Link to Photos 10 months after the earthquake

Boxley Boggs shared this link.

http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2010/11/haiti_ten_months_later.html

Greetings Everyone! 

November 6, 2010

Cholera spreading around the country, little or no water on campus, Hurricane Tomas, 1000’s still in tents or under tarps, and only 2% of Haiti back to pre-earthquake status, but it’s still good to be home!  We are being very cautious with the Cholera - not eating fruits or raw vegetables, treating the water we have, and washing hands constantly.  We also talk with all our friends about using good hygiene themselves and being careful about eating anything not prepared at home.

I know many of you were praying for Haiti with the threat of Hurricane Tomas.  Praise God with us for answered prayer.  Yes, there was lots of rain and strong winds did damage to gardens in different areas, but we do believe God spared this country worse disaster.

Many ask about my foot – I am still not walking normally, but have made good progress.  The bone has healed, but it will take time for the tendons/ligaments, etc. to heal completely.  I look forward to the day I can walk without a limp and pain free, but anything is better than a cast and crutches!!  :0)  Thanks for praying.

It was good to see Jehu and the boys again.  There has been good progress on their building and they hope to be moved in by the end of the year.  All the boys except one passed the government school exams and have moved onto the next level.  After the quake 2 mothers came and got their young sons.  Just recently Donald was brought back to the center.  He was all smiles and so happy to be back.  The other mother is on drugs and living on the street and took her son because she felt he would help her bring in more money.  The older boys have seen Schneider Paul on the street – his mother is not able to take care of him.  He’s 6.  Pray that God in His sovereignty might see SP returned to the center before it is too late.   Eli, one of the older teenage boys, called me the other day.  He wanted a missionary offering envelope.  He has been doing some odd jobs and he wanted to give a portion of his money to Roger’s support in Senegal.  I’m sure this is the first money he has ever had.  He is an example to me.

Another example to me:  Naomie had been standing in line at the bank for over 2 hours.  She was very tired and almost ready to give up, but finally her turn came.  As she was leaving, a young man fainted.  Everyone moved back away from him, ignoring his need.  Naomie thought of passing him by too, but instead she got some water, bathed his face, let him drink and helped him sit up.  She then called his family and stayed with him until they came to take him to see a Dr.  She had done more than her part.  But she didn’t stop there.  She called the family later on that evening to see how the man was doing.  She has continued to be in contact with the family and has taken this opportunity to share the Gospel with them.  Because of her unusual example of love, they have been receptive.  “Don’t run up debts, except the huge debt of love you owe each other.  You can never finish paying that!  If you love your neighbor, you will fulfill all the requirements of God’s law.”  Rom 13:8  It’s so easy to get calloused to the great needs around us – not just for us here in Haiti, but for all of us wherever God has us – and yet I believe more people would respond if we loved more.  I’m asking God to fill me up each day with His love and then to help me obey and be ready to love in the opportunities He gives me.

Thanks to funds that were given, Bruce picked up a cement block maker today and will get a rock crusher in another week or so.  Pray that God would use both these tools to help establish some small businesses for some Christian Haitian families, and that these families will in turn have an impact on their workers and communities as they not only seek to live, but to bring light into darkness.

Please continue to pray for the STEP administration and profs.  All are under heavy loads.  Bruce is meeting this week with a group of men from Reach Global (E-Free Church Mission) who are exploring  opportunities to be involved in Haiti beyond earthquake relief.  They have 2 Brazilians and 2 men from Zaire who feel God’s call on their lives to minister in Haiti.  Pray that God would guide in these meetings.   

  

Thank you for your faithful support and prayers.  Thank you for partnering with us in God’s work here in Haiti.  We covet your prayers as we interact with people here, as we make disciples, and as we develop ministries that God directs us to.  We have been impressed lately with how short our time might be.  We’re praying daily that God will raise up many laborers to bring in the harvest. 

Love,  Bruce & Cindy

Update from Phyllis Schmid

We were glad that the rains had stopped to a drizzle when we went to bed last night.  Then at around 2 am a heavier rain began and last for a while.  I really wondered what it might bring as the ground is so saturated (in my unscientific opinion).  Anyway, David received the following report this morning:

HIGHLIGHTS/KEY PRIORITIES 

• Two deaths and two people missing have been reported due to Hurricane Tomas. 
• The DPC estimates 10,000 people have voluntarily evacuated their shelters since 4 November.
• In upper Artibonite, heavy rains since 17:30 P.M. are accumulating, causing flooding in areas in and around Gonaives with 25 to 35 centimeters of standing water reported by MINUSTAH.
• The South and Centre departments of Haiti are not impacted by the hurricane anymore while the North-West of Haiti continues to be affected until night hours.
• Hospitals in Léogane and Les Cayes, as well as Saint Louis Hospital in Delmas (Port au Prince), have been evacuated

There are approximately 120,832 tarps and 4,268 tents in the country to provide assistance to over 300,000 individuals. Over 60 per cent of the shelter needs can be covered with available in country stocks. Assessments are ongoing.

I was just on SKYPE with Ginger Muchmore who is with daughter, Judy, and her husband, Manis, in Plateau Anse Rouge.  They had the same gentle rains at first and then got hit with bad winds and heavy rains which took out people's gardens.  To quote Ginger:

[9:49:54 AM] mllejud: terrible drought that nearly took the gardens....

[9:50:05 AM] mllejud: then a soft gentle rain that fell all night and made the plants smile

[9:50:11 AM] mllejud: then the strong winds and hard rain

[9:50:17 AM] mllejud: and .....gone

 Also many of the trees Manis has been growing for the past 5 years were damaged or uprooted so there is much work to be done.  Please pray for this young couple in their work of bringing the light of Christ to an area steeped in voodooism - it is not easy but they push ahead.  The sun is finally pushing through the clouds today here in Port-au-Prince.

Again thanks for your prayers,

Phyllis

Thank you for your prayers!

Thomas is past the north tip of Haiti.  We have not heard any reports of heavy rains or destructive winds.  For us in Port-au-Prince we had a light steady rain since early last evening and all day today.  At times it was heavier with very minimal wind here in the capitol.  God answered prayer.  I'm sure it is uncomfortable for those in tents because it is cool and damp but the damaging winds and heavy downpours did not materialize for us.  I just talked to Lois up north and they are having steady rains but not the bad winds either so that is wonderful.  I pray for the soil not to be so saturated that mudslides occur now.  Indeed the world has kept Haiti in their prayers and God has answered.  We are grateful.

Our news from our hospital at La Pointe is that they continue to receive cholera patients.  Please pray for the medical staff as they handle this heavy influx of very sick people and for those not affected to stay safe and healthy. 

Thanks again for praying.
Phyllis

Hurricane Tomas Update

This is the latest advisory (5 am EDT Friday) and map at the link below. It is classified a hurricane one and will pass through the western part of Haiti sometime this morning /through the day and exiting the strait between Haiti and Cuba late Friday/early Saturday.

In my tracking it appears to ever slightly be moving north/northeast and those of you on the north coast could be having the center of Tomas passing closer to you.

In PAP we had rain through the night and around 1 am woke up with stronger winds that have died down, though with intermittent rain squalls that are becoming more frequent now.

Keep in touch.

NOAA website

Update from Phyllis Schmid

Well, I arrived back from La Pointe today, Wednesday, instead of waiting for Friday due to the fact that a weather upset named Tomas is headed our way.  It seems to fluctuate from a Hurricane to a tropical storm but either way it could drop a lot of rain on Haiti. We know many of you are aware of this and are praying. We appreciate it. David is parking our truck and the mission truck out in the open instead of under trees as a precaution.

My time at La Pointe with Lois and the instructors of the CEF teacher training course went very well and was a special encouragement to me. This was the second time I've done this with this group of women. The laughter, fellowship and worship times together were a blessing to me. They've invited me back for the next seminar so I'll be looking for additional craft ideas. Anyone with simple ideas using things available here like small hand sewing projects, things with paper, glue, etc would be great.

Hurricane Tomas heading for Haiti

Please pray for Haitians bracing for Tomas, a hurricane headed for the coast of Haiti either today or tomorrow.  Not everyone has shelter other than tarps or tents and flooding is a constant issue in Haiti.

Please pray for:

• shelter for those still living in tent citys
• food and other necessities to be available after the storm blows through to help those who will be affected by flooding
• aid workers who are still working Haiti that they will be able to reach out to those in need
• strength to face the uncertainty surrounding Haiti; regardless of the storm
• for people to continue to reach out to God and be touched by the salvation of Jesus in a way we have never seen in Haiti.

Praise God for:

• leaders who opened buildings around the city to give those in tent cities a place to find shelter
• aid workers who have been in Haiti since January and for those who have rotated in since then
• His love and care for the people of Haiti even in these very trying times they face
• for the people who have called on Jesus and found salvation and peace in Christ