She is 17 and will be in her “next to the last class” to finish high school. She was born in the mountains of Savaan Roche. These villages are really deep in the mountains of Haiti, high up, and require “four-wheel drives” to make it!
Her mother, Jolucia, died shortly after she was born. Her father gave her to “her mother’s sister,” whose husband had been recently killed! And to make matters worse, her aunt took baby Daphline and her own new baby to our orphanage!! So we had to take both babies in!!
Daphline is so mature, sweet, and helpful. She is one of three girls that I put all my trust in.
When she finishes high school, she wants to be a massage therapist!! She takes care of “Poppie Bobby,” who has a lot of neck pain due to an accident he had years ago. She definitely has a “gift!”
We love her, and we know she will go far in her life!!
The picture you see here from our drone is our community of Fond Parisien, Haiti. The inside of the circle are the buildings of Love A Child. Below the circle, the blue roof buildings are for Gwo Mache Mirak (Miracle Marketplace). Next to these buildings are the 600 Miracle Village houses we built for the earthquake victims. To the right is the community of Fond Parisien.
There is a big dispute today at the border because Fond Parisien is blocking all vehicles coming through. The people are afraid the vehicles may be smuggling bullets and guns to the gangs. So many times, they do!
The 400 Mawozo gang controls and has taken over the big city of Croix-des-Bouquets, with all the cities between and up to Ganthier, eight miles from us. The gangs control the roads — everything. To me, it’s unbelievable the government of Haiti just stands by and lets this go on now for at least four or five years. Port-au-Prince is 80% controlled by the gangs, plus so many other areas of Haiti.
So far, Kenya has done nothing. Someone, please come and take back our roads out here along with Ganthier and Croix-des-Bouquets. How can anyone have an economy and make a living? SOS!
Please, someone, free Haiti from the gangs who kidnapped Haiti! The Kenyans are doing nothing.
I don’t think that anyone who is going through a trial, could say, “That was easy.” Trials are not designed to be easy. They are given to us to “make us tough.” God didn’t have to send David a lion and a bear. The Lord God could have protected David and never sent the teenager a lion and a bear to fight. “Who would do a thing like that?” The God that we serve always sends us “lions and bears!”
“That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perisheth, though it be tried be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and Glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ.” I Peter 1:7
Some may say, “Bobby and Sherry, you don’t know a thing about trials.” Yes, we do. We are only about 8 miles from the most dangerous gangs in Haiti! They have taken over the whole village of Ganthier, less than 10 miles from us!! But, we trust in the Lord our God! He will see us through! He will deliver us! So, hang in there! We will all come forth as gold!!
This has been our best anniversary ever! Our hearts were so touched by your kind words and thoughts. You will never know how much we appreciate your taking the time to send your notes of love and best wishes! We love and appreciate everything!! It was a wonderful anniversary day! Thank you and we love you, from Haiti.
We are so blessed to have older “Love A Child,” grown-up children, who we can count on! This is Esther. She finished her 13th grade, Philo, and wanted to study to be a veterinarian because she loves animals so much. But there is no college for this in Haiti. Perhaps she can study in the Dominican Republic next year.
Esther was just a baby in the arms of her mother when we heard of their plight. Esther’s father had put the mother and the two babies out on the street with no place to go. Madamn Jesula, their mother, nearly passed out while we were talking to her. We sent her to the hospital and found out that she was anemic and very hungry. We took Madamn Jesula in, gave her a job, and took care of her two children. We later built her a house in Miracle Village! Esther works here at our Orphanage. She is one of my “right hands,” and is extremely responsible! We are blessed with “good kids!”
Today is our wedding anniversary! I actually thought we would be celebrating it at my favorite little restaurant in the States, but God orders our steps!
I met Bobby during a “tent revival,” in Orlando, Florida. He saw me at the back of the tent and the Lord told him that “the girl in the pink sweater will be your helpmate. You will marry her.” A short time after, Bobby took me out on a date to a Valentine’s Day banquet sponsored by our church, Rockledge Christian Center! He asked me to marry him on that first date and I knew God had chosen to put us together.
Now, we are in the “two-story orphanage” here in Haiti, that our partners built years ago. We are just about 8 miles from the gangs in Ganthier. I know what it means to trust in the Lord who “orders our steps!” Psalm 37:23-24
I have the best children in the States, the best grandchildren, the best husband, the best Haitian workers, and Haitian children. Who could ask for more? Bobby and I love you all “very much!”
Bobby and Sherry
P.S. At 4:30 a.m. Gilbert, who works for us, brought us hot coffee and flowers!
1st Samuel 30 shows the heart of David. He was a warrior, he could have killed King Saul twice but would not touch his life because he was “God’s Anointed.”
Now he and his men have returned from the country where he had been helping King Achish. The soldiers are going home to their families, and they find that Ziklag, their home, had been burned with fire and the enemy had taken their wives and children captive. David prays and asks God if he should go after them, and God tells him “Yes! You will recover all.” 1 Samuel 30:8
Today, if you are facing a great battle, whether it is your children, your job, financial matter, or whatever, this is “your Word” for today! This is also the Word for Bobby and me. Now, let’s all begin to praise God in advance!!
Noah… We cannot believe how fast Noah has grown!! We found the toddler “thrown away” at our front gate. He had been beaten, had teeth marks, his hair was missing, and some of his teeth appeared to have been knocked out! He had been tortured, maybe by a father deep in Voodoo. His face had “horror,” written all over! We took him to our “Jesus Healing Center Clinic,” which scared him even more!! He was in for “a long time of healing!”
It took at least a year for him to trust us. But as soon as he let us hug him and as soon as he realized he was “part of the family,” he adjusted to the orphanage and to school. He made friends, is 10 years old now, and will be in the fourth grade! He wants to be a mechanic!! Ok, Noah! Your job is waiting for you!! But in the meantime, keep on working hard making good grades! We all love this kid!!
The 400 Mawozo gang is breathing down our necks, especially after taking over Ganthier, which is 8 miles from us. Today the community brigade and some of Love A Child employees took our equipment, digging a trench across a back road to stop the gangs. The police have strong checkpoints or buffers. Our strong security is ready. Plus, other surprises are in store for the gangs if they think they are just going to march in here! It won’t be easy. We are doing everything possible and will let God do the impossible!
The Lord told Nehemiah to build the wall. The enemy wanted to take everything from God. I love this part. Nehemiah, as he and his people were working on building the wall, had people and families with their swords, spears, and bows “ready to fight!” Nehemiah 4:13
We must do the work of the Lord here and protect what so many of you have sacrificed giving and praying for. We must protect the children. All is calm here in Fond Parisien. Thank you for your prayers and support. They are needed now more than ever. Thank you.
Everyone who loves the Lord has had an encounter in their life sometime when the presence of the Lord was very close. But what about the times when we cannot feel His presence? Is He still there?
Job felt like that when he went through his great trial. He lost all his children, all his cattle, his house, his health, and he could not feel “His presence.” Job said, “Behold, I go forward, but He is not there; and backward, but I cannot perceive Him. On the left hand, where He forth work, but I cannot behold Him: He hideth himself on the right hand, that I cannot see.” But then Job said, “But He knoweth the way that I take; when He hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.” – Job 23:8-10
Even when you feel you are so far away; even when you cannot see Him or hear His voice, He has never left your side!!! He is closer now than ever.
