Gonaives bon mache Fire...

Hello

Mary and I spent the first two weeks in May visiting with friends and family in Waynesville and working on packing containers. On the 13th of May the Kids Against Hunger food which was packaged in Arizona arrived and we placed it on the container also. The containers are almost ready to ship. Please be in prayer concerning the containers shipping and receiving. On the 14th of May I returned to Haiti and Mary stayed for a procedure on her neck which she had completed yesterday morning. She will be returning on Saturday. Please continue to pray for her healing, travel, and transition.

Brian arrived on the 9th of may to continue working on the houses. It is awesome to see how God continues to work. What a blessing it is to see the reality of those who have, meeting with those who have not. Such a beautiful picture of who God is and how the Body of Christ works together. In addition to the 10 houses which are occupied, there are 8 more with roof trusses on them which need paint and metal roof installed prior to occupation. In addition to those there are 8 more with walls installed and currently working on placing the trusses. in addition to these, there are 5 more foundations ready. It is hopeful that when Brian leaves on the 10th of May there will be 26 completed and several more partially completed. Please continue to pray for this effort and discernment from the Holy Spirit as people in need are placed in houses.

The school year ended with a blast having graduation on Tuesday evening and water day on Wednesday. I do not know who had the most fun, the children or the adults. We are continuing the construction on the school building and looking forward to school starting back. We will begin a first grade with kids in school all day. Doreen has given me a budget for the curriculum and it is $6,500 for next year. If you have not already given towards this and would like to, it would be a blessing to the school. Please pray for the school, construction, funding, and teachers.

The (bon mache) or market building in Gonaives burned Friday night. The fire destroyed everything in the building and the roof, though the walls are still standing. There was somewhere between 1,000 and 1,500 vendors whose livelihood depended upon this market. The vendors would leave their inventory in the market at night and it would be locked up. Many of the vendors lost everything they had. The new president visited on Sunday to encourage the people and also gave them some hope about replacing the roof on the market. Sunday afternoon as I was looking at it, there were many people looking in with bewilderment and unbelief, as some picked through the still smoldering debris from the fire looking for any valuable remnants. Please pray for those in need as they start over again.

It was a great blessing to have Beaver and Kathy Brooks walking in our stead while we passed time with family and friends in the states. Seeing the change and new relationships is awesome. It is a tremendous thing which God is doing here and the way He moves people as He pleases, to do His will. Kathy and Beaver believes that God is leading them to Haiti full time now. The last few weeks have been bittersweet for them as they make preparations to come. It is always difficult to leave family and friends, but is more important to be in Gods will anywhere than anywhere out of His will. I just read the book written by the wife of Jim Eliot and seen the commitment which he the others with him had to God. The statement he made "he is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to keep what he cannot lose" gave such a since of committing his life to God's cause. I believe it is important as Christians for our life and material things of this world to be less important than identifying with God's interest in other people. May we seek this purpose in our lives as followers of Christ. Beaver and Kathy are tying up loose ends and making preparations to come in August. Please pray for them and their family.

Love in Christ,

Prayer request

Mary's neck, travel and transition.

Containers shipping and receiving.

Home construction. people placement.

Kathy and Beaver as they complete transition.

Persons who were negatively effected by fire in market building.

School construction, curriculum funding, and teachers.

Kids Against Hunger and Other Adventures...

Mary and I have had many opportunities over the last few weeks to visit with Many of our friends. We arrived in Cottonwood Arizona on the 14th of April where some of our friends (Kim Gould and Karen Freeman) were led of God to begin a Kids against Hunger (KAH)satellite food packaging program which will benefit the hunger needs of Haiti.

After the earthquake we had the opportunity to meet Tim Stomer, a representative of KAH. It was through this relationship that this satellite has begun. KAH combines, rice, vitamins and nutrition which supplies all the daily vitamins and supplements for children in one meal. If you would like to know more about them or help curb hunger throughout the world by starting a packaging operation in your community, you can see their work at kidsagainsthunger.org. It was great for Mary and I to be a part of this event which will help curb the hunger pains in Jubilee and throughout the world.

On Saturday the 16th of April, the local churches in the community of Verde Valley and Cottonwood Arizona came together to package 28,512 meals which will be shipped to Gonaives. Praise the Lord for His provision. You can help Verde Vally continue in this effort by giving at kahverdevalley.org or you can E-MAIL THEM.

Since then Mary and I have traveled to Dolores, Estes Park, Auroura, and are now in Alomosa, Colorado sharing with small groups and churches about what God is doing in Haiti. It is great to spend time with friends who have been to Gonaives, and meet new friends along the way. Our friends are making sure we take some time to rest and see some of God's creation, such as the grand canyon, rocky mountains, navajo indian reservations and more. We will be traveling to Omaha this weekend to visit with our friends there before returning to South Ga on Monday and then returning to Haiti the 14th of May. We are thankful to God for friends He has placed in our lives.

• Please pray for Mary as she is having neck pains again. She will be seeing the Doctors again next week for treatment.
  
• Continued provision for the children's basic needs.
  
• Job skills training.
  
• Provision of jobs.

Haiti Happenings...

It has been wonderful seeing the hand of God at work in lives the people of Jubilee. Last week a team from Brunswick visited and shared the love and hope of God with those in Jubilee. It was spring break in the school, so they were able to do a VBS with the children and youth.

Brian has now completed 8 homes and returned home last week to be with his family for a few weeks. You can see the latest update on the home construction at http://www.omaharapidresponse.blogspot.com/ . On Tuesday we gathered 8 of the women who did not have homes and were able to give them a home. The team was able to help them with the painting on the inside and outside of the houses. It was a great blessing to see their joy unspeakable which gave them hope. Four of these women were earthquake victims. Three of them had lost their husbands during the earthquake. On Wednesday of last week the team gathered around these women and prayed with them. On Thursday they were able to help them with many of their needs. We praise God for His provision.

Kathy and Beaver have been doing a wonderful job with the job skills training and this week it was a blessing to see these ladies which Kathy had been teaching how to make jewelry, journals, and wind chimes. On Friday they had an opportunity to bring their crafts to the school where they had an opportunity to sell them. It was awesome to watch these women with hope in their eyes as their things sold. I am sure it was a hope of a new way of life which will allow them to provide for their family with honor and dignity. We praise God for His provision through commerce. Beaver is also leading an effort with the medical community to bring training to nurses and Doctors in Gonaives so they will be better equipped to do their jobs.

With love in Christ

Prayer request

Continued provision for the children's basic needs.

Job skills training.

Provision of jobs.

Update from Kathy...

Worth it! We have a morning class where young mothers in the Jubilee are learning to create Journals. It is being taught by a young Haitian man, that approached us about buying some of his journals he had made. The quality is absolutely amazing! So we have employed him to teach this trade to others. We are in our second and final week off this class and we already have people lined up to begin again next week. This youn man, Mr. Benson, is one of the best teachers I have ever seen. He is taking everything down to the basics. Teaching how to use a measuring tape and even how to add fractions. He is brilliant and patient and Haitian and a believer as well! We about had church in class yesterday when Nicole Brown ( so happy to have her here this week!) and a friend of Benson’s came in and played guitar! We are meeting in his house, toward the back of Jubilee..a very simple block structure decked out with two simple benches, well used and old formica table that is literally falling apart from good use. That is it. That is everything in the house. And he lives there with his mom and I don’t know how many siblings. ( I’ve met several, and their kids ! ) We needed tools and supplies to start the class, so with money that had been donated to the Trade School we bought some simple things and he actually made some of the tools we are using. Pretty amazing stuff. I think we will soon have a little business here ! The Jewelry Making Class is bursting with creativity. We have one student that I almost kicked out of the mama class and sent to the teenager class at first, thinking she was about 12 years old. The other mama’s had to convince me this young woman was 18 and a mama herself. She has an eye for color combining and putting elements of glass, metal and beads together. Amazing stuff. We’ve also added Wind Chimes to our repertoire…The teenager class has really gotten into it. We are experimenting with different materials, found objects from Jubilee, sand tumbled glass, small pieces of drift wood, shells, bottle caps… Recycling at its height! Can’t wait to get these perfected and out for all the world to see the beauty in this place! This week we are blessed to Have Bethany Preston and Lexi Holloway here. They began teaching hand sewing to the Momma class. The class was packed with 18 students…all very eager to learn to stitch. It was beautiful to watch as the young women from two different cultures, with two different skin tones…became as one group….young women who want to sew. Pretty simple, ridiculously beautiful . We are so happy to have Bethany and Lexi,,,,just wish we could keep them for about a month! The young men’s carpentry class is continuing to grow. Taylor Brooks is heading up the team this week, with Zach Preston and Daniel Brickhouse. They asked each student, why they are coming to class, what they hope to get from coming. “To learn to build …to help my family…to have skills to get a job” … the answers. They walked the young men through the process of having to figure out the plans, the costs and the overall effectiveness of a project. Adding the calculating skills to the actual building skills they have gotten in the last few weeks. Each teacher comes and gives something else to these young men. They are being equipped and empowered! Martha Hanna and her Mid-wives , Ruth and Pris, continue to do a stunning job with the local nurses and mid wives of Jubilee. There class continues to be filled to overflowing. They have taught on practical issues that have sparked lots of conversations ! On Monday Miss Ruth “gave birth” to a lovely baby doll complete with his balloon placenta attached! I hear there is a video! The students have all seen Martha’s heart for them and they love her dearly. I don’t know how she will be allowed to leave ! We are also blessed this week to have a medical team from First Baptist Brunswick Georgia here. Led by Shannon Hemenway, they have documented health record for all the students at the Jubilee school, tended to daily wounds and today are doing a clinic in Roboto. What a huge blessing to have them here. I was amazed to watch my not- so – little girl , Rebecca take charge when a woman showed up with a bloody foot. She immediately got her into the clinic, and started getting her cleaned up. With Nicole’s and Meghan’s help they cleaned , disinfected and bandaged her all by themselves. The lady gave them all big hugs and “thank you’s” afterward. Was a sweet moment! At night the house is full of creativity , conversations and laughter! We have had some awesome times of worship together and sharing of hearts. It is always refreshing to hear what God is doing in each person and where they see Him in this land. The rhythm of this place is a far cry from the fast paced “get it done” pace at home. It is sometimes outrageously aggravating to be prepared to start class at 9 am and at 9:45 to actually have to send word to the students that it is TIME! To have to pay 200 USD and then wait 6 days to get our power line restored after an unknown large truck broke our power line. To have an unending stream of needs brought to us 30 times a day! But honestly , the aggravations don’t even merit thought, compared to the beauty we are blessed to see daily! I was asked yesterday what one thing makes it worth the effort to be here and to do this. Simple, I turned around and pointed at the women, the Mamas, walking with us. That. The people , all day, everyday. So worth it. Thank you for your prayers and support, for trusting us to do this well. MUCH love from Haiti, Kathy Brooks MUCH Ministries, Inc. www.muchministries.org

Haiti and Other Places...

Hello

Mary and I are now in Fayettville Ohio after spending last week with our children in NC. We experienced a great week of rest and time with family and time with God. Our son Justin is now attending Armstrong University where he is studying music and has hopes of graduating in December of this year. Our Daughter Lori and husband Scott live in Wake Forrest NC where he is attending Seminary and she is a teacher. It was great to be with each of them this past week. Mary continues to do great with the change in her medications.

We are continuing to hear great reports about what God is doing in Haiti. The job skills training and other things are going great there. We are thankful for the sacrifice and contribution Beaver and Kathy brooks are making in building relationships into the Kingdom of God. Attached is an update (possibilities today) from them which tells a great story of what is happening there. Please continue to pray for them as they work there. Please look at the work which they are doing in Haiti and in Georgia. You can find their information on the "Other Opportunities to Serve" tab located at the top of this page.

Brian arrived on Tuesday and will resume the construction on the houses. We are excited about the opportunities God is giving us to work with the people in the community and provision of Jobs. Please pray for Brian and also for Omaha Rapid response which is the organization which Brian has been participating with for several years. ORR has been helping widows and orphans in Pakistan, Haiti and specifically in Jubilee for several years. Last week I shared with you other opportunities to serve and there organization in Omaha is definitely a great place to plug into ministry. You can find out more about this ministry by also clicking the tab "Other Opportunities to Serve." Please pray for Brian and ORR and the work which they do for the kingdom of God.

We are also thankful for Cross International and the work which they are doing around the world. They are responsible for the financing of the homes which are being built in Jubilee. They are really working hard to get help to the poorest of the poor. Their information is also listed in "Other Opportunities to Serve." Also attached (EQ Housing) is some stories they have written about earthquake victims and ministries which are helping them. Some of these will be recipients of the houses being built in Jubilee. Please look at their work and pray that God would show you how you could help.

With Love in Christ,

Prayer request

School and those who serve there.

Housing project and community

Our personal spiritual growth

Brian, Beaver and Kathy as they serve in Jubilee

Community development and job skills training.

Be devoted to one another in love...

It is great to be beside my wife again. I arrived on Friday night and we have been resting and spending some time with each other. With Doctor's advise, last Thursday Mary stopped taking her diabetic medicine and she is doing a lot better. It seems that the metformin was causing the nausea. We praise the Lord for this as it seems she no longer needs the metformin. Thank so much for your prayers for her.

On Monday the 14th, Kathy and Beaver Brooks arrived in Gonaives to work in our stead for some time while we are here sharing the needs of Jubilee with churches and individuals and invite them to get involved. We are thankful for them and their sacrifice for the people of Jubilee and the Kingdom of God. While they are there, they will be focusing on community development and job skills training. They will be utilizing teams who are coming during this time, to accomplish these goals.

Dr. Karen McCarthy returned to Gonaives last week with a medical team from Jacksonville, which give life and hope to many in desperate situations. They were able to do a clinic at Pastor Genada's church on Tuesday and in Jubilee on Wednesday and had several clinics in PAP. Please pray for this team as they minister to the medical needs of Haiti in the Name of Jesus. We are thankful for them and for the sacrifices which they make for the Kingdom of God.

We serve an amazing God who continues to change and transform Jubilee. The school continues to go well and the teachers are wonderful as they teach and encourage the children in life giving ways. Encouraging them to do things which will give honor and respect to each other and to God. Brian has went home for a few weeks to be with his wife and will return on the 8th of March to continue the housing project. We thank God for those who have given and sacrificed for those who need a home. May God be glorified through it all. He is worthy!
I have been meditating on what it means to prefer one another in our relationships and in ministry. Romans 12:10 says " Be kindly devoted to one another, with brotherly love, in honor preferring one another". This is easy for us to do with people we love and are close to, but as Christians we are called to do this to people who are not so easy to love to those who sometimes hurt us or do not love and honor us in return. We do not have the opportunity to exercise this kind of love when everything is going smooth, it is when things are in tension that we have this opportunity. I think what is being said, is to make the other person more important than yourself or make yourself less important than the other person. As I have been mediating on this and trying to make the application in my own life God has been showing me how I need to expand this to ministries and how we relate to one another as we do Kingdom work. When Nehemiah was building the wall, it was a community effort which involved each family working on the wall where they lived. The idea was to get the wall up for protection from their enemies. If there is a breach in the wall they could be attacked. So they were not in competition with each other to see who get it done first, whose wall would look the best, or who could gather the most resources, they were working together to protect the community of God's people from the enemy. If all the families finished their work, and one was lacking, it would be as though they had not accomplished anything, because their would continue to be a breach in the wall. I believe as they worked some had more mortar, some had more, rocks, some had more bricks, some had more water, because they had a well. They shared their resources, where they could finish the task and be protected, where there would not be a breach in the wall. As I meditate on preferring one another in ministry, God continues to show us ways which we can prefer another and share our resources where there will not be a breach in the wall for the enemy to come against us. If one of us fail, we all fail. Today I want to share with you a couple of ministries which God has allowed me to witness as they work on the wall of the Kingdom of God. They have put their hand to the work and I would like for you to have an opportunity to know them and pray about how God would have you to help them and get involved in their ministry. Attached is their info and it will be posted on our blog under the heading "other opportunities to serve." I will be sharing others with you in the future and also place them on the blog.

Sherrie Fausey is one which many of you know already. She lives in Port-au-Prince Haiti and I have had to opportunity to work with her for several years. The other is Mike Leland. He has an orphanage, school and works with many local pastors and people in need. His primary work is north of Gonaives. You can see his work at the sites below. Please pray for them and their work on the wall of the Kingdom of God as we build together.
www.newgenerationhaiti.org Blog is http://newgenerationhaiti.blogspot.com/

With Love in Christ,

Prayer Request

Mary; we rejoice in her victories

School and those who serve there.

Housing project and community

Our personal spiritual growth

Beaver and Kathy as they serve in Jubilee

Community development and job skills training.

Reflecting the Love of God...

Mary is with her sister Cynthia in Waycross. She went to see the internal disease Doctor last Thursday and the test did not reveal any problems. She continues to have nausea after she eats, as she did before she was sick, though with medication she is able to hold food down. She went to her Doctor on Monday and will be seeing a specialist to see what is causing her nausea. I sure miss her being here beside me. She conveys her appreciation for your prayers and intercession on her behalf. Please continue to pray for her.

The work here is going well, Julie, Laura Lynn, and Terry returned to Gonaives on the 8th of January and school has been back in session for two weeks now. It is a blessing to see the children maturing and learning. They love to share with us the English words which they are learning. Laura Lynn has been working towards getting Haitian teachers to help complete this year and for next year as we expand. This week we have a team from Julie's home church in Va. They are having a VBS for the children. Julie is enjoying spending some time with her dad. Please continue to pray for these servants as they represent Him in their task each day.

Brian returned on the 27th of December and is continuing on the housing project. We now have 14 Foundations complete, walls on three houses complete and working on placing rafters on the first house. It is exciting to see a community being built. It is also great to see some of these guys which do not have a lot of work, have jobs to supply their families. We are thankful for Cross International allowing us to participate with them in this project as we work together for the Kingdom of God. It was great to have Jim, Phil and Jeff from Nebraska, here for few days helping out with this project.Brian is here to build houses, his main objective is to disciple and be discipled. As followers of Christ how would each of our jobs be different if this was our primary Goal. Please continue to pray for this community.

Darrin Mitchell from Toccoa Ga has been here since the 26th of December working with local pastors and helping with many different mission projects. It is great to see the the pastors coming together in unity, working together for the Kingdom of God. It was great to have Jim Hambrick here with friend Rick Via for a few days. They taught local pastors and were able to visit some families and pastors in Jubilee and also pass some time with Pastor Genada. Please pray for the local pastors here as they are really on the front-lines here.

We are continuing to meditate on relationships and this morning we had a great devotion with the team from Va. We talked about love and the scriptures were used about the many things which we can have, but if we do not have love for our fellowman, what we have is nothing and we are nothing more than a clanging symbol. It reminded me of the devotion we had a few weeks ago where we agreed that our relationships to one another was more important than the work which we do. If those relationships do not reflect the love of God, then why are we here, we would be just as well to go home. I have meditated on this over the past few weeks and how it would apply to our local bodies of believers in our churches and other Christian organizations. Would it not be the same? Our relationships and love towards one another and preferring one another is more important than the work which our mission produces. The work would only be a conduit to testify of how God's love allows us to work together in relationship. When we say we are doing it in the "name of God" or in the "name of Christ" and Their love in not manifested in what we do through relationship, then why are we doing it. That would be an indicator that our relationship with God is false. God our Father, please help us to walk and represent you in our relations with one another, in a way which truly represent you as we walk in His steps amen.

With Love in Christ,

Prayer request

Mary

School and those who serve there.

Housing project and community

Our personal spiritual growth