Good news! Things are very calm and peaceful here in our community in Fond Parisien. I just returned from the road to check things out. They tell me in Ganthier, the fighting has resided. The gangs retreated! Everyone thinks the gangs (400 Mawozo) will attack again tonight. A very special thank you to the police/Kenya, and the military we have in our area! These guys are very tough. People are telling me Kenya is doing an excellent job. Thank you very much for your prayers, texts, and WhatsApp messages to us. Very encouraging. Through all of this, we have the peace of God. Standing on Psalms 91.
The town of Ganthier is about 8 miles from us. They have been holding the gangs back from us for over three years now. The chief of police just called us. Ganthier has been under attack from the gangs since 2 a.m. He said if he does not receive help, he won’t be able to hold on much longer. Some military are there, also, trying to help. They need reinforcements!
He said the gangs burnt down their police station and customs, and I believe the government administration buildings. Hundreds of people have fled their houses in Ganthier. They are standing out here on the streets not knowing where to go and what to do. We are going to see what we can do to help them. Please pray! We are under “code red!” We are standing on Psalms 91. Please pray for everyone.
Here are some pictures that got lost from last night! The kids had a great time at their birthday party! Haitian children, “no matter how old,” play like small children but when it comes to games, they are “very aggressive,” especially with “musical chairs!” Ha! After all the games, the dancing, singing, the egg race, all the noise, etc., Bobby and I were so tired, but Haitian kids still had “super energy”!! Ha! Thanks again, partners, for saving lives!
When you have an orphanage full of kids, you have to combine birthdays in “several months.” This evening, the birthday kids were: William, Dieubon, Zoey, Richard, Mika, Mikalange, Ada, and Natalie. They played “musical chairs,” the “egg on the spoon,” race, and lots more. When Haitian kids get together for a birthday party, it gets “loud!”
Since there are no stores to buy anything, we had to bring in the decorations from the last trip to the States. The kids had cake, ice cream, and lots of fun!! Each child got a little Haitian money in an envelope. They had a blast!! They will have good memories for a lifetime! God bless all our partners! We send our love from Haiti!
Have you ever lost your footing? Maybe walking on ice, in the dark, in the mud, or on a gravel slope? When this happens, “you are not in control.” The Lord told Jeremiah what would happen to those wicked people who abuse the poor, who lie, and do not trust in the Lord… “Wherefore their way shall be unto them as slippery ways in the darkness.” Jeremiah 23:12
I have fallen on slippery ice… it is bad in the daytime, but worse at night when you cannot see. And as for mud, there is nothing as slippery as this gooey, slimy mud in Haiti when it rains. Once, when our team was walking out of a village at night, we only had one flashlight for the whole team and I fell behind, my foot stepped deep into that “slippery, slimy mud” at night… and yes, I fell! Anytime we are in disobedience, our feet are not on “solid ground.” We are liable to “slip” into something we should not. Some of you know what I am talking about, because “you already have mud on your shoes!” But when we walk in complete obedience, the Bible teaches us, “Thou hast enlarged my steps under me; so that my feet did not slip.” 2 Samuel 22:37
A just man can fall seven times, but he always gets back up on his feet again! Have a great day!
Noah… If you look closely at the first picture of Noah, you will see marks on his head and stomach. We found him “abandoned on the muddy ground,” on the side of our gate. At the age of two, he had been beaten, burned, starved, and abused. He had “bite marks,” on his body! We took Noah to our clinic and got him healed, physically, but emotionally it took a lot longer. He is in good health… looks like a little football player! Noah is 6 years old now. He wants to be a teacher. His chores are helping to clean his room and picking up any trash!!
He has come a long way. He had been abandoned by those who raised him, but he had never been abandoned by Jesus! Someone threw him away, but he ended up in our beautiful orphanage, surrounded by love! We cannot thank our wonderful partners enough. Thank you for all you do!!
Look at these pictures and you will see “hard-working,” poor, hungry Haitians, “making a road,” for our food trucks! Pastor Souffrance, our wonderful mountain Pastor, told the poor people of “Fon Bwapen,” that “Love A Child” food trucks can bring food, “if they fix the road.” The locals said they could, but they needed “something to give them strength,” to work on the Mountain Road! We gave Pastor Souffrance some money to buy what he asked for, “bread and sugar!”
They put sugar and water in the Love A Child food bowls and dipped their bread in the sugar mixture! They said “That’s all they needed,” and they went to work! Saturday, we will be giving 200 mothers a box of “Feed My Starving Children” food, and afterward, we will be cooking and feeding 300 children a hot, nourishing meal! None of this would be possible without the help of our partners! Thank you and God Bless you.
“A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, andloving favor rather than silver and gold.” Proverbs 22:1
Some people die with great riches, but their names are not worth anything. They have cheated, lied, and have done bad things to other people. Some people would rather have silver and gold than the favor of God. If we have the favor of God in our lives, then the Lord brings blessings into our lives.
One day of favor from the Lord is worth a thousand days of labor!
He is quiet and you never know when “he is here!” He is the brother of Fabiola. When his mother died, his father could not care for him and his sister. After his mother died, the children were often left by themselves. They were developing malnutrition. His father took both children to Social Services, who brought them to our orphanage.
Wilguens is now 12 and wants to be a mechanic! He is “very intelligent!” Due to his quiet disposition and slow-moving ways, the kids call him “Grandpa!” He is a sweet but serious kid! I guess we’ll keep him! Ha!
Here is pastor Mark Ostrander and his Haitian construction dream team making the concrete pads to lock down the soccer bleachers. He always works on two or three projects at one time. Mark is on our board of directors and is a genius builder.
He has made over 600 trips to Haiti, blessing the people. He loves the Haitians. His wife, Evie, has been here many times. Behind every good man, there is a good woman! Love is something you do!
