Greetings! February 16, 2010
It’s been a very full week since my last update. The days continue to be demanding, but God also continues to give strength and health. Please pray that we’ll be sensible in all that we’re doing and recognize our limits so we can accomplish those things that God wants us to do.
Repairs on the wall around the campus started weeks ago as fallen blocks were salvaged and cleaned up for reuse, as the ground around the wall was prepared, as sand, gravel, cement and cement blocks were purchased, and as men were hired. Today the men are actually laying block. And another team is working on the repairs of the water cistern. So, the work is moving ahead. Bruce made this comment last night, “If I survive all this work, I should be pretty buff at the end.” :0) Hopefully the aches and pains will disappear as they get used to this hard labor.
The end of last week, we had water restored to our houses – what a treat that is!!!! Samaritan’s Purse supplied us with a huge bladder that we’re using as a temporary fix until the cistern is repaired.
The 3-person team that was here to do the counseling/debriefing had a good week. Their time was just too short. The Stuarts met with 2 different groups of pastors and leaders. In these short sessions they were trying to minister to men and women who are leaders and who have their congregations looking to them for help, for answers, and for strength. Big strong men wept as they shared their own stories and admitted they were empty and didn’t know how to respond to all the needs around them. The Stuarts also debriefed we missionaries and a handful of Haitian leaders and their wives who live here on the campus. In coordination with a Haitian pastor’s wife, a group of young adults were trained and began meeting in small groups with the children here on campus for a time of trauma debrief. Please pray for those here that will continue to follow up with all these different ministries.
February 12th-14th the Haitian government called the nation to come together for 3 days of fasting and prayer. And it happened! Here in Port-au-Prince where the streets are normally thronged with people, with vendors selling goods, and gridlocked with traffic, they were empty and all businesses closed. The only place there were crowds of people was at churches where the people overflowed out the doors and onto the streets. In small neighborhoods, the people roped off their street and held services in the street. In our neighborhood the services started at 5a.m. and on our campus at 6:30 a.m. and went until noon. Now we realize that many regarded this time the same way they would at buying a charm to protect them from the spirits, but you also hear the people saying that they realize they really don’t control anything – it is only God who decides what will happen and who controls everything. On our campus alone there were 300 who made decisions for salvation. We had other students call and share the numbers that came to Christ in their areas – one place even included a witchdoctor. The people are more sensitive spiritually right now. Please pray especially for church leaders and believers – that they would be empowered by the Holy Spirit during this time to seize this opportunity to live and to share the reality of the all-powerful loving God in their lives to those around them who are in great need and searching for truth.
We’d appreciate your continued prayers for the UEBH and STEP as they are meeting and trying to make decisions concerning future direction. Our team here on the campus has committed to 3 projects: repairing the wall, the cistern and the houses here on campus. How we are involved after the completion of these projects will depend on the decisions made by the UEBH/STEP.
Finally, many have asked how they can help and I know many have sent in contributions to CrossWorld. Thank you. We are grateful and have already been involved in distributing funds and aid to those around us. Here is another opportunity or option for those of you who are interested. As you know, the Haitian church has been supporting their first full-time missionary couple to Senegal for the past 20 months. As you can imagine, with this disaster I’m not sure if anyone here is even thinking about their support of this couple or, if they have thought about it, I’m sure they don’t have the funds to give. People just don’t have money right now. So, if you would like to help the Haitian church keep this couple in Senegal, here’s how you can contribute: write your check to HLD (Haitian Leadership Development) and mail it to: 17201 NE 32nd Ave, Ridgefield, WA 98642. Include a slip of paper designating your contribution for Roger Derpilus. You will receive a tax-deductible receipt.
Thank you each one for your love, prayers, encouragement, support, and messages. You have ministered greatly to us during this time.
Love, Cindy for Bruce too
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