Update from Cindy McMartin

As of today, Bruce and I are in the States.  We’re in Happy Valley, Oregon.  Our reason for being here is to help Joel and Andi.  Joel has one last linguistics course he is taking for his training with NTM and is in Oklahoma for 7 weeks.  Andi has a job teaching math at a high school in Vancouver and starts this week.  So, we’re using our vacation time and have come out to help take care of Ethan and Tyler in Joel’s absence.  We’re all living together with Andi’s sister’s family of 5, so it’s quite an experience….and never a dull moment!  :)

Bruce also has plans to take care of some details for the coffee project, to work on Joel’s car, to make a trip to see his Mom and family, and to catch up on some rest, but until I’m off crutches and more mobile, he’ll need to stay close by to help with the kids.  Please pray that my foot heals quickly so I can do what I came to do and Bruce is free to get some other things done.  I get discouraged at times about my foot because it is still swollen and sore and has very poor circulation and I wonder if I’ll be able to actually walk on it in one week.

Please pray for STEP as it plans to begin the new school year September 6^th.  That STEP was able to finish the school year after the quake for the 4^th-year students and to see these students graduate on June 10^th was a real accomplishment that we praise God for.  A simple temporary building with 3 classrooms has been set up and an empty house on campus converted into Administrative offices.  A couple large canvas tents will be used for student study areas and additional offices for professors.  The quake not only destroyed one of STEP’s main buildings, but created other challenges too.  Many students do not have the funds to continue their education or to begin it as a new student.  Due to the quake they lost jobs, are caring for family members because of deaths or injuries, are rebuilding, or can’t find a place to stay in Port-au-Prince while attending school.  Please consider helping with some student scholarships.  See below for details.

STEP will continue classes on its present campus for the time being.  The plan is to eventually expand to build a Christian University with STEP being the Theological department.  We’re excited about this plan/strategy.  Please pray for the STEP administrators and board as they develop this plan.  The first big need is a larger piece of land.  Pray for God’s clear direction in this whole process and for each decision.

Bruce continues to make progress with the coffee project and hopes to focus more of his time on it during the months ahead.  He has also started the process to help begin some small businesses in order to set a few key Haitian individuals up in business and provide others with jobs.  If you are interested in contributing to either the coffee business or the cement block/ rock crusher business, see below for details.

Some GREAT NEWS! – Claudy Jean Baptiste has begun working part time for Vision d’Antioche (the Haitian Missionary Organization).  We have been praying for a long time for someone to take on some Administrative responsibilities to help get VA established and functioning as it should.  He is receiving a monthly salary from VA – a step of faith for us as this will be in addition to the monthly support needed for Roger and Fredine to continue ministering in Senegal.  So please pray with us for God to provide as we’ve taken this step of faith, and pray for Claudy as he begins to develop VA into the mission organization it needs to be.

I realize this is long, but we covet your prayers for each activity that we’re involved with at this time.   We will be attending CrossWorld’s Leadership Conference the first part of October and will return to Haiti following this time.  Thanks for standing with us so faithfully.  You are an encouragement to us and we are grateful for each one of you partnering with us.

Once we get a phone set up for our time here in Oregon, we’ll let you know.  All for now.

Love and blessings,

Bruce and Cindy

Contributions:

Checks made out to CrossWorld, Finance Department

Mailed to:  10000 N. Oak Trafficway,

                  Kansas City, MO  64155-2010

Designate: 

STEP student scholarships – Haiti

Haiti McMartin BAM – account #57617 

Block BAM – 001

Coffee BAM - 002