to different mission projects and reporting about the lives that are being changed. This blog was while in the Ukrain. They started their journies in with us in Haiti last May.

-10/10/09

Traveling Adventure

Well, we prepared to leave the great north of Canada early morn last Thursday. You know, there are times when you have your plans, and they seem so good, but then a string of unavoidable events take place inhibiting those plans. I often think at those times, God must be saving me from something else or teaching me a lesson, which sometimes helps handle the frustration. Well, back to the story. So, we met this man, really by divine appointment, who owns a car dealership in Cochrane, Alberta. We have been considering upgrading our van since it is just about 200K miles and getting a bit tight- now especially with a new wee one on the way. So we were on our way to see him on Wed afternoon, a crazy day trying to get last minute things done, and to our dismay, our van died while going at a speed of 90km! It wouldn't restart without promptly dying again.

So we got to our Friday appointments in Nelson, BC, then down to Spokane, WA for the weekend. Again, Monday morning we planned to leave early, but we woke to the news that our van was broken into and the driver's window was smashed in. Fortunately, they didn't get anything really out of the van, which was packed with stuff, except for a little plug-in inverter and a bluetooth. Oh well. So we got the window fixed, then went to fill up with gas, just to find it spill all over the ground! Those rascals had cut our gas hose trying to siphon out some gas. Good thing again that we hadn't filled up the night before, but again, a set back having to be fixed before heading out on the road. Well, we got on the road again that day at 6pm too, arriving at home in Port Orchard, WA around midnight. We are grateful for God's protection and looking out for us. These are just little tests of our faith, to see if we will get upset, yell and scream, or trust that God has a reason. And it sure seems he does. We're in Portland now, at the MFI conference, and looking forward to heading back to Haiti in a week and a half- where events like this are just everyday happenings.

-10/2/09

Sad News Today

It is with a heavy heart that I share sad news today. Yesterday we received word from Haiti that our dearly beloved 13 year old friend, Dachemie, passed away. After almost a year long battle with facial cancer, the tumor overtook her strength, depleting her energy to keep fighting. Her father stood with her so faithfully, transporting her back and forth from doctors, hospitals and finding housing in the city for her to stay. She came to Haiti ARISE last November with just a small bump on her face. After the cancer was determined, she went through painful surgery to remove it, but to no avail. Tumor rapidly returned, consuming the side of her face, pushing her features to one side. She went through excruciating pain and a series of chemo treatments, which were cut short due to the development of the tumor and lack of improvement. Please keep her family in your prayers, for peace, comfort and strength during this time of grieving. Her suffering is through, her time of rejoicing has come.

-9/30/09

The Sky's The Limit

Marc and I and the kids made the long trek out to Saskatchewan last Friday, land of flat, wide open space. All you see is sky, with a periodic tree indicating a house and barn near by. Not a place I could ever imagine living long-term. Just looking at the open fields gives me this strange sense of vulnerability. Seems funny that I feel so safe in the busy, chaotic clusters of millions in the mountainous lands of Haiti. Not that I don't feel safe here- there is not much to be in danger of, save for the ocassional rough winds that may blow you away into the next farmer's fields! But maybe it is just the lack of people. Saskatchewan in all of it's 250,000 sq. miles, is home to only 1 million people, a drastic stretch from the 9 million people that inhabit Haiti's mountainous 10,700 sq miles. But since there are so much fewer people, we have gotten to know, I am sure, half the province already. Wherever you go here, you are bound to find someone you know, though you have to drive a few hours to meet them.

We have made some great connections, some new, some reunions and some with friends who we knew from other places that have now seemed to wind up here in the middle of the prairies. We are thrilled about the prospective teams already planning to leave their spacious places here to come experience our rather cramped, but lively quarters in Haiti. Our year is already getting booked with just about two teams a month. Great opportunities for outreach to our Haitian friends and relationship growth with our Canadian brothers and sisters. It is always exciting for me to see as teams develop, who God draws to be involved and how their differing skills blend together so well to serve the needs of Haiti ARISE. When they are on the field with us in Haiti, many discover other talents they didn't know they had, and experience the stretching of sharing their faith with a culture of people who are open and hungry to hear God's truth. Haiti is being transformed. We are seeing it. And it is largely due to the generosity and willingness for many to come share the great love of God with our people there.

For Haiti, there is not much land mass, not many places they can go for solitude, and not many areas where they can look out and see miles of fields, but the sky is the limit and many of the Haitians are beginning to lift up their eyes to the Heavens, past the mountains, from where their help truly comes. (Psalm 121) This is what I love about Haiti, their hunger for change, for God, for truth. And with lots of people populating the small island, there are so many open ears and hearts. So I may enjoy the physical solitude here in the land of open skies, but I truly love being a part of transferring that to an inner peace to the many eager hearts in Haiti. And that makes me anxious to get back to the "harvest fields", taking as many friends from here with us as possible.

-9/10/09

Urgent Prayers for Dachemie

WE NEED YOUR PRAYERS FOR A MIRACLE...Our hearts are heavey today as we think of a dear girl in Haiti who has struggled for survival. Not just by living in unfortunate standards of Haiti, but because of the cancer that has plagued her since the fall of last year. Young 12 year old Dachemie came to our medical clinic for consultation when the Cranbrook medical team was with us last November. What seemed to be an infection in her tooth, at the time a small golfball size bump, turned out to be what we all feared- cancerous.

Why? The questions always come, especially from logical thinkers who work to wrap their brain around happenings that seem to be unexplainable. Why would God allow such a young girl to suffer such pain and turmoil? One thing I do know, troubles, chaos and devastation always come. They are unavoidable in this fallen world we live in. But I know our Father in Heaven, just like many natural fathers, is always there to comfort, hold up and ease our pains, even in the midst of it all. That is my main prayer for Dachemie now. I know that if it is His will He can heal her, completely irradicate this destructive tumor. But too, her life has already brought so much hope, inspiration, and life to many, drawn people who may have not otherwise come to the Lord. I remember when Marc's sister-in-law, Michelle Honorat, was suffering with colon cancer. She was a mark of faith, drawing many children into her side and counseling them to love God more than life, even at her most dire times and until she breathed her last. I am sure that many's faith grew because of her endurance. I know mine did. And so, we believe together for Dachemie, a fighter, an inspiration.

-9/3/09

Home At Last- Relatively

We finally arrived in the Calgary area, Marc, the kids and I, after our whirlwind tours in BC, and have settled down into "home", or at least what we can call so for the next month and a half. Restful, quiet and spacious, we have been very blessed, thanks to Lane & Margaret Roberts, to have a house to ourselves and lots of acreage to run free. We are out in the country of Airdrie, north of Calgary and the peace is a welcome one. As I look out the window this morning all I see is miles of rolling hills, horses and a rustic old barn... not a soul in sight. Quite contrary to home in Haiti, where our best view from our house is sitting outside the gate to watch the passers-by and our neighbor fry chicken over her charcoal fire to sell.

The next while we will be sharing at different churches on the weekends and catching up with old friends on the weekdays, as Calgary is our old stomping grounds. This is where Marc and I went to Bible College and got married and where the vision for Haiti was birthed. So, it truly is like coming back home. We would love to hear from you if you are in this area. To know what is happening, check out the events calendar.

-8/12/09

Reminscing of the Days

After a long 5 hour drive and two ferry rides across inner lakes in BC, we arrived in Crawford Bay with much excited kids. Asher has been asking for weeks when are we going to get to Lucas's house, one of his best buddies. Youngest son of the Middlebrook family, who spent a year and a half with us in Haiti, is the milk and Asher is the chocolate. That's what the Haitian called them as they were always together in those days- Let ak chokola! We have not seen much of Asher or Miesha since we arrived here- they are quite occupied catching up on play time with Lucas. We stayed up til 1am just talking and remembering friends in Haiti, passing on all the hellos from our cooks, translators, students who all miss the Middlebrooks.

Doug was our Bible College administrator and he and Cheryl helped us tremendously with hosting team after team. Those were busy, noisy and challenging days- Haiti is not a place to necessarily find solace, as in the absence of noise. The only time to find that is after dark. And of course, for North Americans, the camping-type conditions in Haiti are fun for a short time, but can be challenging over a long period of time. Cheryl willingly accepted the trials of dirt, insects and sweaty heat. Together their family, like ourselves, endured sickness, weight loss and lots of character development. Ironic thing is, when logically people would say, "Weren't they happy to leave?", Haiti has this luring effect on those who give of themselves to it. So, even after returning many, just like the Middlebrooks, reminisce and wish about when they can return. Just talking about all of our friends there made me long to just be back at the mission property, walk into the kitchen and hear that very welcome greeting from our head cook, Madam Atis, "Madam Marc, Koman ou ye!?" Kiss, kiss, hug, hug. Oh, our loving friends. Well, for us it is not too long when we will get that welcome again, but for the Middlebrooks, it may be a while. For now though, they can enjoy solace, silence, on 160 acres of countryside. No cock crows, no early mega-phone men preaching, no voodoo drums in the night.

-7/30/09

Home Calls, But Ice Cream Will Suffice

We have hit the one month mark of being away from home and traveling about. After three weeks in the states and now a week up in BC, Asher is starting to ask, "where are we going now and do we have to get in the car again?" We have very much enjoyed the fellowship and time to connect with friends and partners, but the travel is a bit exhausting. Hati exhaustion differs- we avoid travel in country as much as possible, but the heat and the demand of needs is enough to wear out anyone. I was just thinking today a thought I always come to once being back here- it is really nice to not be "needed" by anyone for a while. No one asking for money, food, or extravagant toys- like ipods- just cause they think we can.

It is refreshing to just hang out with people because we enjoy each others company and not cause they are hoping to get the opportunity to ask for something. But, I am starting to miss a home. One place we always go to at night, where the sheets are ours and the kids can settle into a routine. As nomads, there is no routine, just floating about. That is fine for a time, but I think the majority of human hearts long for stability... and that comes with home.

But for now, we will enjoy all we can. great people, great BBQ, great ice cream... we had a fun time with the HFL staff on Tuesday night and Moutnainview Community Church small group on Wednesday night. Some thing I have been meditating on the last week or so in Genesis has really spoken to me about the correlation between rest and relationships. God instituted this pattern of rest for us, and brought this beautiful focus on relationship. When all His work was complete, he took the time to set back and admire His creation- which included man. He set a day to be holy, restful, a time when we too can set back and appreciate all He has made for us and all we have accomplished. But it would not be that satisfying to enjoy alone. As He created the perfect helper for Adam, set them in the garden to freely enjoy one anothers' company, He also took the time "in the cool of the day" (Gen. 3:8) to walk about in the garden and fellowship with man. I have found this so refreshing, to take time off of all the work and labor, set back and enjoy all God has done for us and given us, and enjoy it together with many meaningful relationships. And it is wonderful when we spend the time to cultivate our relaitonships with others and God, He brings such a satisfaction, a peace, of mind and spirit, rest. So, though we are traveling about, I find the rest in the relationships and reflections of God's goodness. And ice cream is definitely a goodness from the Lord's natural bounties that we can thoroughly enjoy!

-7/23/09

Farm to City, Goats to Pools

It has been a highly productive and relational couple days. Since we left the farm, and the earthy smell of manure and fresh milk, we've entered the city life of restaurants, spacious comfy houses and lots of new friends. We are definitely worlds away from life in Haiti now, as we spent an afternoon splashing in a pool, jumping on the trampoline and enjoying the fair cuisine of BBQ. Challenges seem far away and ease finds us at every corner; the fireplace that lights at the flick of a switch, clean water dispensed ice cold from the fridge door, gas stations at every corner and no pushy taptaps honking and shoving their way into our lane on the highway.

We have spent the week building friendships with some great folks in Surrey, a part of the Surrey Alliance Church fellowship, and meeting the upcoming team members who are anxiously anticipating their travels to Haiti. As we shared memories of experiences with the youth who came on their spring team last April, parents and expectant team members expressed their eagerness to find God in a real, tangible way, like these young ones did in Haiti. Many have expressed to us how the comforts of North American living have made them restless to become more aware of the needs of the world beyond them. Haiti definitely provides that platform of learning, and stirs something in the human soul that eagerly yearns to sacrifice all we have in order to give what we have to those who don't. It was that same yearning in my own soul years ago when I ventured out on my first missions voyage, and found just that- it called me to lay it all down for the cause of our great hope- Christ!

What we experience here makes us love Haiti even more, and the dedicated individuals who give of themselves to leave their homes here to serve the Haitian people, a people with little materially, but abundance in joy and hope.

-7/20/09

Life on the Farm

We have crossed the border into the wide open land of Canada. Spending the last few days at the Farmhouse Natural Cheeses farm in Agassiz has been a relaxing and fun time- as expected. Our kids are right at home, feeding the goats, raking out the barn and riding the tractor. The ice cream and cheese shop is definitely a treat we are taking advantage, but even more so, it's great taking the time to envision what the farm in Haiti will look like by experiencing more of farm life here.

Plans for the goat farm continue to be the major topics of our discussions with our friends here and we are excited at the possibilities of training the Haitians to raise goats and learn to make cheese. We are stil in the planning stages for the actual facility and activities. We have the wall half done and a well providing fresh water for the community there. That is a blessing to see already. Now we are thinking of how to harness the most basic skills of caring for these fun and loving creatures. The goats are a real joy to watch and interact with. Our friend, Steve Johnson from Hungry for Life, came out for a visit. A natural farmboy himself, he hoisted Jasmine, our 1 year old, up onto one of the very pregnant goats. She was not so sure at first, but quickly bonded and enjoyed her little ride.

We will be visiting around the BC area til the end of the month and we are thoroughly enjoying visiting all of our Canadian friends and Haiti ARISE partners. This is a fun and relaxing part of missions work- sharing vision, inspiring individuals to reach out & getting to know very neat people.

-7/17/09

Dreaming of the Nighthour

LIfe here stays up way later than in Haiti. There are probably lots of reasons for that, the first being reliable power as opposed to the guessing game of "Are we on or off city power today?" Our kids actually asked us a lot when we first got back to the states if there was power.

Yet, the time I finally drift off to sleep does not seem to matter since my dreams are never separated from Haiti. Last night they were so vivid and the familiar faces coming and going to great me were so alive with their smiles of white, contrasting against their rich sundrenched skintone. I cherish them each in my heart. Those from years past til now.

Sleep tight, Haiti, before the cock crows so early.

-7/12/09

Life back in North America

Stepping onto the plane in PAP to leave Haiti, Marc shared his belly was not feeling so well... so what was supposed to be a relaxing family vacation time in Miami turned into nightly routines of cleaning up after one or another sick kid. Lots of fun. We never figured out what bug it was exactly that hopped a ride back with us, but agreed it would be great to leave it in Miami, with the hot, humid air.

We are in WA state now, and feeling much better. Enjoying a little time with family and friends here and loving all the choice in organic produce... not that Haitian produce is not organic; probably even more so than here, but the nicely displayed, brightly colored veggies sure look more appealing than the piles of produce on pieces of cardboard in the open market.

Don't get me wrong, I am really missing home in Haiti- the part that really matters- our friends and family there. Our wonderful staff of leaders and workers, their friendly smiles and playful teasing. And of course their humble generosity that has taught me loads about giving even when I think I no longer can. Amazing people.

We will be starting our traveling journey to Canada this week and look forward to visiting lots dear ones and sharing about all of the awesome things God has done with our partners and churches. But for now, it is late at night and I am going to snuggle up in a bed with lots of covers, quite contrary to my thin sheets in the balmy weather down south.

-7/10/09