Our get-away time is fast coming to a close. We have been so thankful for this time to kick back, not worry too much about responsibilities, and to enjoy some good time with part of our family. Once we got to Missouri, we realized how tired we were. It was very easy for Bruce to adopt Tyler’s schedule and nap when he did. :0) Bruce is just now beginning to feel “normal” again. He had several upper respiratory infections in Haiti and started up with another one soon after our arrival here. Please continue to pray with us for a return to complete health for Bruce.
The last large team that was with us was able to accomplish a lot. Four of the men worked many long, hard hours repairing the damage to one campus house. The rest of the group held medical/dental clinics. They treated hundreds of people in the community surrounding our campus and at Merger. They also set up in the rubble of a church in a community of one of our STEP students. This was the first medical/dental aid they had received so the people were very grateful. It was also the church of Dr. Milo, a graduate of STEP and the dentist who had served on the 2 Haitian outreach teams to Senegal. He and his wife and child were killed in the quake.
It was great having the girls home again. They went out with the team each day, but we still managed to steal some times together.
Those of us serving on the committee that was taking care of the IDP camp turned over this responsibility to the UEBH the end of March. The UEBH informed the IDP camp they would need to move off the campus by April 3rd because schools were to resume the 5th. We were pleasantly surprised at how smoothly this process went. Many groups of people expressed their appreciation for all that had been done for them to help them after the quake.
STEP is holding classes for the 4th-year students out in the country at the UEBH’s property in Verrettes. Graduation is planned for June. The other students are organized in ministries and social services until classes resume in the fall. No decision has been made yet as to where STEP will rebuild. They are continuing to explore different possibilities, land, and the affects of a move.
We leave here the 28th. We’ve had a great time with Joel and Andi and the boys, but we are ready to get back to Haiti and to the plans God has laid out for us to be involved in. Two big projects in the near future will be the demolition of the STEP and apartment buildings. We realize the months ahead will be full of teams continuing to come to be involved in the work still needing to be done. Please pray especially for Bruce as he helps to organize all the logistics involved with this. One idea talked about was organizing the community to work together in repairing their homes. Pray for wisdom in moving ahead with this.
We will be receiving a team in May to continue the work out at Jehu’s property. Jehu is reinforcing walls/pillars and changing building plans a bit to make it more quake proof. He has the boys in school out in their new area now. Please pray for the boys in all the many challenges they’ve been through these past few months. Pray for Jehu as he takes care of these boys and interacts with them.
The coffee project, students to disciple, the Haitian missionary organization, work teams, repairs, strategic planning – some of the many challenges and opportunities facing us as we return to Haiti. Thank you for your faithful involvement with us as we are involved in the activities and ministries God directs us to.
Love, Cindy for Bruce too
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