Bringing a Haven of Hope to Haiti: Is Anything Else Christianity?

Hello

Mary and I arrived back in Gonaives last Saturday evening. It was great to spend a couple of days with Beaver and get caught up with all that has been happening while we were away. We are very thankful for Beaver and Kathy continuing to build into the Kingdom of God while we were away. Attached is some ideas which he shared with us for the time which he spent here. As you are beginning to enjoy a few cool nights there, we have been trying to readjust to the hot climate here. Mary has had some issues with nausea for a few weeks and it continues. Please continue to pray for her.

Everything in Jubilee is going great as we continue to build relationships there. We now have a well which produces good water. The school is working like a smooth oiled machine with some of the children reading in English now. The area near the market where the community cleared the garbage looks wonderful and they have started a community garden there. The medika manba program continues with about 30 severely malnourished children. It is a high nutrition peanut butter which is making a difference for these children. It is costing 1,050 dollars a month to maintain this program. Please pray for God's provision. We are also looking for a bus to help out with our transportation. We are looking for something like a shuttle bus with seats that will carry 20 or 25 people. It needs to be in good shape for the roads here and needs to be a diesel engine. If you know someone who may donate or help with this, please contact us. We would like to ship it from the states. Please pray for God's provision.

We are grateful for God's provision of a backhoe which we will have shipped over. Also thankful for God's provision for the container and items for school and construction. Please be in prayer about the shipping and receiving through customs of these items. I know it is only through Him and His protection that this can be accomplished.

While we were in the states, it was great to see many friends and family and spend time with them. It was a special time of spiritual growth for me as I spent time with God and in the word. While there, one of the books I read, was the book "In His Steps" by Charles Sheldon. It is a christian classic which has been around for years, but I have never read it. The phrase "what would Jesus do?" was most likely coined from this book. It was about a Pastor who challenged his congregation to make a promise for a year. Each person as they made decisions in their moments of life were to ask the question "what would Jesus do?" I know many of you, like I have, have heard the phrase, seen the belts and bracelets, and even quoted the phrase. The difference in the book was each person was to follow the question by acting out in their life what they thought was the probable actions of Jesus. This was based on each persons own convictions and they were not to judge others by their convictions. The result was community transformation and lives being changed. The tragedy of this, is the book is Christian fiction and not a reality. Since I have read this book, it has stirred my soul and forced me to ask the question "Is anything else Christianity?" It seems we can pray in the mornings and then we are able to pass through the day without including God in our small and big decisions of life. If we as Christians really did this, I am sure that our lives would be different. If we are followers of Christ, we do have the Holy Spirit with us to lead us through the small details of our life. It takes more than knowing what Jesus would do, it takes acting out Jesus probable actions in our life so that we truly and rightly represent Him. I would like some feedback as you ponder "is anything else Christianity?" Please pray for me as I strive to walk in His steps, though I fail many times. I encourage you to read this book and see if God speaks to you through it.

With love in Christ,