“Stay on the Winning Side.”

After the Lord had given his people the land which He had promised them and after they had divided up the land, Joshua was about to die. He had just finished giving his last words and then, he said… “But cleave unto the Lord our God, as ye have done until this day. For the Lord hath driven out from before you great nations and strong; but as for you, no man hath been able to stand before you unto this day. One man of you shall chase a thousand; for the Lord your God, He it is that fighteth for you, as He had promised you.” Joshua 23:8-10

So today, no matter what you are going through, you are on the “winning side,” because God is fighting this battle for you! You are on the “winning side!”

Sherry

This is Jean Gardy, with Alex, who is the main Accountant for Love A Child. Jean Gardy is in college for accounting and one day, Lord willing, he will be Alex’s assistant. There is a lot of “paperwork,” involved in non-profits, so he will be a blessing!!

Jean Gardy was a very young boy when his mother died. His father (like most Haitian men who lose their wife), cannot take care of a young child and work. So, he brought him to us and asked if we would keep him.

He seemed like an ordinary young boy until he went to high school. Then, we noticed that he would save every dollar he earned and buy cokes and chips with it and “re-sell them” to the ladies at our orphanage. He had his own “little business” going on, in his bedroom!

When some of the children started to go to college I would make a budget for their “tap-tap” transportation and food. But, Jean Gardy convinced every one of them to let him handle their money, and he would give them “only exactly what they needed and not a penny more.”

When I would call the older children to receive their food and transportation money to go to school, they all would say, “Mom, give it to Jean Gardy!” He taught them how to squeeze every dollar so that they would have a little extra left over.

But by this time, he, Dieuferly, and one other LAC kid, Frantzo, had put their money together to start a little “snack stand” on our property, with music, drinks, and Haitian food. Jean Gardy convinced the older kids to “invest” in their “snack stand!” He still handles all their money. He is the one who knows how much their school payments are, how much it will cost them each week to go back and forth to college, etc. He, and the boys, Dieuferly, and Frantzo, now have a little “snack” restaurant on our property and it is doing good.

Haitians have a “gift from God” to start small businesses if they have a little money to start with. We are so proud of all our older kids, going to college, getting an education, serving God, and preparing for their future! It is “tough” running an orphanage with 85 kids, but it is so rewarding when we see their lives changing for the best, serving the Lord! Thank you, everyone, for ‘investing in lives,” here in Haiti.

Bobby and Sherry

In the Bible, King Uzziah was a great king. He ruled over the land of Judah, “and he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord.” 2 Chronicles 26:4

He sought the Lord, and God made him prosper… so much so that his enemies, the Ammonites, gave gifts to him. He dug wells for Judah, he had cattle, he had a host of fighting men, and he was an inventor. He invented the “engines” that slung those huge, round, heavy rocks over the walls at the enemy. They could shoot great distances and because of all of this, he was known throughout the kingdoms!

“But when he was strong, his heart was lifted up to his destruction.” 2 Chronicles 26:16

He decided that he could do whatever he wanted to do, even if it was a sin. He went into the temple and burned incense that only the priests of the Lord were allowed to burn. Eighty priests of the Lord, valiant men, withstood him, and while he was angry with the priests, leprosy began to come upon him from the top of his head to the bottom of his feet! He had to leave his kingdom and dwell in the house of the lepers and was a leper until the day of his death. He “started the race well,” but it’s not how you start out, but how you finish that counts.

Today, keep on running the race and don’t stop, and don’t get discouraged or distracted!!! You are running to the finish line! Jesus is waiting for you!

Sherry

Florence is the sister of Franceau, Yolanda, and Julia who passed away. Florence flew in from Italy, where she will be finishing up her degree as a radiologist in a couple of months. She was the one chosen to name Julia’s baby.

She named the baby “Princeton Nash Braylon.” She said his name should be Princeton because he will be the “prince” of the family! One thing is for sure, little Princeton will grow up surrounded by love.

Sherry

It’s hard to believe that the tiny baby girl brought down from the mountains of Savaan Pit is now 21. We did not think she would live. Kristela’s mother and grandmother were deeply involved in Voodoo. When we first met Kristela’s mother, she had come to one of our Mobile Medical Clinics in the mountains of Savaan Pit, Haiti. Her mom had “voodoo attire” on and so did her grandmother. But we welcome all people to our Mobile Medical Clinics.

As we treated Kristela’s mother, who was very sick, we told her about Jesus. When we finished she said, “I want to accept Jesus!” We prayed with her and she went home. Grandma went home too, but she did not accept the Lord.

Weeks later, a man showed up at our orphanage with a baby in his arms. The baby had red hair, malnutrition and sores. He said, “I call her Kristela, because her mother died, and if the Lord was not here, the baby would have died, too. I cannot raise her… Please take her.”

Kristela is a “different child.” She is a little on the “crazy side,” ha! She is loving and sweet but has a hard time in school. Kristela wants to be a therapist. While she is here at the Children’s Home she works hard, teaches dance, and is a loving young girl. She will do any job you ask her to do, no matter how bad it is!!! She is the one who teaches the young girls the “praise dances” that they love! We all love Kristela, even though “she dances to a different tune!” Ha!

Sherry

For us missionaries here in Haiti, this verse has a great meaning, because there are so many gangs in Haiti… and every day we hear of something worse than the day before. But “Whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord; whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord’s.” Rom. 14:8

“For we are bought with a price; therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s…” I Cor. 6:20

It gives us all great comfort knowing that “we belong to the Lord…” He paid for us. We belong to Him. Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s. Everyone who is reading this now, belongs to the Lord. He hides us in “His secret place,” and takes care of us each day. We shall not fear!

Sherry

Bianca has always been such a quiet and sweet young lady. She is always asking to help, and she loves church and her big family. But she is shy… She has the “voice of an angel,” but we have only heard her sing one song by herself, and everyone who was there, stood to their feet! Amazing!

Bianca came with a “packaged deal” of a brother and sister. She has finished her “Philo” (the 13th year of school) and is deciding what she wants to do with her life. All her life, she wanted to be a surgeon, but now she is afraid that the challenges of being a doctor or surgeon is more than she wants to take on. She is thinking about several options, but we tell all the children to “do what you love,” and if you love doing it, it won’t be like a job. It will be a passion!

Bianca is tiny and has beautiful with big eyes. The kids call her “Krapo” (frog) because of her big eyes, but she also has a big heart! We love Bianca!

Sherry