Blog opened up for me!!

Wow, I can't believe this.  I have been blocked out of here for a LONG time...like since last October.  And now, here I am, back in.  I guess the Lord must have figured I needed to get in and do an update for everyone.

And what all do I have to share?  So much going on, and in the time frame, it's hard to shorten it into a quick blog post. So, let's start with the turmoil and problems Haiti has been faced with.

Yes, some of this was from before we left, but think on it.  They have had, president killed, hurricane, earthquakes, mud slides from excessive rains, flooding everywhere, no fuel, food supply very short...the list goes on and on.  How would we, as Americans deal with this?  Especially since all of the things affect each and every person.  And yet, we see the churches growing, evangelism growing and people accepting the Lord.  They know this is not a "cure" to their problems, but they are now looking toward eternity.  

In the midst of all of this, I praise the Lord that He supplied resources to get more buckets done, and people helped.  The buckets now are simply food items.  We haven't gotten the extra supplies like soap, shampoo, deodorant, lotion or even pens and pencils in.  The duty for those items would be way more than anyone can imagine.  Customs has been really horrible.  And since the buckets and food are available in Haiti, we'll just do that.  Yes, for a while they had a hard time getting food for a couple of reasons.  No fuel for the vehicles to go pick it up, and then no food available for a time, and lastly, buckets became scarce.  But we are really happy to say that the Lord did provide and buckets went out to over 90 families.  And more are in the process of being prepared now.  Please keep this ministry in prayer.  All areas of it need intense prayer.  We have the workers willing to do the work so they can help their countrymen.  And they, along with us, realize that it is the Lord who will provide.  

So, at this point I wanted to share some photos from the last bucket distribution.  It was done in late November and early December. 

 Now I am in the process here for arranging to get funds for the next group of buckets, but need some prayers for those in Haiti to be able to find and purchase buckets and food.  And now that I can get back on here, I'll try to update more often.  So for right now, I'm going to sign off and thank you for your prayers, and if there are prayers on your end needed, let me know.  Pray for Haiti and for the US as well.  We KNOW the Lord is in charge, and at times it's hard to not question things.  But we are believing that things will turn around and we are starting to praise the Lord already for when it happens.   Blessings, and keep smiling!!

Working through the transition

Greetings to all,

   Well, again, I’m very late with updates.  I didn’t realize how involved things would get until we got settled into any kind of routine.  And, nope, not settled into it yet, but working on it.  I do have some news to share, both sad and happy news, it may take a bit.  Have patience with me on this, please.  The following (in blue) is a post by missionaries who live near Port au Prince, and were friends with President Jovenel.  It will give you an idea of how things are in that area of Haiti.

   First Lady Martine Moise was warmly received when she visited Haiti's earthquake affected S peninsula to encourage victims and demand justice for her husband, assassinated President Jovenel. Martine herself was shot 8 times and left for dead by hired Columbian assassins who brutally shot President Jovenel 18 times.  

   The assassination was an all out coup d'etat that began with manufactured protests before Jovenel was even elected; he went on to win 3 elections and fought corruption by refusing to award lucrative government contracts for millions in kickbacks.

   Joel and Yvonne are personal friends of the First Lady and often prayed for and advised President Jovenel who is now hailed as a hero of Haiti's poor. His wife Madame Moise promises to continue her husband's dream of developing Haiti with solar powered energy and water that is now denied over 97% of the population.

    Currently, Prime Minister is canceling Jovenel's decrees and replacing his cabinet with known criminals; this completes the coup d'etat..

    While US Embassy negotiates ransom for the release of 16 Americans and 1 Canadian missionary kidnapped two weeks ago, most roads are blocked by citizens fed up with rampant kidnapping and gang terrorism.

    The hostages include 5 children ages 8 months to 15 years. Recently kidnapped survivors report food and water are only administered once a day and hostages are beaten regularly. There are 12 adults in the Anabaptist group from Ohio, one is just 18 years old. All Christians here are fasting and praying for the next 3 days for release of hostages and disarmament of gangs.

    Militia gangs are controlling much of Port au Prince; 80 gangs were founded and funded by Opposition Oligarchs who orchestrated the presidential assassination and have lobbied the favor of US media and the DNC with trafficking and terrorism blood money. Years of Opposition lobbying yielded defamatory media coverage of President Jovenel and USDOS insistence Opposition leaders be included in government which caused the current destabilization and insecurity.

    We have been in touch with our “daughter”, Vero, in Cap Haitian.  Her news isn’t much better.  I’ll include a few of her statements, as well. 

   Today is better outside. But the streets are so black because of the smoke. Now to go in town you need to pay 50 gourds to go and 50 gourds to come back. But it’s not easy to find tap-tap. Motorcycle can ask you 500 gourds to go in town. Please continue to pray for Haiti. Now you can’t find gas anywhere. You can see a few cars in the road.   (An explanation here:  it used to be 5 gourds to go to town, and people had a hard time with that, now it’s 50.  With the current exchange rate, 10 gourds would equal about 10¢ American. And yet, for a Haitian this is overwhelming.)

   With all of this holding us back from making a trip to Haiti, we still have some good news, too.  We had left money in Haiti to buy more food for the Bucket Ministry.  But we did realize that finding food was going to be a problem.  Even if it was found, trying to get it back to our place, repacked and then taken out, would be a problem.  But Vero sent us a message.  She was able to go and get the food and get it back to our place to do between 80 and 100 buckets.  We had some reserve fuel there, as well, so they have some to use to deliver the buckets once they are repacked and ready to go.  That many families (80-100) will have food for about 2 weeks.  We are so thankful for that.  And we are praising the Lord for Vero, Marcot and their team for all the work they will be putting into this.  We wish we were there to help, but know the Lord has put the right people there to get it done.  Our job will be to work on this end to find the needed support to keep this going. 

   Something that I, personally, am encouraged with is our home church.  Yes, we are thankful they support our ministry in Haiti, and in several other countries as well.  But they are doing something that I wish ALL churches would work toward.  Start teaching and encouraging people inside the church to be that missionary that the Bible talks about, too.  Not necessarily to a foreign country.  The person who lives next door to you may be your mission field.  The person you work with, or how about a long time friend who doesn’t know Jesus personally.  We are ALL missionaries, just in different ways and in different areas.  But in these troubled times, those who don’t know Jesus, have no hope!!  I’m praying YOU are being that missionary that the Lord was talking about.  In Matthew 9: 35-38, Jesus is talking about the harvest time.  NOW is that harvest time, and He is calling YOU to have the compassion to reach out and share what the Lord has done and is doing for you!!!

   For now, I’ll close and pray for you.  If you have special prayer requests, we’d love to pray with you on them.  But we also want to praise the Lord for all He has done and IS doing.  Our work in Haiti will continue, thanks to the Lord and for His guidance in accomplishing things.  Do not doubt that we will be returning to Haiti as soon as the Lord and our “family” in Haiti advise us.  But we encourage you to go out into YOUR mission field, too.  Grasp hold of what the Lord is telling you and take that step of faith to share Him with others!!

In His Name and Service,

Don & Karen

Transition in the work

 Greetings to all...

     Have you ever hit a time when all things seem not to go right?  Well, this happens to me quite a bit when it comes to technology.  And one of those things was getting into this blog.  When I originally signed in, I had to use a different email then our own to do it.  Oh well, life certainly is fun, isn't it?  I am finally back into it and pray I can keep it going again.  If I haven't lost you, thank you for checking in again!!

     We have gone through a "transition phase" in the last few months.  The following is a letter (dated 8/23/2021) describing what we have been through.  But we also want to let you know that we are "though" almost all of this "transition".  And I will try to do better on here, now that I have it figured out...... 

     Have you ever hit that place where you wonder just what the Lord is directing and showing you?  I must admit that has happened to me many different times through the years.  Those of you who have been with us for a long time, know how the Lord has changed directions for us in our ministry.  And yet, it’s been more adjusting than changing.  MANY times, the Lord directed us into different avenues of the same ministry.  We came to help and work where and how the Lord directed, with what talents God gave us.  He has never changed our “direction” -- helping Haitians and missionaries in whatever way He shows us -- but at times the “assignments” or “methods” have been adjusted.

     Did you also notice that the Lord doesn’t distinguish our mission (or yours either) by our age? It’s never been, “when you are younger you do this”, or “when you are older you will do that”.  There is only one way we are to honor the Lord.  It’s to SERVE!  Yes, maybe the Lord directs differently in the “aging” process, but never in the “serving” process.  How many times have I repeated, “we aren’t retiring, we’re re-firing!”  And yes, that is true, we still stand by that. 

Where He Leads, We Will Follow!

     You know our hearts are still for helping the people, in whatever way the Lord directs -- but we sense another “adjustment” coming.  We felt, over a year ago, that I should start “training” some helpers in our ministry.  No, not to “take over for us”, that is NOT how I felt the Lord leading.  With the world problems, and the crazy virus situation, and even now with our president being assassinated, people suffer through situations that they have not had any hand in.  Jobs are rare here.  Pay is way down, and it was very low to start with.  So, how do we help? 

     I will admit that I thought getting “older” meant we may slow down a bit.  But I haven’t seen that.  Our direction has been adjusted, yes, a lot.  The Lord has put many talented and honest people in my path.  People that were hurting, and had no way to overcome their situation. Then the Lord impressed on me, “teach them”.  ME, TEACH THEM?? HOW, and what do I teach.  I honestly didn’t think I had enough knowledge in any area to teach something.  But it wasn’t “knowledge” He wanted me to share.  It was His love.  Yup, it took me a while to realize that.  There are quite a few people God has shown me.  

---  I kept wondering why the Lord kept giving ME more work, then I realized He was giving me a way to help others, and still serve Him while doing it.  And yes, I still have plenty to do, while having others help in ways I didn’t expect. 

     Don will still be working toward helping those as he has been doing with schooling, medicine and doctor bills and many other areas.  There are a couple of blind people, and those with physical disabilities, but even something simple like tap-tap money for getting their children to school is so important.  Or stepping in  to help in a desperate situation in their family.  At times it’s the big things, at others it’s the little things (little to US anyway).  But help, no matter what area, is needed many times.

Exciting Adjustment Coming!  (has actually arrived)

     Okay, there is a reason I’m sharing this.  Oh, our ministry is continuing, and going strong!!  Do not doubt that.  But an “adjustment” is coming.  Not in the ministry itself, but in how we will accomplish it.  Our children have often requested that we consider retiring and “come home”.  We have never felt we should leave.  But the Lord showed me that yes, we are still serving, but maybe we also should add our children to that mix.  It took me a while, but I finally realized that the Lord, through how He has worked, has made a way for us to do that.  We will simply move the “office” of operations to the states, while we remain in full time ministry here in Haiti.  We’ll have time with our children and grands, which has been in short supply through the years, and yet, still maintain full time ministry here, thanks to the internet, phones and regular trips back.  This can now be easily accomplished because of the leaders that we have seen raised up through the years.  God is multiplying our efforts.

     Our home office (World Outreach) is on board with this adjustment and will continue to process our support and logistics.  They realize that the main thing is that our outreach in Haiti will continue as it is -- THANKS TO THE LORD!!   How many times over the years have I mentioned, and repeated, WE SERVE AN AWESOME GOD!!!  Our home office is also excited that we will be empowering more Haitians for the ministry.

Your Prayers & Support Make This Ministry Possible!

     Don and I wanted to include you in our announcement about the adjustment that is coming.  We truly need your ongoing prayers and support for the work in Haiti!  We are confident that the ministry will not decrease at all, but actually increase.  We have a desire to see more Haitian leaders step forward – and in some cases, we will employ them as needed for the work.  It will be a fresh step of Haitians showing Haitians the love of God and taking more of a leadership role.  I feel that it’s very important for the Haitians to see their own people reaching out to them as we serve an AWESOME God!!

     As stated above, your prayers and support make this ministry possible! We can’t do this without our faithful friends and supporters! Please pray for us as we start making plans for this “adjustment” in our ministry. There are many steps to take, and we need the wisdom of God (James 1:5). I know there will be many questions, but please have patience with us. We have many things here in Haiti to set up, and then in the US, we will need to find a place to live, and get that set up.  We pray the Lord will lead and direct us in all these areas.  And when we have finalized most things, we will again let you know.  But please know our ministry will continue through this transition.  God will make a way for all of it, we have confidence in Him. 

     You can also help with a special “extra-mile-gift” to make the transition possible.  Help us make the adjustment to train and release more Haitians into the work of the ministry.  Please use the giving info below.  When you visit our Donation Page, you can give with Card, Bank Info, and now with Cryptocurrency.

Thank you for praying!!  And I would like to thank those who helped me prepare this letter.  Jason, Mike and our children have all been a strong influence in this regard. A special THANKS go to them all!!

We love you,

Don and Karen

 FOR TAX DEDUCTIBLE GIFTS:

1. DONATE ONLINE! (Use Cards, Bank Info, or Crypto) www.WorldOutreach.org/10

2. MAIL CHECKS:

World Outreach Ministries, Inc.

P.O. Box B Marietta, GA 30061 (designate for Don & Karen Davis)

3. BILL PAY: free option via your online banking (use the same info for checks) 

The Bucket Ministry

 I didn't realize I hadn't posted here for so long.  I try to do email posts every other week, but I guess this just slipped through the cracks of "busyness".   I'm sorry about that!

But I will add this letter to here to let everyone know exactly what our bucket ministry consists of.  And yes, this IS a major part of our ministry at this point.

Greetings,

After hearing from a few people, I decided maybe I should fill you all in on exactly what the “Bucket Ministry” is all about.

First, I’d like to share WHY we started it.  For years, Don has been helping quite a few local people here with doctor bills, medicine, and a major part is schooling for the children.  But we noticed that many who came simply needed a helping hand until they could get going again.  So, we got a few buckets and put food in them.  We knew the importance of a 5-gallon bucket to people here.  A majority of people have to walk a long way to get any water, for drinking, washing up, and doing laundry.  It means they have to carry water home, somehow.  Now, the buckets themselves were a blessing to many.  And Don had a “water ministry” for a long time.  He’d fill a 250-gallon tank on the back of the truck and haul it out into the countryside for those who had to walk to get any water.  When we saw those who also just needed a bit of food to get over a hurdle they had, we decided to put food in the buckets we had.  Then Don would go out and refill the buckets we had given.  And we found out they were also used for storing food to keep pests away.  Okay, that was the start.

From that point on, when we’d have a little extra funds, I’d set aside some for more buckets.  Our home church was sending a team down to do pastoral teaching.  A couple of people on the team wanted to help us out, since they didn’t have training to teach. The buckets ended up being their project.  And they did awesome!!!  After sharing this, every once in a while, someone would send funds labeled “buckets”.  And our true “Bucket Ministry” started.  I’ll share in a bit about what we put into those buckets and how. 

But at this point I wanted to share how the Lord REALLY stepped in and used HIS FOLLOWERS to make a huge impact on these buckets.  We have had people we have never met, write and ask how to help with the buckets.  God was blessing the Haitian people in ways we could never have done on our own.  But a HUGE added part of this is that I’ve had other missions here, contact me and ask how we did the buckets so they could do something similar.  At this point, I think there are 5 other missions we know of who are doing something similar to our buckets.  God is SO VERY GOOD!!  He is helping in ways we never dreamed of to get help to the poorest of the poor.

Okay, it’s not a simply ~ go out buy a bit of food, put it in a bucket and done.  There are many factors involved. Determining how many we can do depends on: cost of food (prices go up and down, mainly up), availability of food, the exchange rate (changing US dollars for Haitian dollars or gourdes).  That is another area of daily changes.  Since we have to purchase in 50# bags in many instances, we have to figure how many “bags” we can get from each item.  This also is a variable.  Sometimes our 50# bag is 55#, or maybe 45#.  So, we end up estimating on amounts.  (Good thing I don’t mind math.)

And now, purchasing!  From the US I am now buying items (via internet, PTL!) like bar soap, toothpaste, toothbrushes, deodorant, pens, pencils, crayons, AND ZIP LOCK BAGS!!!  How much we put in a bucket of each item has varied little.  So, we are pretty certain how much we will need from the US.

Here I should add about size of the smaller items.  I get shampoo and lotion from a hotel supply store.  I only put 2 tubes of each in the bags.  Most Haitians prefer their own type of shampoo, so this is just a “get over the hump” item. Toothpaste I buy the biggest tube from Dollar Tree.  Here, it can run as much as $8 US a tube at times.

Adding the cost of purchasing, shipping and worst of all DUTY, is the next step.  I believe there is a set rate (+ -) with customs in Haiti, but that is not honored in Cap Haitian.  They charge whatever they want, and at times it is astronomical.  But the Lord has miraculously had funds when we needed it.  It IS a prayer item for us!

On to purchasing here in Haiti.  Our Haitian “team” does all of this.  (There are Haitian prices and American prices on things here, so we go with Haitians buying items).  Let’s say we are doing 100 buckets.  Biggest and right now, hardest item, is buckets.  Vero, Marcot and Leah do almost all of our purchasing.  Then on to food.  If we are going to push and do the buckets in a week, they get all the supplies.  If we will take more than a week, they buy shelf-life items first, and go back for the rest.  I’ll not go into each item, but just an example.  Oil, we put 3 small bottles in a bucket.  There are 24 in a case, so 8 buckets per case, so for 100 buckets we would need 12½ cases ~ we buy 13.  Rice, we can get 7 gallon bags out of a 50# bag (+-), so we’d need just over 14 ~ 50# bags, we get 15.  You can see how it works.  They hire someone to take things to the truck in a wheelbarrow.  Okay, they end up with a large truck full of food and head back here.  Now it’s touchy…we don’t want people to see them bringing food in, so it’s tarped.  We have some rather nasty beggars (who are not that poor), who sort of keep an eye on us.  Marcot comes in and pulls to the back of our house and unload everything into the house. (our spare bedroom and my computer room fill up).  They buy the buckets ahead of time and they are in our 20 foot containers.  Ok, first major job done. 

NOW the time consuming item.  Filling zip lock bags.  I have tried to get some photos of this, but we usually all are working on it, so…forget to take pics.  But, we sit at a table, open a 50# bag of whatever…and scoop, fill the required bag, zip, stack in totes.  Sounds easy, right?  Not as easy as it sounds.  But it gets done.  I will try to include a photo so you’ll see just how much goes into the bucket itself.  We also fill a zip lock bag with shampoo, lotion, 2 pens, 2 pencils, bar of soap,  2 toothbrushes and 3 crayons. They all fit in a quart bag if done right. 

Okay once this is all done and we have all the totes with items ready, we start filling the buckets.  I'll give you an example of "filling" the buckets. 

In the bottom, you have to first put 1 bag of rice (1 gallon), I lg. can of tomato paste, 3 bottles of oil, and 3 small cans of milk.  It takes some pushing and "juggling" to get it in. And then find room and put in spaghetti, toothpaste and deodorant in between that stuff.  Next layer is beans (quart), cornmeal (½ gallon), qt. flour, qt. of sugar and 2 packages of seeds (from Hope Seeds).  Then the next layer is the bags of personal care items.  THEN finally, I put 2 coloring books (in Creole, full message of salvation), 2 booklets of John & Romans, and 2 tracts.  AND FINALLY, the lid goes on.  They are then stacked, either in the hallway or in the computer room.  Until time to be taken out and delivered. 

 Normally, Marcot, Vero and their evangelism team take them out.  We want the Haitians seeing their own people helping them, not the foreigners.  If a team has been here to fill buckets, we do allow them to go out and deliver some of them, to see where they go.

When the evangelism team goes out they try to go to areas where it’s the poorest.  They not only deliver, they share God’s Word and will pray with people, too.  If they need a church, Pastor Marcot will find a good one in their area and encourage them to attend.

An added note:  Why 2 of each, the coloring book, John & Romans, and tracts?  This is because Haitians value the written word.  Even if they cannot read, they will keep one, and pass the other to someone else (God’s Word reaching out).  Those who can’t read will find someone to read it to them.  All of this has been shared with me from those who deliver buckets.

So, there is a quick view of what happens with the "Bucket Ministry".  Please keep all aspects of this in prayer.  We know God's Hands are on it, and He is blessing so many.  

Thanks for taking the time to read this and for praying for us and the ministry.  Please keep our Haitian helpers in prayer as well.  

Blessings beyond measure to you and yours!!  Have a God filled day!!

A New Year, and rejoicing

Greetings,

It is a new year, and yes, I am rejoicing.  It takes me back to one of my life verses in 1 Thess. 5: 16~18.  "Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." 

I do realize there are a LOT of reasons to not WANT to rejoice, or to give thanks.  But did you note, it doesn't say "IF YOU FEEL LIKE IT"?  It simply says DO IT!!  

Don't misunderstand me, we all have problems, some concerning the virus, or a whole lot of other things.  In my devotions lately I've been so thankful for what several different writers have brought out.  Basically most of them are saying, "Take your eyes off of all the BAD stuff.  There is plenty of that.  Find the GOOD things and keep those at the front of what you do, what you say, and what you think."   The whole world has made a 360° turn.  What does the future hold for you?  Where are you going?  Those were some of the questions I've heard lately.  Well, I do have my answers!!  Are you interested?  

Let's start with the obvious and simple things.  I am sitting here typing, and I can communicate with family and friends.  Maybe at this point I can't share a hug, but I CAN share my love for them.  I can let them know what they mean to me.  A positive word of encouragement or a simply, "Hi, thinking of you.  Praying for you.", can lift someone up.  

Let's move on from there.  Maybe you can't get out to do something you've wanted to do.  Okay, let's replace that with something you NEED to do.  Set your focus on something you have put off for various reasons.  Get that paperwork done, do your taxes (one I HAVE to work on), clean out a closet, straighten out some place in the house you've been avoiding.  It can have some positive effects on you and your attitude.  Believe me, I have found that out.  I cleaned out 4 totes sitting on the shelf and got rid of things I didn't need or haven't used in YEARS!!  The positive part?  I found someone who NEEDED those things and were so happy to get them!  TWO things accomplished, right?  One for me, one for someone else.

These things could go on and on.  But I think if we simply take this "hard" time and turn it into something "great", it could do wonders for you and for others.  Reach out to an old friend, reconnect with a relative, yes, via email, a letter or a phone call.  Bring some joy into someone else's life and find out how it will lift YOU up!  

Why am I so positive about this?  I did it!  And yes, I had to make myself do it, but it really has done wonders.  And you know what else?  I have gotten back more and more, into reading the Bible.  Not just listening to someone else telling me things, but getting into God's word and listening to HIM, personally!!!  WOW...that has been the MOST AWESOME thing!!  I'm reading things I have read before, but they are actually speaking to me in ways they haven't before.  I'm LOVING IT!!  

Back to "What does the future hold for ME?"  For starters I'm drawing closer and closer to our Creator and Lord!!  I may not be heading where I had wanted to go, but I'm heading where the Lord is leading me!  Oh I know there are still mega problems in the world, but my focus is on the Lord now and what He'd want me to do.  Yup, a different direction, but not a bad one.  Maybe not where I thought I'd be, but I am in a better relationship with the Lord and that has my heart rejoicing more and more.  

Why not start there:  Your relationship with the Lord.  Then move on to your relationship with the family.  And then on to others... how and where can you help, even if it's just with a word or a note!  Lift up someone else and you'll find yourself lifted up as well!!

Thanks for letting me share my thoughts.  I guess I just wanted someone else to have this great feeling in a time where heartache and misery seem foremost in our lives.  We DO serve an awesome God, and we also have contact with some awesome people in our lives.  REJOICE!!!  LIFT UP THE LORD!!!  AND LIFT UP SOMEONE ELSE IN THE PROCESS!!!   Blessings....and SMILE, God loves you!!!

Thankful and then some

 Greetings to one and all,

  You know the Lord is awesome, right?  Well, if you know me, you know that is my favorite word to describe the Lord, AWESOME!!!   He is always right there when we need Him the most, right?  We've been hearing and studying more and more about mountain tops and valleys.  How easy it is to be on that mountain top and be happy and thankful, but not really giving the Lord a whole lot of thought.  Then, when in the valley...where do we turn, yes, THE LORD!!  "Why am I here Lord, why did you allow it, help me, please."  It's SO easy to turn to Him when we have needs.  But He should also be right at the top of our thoughts when we are on that mountain top.  He IS great, He IS awesome, ALL THE TIME!!  

   And here I have to thank Him for letting me go through those rough times, as well, as being right by my side when things go smoothly.  I AM learning to praise and thank Him in and through all situations. I know most of you know one of my life verses is in 1 Thess. 5: 16-18.   "Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."

   I wanted to share our latest posting on email: 

********************************************************

     In the last few weeks things were rather hectic, but the Lord knew, and He worked things out.  Our visitors, April and Asher arrived safely.  They did have to drive through a bit of that storm in Florida, but made it here as planned.  They totally experienced what it is like to do the buckets.  They filled zip lock bags, then filled buckets, then lifted and stacked buckets and then were able to load the truck and deliver most of them.  They were also able to go the IDADEE Children’s Home and help us get all 41 children weighed and measured.  And they were able to tour the IDADEE children’s home, hospital and clinic.  Of course, they experienced a real Haitian meal, too.  And they even had some down time.  They left Thursday morning which started out with a few concerns.  First RAINS… which thankfully calmed down, then the vehicle didn’t start, but got it moving again.  And I pray they had a smooth flight back, and were able to return to family safely!!  I pray they felt they had a productive and informative time here. 

   I’ll ask that you keep MFI in prayer.  They are doing so much for so many and we want to keep them uplifted in prayer.  They have been doing an awesome job in these difficult times and we praise the Lord for being with them in and through it all.  Please add them to both your prayer list and to the praise list, too.  

   We’ve had frustrations and some upsetting things going on, too.  We had thought our inverter was acting up, but it seems it’s our batteries that are doing it.  So, Don will have to work on that.  And of course, the vehicles need work.  But I think Don will have to get someone to help with some of that. 

   Each night as we gather to pray together, I’ve been realizing that I wasn’t the only one praying for some things, and praising for other items.  Abbie has a heart of gold and she is so concerned about so many things.  But to hear her pray that the Lord will pour out His Spirit over Haiti, then north and south America and then the world…and to hear her heart in all of it, is such a blessing.  She has been raised right, just as her mother was.  Her love for Haiti, and the people here is amazing.  She is following in her mom’s footsteps, for sure. 

   One of my devotionals last week was from David Jeremiah on having “An Attitude of Gratitude”.  At times this is so difficult, but I know that is where the Lord wants us to be.  And although he didn’t use the verse, I keep coming back to 1 Thess. 5: 16-18.  That really sums it all up.  “¹⁶Rejoice always, ¹⁷pray continually, ¹⁸give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”  Now, to try and live that verse…

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Some interesting things have happened since I wrote this.  But that will be in another post.  Right now I'd like to share a few photos of the buckets and our team who filled and delivered them.

This is Pastor Janiel, Pastor Marcot, Vero, April and Asher.  April and Asher did almost all of the work in creating these buckets.  And then they were able to deliver them to Pastor Janiel's church. They blessed a lot of families with all of this work. 

These first 2 pictures are of Pastor Janiel's church and congregation.  

This is Asher, helping with the weighing and measuring of the IDADEE children.  The one after that is the front of the IDADEE Children's Home.  I wish I had taken photos, but my mind was on getting these 41 kids taken care of. These are thanks to April for thinking of taken some.

   I had to laugh when Asher got excited at meal time.  I couldn't grasp what was going on.... then he said, "Look at this!!!  They spell it right here... Catsup!! It's spelled with a C and not a K."  (We sent a bottle or two with him when he left!)

   All of this, to say, "PLEASE, not just on Thanksgiving, but EVERYDAY, give thanks to the Lord for all He is, all He's done, and all He will do for you!!!"  Keep praying and praising and God bless you all!!!  

November 10th update

Obviously having problems posting on here again...please know I'm trying... 

Greetings,

   There are times when you want to step back and look up and say, “Really Lord?  Now, with all that is going on?”  I’ve hit that in the last few days.  And then this morning, in my quiet time, the Lord showed me in a mighty way that He is THERE, in all those troubles and hard times.  I’ve been doing 4 different devotionals, and believe me, I need them all at times.  But this morning, miraculously, they all centered on what I needed TODAY!!  And then the song, “Sometimes It Takes a Mountain” came to mind.  I’m putting it here because I felt someone else needed to read the words and grasp onto them, too.

 I faced a mountain
That I never faced before
That's why I'm calling on the Lord
I know it's been awhile
Lord please hear my prayer
I need you like I never have before

Chorus:
Sometimes it takes a mountain
Sometimes a troubled sea
Sometimes it takes a desert
To get a hold of me
Your Love is so much stronger
Then whatever troubles me
Sometimes it takes a mountain
To trust you and believe

Forgive me Jesus
I thought I could control
Whatever life would throw my way
But this I will admit
Has brought me to my knees
I need you Lord and I'm not ashamed to say

Chorus……

   I know you’re thinking, what could be so bad that it brings me down?  It wasn’t ONE thing, it was just the culmination of a lot of things.  Some big, some little, some that were just annoying. Have you ever been there?  I guess the one that was “the straw that broke the camel’s back”… was our refrigerator started having some major problems this morning.  And guess what?  FINALLY, I simply said, “Okay, Lord, I can’t solve any of this.  Can you please help?  Show me what to do?”  Then I came in here, sat down picked up the devotionals and here I am.  I have released all these burdens and am now at peace about all things.  Oh, some may need attention, but I know the Lord will direct either Don or I on how to deal with it.  Yes, I faced that “mountain”… and now I am about to the top of it praising the Lord for being with me through all of this. 

    Do we need prayers?  Yes, we sure do!  That is what keeps us on the field doing what the Lord called us to do.  Are there specifics?  Okay, I’ll share a few.  We have a gal and her son coming to visit on Thursday.  We really are looking forward to this.  Pray that the storm in and around Florida will not stop them from coming.  Vero and helpers will be going from the airport today to pick up food items for the buckets we will be doing while April and Asher are here.  Pray for wisdom and protection as they do this.  Pray that the problem with the refrigerator will be something minor that can be taken care of.  Pray for the powers that be at the airport who are charging outrageous prices on anything brought in, that God will speak to their hearts and help the missionaries and national pastors dealing with this situation.  And pray with us for both Haiti and the US, that the Lord will pour out His Holy Spirit to cover and spread over both countries and lives will be changed.  But also, pray with us and thank the Lord for all He HAS done, IS doing, and WILL do, to bring glory to His Name!!

     Have you been trying to climb your mountain of problems?  Believe me, the Lord is right there waiting for you to reach out to Him for His help.  It may seem impossible, but He is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.  He knows and can get you through things.

   James 4: 7-10.  “⁷Submit yourselves, then, to God.  Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. ⁸Come near to God and He will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. ⁹Grieve, mourn and wail.  Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. ¹⁰Humble yourselves before the Lord and He will lift you up.”

 

   Blessings and joy to you all,