March trip report
We are happy to be home but yet our hearts are still in Haiti. Our spring trip was a very successful one. We had great opportunities for ministry and precious times of building relationships.
Our trip started with a two day trip out to the schools in Arnoux and Dufour. These villages are in the south and are a long hard drive. We started our time with students with a time of teaching with the students from preschool to grade 6. They had just completed their lesson series on healing so I was able to share with them my healing testimony of how God healed me. It was fun to watch their faces as they listened to a real life story of God’s healing. After our time of teaching, we were able to bless every student with gifts of love. Cars, backpacks, dresses, shorts, flip flops and toiletries were very well received by the students. Most of the students put their new clothes on over their school uniforms at the end of their school day. It was fun to see many of them at the market later that day wearing their new gifts.
The remainder of the trip, we worked at headquarters. I helped with the production of booklets for chapel. The kids in Haiti do not have their own Bibles so these booklets they receive in the chapel program become their Bibles. It seems like a trivial task to staple and fold but the impact on the children's lives is great.
Lance was able to use his tiling experience to help the missionaries as well. He worked on fixing up one of the bedrooms which is used for short term teams. Later this month, Lance will return to Haiti to tile another room and/or do wiring for a new church. We feel blessed to be able to use the talents to help our dear friends.
The trip also included a very exciting day for Grace and Hope. Even though there was no school due to state testing, our sponsor children and their siblings came to the school for the day to hang out and play. They ran, jumped, played ball, and laughed for hours. The memories they made will be forever in our hearts. It was a very special treat for all of us.
Thank you for all of your prayers and gifts of love for this trip. We are grateful for your support and encouragement.
April trip report
Just a few short weeks after we returned from our last trip, Lance went back to Haiti.
During this second trip, he spent four days in country helping with the completion of a new church building. The church had been previously built and just needed to have some finishing touches. Lance was able to help them so they can have their dedication service this month.
During his time at the church site, Lance and Pastor Tom ran all of the wiring and installed all of the electrical fixtures to the new church, the old church and Pastor Canceus’ house. In addition, they brought the church a new generator. That means this will be the first time they have electricity at the church site. It is amazing to think that there are places in the world that have never experienced a church with electricity but this was the case for this church. It is sometimes hard to imagine all of the things we take for granted but others have never experienced. Nonetheless, it was a privilege to help them to finish their new church home with all perks of electricity.
This project once again reminded us of all of the talents the Lord has taken from our past and is using for His glory now. Lance learned electric work many years back for his own home building project. He was blessed back then to work beside a journeyman who trained and mentored him as a favor to us. Now, God is taking that skill and using it to expand His kingdom. We are constantly amazed at how God shows us how He has been leading and training us for years for the work He has planned for us today. We are thankful for these reminders of His perfect plans for us.
Thank you to all helped through your financial gifts to make this trip possible. Many Haitian people will be blessed because of your support.
Se pou Bondye beni ou.
(May God bless you.)
