BROKEN FOCUS: “Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: if ye do these things, ye shall never fall.” 2 Peter 1:10

So many things come up in our lives that try to break our focus from what the Lord has called us to do. Some of these things may be a bad relationship, losing your job, your friends talking about you, a financial setback, or discouragement. Others may be jealous of your ministry, but don’t let your feelings rest on your shoulder. Don’t let anyone or anything derail you; break your focus!

Let’s keep the focus on what the Lord has called us to do! The best is yet to come!

Bobby Burnette

The Haitian people and children are kind, humble, and everyone loves to joke and laugh. But in the last year and a half, their joy has been stolen. Gangs roam the streets terrifying the young and old. If you leave in the morning, you don’t know if you will be coming home that night. There are more kidnappings now in Haiti than in any other country. We can see the sorrow on the faces around us. They do not laugh and joke. Smiles are rare, but tears are abundant.

They remind me of the Jews taken captive and those that held them captive. They would make fun of them and tell them to play on their harps the songs of Zion. “We hanged our harps upon the willows in the midst thereof. For there they that carried us away captive required of us a song…” (Psalm 137:2-3) The Haitian people are so sad, it’s as if “they have hung their harps on a willow tree.” But the Lord, our God, is the only one who can deliver us, and soon, we must believe, that the Lord will deliver and that “joy cometh in the morning.” (Psalm 30:5) You too, in that struggle you are going through, it will not last! This too shall pass, and joy cometh in the morning! Let’s hang on!

Sherry

Wilguens (Jacque) is a hard worker but a “serious little guy!” Sometimes, he seems to look “too serious,” but he’s probably thinking about something.

Wilguens is the brother of beautiful “Fabiola.”

When his mother died, his father could not care for him and his sister. He would sometimes leave the children with no food or anything while he tried to find work, and as a result, both had malnutrition. He brought the children to Social Services and they contacted us to come and get them.

Wilguens is a hard worker and makes good grades in school. He is very shy but learns quickly. He is in 5th grade and loves to read the Bible and sing. The kids call him “Grandpa” because he seems older than he is!

We all love Grandpa!
Sherry

We wish to thank each and every one of you who have sacrificed large and small and the widow’s mite to provide tents for the poor, who suffered from the last earthquake.

We sent tents to Stephanie, from the Haiti Deaf Academy, who had requested tents. By a miracle, we had enough tents for her sweet people… Here is her note [below] and we wish to thank all you wonderful partners, for sharing and caring, and helping!!

We love you so much,
Bobby and Sherry

P.S. The pictures may not be too clear, but you can see the wonderful things your giving has done, Sherry… Here is Stephanie’s note…

“Sherry and Bobby,

Your love for others is a blessing and the Haitian people are greatly blessed by your life long generosity and program development.

We thank you for your swift response to our plea for tents. Our staff and students have much trauma and feelings of insecurity and deafness adds greatly to that. Our last rental home began to crumble last year, which necessitated a move to another two-story rental home for our dorm. Each small earth movement at night has caused them to run outdoors. These tents will provide security and lessen the trauma the students and staff are enduring.

I have attached some photos to show the Life Skills students putting the tents up (our phone camera is blurry). Our student, Jean Pardieu, who is hard of hearing reads French and some English and he started with the directions!! I did tell them tent rising is not easy.

Again, we are grateful and blessed by your love for others and your quick response to our request. Please send our gratitude to those who provided the tents. We have sent thanks to Real Hope for Haiti for their part in the delivery. Please let us know if we should send further documentation.

Each of you, the hands and feet of the Lord!”

“Nothing to Live For.”

It’s hard to believe that in this day and time, there are so many people who feel like that… Some are on drugs, some are wealthy, and others are miserable with life… they have no friends. This is how a man felt in Mark the 5th chapter. Jesus had just been ministering to a large crowd when suddenly He made the decision to take the boat and “pass over onto the other side.” He did and the first person who came running up to him was a demon-possessed man, who had spent years among the tombs.

To say he had nothing to live for, would be an understatement. He was unloved and spent his life in the tombs, crying, and cutting himself with rocks, until he bled. He felt that “he had nothing to live for,” until he met Jesus. Jesus cast the devils out of him and when he did, the man wanted to follow Jesus! Jesus told him to go home and tell his family what great things the Lord had done. But, the man was so excited, he became an evangelist, telling about Jesus everywhere he went! He now had “something to live for!”

When we know Jesus, we truly have “something to live for!!”

Sherry