Well, I missed sending an update last weekend. Sorry.
Pray for Bruce and Cindy as they host a huge medical/dental team this week from their home area of Washington. Cindy is very organized and the group brought their own tents, etc. but it is still a tremendous amount of work to keep food going for that many people. Omisia and Eliette are doing the cooking and Eliette's daughter, Betty is helping too. They even set up a small cooking area outside under a tarp to have enough room to do all the cooking. The team is doing clinic each day down in front of the seminary building and seeing many people.
The group paid for both McMartin daughters, Rebecca and Michelle, to come to see their parents and to help with the team. What fun to see them again here in Haiti. Bruce and Cindywill have a couple of days to "catch their breath" and then will head out on April 3 to spend time with their son, Joel, and family and enjoy being grandparents to Ethan and Tyler. Pray they get some rest too :-).
I wasn't sure why I was going out so early (leaving here on March 31) but God has certainly shown me once again that He was directing my steps. David has to teach out in Verrettes April 5-11 and so I would have been here in Port alone with McMartins and him gone. I could have done it but he just thought I should go out early. Now I know why.
Well . . . in my last update I mentioned my left jaw giving me trouble. You may not remember (but I DO) that back in the early '80s I had trouble with my jaws. At that time God provided a dentist from Fredericksburg, VA who was coming to Haiti each year with his family to do dental work. He worked on me in Haiti and then in 1986 right after my mother's death from cancer my jaw caused me a lot of trouble and he took care of me in Virginia. I have not had any trouble with my jaw for 24 years until just recently.
Well, this same dentist in Virginia has offered to treat me again so I am going by train from Lancaster, PA on April 4 and will spend the week with my brother and family to have this work done, and return to Lancaster on the train on April 12th, the day before David comes out of Haiti.
Being able to spend time with Bob and his family is a precious treat I hadn't thought I would have and getting my jaw taken care of by an expert is just God's extra special blessing. Also my niece has a friend who hasoffered to help me set up a Power Point presentation about the earthquake. I need help as this is not my area of expertise AT ALL.
We will be in DuBois from April 16 -19 and on the 20th will go to a lovely home in the woods of north central PA for some quiet R & R. Our kids will come to spend a few days when they can and then we'll return to Lancaster area on the 8th of May to return to Haiti on the 13th. We will be seeing our doctor and getting lab tests done while in DuBois so are glad to have that taken care of. We are packing in a lot but those days of R & R are what will really prepare us for our return.
Thanks to your many very generous gifts we have been able to help people gettheir homes repaired (the homes that could be repaired) so they could move back into them. Please continue to pray for those who have no homes to return to - this is a serious problem all around Port-au-Prince. TheHaitian Christian High School on our campus wants to begin classes in April and so they will be asking people to leave campus.
It is a difficult thing for us to leave when there is still much to do butwe know God's timing is best and He is in control of this situation not us. Trust me all 4 of us are ready for a change.
Will try for another update next week. After that we will try to send one from the states when we can. Keep praying.
Love to all,
Phyllis
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
The Handiwork of God!
God has worked out an amazing thing:
A couple of weeks ago I (Phyllis Schmid) was eating a sandwich and after 24 years of no problems, I have had pain in my left jaw ever since. I've been in correspondence with Wayne Whitley who helped me so much 24 years ago.
I asked Mom about how we met Dr. Whitley:
Dr. Whitley and his family live in Fredericksburg, VA. Guess who else lives in Fredericksburg?!? Mom's brother Bob Roper and his family! What a blessing that Dr. Whitley is available to help her and that Uncle Bob and Aunt Joanie are in the same town.
So Mom is coming out two weeks before Dad and in that two week period, she will be having her jaw taken care of. An additional blessing is that she will be staying with Uncle Bob, Aunt Joanie and Sherri and will be able to visit with Julie and Jeff and their kids!
Because Mom is in the US for the two extra weeks all of this will be done before Dad comes and they can spend the rest of the time here relaxing together which is also a blessing!
God is so amazing in the way He works these things out!!! I just had to share with everyone!
A couple of weeks ago I (Phyllis Schmid) was eating a sandwich and after 24 years of no problems, I have had pain in my left jaw ever since. I've been in correspondence with Wayne Whitley who helped me so much 24 years ago.
I asked Mom about how we met Dr. Whitley:
Wayne came to Haiti every year for a while in the late 70's and early
80's [on dental missions trips to La Pointe, Northern coast of Haiti]. The last time he worked on my jaw was in 1986. His treatment gave me relief for 24 years until the problem just recently. He has kindly offered to treat me and take care of the problem while we are out this time. His family are very special friends.
Dr. Whitley and his family live in Fredericksburg, VA. Guess who else lives in Fredericksburg?!? Mom's brother Bob Roper and his family! What a blessing that Dr. Whitley is available to help her and that Uncle Bob and Aunt Joanie are in the same town.
So Mom is coming out two weeks before Dad and in that two week period, she will be having her jaw taken care of. An additional blessing is that she will be staying with Uncle Bob, Aunt Joanie and Sherri and will be able to visit with Julie and Jeff and their kids!
Because Mom is in the US for the two extra weeks all of this will be done before Dad comes and they can spend the rest of the time here relaxing together which is also a blessing!
God is so amazing in the way He works these things out!!! I just had to share with everyone!
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Brief update from Phyllis Schmid
We had another "shock" again last night that woke me up. I was just falling asleep. It was later than usual for me but I was trying to stay awake for dad to come home. He and Bruce were out for a long time last night because there was trouble on campus. Things finally calmed down but it took a while. The group living on the basketball court has been the most unruly and there was a big problem there. He finally got home and we were able to sleep without getting called out again.
Mom
This message is from someone who visited with Radio Lumiere:
FRIDAY IN HAITI
I spent the morning visiting pastors and churches. Rain has turned the dust to slop in the streets. Pedestrians are splashed to their knees with the white glop, but the human swarm continues unabated.
For 2 months now, folks have been digging themselves out of the rubble. I
know I’m only seeing a cleaned up version of the disaster, but the more you see, the harder it is to imagine what a terror those couple of minutes must have been.
I visited Pastor Napoleon’s house. All that’s left is a slab of concrete with recently-laid white tile covering it. He showed me where his mother was pinned by falling concrete, and he spent from 6 pm til midnight digging her out. She underwent two surgeries, but died of infection. I asked how his slab was cleared, when all around were sites where the houses still lay in ruin. He told me that the youth group from church had come and cleared it for him. It’s a crazy world when the greatest service you can render a friend is to haul the rubble of his house away. It’s even crazier when you realize what a precious gift that was – it’s not easy to get rid of rubble in a city where that is all that is left.
I went to see Bellevue Salem Church #2 at Delmas, now a gravel pile. Pastor Villemar lived upstairs. His wife and two sons were seriously injured when suddenly their whole house fell down into the church below. They are being cared for at Cayes, and he is staying in town at Delmas to take care of his people. I asked “How are you doing emotionally?” He answered, “Avec le Seigneur, ça va.” With the Lord, all is well. I asked “How is your wife?”
He answered, “Others are worse off.” Those are answers I heard through out the day.
Since the quake, 1700 people have accepted Christ at Côte Plage. 1000 more accepted Christ at Bellevue. That’s just two churches. How can a church give a proper foundation to so many new believers? That is the challenge. They need to train thousands of disciple-makers. Radio Lumiere might be part of the answer...
But Radio Lumiere is broadcasting from under tarps in their courtyard. Most of the staff his moved on to the property and are living together in tents. I’m sure it’s not all fun and games, but it will be a time that people now living will be telling their grand kids about when they are old and grey.
Mom
This message is from someone who visited with Radio Lumiere:
FRIDAY IN HAITI
I spent the morning visiting pastors and churches. Rain has turned the dust to slop in the streets. Pedestrians are splashed to their knees with the white glop, but the human swarm continues unabated.
For 2 months now, folks have been digging themselves out of the rubble. I
know I’m only seeing a cleaned up version of the disaster, but the more you see, the harder it is to imagine what a terror those couple of minutes must have been.
I visited Pastor Napoleon’s house. All that’s left is a slab of concrete with recently-laid white tile covering it. He showed me where his mother was pinned by falling concrete, and he spent from 6 pm til midnight digging her out. She underwent two surgeries, but died of infection. I asked how his slab was cleared, when all around were sites where the houses still lay in ruin. He told me that the youth group from church had come and cleared it for him. It’s a crazy world when the greatest service you can render a friend is to haul the rubble of his house away. It’s even crazier when you realize what a precious gift that was – it’s not easy to get rid of rubble in a city where that is all that is left.
I went to see Bellevue Salem Church #2 at Delmas, now a gravel pile. Pastor Villemar lived upstairs. His wife and two sons were seriously injured when suddenly their whole house fell down into the church below. They are being cared for at Cayes, and he is staying in town at Delmas to take care of his people. I asked “How are you doing emotionally?” He answered, “Avec le Seigneur, ça va.” With the Lord, all is well. I asked “How is your wife?”
He answered, “Others are worse off.” Those are answers I heard through out the day.
Since the quake, 1700 people have accepted Christ at Côte Plage. 1000 more accepted Christ at Bellevue. That’s just two churches. How can a church give a proper foundation to so many new believers? That is the challenge. They need to train thousands of disciple-makers. Radio Lumiere might be part of the answer...
But Radio Lumiere is broadcasting from under tarps in their courtyard. Most of the staff his moved on to the property and are living together in tents. I’m sure it’s not all fun and games, but it will be a time that people now living will be telling their grand kids about when they are old and grey.
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Making Plans
David Schmid (left) and Bruce McMartin (right) making plans for campus with a generator near by. For those of you familiar with campus, this is at the McMartin's driveway below the upper half court.Monday, March 15, 2010
Update from Cindy McMartin
Greetings! March 14, 2010
Last week some of the young boys living here in the camp came to my door with one of their friends. He had gotten hit in the head by a rock. I had restocked my first aid stuff so I went to get what I needed to take care of him. As I came back with protective latex gloves on, my bottle of disinfectant cleanser, gauze, ointment….the works, the little boy took one look at me and took off running and screaming. I couldn’t convince him that I wasn’t going to hurt him. :0)
Thanks for your prayers for the 5-man team that was with us this week. We appreciated their hard work and willingness to do whatever needed to be done. They installed 9 out 10 windows on the 1st floor and 14 out of 20 on the 2nd floor on the multi-purpose building for Jehu’s street kids ministry. This work necessitated some repairs to walls surrounding the window frames and chipping out cement on others in order to fit the windows in (none of the windows were square). They also did a lot of clean up of rubble, knocking down some interior walls that need to be rebuilt because of quake damage, and preparing cement blocks from fallen walls for reuse. They encouraged us with good fellowship and lots of laughter. They also brought some fun and joy into the lives of Jehu’s boys and lots of the kids here on our campus.
Now we are gearing up for our next team that arrives this week. Bruce will be getting supplies purchased and things organized for repair work to be done on one of the houses; I’ll be getting organized with our Haitian colleagues in the surrounding communities for the medical/dental clinics, and also for feeding this large group. Again, we’d appreciate your prayers.
One exciting bit of news is that both our girls will be coming. Michelle arrives first on the 20th and then Becca arrives on the 24th. Bill Mays of MRI has made this possible for our girls and we can hardly wait! It has been hard for all our kids to hear about the country they grew up in and love being devastated by this earthquake and it will be good for them to be able to process it all by seeing it first-hand and being able to help out a bit.
Thanks for praying for Romy and Louda. Romy came up yesterday for a visit. The change in his attitude was very evident. I gave him a Bible and a children’s Bible for his kids. Please keep praying for growth in their lives.
We continue to work hard and have busy days, and honestly, we are tired and ready for a break. I realized one good break I’ve had since the quake: I used to have to iron 6 long-sleeve dress shirts for Bruce each week. I haven’t had to do that once in the past 2 months. That’s been nice! Anyhow, we’ve been encouraged by our mission and others to get away and that’s what we’re planning. April 3rd we are going to Joel and Andi’s in Missouri for our get-away. Bruce plans on sleeping for at least a week, but we’re also excited about having some Grandpa and Grandma time. :0)
We continue to covet your prayers for the challenges of the weeks ahead. Our love to each one of you.
Love, Cindy for Bruce too
Last week some of the young boys living here in the camp came to my door with one of their friends. He had gotten hit in the head by a rock. I had restocked my first aid stuff so I went to get what I needed to take care of him. As I came back with protective latex gloves on, my bottle of disinfectant cleanser, gauze, ointment….the works, the little boy took one look at me and took off running and screaming. I couldn’t convince him that I wasn’t going to hurt him. :0)
Thanks for your prayers for the 5-man team that was with us this week. We appreciated their hard work and willingness to do whatever needed to be done. They installed 9 out 10 windows on the 1st floor and 14 out of 20 on the 2nd floor on the multi-purpose building for Jehu’s street kids ministry. This work necessitated some repairs to walls surrounding the window frames and chipping out cement on others in order to fit the windows in (none of the windows were square). They also did a lot of clean up of rubble, knocking down some interior walls that need to be rebuilt because of quake damage, and preparing cement blocks from fallen walls for reuse. They encouraged us with good fellowship and lots of laughter. They also brought some fun and joy into the lives of Jehu’s boys and lots of the kids here on our campus.
Now we are gearing up for our next team that arrives this week. Bruce will be getting supplies purchased and things organized for repair work to be done on one of the houses; I’ll be getting organized with our Haitian colleagues in the surrounding communities for the medical/dental clinics, and also for feeding this large group. Again, we’d appreciate your prayers.
One exciting bit of news is that both our girls will be coming. Michelle arrives first on the 20th and then Becca arrives on the 24th. Bill Mays of MRI has made this possible for our girls and we can hardly wait! It has been hard for all our kids to hear about the country they grew up in and love being devastated by this earthquake and it will be good for them to be able to process it all by seeing it first-hand and being able to help out a bit.
Thanks for praying for Romy and Louda. Romy came up yesterday for a visit. The change in his attitude was very evident. I gave him a Bible and a children’s Bible for his kids. Please keep praying for growth in their lives.
We continue to work hard and have busy days, and honestly, we are tired and ready for a break. I realized one good break I’ve had since the quake: I used to have to iron 6 long-sleeve dress shirts for Bruce each week. I haven’t had to do that once in the past 2 months. That’s been nice! Anyhow, we’ve been encouraged by our mission and others to get away and that’s what we’re planning. April 3rd we are going to Joel and Andi’s in Missouri for our get-away. Bruce plans on sleeping for at least a week, but we’re also excited about having some Grandpa and Grandma time. :0)
We continue to covet your prayers for the challenges of the weeks ahead. Our love to each one of you.
Love, Cindy for Bruce too
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Update from Phyllis Schmid
March 12 - 2 months since the most frightening few seconds of our lives.
When we stop to think about what has happened since that time it is truly a testimony to God's sustaining grace and mercy which is NEW every morning - GREAT IS HIS FAITHFULNESS!
We can see changes in the city when we are out - some places are being cleared by huge machinery and other places the change is a bit slower as it is being done by hand but clean up is taking place. Food distributions continue to take place. We've seen some people move back into their houses when they were determined to be safe. Pray with us for those who do not have a home to return to. The solutions are not easily come by. One young man had a backpack on his back and I knew he wasn't going to school because there are no schools functioning. Here he had all his earthly possessions in that little backpack. Wow, this is repeated many times over.
One couple who came to the campus shortly after the wife delivered their child by C-section. Her incision opened and they were able to get shelter and medical care in a tent on campus. Today the husband came to tell David they were moving off and to thank him for all the help they had been given.
Many times its our actions that speak so much louder than our words. It is something we pray for all the time here as weariness and fatigue can get the best of us all. Please pray for patience and strength to meet each day's needs.
We learned of two woman doctors with "Doctors Without Borders" who were kidnapped and held for a week. They were released but we do not have details. This is the first we have heard about this kind of problem since the quake. Maybe it has happened more and I just have not heard about it. Many escaped prison during the quake and the police have been trying to find them again but obviously many are still out there.
Many of you know Bruce and Cindy have been developing a "coffee project" to help support the sending of Haitian missionaries. Last week they had 300 lbs of roasted coffee beans delivered to their home. I helped Cindy finish bagging the last 100 lbs yesterday into 1 lb bags to sell. They have a team of 5 here who leave tomorrow and will take some out in their suitcases. I love the smell of coffee beans but trust me it got to be a bit much after awhile. Cindy said she could smell coffee in her sleep! I know I could smell it as I walked up to their front door!
Well, we are finally taking a break. We have the tickets made and are counting the days now. I leave first on March 31st and Jeff is coming to Phila to get me. David will be traveling to Verrettes to teach 4 hours of eschatology for 5 days straight to the 4th year seminary students. Other profs will be doing the same to enable the 4th year class to graduate in June. He will join me in PA on April 13th. Bruce and Cindy are leaving on April 3 and going to visit family in Missouri. David and I return to Haiti on May 13th. We will be able to get away for some R & R in a lovely home in the north central mountains of PA from April 20 to May 10. We will be away from internet during that time but available by phone. More later on that.
My left jaw decided to make me aware of it this week and I'm having to favor a soft diet for a while - too bad ice cream is not available but someone did give us some canned applesauce and other canned fruits so maybe I'll make us smoothies for supper! I have not had trouble for many years and so this came as a surprise except that stress contributes to the problem and there has been just a little bit of that in our lives recently!!!!!!
Please pray for all the details that need to be done before we leave - financial reports, finishing up of projects and covering things while we are gone.
God is at work in this tiny part of the world. Thanks so much for your prayers and encouragement in so many ways.
Love to all,
Phyllis
When we stop to think about what has happened since that time it is truly a testimony to God's sustaining grace and mercy which is NEW every morning - GREAT IS HIS FAITHFULNESS!
We can see changes in the city when we are out - some places are being cleared by huge machinery and other places the change is a bit slower as it is being done by hand but clean up is taking place. Food distributions continue to take place. We've seen some people move back into their houses when they were determined to be safe. Pray with us for those who do not have a home to return to. The solutions are not easily come by. One young man had a backpack on his back and I knew he wasn't going to school because there are no schools functioning. Here he had all his earthly possessions in that little backpack. Wow, this is repeated many times over.
One couple who came to the campus shortly after the wife delivered their child by C-section. Her incision opened and they were able to get shelter and medical care in a tent on campus. Today the husband came to tell David they were moving off and to thank him for all the help they had been given.
Many times its our actions that speak so much louder than our words. It is something we pray for all the time here as weariness and fatigue can get the best of us all. Please pray for patience and strength to meet each day's needs.
We learned of two woman doctors with "Doctors Without Borders" who were kidnapped and held for a week. They were released but we do not have details. This is the first we have heard about this kind of problem since the quake. Maybe it has happened more and I just have not heard about it. Many escaped prison during the quake and the police have been trying to find them again but obviously many are still out there.
Many of you know Bruce and Cindy have been developing a "coffee project" to help support the sending of Haitian missionaries. Last week they had 300 lbs of roasted coffee beans delivered to their home. I helped Cindy finish bagging the last 100 lbs yesterday into 1 lb bags to sell. They have a team of 5 here who leave tomorrow and will take some out in their suitcases. I love the smell of coffee beans but trust me it got to be a bit much after awhile. Cindy said she could smell coffee in her sleep! I know I could smell it as I walked up to their front door!
Well, we are finally taking a break. We have the tickets made and are counting the days now. I leave first on March 31st and Jeff is coming to Phila to get me. David will be traveling to Verrettes to teach 4 hours of eschatology for 5 days straight to the 4th year seminary students. Other profs will be doing the same to enable the 4th year class to graduate in June. He will join me in PA on April 13th. Bruce and Cindy are leaving on April 3 and going to visit family in Missouri. David and I return to Haiti on May 13th. We will be able to get away for some R & R in a lovely home in the north central mountains of PA from April 20 to May 10. We will be away from internet during that time but available by phone. More later on that.
My left jaw decided to make me aware of it this week and I'm having to favor a soft diet for a while - too bad ice cream is not available but someone did give us some canned applesauce and other canned fruits so maybe I'll make us smoothies for supper! I have not had trouble for many years and so this came as a surprise except that stress contributes to the problem and there has been just a little bit of that in our lives recently!!!!!!
Please pray for all the details that need to be done before we leave - financial reports, finishing up of projects and covering things while we are gone.
God is at work in this tiny part of the world. Thanks so much for your prayers and encouragement in so many ways.
Love to all,
Phyllis
Saturday, March 13, 2010
Beautiful Pictures of Haiti
Some of David Uttley’s pictures. David and his brother Jim grew up at Cite Lumiere in Cayes and worked with me at La Presse Evangelique in the 1980s. He was a photographer with Samaritan’s Purse for five weeks after the earthquake.
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