Yesterday, it was a great blessing for us to share our “Feed My Starving Children” food with six organizations. There had actually been about 110 organizations on our list, but due to the gangs, we could only invite about ten organizations whom we thought could get here safely. But, only six could make it safely…

However, for these organizations receiving a pallet of food was the best thing that could happen to them! Some had an orphanage, others had a school and feeding program, and some had other outreaches with children. Each one was overjoyed with a pallet of food! And, they all had another great blessing! World Vision had just recently sent us pallets of “material.” This material is very beautiful and very expensive… It can be used for curtains, fabric for furniture, and much more. It is great for missionaries who have “training programs” for the Haitians, by making items they can sell.

Everyone was so, so excited, and left with trucks of “blessings!!!” After weeks of not having enough food for their children, they left with food! And, they left with the blessing of this beautiful material!! We pray that God will help Haiti and the gangs will be “taken care of…” somehow. That way, we can resume sharing food with the others.

God bless those of you who help sponsor this food to come from the States to Haiti. God bless Feed My Starving Children, and God bless World Vision for this gift of materials! We love our partners!

Bobby and Sherry

“What are you thirsty for?”

Many years ago, we were working deep in the mountains of Haiti in a village called Covant. We had to ride four-wheel-drives for many hours and then get out and park the vehicles, because they could not make it any further. We had to take mules, but we didn’t have enough mules, so we took turns walking and riding. The sun was scorching hot, and it was summer. There were very few trees, so our trip was rough. When we finished our Mobile Medical Clinic, it was time to go back. As the noon day sun came on us, we found ourselves out of water. We were “so thirsty.” As I sat there on a log, I thought of this scripture… “Oh God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is…” (Psalms 63:1)

God wants us to “thirst after Him,” just like we were thirsty for water. We must “thirst” for God like David said. When we “draw nigh to God, he will draw nigh to us.” (James 4:8) He truly is “our water of life!” Let us “thirst” after the Lord. Have a wonderful day in Jesus, the “spring of Living Water!”

Sherry

P.S. The rest of the story: We came to a stream and there in the stream, walking, was our Haitian pastor, with a cooler full of cold water and iced cold cokes! Nothing has ever tasted so good, so “taste and see that the Lord is good!”

Joshua was abandoned and left for dead in front of the gate at Love A Child. He was full of sores, crying, and could not sit or crawl. We first sent him to our Jesus Healing Center Clinic and then, because he was so bad off, we sent him to a children’s hospital. He was about 11 months old, but could not sit or crawl. He was full of sores, had severe malnutrition, and cried constantly… even when we brought him home. He had to have physical therapy to walk and it took a long time for him to talk. But when he started talking, he would not shut up! Ha! This kid was a talker and he jabbered all the time! When you would see him, he was always walking, talking (loud), and happy! He is very intelligent and does well in school. Joshua is four now and in first grade. And, he wants to be a “Helicopter Pilot!” Why?

About a month ago, we were blessed to take a “free helicopter ride” to the place where we are building houses for the hurricane victims. The roads were blocked with gangs and normally, we could not have gotten there. But, since one of the “large” organizations had its own helicopter, they gave us a ride to South Haiti. However, they would have to come and land on the area right in front of our Love A Child School. So, when all the school children came out to see the “helicopter,” (the first time most had seen one), the kids loved it! Joshua was there, cheering them on! So, he wants to be a “Helicopter Pilot” when he grows up! I hope he gets a good job because that will take a lot of $$$$ to become a pilot! He just needs to stick to his “toy helicopter” he got for Christmas! We love Joshua! He is a “pistol!”

Sherry

(Warning: Some photos will be graphic.)

You may be asking, “How in the world did this little baby get burned so badly?” Here is the story…

Madamn Cherie Esperanda is the mother of little Bivensle, whom they call “Bensley.” They live in the poor village of “Nan Boulay.” Madamn Cherie goes to the Pine Forest to buy vegetables so that she can sell them in “Croix-des-Bouquets,” which is now taken over by gangs. Since the roads were blocked by gangs, she could not do her “selling business.” To make matters worse, she was pregnant and waiting for another baby. So, she had to go and live with her mother and father in order to get food to eat.

Bensley had fallen into boiling water “two days prior to moving to her parent’s house,” but due to all the gangs, his mother could not make it to a hospital. How in the world did this child get burned so badly?

In their small, simple “Haitian home,” sticks, mud, and an outdoor kitchen, a “wet nurse” wanted to “boil water” for a neighbor who had just had a baby. (Haitians have “superstitions” and “old wives’ tales” handed down. They want to keep the steam of the boiling hot water in the vagina of a woman who had just had a baby, a neighbor.)

Bensley had fallen into the big tub of boiling water. In the midst of all this, Baby Bensley’s father abandoned them and went to the Dominican Republic. Madamn Cherie found it hard to get to a hospital with Bensley, due to all the gangs in the streets… So, the only way she knew how to treat his burns was “boiled water!” Of course, this increased the pain and made matters worse for his skin.

She finally found a hospital for Bensley, but the only thing they gave him for burns was “oil.” (Maybe baby oil?) I cannot imagine the pain!

Suddenly, someone advised her to come to the Jesus Healing Center. She found a way to bring her badly burned baby to our Clinic… When she arrived, little Bensley was swiftly taken to our ER.

The doctor gave pain medicine first to Bensley. Then, they began the job of “cleaning the burns and applying the special Silvadene Burn Cream and wrapped his wounds to keep infection out.” Of course, he was given pain medicine and medicine for infection. She is to bring Bensley back in four days.

In Haiti now, with the gangs taking over businesses, and even some universities, and streets, it is difficult to get a sick child or adult to any hospital. We are so happy that she made it to our Jesus Healing Center!

Thank you, partners, who helped us in so many ways for this wonderful, peaceful, and excellent clinic! And God bless Joyce Meyer Ministries – Hand of Hope, for their monthly support for our Clinic and other partners who give.

Thank you most of all, for your love for the Haitian people, in the middle of their tragedies.

Sherry

P.S. Madamn Cherie is to bring Bensley back in four days…

In Haiti, there is a saying “anpil men, chaj pa lou” which means “many hands make light work.”

Yesterday, volunteers met to clean up overgrown vegetation around the Miracle Village Community Gardens. Wilner, Director of the Agricultural Training Center could not return to Love A Child, after being at his home for the weekend, because the violent gangs have locked down the area near Love A Child, Croix-des-Bouquets… And no one, nothing can pass through, causing all kinds of problems for everyday Haitians trying to live their lives.

But his team still conducted an important volunteer clean-up day at the Miracle Village gardens. Here you see the volunteers cutting, raking, and cleaning up the vegetation. Now, that “debris” will go into the large community compost pile to become important “free organic fertilizer”. Compost is an important ingredient in sustainable gardening, and in Haiti, it is their “fertilizer”.

After a few months of decomposing, with the assistance of our red wiggler worms, this becomes a vital soil amendment, helping to produce healthy gardens, soon to be harvested. Your gifts of support to our sustainability outreach reap harvests for many years. God Bless you.

Rad Hazelip, Assistant Executive Director

“What about that little thing called a tongue?”

We are all guilty. Sometimes, we say things we don’t mean. And as soon as the words go out, they are like small white feathers in the wind. We cannot get them back. Every one of us has said, “Oh, I wish I hadn’t said that!” James 3:4-5 says, “Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce windes, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth. Even so the tongue is a little member; and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth.”

There have even been some great men of God, even great presidents that were great at what they did, yet they could not control their tongue. My Sunday school teacher said something to me once that I have never forgotten. She said, “Words are feathers. It’s as if you took a pillowcase to the top of the largest building you could find and split open that feather pillow. Then, you might decide you wanted to get the feathers back, but they are gone forever.”

It is best to always “watch what we say,” because we cannot take words back. But, when we have our heart and mind on Jesus all day long, and how good He is, it is easy not to say anything we might regret later. Let’s use our tongues to “praise the Lord” for all His many blessings, and we will keep ourselves from saying the wrong things. Love conquers all, so have a great day!

Sherry

A farmer, Mr. Augustine had anxiously awaited the birth of his child. With no midwife around, Madamn Augustine gave birth to a baby boy and then died. How sad.

Because his father was unable to care for him, Mr. Augustine brought the baby to us. Job is now 14 years old, in 8th grade, and doing well. He loves to water the plants. When he is not working, he is “taking naps!” (Bobby always says that when the kids are napping, they are growing! He’s right!)

Job plays bass guitar really well. He wants to be an eye doctor when he finishes school. We love Job! He is special!!!

Sherry

Caring for the Poor… God’s Message to Moses.

God has always had provision for the poor. He has laid the foundation of “giving to the poor,” back since the Book of Leviticus. “And when ye reap the harvest of your land, thou shalt not make clean riddance of the corners of the field when thou reapest, neither shalt thou gather any gleaning of thy harvest; thou shalt leave them to the poor, and to the stranger. I am the Lord your God.” Leviticus 23:22

God knew there would always be poor… that’s why He commanded all the people “not to reap the entire field, but leave the corners, for the poor.” Going ahead to the Book of Ruth. This is what Ruth (in the Book of Ruth), was doing to survive, and feed her mother-in-law, whom she dearly loved, Naomi. And, as the “beautiful” Ruth was gleaning in the fields, of “older, richer, Boaz”, he saw this beautiful maiden (whose husband had died) and told the reapers to “leave more behind for her.” They did and with this happy ending… Boaz married Ruth and was included in the lineage that led down to Jesus! God always has a “supernatural plan,” inside the “natural plan!” Have a great day, and don’t forget to “leave something behind for the poor.”

Sherry