Days of Mourning, Prayer & Fasting

Today marks 1 month since the earthquake hit Port-au-Prince.  Amidst the tragedy, God is at work.  One church leader said that a wind of revival is sweeping the country.  For the first time, carnival (Mardi Gras) has been cancelled – it was to start on Tuesday.  Today, tomorrow, and Sunday have been declared a time of prayer and fasting.  Church leaders called for these days to be set aside and the government was in agreement…did we say that God is at work?! 

There was a moment of silence observed at the time the earthquake struck, 4: 53 p.m.  Today most people were not on the roads, but in churches (if they are still standing), on street corners or at home in prayer. 

Today was a day of repentance, asking God to forgive, Saturday will be a day to pray for the country and the government, and Sunday will be a day of thanking God for His mercy and grace and love.

Churches are having special services throughout the weekend.  Radio stations and TV stations are airing some of these services live. It seems that God has inspired this national three day fast.  Pray that God will answer His people with a miraculous outpouring of His love. Please join with the Haitians in seeking God's mercy Friday, Saturday and Sunday.  The only way to start the healing of Haiti is by spiritual revival. 

What can 13 first graders do?

This is what they can do!

Thirteen first graders at Southwest Florida Christian Academy, Ft. Myers, FL worked extra chores and collected money to give to Haiti earthquake relief.  They raised $65!  An anonymous donor added $100 to honor their efforts, bringing their total gift to $165.  I was able to go their class to share with them about Haiti and the earthquake.  Here they are presenting me with the check and with some pictures that I left with them to show the earthquake effects, a young survivor and relief aid being delivered. 

Their teacher, Debbie Fulwider, shared that as they visited their church’s mission booths 2 days later, one of the missionaries asked the class if any of them would be interested in being a missionary.  She said, “Almost the whole class threw up their arms and said that they wanted to go to Haiti to help. 

I pray that we are growing up a generation to help spread the gospel around the world while serving others. 

Your organization and the people of Haiti will be in our prayers!  Thank you for all you do to help others.”

It is so cool to see how their young hearts were touched.  They gave generously and God used them.  With their gift, RMI was able to give food to a handicap school in Cayes that has 12 in-resident students.  What a ministry for this new generation to have.

CIU Alumni Responding to Haiti Earthquake

Our alma mater, Columbia International University, has a great synopsis of various alumni who are helping in Haiti.  You should recognize the first alumni featured.  Click here to find the article.  We couldn’t ask for better publicity!

While Dan was in Haiti this last trip, I had fun attending an alumni gathering at the home of a CIU Board member (and personal friend) who lives in Ft. Myers.  After the dinner, CIU Chancellor, George Murray, wanted to have a special prayer for Dan & Haiti. He turned to me & asked "How can we pray for Haiti?" A million things ran through my head but nothing came out of my mouth. How can you narrow down all the needs (physical, spiritual, emotional, educational, governmental) ...of the Haitian people to 1 thing?

That God would use this disaster in Haiti to bring people to Him was all I could come up with. I felt a bit silly being speechless after sharing so much about Haiti earlier in the evening!

“I didn’t know how I was going to feed all these people. It’s a miracle!”

Missions Conference  Rob & Becky Thompson and Dan and I were invited to be a part of our church’s annual missions conference this past week.  It’s a large church….and the conference is large and 5 days long.  Kim Rose, Kent Commons and I scurried intensely for a couple of days getting the display and other things ready (the earthquake has kind of taken precedence over everything else).  Then I had to attend events by myself until Dan arrived, mid-way through the conference.

Dan returned from Haiti late Thursday night, Feb. 4.  I was happy to have my hubby home again, but there has been no rest for the weary.  He had to jump right into the conference as well as answer phone call after phone call.

We had breakfast yesterday, Tuesday, with the folks who brought down the additional supplies to be flown in Friday (they drove all the way from Arkansas and were on their way back home).  What fun to hear their stories of God’s provision of these supplies to them so they could give them to Haiti through RMI!

Dan is to be the chapel speaker next week at Trinity College of Florida, Dawn’s college.  We were there for their missions conference in the fall.  They want a first-hand report on how things are going in Haiti.  [I guess I’ll go along – I do have a daughter that’s needs visiting :) ]

Dan’s time in Haiti went well.  He was able to go to Port and make several significant contacts for food aid.  He was actually given 600 bags of rice, 150 lbs. of beans and 5 gallons of oil to take back with him.  On way back to Cayes, he stopped at the Zanglais church (Zanglais is where RMI’s Retreat Center is) to give the pastor this food to help feed his people.  The pastor had tears in his eyes as he said, “It’s a miracle.  This morning I got up and wondered how I was going to feed all these people.  And then you show up with food!  I have over 1,000 people (refugees) in this area that need food.  It’s a miracle!”

Through one of those contacts, RMI is now making weekly trips into Port to get a truck load of food relief to distribute in the Cayes area.  This is a significant development and will be a great help to the refugees!

Fluid & Flux

The state of things in Haiti and RMI are very fluid these days.  It is much like a large river.  It rushes in flood stage and we feel like we are drowning.  It ebbs and flows.  As time goes by needs change and new opportunities appear.  All that said, I am doing my best to keep you informed on what is happening. 

Some of the 9,000 lbs of medical supplies has gotten into Haiti, but there is still some left at the airport.  Another load of orthopedic equipment and supplies was delivered this week.  The leftover supplies and the new shipment (together now total 7,000 lbs.) will hopefully be flown in on Friday, Feb. 12.  Pray that that is able to take place.  So many options and plans have been made for these things and most of it has fallen through.  It’s been a daily volley of phone calls all over the country to keep it going.  Herb and Shirley have been the point people on this effort and have done a superb job.

Medical personnel are still helping in the Les Cayes area, working at either the General Hospital, the Cite Lumiere Hospital or the mountain MEBSH hospital, Bonne Fin. 

Medical supplies and other relief aid is coming in through the Methodist Habitat of the Bahamas straight to Cayes. We had hoped they would be able to help us get the 7,000 lbs. of stuff down to Cayes, but it proved too great a task since they only fly 6 seater planes.

The RMI missionaries and staff in Haiti continue to work in relief aid 24/7.  They’ve done a superb job and we are proud of them!  RMI vehicles and trucks continue to transport relief aid of all sorts from the airport to distribution points on the mission center and then on to it’s  needed destination.  They have also helped with 3 trips to transport refugees from Port to a MEBSH youth camp in the Cayes area that has become a refugee center for the next 3 months.

The RMI guesthouse is in constant use these days for medical personnel, mission executives doing assessment tours and even a stray reporter or two!  Often RMI provides a translator and transportation to their various destinations if possible.

Calls have come in from all over the US.  A public school in Pennsylvania wants to collect funds and put together hygiene kits for refugees.  Doctors and nurses continue to call in to offer their services.  Men have called to let us know their availability for construction when the rebuilding takes place.  Rotary clubs are asking how they can help [Dan is speaking to some members of the Southwest Florida Rotary Club today, sharing what the Cayes Rotary Club is doing and fielding questions as to how they can be involved!].  Local reporters have interviewed both Dan and I, not once, but 2 and 3 times.  Thirteen first graders at a local Christian school did extra chores and collected $65 for Haiti.  They asked me to come and talk to them.  They were very proud to present me a check for Haiti relief.

Keep tuned to this blog and RMI's website for the latest ebbs and flows!

Jules Update

Gary and Marilyn McLaughlin were able to visit Jules in December.

 

He underwent heavy duty chemo treatments 3 times a week in preparation for his bone marrow transplant.    Two days before his bone marrow transplant, a lump was discovered on his neck.  After a lot of tests, they found that it was an infection.  He was given heavy antibiotics and seems to be better. 

He met with his doctor last week and the decision was that now that the infection is gone, he must undergo another 4 weeks of chemo before any transplant. 

Pray for him….

* He must go to these chemo treatments by public transportation.  This means going from their apartment to the bus stop, waiting for the bus, then after the bus ride from that stop to the hospital.  After the treatment, then they have to reverse the process.  And all of this in heavy snow [remember these are Haitians who do not like the cold!] and not feeling well.  Occasionally friends give them a ride, which is a welcome relief.

* He and Martha are “hanging in there”, but they still struggle with boredom and feel isolated and homebound.

Their phone number is 321-217-4165.  Phone calls are a very real encouragement to them.

Please be assured that if anything new develops, we will keep you up to date.

Teleconference Call from Haiti

Saturday night Dan gave an open teleconference call from Haiti to give a live update on what is happening in Haiti.  57 people attended it.  One man in New Jersey listened to it while he was snow plowing!!

Dan gave a great presentation of the current issues, future planning, and spiritual insight into what God is doing through the church in Haiti.  You don’t want to miss it. 

You can hear it  by visiting our website at www.rminet.org.  The link is under the Earthquake Update section.

I just talked with Dan in Haiti. He's doing well and has been VERY busy. Tomorrow he is going to Port to “knock” on some military and UN tent doors to see about getting some relief aid out in Cayes. Pray he meets the right people and those right people have open hearts!