Rainy Weather and Clean Clothes! :)

We have had very little time with electricity due to the rain each night.  But, with the rain comes a very cool breeze!  Really.  Not just for me but even the guys say they are glad to have a sheet at night.  
We had a beautiful worship time in Port au Prince with the choir group. Long day though as everything takes so much longer than you plan for here.
  The group is allowed to go to the prison with me today and as I work on teeth I will hear the skits and music they have prepared.  It will be emotionally draining as the guys are getting tired.  I ask for prayer as they are starting to remember the wonderful things of home that are not here.  We got clean clothes back this morning and the guys were oohing and aahing over the clean smell. They are appreciating little things.  Like ice when we were at Club Indigo.  Honestly, I should have just forgotten food and gotten them each a pitcher of ice!!  
Some of the guys had their very first experience swimming in the ocean over the weekend.  We had gifts of mangoes and coconuts and the ever woody sugar cane. Quite the experience chewing that stuff if you haven't ever tried it. 
I could here the guys singing last night in my place and it lent me a smile for each of you moms who have shared and sacrificed to make this happen.
We have a basketball game at 5 and hope to add more pictures for you from the 4000 Nevin has taken.
It is an adventure and you are all part of it.
Gregg is feeling better, Nathan has a little sore throat.  Isaiah and all are eating well. Praise God!
Lori

More Photos!

Thursday, July 4

“It is well, It is well, It is well with my soul…” the sound of seventeen men and their voices ringing into the night sky. This was just another wonderful time of worship along with the dripping rooftop rain, crickets, ocean waves, and the rest of creation praising His name. It was a fitting finale to a day full of divinely orchestrated encounters.

The team had split off into two groups. Tom, Lori, Pastor Michel, our missionary Barb, and I (Timothy) were off to prison in Saint Marc.  Lori did dentistry on guards and inmates while the rest of us talked with each prison cell. A typical cell would only be about 10’ by 20’ room holding twenty men in each.  The barred cell door was their only view out and that was our place to talk and pray with the men.  The prison itself had an open courtyard with two levels. Each level had about ten cells. Our team split into two and ministered to each cell for about ten minutes at a time. Some of these young men were very hungry for the Word, and it was encouraging to see some of them working on a Bible study worksheet that Barb hands out when she visits.  Tom had brought a Créole Bible with him and we were able to give it to the perfect person who didn't have a Bible! From what Barb had told me, he was a strong believer and can hopefully have a chance to pastor other men in his cell.  After an extended stay at the prison, we regrouped with the rest of our team back in Macdonald for a quick snack before we headed off again.

The rest of the team had stayed in Macdonald to help with a cleanup project.  As normally happens when they show up at the basketball court, children quickly joined them and helped them pick up the litter.  They started at the court, which is located at the turn off from the main highway into the community.  Not far down the street they noticed the great amount of litter on a cement embankment by the river, so they redirected their efforts and made a big difference.  Unfortunately, their supply of garbage bags quickly ran out.  So they switched gears and walked up the steep, long hill to a new school building in Macdonald where they played soccer in a courtyard area.  The view of the ocean was beautiful, the sun was strong, and the soccer was fun.  It was yet another opportunity to build relationship with their new Haitian friends.

That night our basketball game was rained out, but it worked out for our good since the other team didn’t show up. Cody and a few others played soccer out in the pouring rain while the rest of us cooked a large meal consisting of spaghetti, crackers and summer sausage. What a feast! We continued the night by Gregg leading us in a time of reflection, prayer, and finally praise.

Friday morning, July 5

Vacation Bible School (V.B.S.) today! Pastor Michel took our tap tap and us up a treacherous mud infested mountain road to arrive at our destination, Barb’s School. Gregg and the team taught on Romans 12:1-2 and John 3:16 to more than 60 kids. Logan did an excellent job on songs such as the classic “Father Abraham” and “This is the Day.”  After a time of arts and crafts and a hot meal (funded by the team) we gave away a few gifts to the kids and sent them on their way. Then, down the mountain we went to our house again to wait for our next adventure.

The tentative plans are to have the guys from the church in Port-au-Prince staying the night with us. They should be getting here any minute so I’ll leave with a few prayer requests. Until next time.

Timothy.

Prayer Requests

1.       Gregg’s hip has been bothering him currently. He’s taking at easy but the terrain is difficult. He’s a strong guy and has made the most of the situation, but it would be wonderful if he could be fully healed.

2.       Pray for continued unity among the team. We have had some great team moments so pray that the Lord continues to grow our hearts together as fellow brothers in Christ.

3.       Pray for Tom Seibel. He’s going to be preaching the Sunday service this weekend at the church we’re going to in Port-au-Prince.

4.       Opportunities to share the gospel with the community wherever we go.

5.       For the choir boys tonight and over the weekend. That we would show an example of what godly men look like.

6.       Safety with transport to and from places

Heading out Thursday morning to minister to those in the prison at Saint Marc.

                                                                                    

Helping secure barbed wire to the fencing on the land of our head interpreter, Michel on Wednesday afternoon.

Starting our cleanup project Thursday morning.

Wednesday evening's basketball game against another local Haitian team on the court in Macdonald.

Wednesday morning basketball clinic led by the team for about two dozen young people.

Working with the children on cleaning up the river embankment.

Coach Gumness doing his color cube trick for the children at VBS

Evening worship time singing at the gate of our home with children from the community.

More soccer at the school.

Singing the action packed song Father Abraham for the children at VBS.

Soccer at the new school building up the hill above Macdonald.

Telling the children about Jesus at Vacation Bible School in the mountain community of Cannot on Friday morning.

Working on a journal at the end of another full day of ministry.

Wrapping up Day 4

Seems I have taken on role of mom and blog writer. 
 We had a wonderful day of working in different areas today.  The guys (did I already say this?) are wonderful.  I truly have many stories about each of them.  I am taking a moment in the wait while rain is washing over the group and cooling them off.  (did someone say hot?!)  Oh, Webster sisters may be interested in how the early morning wake up is going...It was the first call today and has been talked about all day.  Gregg seems to have mastered it with having previous skill in that area!  The guys went on ahead to cook spaghetti.  I hope that goes well. ;) The teams have been challenging and the guys step up to the plate in sportsmanship.  The hours go quickly.  We cannot believe it is already Thursday!   I will be getting the group up early in the morning to do our first VBS.. Challise was a lifesaver in that category.  I hope to attach some photos soon.  
The sound system has created countless hours of ministry.  It all arrived safely.  God graciously brought us through with all suitcases.  There is a little homemade soccer field that was put together today right down from the guys house.  If the rain lets up they will be itching to try it out with the kids.  The uniforms look great as we give them out to teams each night. Nathan and Timothy have been doing music and tomorrow Logan is leading.   After VBS the choir kids are coming..  They will spend the night at a house here and play a basketball or soccer game with our group.  I hope we can make some phone calls tomorrow as well. Let me assure you all are safe and will be changed in some way when they return home.  We have so much to do! So many requests.  Pray that we will see the direction clearly for God would have us to accomplish during our time here  The young man I cleaned the burn for on last trip would like a visit.  He is healed physically now but is empty spiritually.  So many forces that are NOT bigger than our God.
 HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY!WE ARE FREE INDEED.LORI AND THE SEVENTEEN OTHERS. 

Enjoying the warmth! ;)

Well I am sweating just a bit as I type this from Haiti.
The group is a real blessing here. They take every opportunity to serve.  It is a proud mom moment when I hear
the good reports from the community.  Working hard and working together in unity!  They are eating well and drinking plenty of clean water.  
Tom, Timothy and myself will be at the prison this morning with translators to do a small clinic and pave the way for the rest of the group to go in. Praying that these guys would be Spirit led as they are sharing in very unlovely conditions.  
The remaining group members are off on a community clean up project.  They will be under the direction of good leaders as they are doing a task that is not pretty either. The kids have become magnets to most of the group. (no surprise to those of you who have been there I know. ;)  I rarely see anyone without a number of children hanging on them. 
 We had an amazing group time of singing right outside of our gate last night.  Sharing in the music and then a testimony time.  It was more beautiful than you can imagine! I must be off to the ride the tap tap now...gotta run! Hopefully there will be more later. :) Keep praying!  
Lori and 17 amazing men.  Praise God

Pictures!

Sunday, June 30/ Monday July 1, 2013

We gathered at Spirit of Life in Fond du Lac on Sunday evening, weighed and repacked the large suitcases of supplies for Haiti, loaded up the trailer and vans, prayed together, said our good byes, and headed to Chicago.   A big thank you to Dawn Poss and Aaron Stark for chauffeuring us to O’Hare! 

With our flight not leaving until 7:35 the next morning, we spent a long night that was short on sleep.  Timothy ordered pizza to be delivered to us at the airport.  It arrived at about the same time as Nevin’s carry on with a follow up trip from WI (thanks NJ, EW, and SG !!!)

A 3:25 a.m. wake up call to get in line with our 45+ pieces of luggage allowed us to be at the front of the line.  Once we were through security, we had more time to rest, find a little breakfast, and then we were off to Fort Lauderdale.

A 3:25 a.m. wake up call to get in line with our 45+ pieces of luggage allowed us to be at the front of the line.  Once we were through security, we had more time to rest, find a little breakfast, and then we were off to Fort Lauderdale.

After a lunch time layover in FL, we were off to Port au Prince, Haiti.  The flight was packed full and gave  us our first opportunities to make our first Haitian friends.  The Lord blessed us to be able to go through immigration and customs in Port au Prince without incident.  Loading up the bus was an adventure, and our ride up the coast to Saint Marc was wonderfully eye opening.  

We arrived at our living quarters (LQ) in Macdonald (just outside Saint Marc) at dusk, and were able to get settled in by flashlight.  Barb, our hosting missionary blessed us with a cheerful welcome and much practical instruction.

                                                              Tuesday, July 2, 2013

We caught up on a lot of sleep last night.  After a late breakfast, Barb took us on a walk through Macdonald to the basketball court.  It didn’t long to attract a crowd and begin shooting around with some of the local young people.  We enjoyed a delightful time with the children finding many photo opportunities. 

We went back to LQ to practice our dramas.  Once again, many children and youth quickly gathered in the street outside our LQ to watch, and once again there was an opportunity to play with basketballs and a soccer ball with them. 

We are now heading out for our first official ball game and dramas at the basketball court.  We pray that the young people with whom we are beginning to form relationships will be open to the good news of Jesus this evening.

Update on the first day from Lori!

We arrived to the village of MacDonald at about 8 last night.,  After getting ourselves partially set up and ready for the first night here, we did not have the opportunity to send out a message.  All air mattresses, batteries, flashlights, and immediate needs were taken care of.  I slept at Barbs who has graciously hosted me for this trip.  I was very cool overnight and had to find a cover for myself.  I hope the guys felt the same cool breeze.  I was up early with all the morning sounds of the village waking.  I do wonder if the roosters ever sleep here though!  I am going to walk over to the home where the men are at and begin the process of more unpacking and sorting.  We are going for a walk to show the area a bit in daylight and plan and prepare for the first basketball game tonight.  I think they are looking forward to that immensely /  they have all been so kind to me. I have barely had to lift a thing.  I might be a bit spoiled after this trip.  I will  be getting a phone later today and send another contact number.  We will have a few calls sent out soon.\Your prayers are coveted.  Bodne beni ou!   God bless you!   Lori

And they're off!!!

Well the team has made it through their night at the Chicago airport and their first flight! The flight from Chicago to Fort Lauderdale was a tad bit bumpy which means just a few members of the team may not be smiling quite as big as before their departure. ;) Prayers for a smooth flight on this next leg of the journey would be great! The guys are all enjoying their last "American meal" in the airport before boarding in just under an hour. Definitely a lot of excitement and thought as to what they'll be experiencing in just a short time. If technology cooperates and they're able to get some internet time you'll get another update later with a report on their arrival Lord willing! Remember to PRAY!!!!

"Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints—and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel,  for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak." Ephesians 6:18-20