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Wednesday, December 9, 2009

Balancing the Equality...

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During this season as Mary and I reflected on what we are thankful for, the things and people are immeasurable. We regret that we are not able to spend time with our family and friends during this time, but are thankful that we have friends and Family like each of you. We are so thankful for God's provision for our family through the years. I do not remember a time when I had to wonder if my children were going to eat before they went to bed, or if they were going to get an education, if they were going to get the health care they needed, or if they were going to have a roof and a place to sleep or even if they had a bed to sleep on. Yet we live amongst a people here who have those worries and must depend on God for their daily bread and existence. We are so thankful for those of you who have been the answer to prayer for so many. Yet the need seems to be so great.

From time to time in history the Holy Spirit of God moves on people who are obedient to the Spirit and it changes the world for people around them. During the time of the early church, the Holy Ghost moved among men and women and we see the account in Acts chapter 4:34 where "Neither was there any among them that lacked, for as many as were possessors of Lands or houses, sold them and brought the prices of the things which were sold". Today God still inspires and moves people through His Holy Spirit who are willing to be Obedient to Him.

Last March, Johnny Aldridge visited us here in Gonaives, and God has been speaking to him since then how he can make a difference. Johnny is an auctioneer who lives in Blackshear, Ga. God has spoken to him about collecting things which people no longer need or want and having an auction for the proceeds to come to Haiti. The things which you have that you never use could be turned into food, health care, a house, shoes, bed, or other necessity which people are in need of.

So I ask each of you during this season as you reflect on your Thanksgiving and ask God to show you what you can do to make a difference and help balance the equality of the church. Some of you need your garage cleaned or attic, some need to displace some old things to make room for new things this Christmas. Some have jewelry, furniture, televisions, guns, quilts, lands, and houses, such as the early church which would help this inequality. So please pray and ask God in your relationship with Him what you can do.

Above is a flier that Johnny has already shared with some churches in the Georgia area. Arrangements can be made for many in the Georgia area to pick up items. But if you live further away, some items could be mailed or a key person could be responsible for collecting and a pick up scheduled. If you have any questions concerning this, please contact Johnny via contact info in the document link at the top of this page, by phone at 912-449-3303, or you can e-mail Johnny by clicking his name. May God bless you as you seek Him helping the Kingdom of God.

Our good friends from Myrtle Beach SC returned again the week before Thanksgiving. They were a big Blessing to us as we were relocating that week into a new ministry building. They were such a blessing helping with painting, building repairs and setting up pharmacy. We are excited about the new ministry opportunities this building is bringing us with a room for clinic and pharmacy. Other task included feeding the children, computer training for the teachers, Woobens and Michel, meeting some of the medical needs of the children in Jubilee. Those who come are a blessing as they build relationships with us and our friends for the Kingdom of God. Please continue to pray for those who are visiting us and those God is calling to visit here. Jerry has been patiently waiting, but his surgery has been rescheduled for February 9th. There is an American Doctor who is coming at that time to work on other cases and will do this while he is here. Please continue to pray for him, the Doctor and his family as this day approaches. Marvin visited Doctor Honore and received a good report. His TB has cleared up and he is doing great. He will return to the Dr. in January to have another CD4 count done for his HIV. Please continue to pray for him. Aron is doing great and over 15 pounds now and we are continuing to pray for someone to adopt him.

The building project seems to going good. We are using people in Jubilee to do the work. They work for 6 dollars US per day, mixing cement, carrying rock and sand, and other hard labor. We are rotating the laborers as much as possible, to help as many as we can. Every day several people are asking me for work. This is not much money but it helps feed their family. When you contribute to the building, you are helping others have jobs to feed their family. We want to start another class of School in January and need more room for children and teachers. Please pray for the funding we need to continue this work, so we will have the much needed space. This first part will have bathroom, two classes and a room for a clinic.



God has been blessing the labors of Pastor Genada and Rose as they serve here. He now has a baptistery in his church where there were 23 people baptized over the last two Sundays who had made a decision to follow Jesus. They now have their roof on and praying for God's provision to finish the church with doors, windows and flooring. He is also praying for a roadworthy vehicle. Please continue to pray for their ministry here.

You can view this and previous updates at http://love4haiti.blogspot.com/
Be sure to share our link with a friend.

With Love In Christ,
Emory and Mari

Prayer request
Jerry, Marvin and Aron
Provision of funds for construction
God's blessing on auction and Johnny as he leads this effort.
Those who are visiting
Children in School.
The Genada's ministry

Monday, November 16, 2009

Breaking Ground...

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Group at Pakistani UN compound. The one beside me is Shahid who is a Christian. Please pray for him as he shows Christ to those he works with each day.

On the 3rd and 4th of November Dr. Karen McCarthy and medical team came to Gonaives helped many people here. On Tuesday, they had a medical clinic at Pastor Genada's and on Wednesday morning in Jubilee. There were many sick who needed medicines. We praise God for his provisions through this group. On Wednesday morning while doing the clinic, a mother brought in a 7 month old baby who appeared to be badly malnourished. We were able to transport him (Edner) to PAP with the team on Thursday morning. Unfortunately he died later in the day. Please continue to pray for those in need here. Also the widow Mari which we have been working with and helping provide for fell and was not able to stand due to her hip. She passed away on the evening of the fourth. She was always giving glory to God and such a happy lady. Please pray for these families as they work through these difficult day.

Dr. Karen in Jubilee & Allison in Jubilee

Children & Edner

A group from New Hampshire led by Joel Hannon was here last week. The group consisted of construction and medical personnel along with others to show God's love in so many ways. Joel's wife Nancy worked with the deaf in Pastor Genada's bakery and school. They brought along with them the financial resources needed to install a roof on Pastor Genada's church. Praise the Lord!! They were also able to rebuild two houses in Jubilee which consisted of sticks with tarps over them. Needless to say, these were very happy families when the work was done. Dr. Chris was also a part of the team bringing much needed help in the medical field. We stopped at Bercy coming in and there was a girl there who had just cut her leg with a machete, so he was able to stitch it up for her. We praise the Lord for those who are coming and making a difference by using their talents for God's glory. Please continue to pray for those who are coming.

Installing a roof on Pastor Genada's Church
House before and after
House before and after
Dr. Chris preparing to sew a cut.

It has been a blessing over the last couple of weeks as we broke grou
nd and started the foundation for the school and clinic. It has been a blessing for some of the guys there to have jobs to provide for their families. Please continue to pray for the funding for this project and for God's wisdom and discernment. There are so many people with out work in this community and needing work.
Breaking Ground for Foundation
Children in uniforms
We have been searching for another house to rent for quite some time. This past week, we were able to sign a contract on another rental house for a year. It is near the one we are in. we are excited about the opportunities it will bring in setting up a medical clinic and helping with facilitating teams. We are in the process of doing some painting and other things this week where we will be able to move in. Please pray for us as we make this transition.

Jerry's surgery is scheduled for Thursday. Please continue to pray for him.

You can view this update and the history of others on blogspot http://love4haiti.blogspot.com/ be sure to share our blog with a friend who may be interested in the work that is going on in Haiti.

Prayer Request
Jerry
School building and provision of funds.
Families who lost loved ones.
Transition to new location

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Medical Clinics

In late July, Dwayne Harmon visited us with a team from Virginia. Through his experience here and the next few following at home, God inspired him to place his experience to words in a song. The song and pictures which depict the words will follow in another e-mail for you to listen and look. I know that those of you who have been here can identify with the words and those have not will be blessed by it. It has been copyrighted and they will hopefully have CD's which proceeds will be forwarded to help in Haiti. May you be as blessed as I was when I heard it.

Team from South Georgia visited this week to do a few medical clinics. On Monday they worked in Jubilee focusing on the sick and on Tuesday they were helping the pregnant mothers in Jubiee. Then on Thursday they were able to do a clinic at Pastor Genada's church. Some of the activities were English class, meeting with another missionary team from Washington state and Canada, and giving away sandals and underwear at pastor Johns Church, all of which was building relationships into the Kingdom of God and a special time on prayer mountain building on thier relationship with God.
Visiting with teams from Washington and Canada
Stanley at English class
Giving away sandals and underwear
Nurse Ann with mothers
Jonathan, Stanley, Doug and Tommy
This week as I was meditating and studying in Romans 12, I was reflecting on how it focuses on our relationship with God first and then moves into our relationship to others. It helps me to realize that if our relationship with others is not right, it is an indicator that our relationship with God is not right. I am so thankful that God's unconditional love came to me in all my faults and failures. "Father thank you for this and May your unconditional love which I have experienced flow through me to others because I choose to love them without conditions which is the way you loved me. Amen." I am so thankful for those who are coming to build relationships here. Please pray for those who have come and those who plan to come in the future.

Jerry continues to move toward surgery. He has completed all the primary test and x-rays.Today he will be having pre-surgery test and based on the results will have surgery scheduled. Please be in prayer for him. I do not know much about this, but do know that after not urinating for 8 years, it will take a miracle from God and his guidance of the doctors hands to put everything in place to work correctly. Thank you to those who have committed to support him Financially and those who have committed to pray for him.

Aron continues to thrive. We are now praying about his future.He will need to be adopted or placed in an orphanage somewhere because the Grandmother has said she does not want him. Please continue to pray for him.

Aron Before
Tommy and Aron
Aron Now
The rent on our house runs out on the last day of November. We are currently looking at a house to do a contract on. Please pray for us as we make these decisions. School continues to go well with minor growing pains. Below is a picture of D.G. modeling first school uniform. Please continue to pray for the school, teachers, and administrators.
Pastor Genada came down with Malaria again on Sunday evening. Please pray for him this week.

Thanks to all of you who are praying, serving and supporting us. We are reminded each day that there is no way that we could do the task which we do if it were not for those who co-labor with us. Your task is no less important than the ones which we do. We we walk on the streets and minister, we know you are walking beside us. We are so thankful that God has called us to be co-laborers together to help further the Kingdom of God. Thank you!

Prayer request
Jerry
School and teachers in Jubilee
Children in Jubilee
Pastor Genada
Julienne is doing great. Juliensi is back in the hospital from Dehydration. Please continue to pray for him.
House to rent
Arron

Saturday, October 17, 2009

A Community Effort...

Everyone continues to be Busy with the works of beginning a school. Doreen, Tami, and Taniuska continued another week getting everything in place and recruiting more students, while Jonathan continued with the construction at Jubilee and helping pastor John with the roof on his church. We were able to move the students into the new room on the 2nd of October. Mary is working with Madanm Rose some of the deaf to make uniforms for the children at school. There are several of the mothers who are helping with the school each day to make sure everything goes well. It has truly been a community effort as mothers help in school and tote water for construction and fathers help with the construction.
On the first of October, one of the guys in the village came to us and said his sister needed our help to go to PAP because she had had a c-section and it had gotten infected and was now opened up. The doctors in Gonaives told her there was nothing they could do for her. When we arrived at Julienne's house we seen a three inch diameter hole in her stomach which was terribly infected and a baby (Juliennsi) which was 10 days old and dehydrated. We took the baby to our house and each one took turns taking care of it until Saturday when we could take the mother to PAP. We left early Saturday morning we had a mattress in the back of the truck since she could not sit up. It was a 5 hour rough ride for her to PAP. When we arrived, we went to three different hospitals which turned her away. Two of which would not even look at her because the doctors were on strike. We then went to a fourth which would not keep her, but were willing to clean her wound and teach us how to care for it. This really challenged me and my revealed to me in a greater way the need for medical help in Haiti. We returned with her to Gonaives and she stayed with us for about 10 days. Her and the baby are doing well now. Please continue to pray for them.
We were honored to have a team from North Ga. visit with us this week which consisted of Mike Little, daughter Robin and her husband Shawn. It was a great time of building relationships and ministering to the needs of the people here in Gonaives. It is always great to have people come and build relationships with our friends here. Their activities included, taking care of babies feeding children, teaching English, and bible school, and spending a morning with Barnabas on the boat last Tuesday morning. I was able to go with them on the Boat on Tuesday morning. When we returned, I made a bad mistake trying to step on land and twisted my shoulder and it came out of joint. It is healing now and is a lot better. On Wednesday night Barnabas and his partner Savwa went to church and they accepted Christ that evening. We thank God for those who are coming and making a difference by building relationships into the Kingdom of God. Please continue to pray for those who are coming.


Marvin continues to do well with his TB treatment. He should finish this round this week. We tried to get him into a couple of different schools here, but because he has not been in school they would not except him, so we have enrolled him in the school in Jubilee.

Jerry continues to have consultations with Doctors here about his condition. He has another appointment at 2pm on Friday. Please continue to pray for him.

We are continuing to pray about another house as the rent is up on the one we are in the 1st of December. We are looking at one which is near us. It looks like there is none available in Gonaives outside the flood zone at this time. Please continue to pray for us as we seek God's will for a place for us to minister.

The English continues to do well. Over the last two weeks I have been testing some of the students and have given away 22 English Bibles. Last week Charley passed his test and he was proud. Thank you to those who have given bibles for this. It is a great blessing to those who receive them. See photo below!
Prayer request:
Jerry
School and teachers in Jubilee
Children in Jubilee
Barnabas as he grows in Christ
The house we need
Julienne as she continues to heal at home.

School Begins

It has been a busy time since we returned to Gonaives. On our way in we stopped to see Aron who is 14 pounds now and continues to grow. He is such a joy to hold him and see him smile. Thanks for your prayers for your continued prayers for him. The children in Jubilee were glad to see our return and it has been good to be with them again. They were taken good care of and fed each day while were gone because of those of you who have prayed and given for this cause.


Kathy Brooks led a team from South Ga last week which consisted of medical personnel, educators, and various people to share God's love with people here in Gonaives. They were able to complete several medical clinics in Jubilee Roboto and in Bercy. During this time, many relationships were begun which will be lasting. There was much love shared with the children in Jubilee in through games, singing, and spending time with them. The builders began building onto the building which we have in order to have a place to begin the school. It was an awesome time of work, worship, and building relationships into the Kingdom of God. Please continue to pray for those who have visited and those who plan to visit in the future.


When we were home, we shared with some of you about Jerry's plight. He is eight years old now. When he was three months old, he had some kind of surgery which left him with two holes in his side. One on each side under his ribs where urine runs out continuously. His mother tries to soak it up by tying towels around him. The other children shun him because of the smell. When we returned, we were able to find a doctor in PAP who would look at his case. He had an appointment last Monday and this week he is scheduled for a sonogram. Please continue to pray for him. Thanks for those of you who have committed to help and pray for Jerry. I will keep you posted of future needs.


We are rejoicing this week as school begins in Jubilee. Doreen Sigman came last week with the team from South Ga. to start a school. Tami and Taniuska has worked beside Doreen last week as they interviewed and hired teachers, identified students, and made preparations for starting on Monday of this week. It was great to see the children come, some as they were, and some with new clothes and shoes. Some of the parents were very excited about this opportunity for their children. We are likewise excited about this change which is coming to Jubilee. Please continue to pray for the teachers, students, parents and those on the team who are trying to get this going smoothly.


Some of you may remember Delines who had 2 club feet. Dr Hamm from Brunswick was able to get some braces for him last year to straighten his feet, but during the flood he lost them. Last week we were able to get him to Cap Haitia where he had surgery on one foot. It is healing and he will return in November to fix the other foot. Thank you for praying for him as he heals.

With love in Christ,
Emory & Mary
Prayer request:
Help for Jerry
School and teachers in Jubilee
Children in Jubilee
Delines