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

Cholera Update

The number of deaths in Haiti's cholera outbreak has risen to 208 dead and the number of confirmed cases to 2,646 in the Artibonite and Central departments. Of the five people with confirmed cases of cholera in Port-au-Prince, four were shown to have originated in Artibonite and one from the Central department. 

The relatively small increase in the caseload today is a possible indication that some containment efforts may be taking effect. The government of Haiti, MINUSTAH, the Humanitarian Community continued to reinforce cholera prevention and response measures. The construction of 12 Cholera Treatment Centres and public information campaigns gathered speed today.  Distributions of soap, water purification tablets and rehydration salts continue.

Cholera outbreak in Haiti (Three news articles)

This cholera thing has everyone's attention.  I know you are bathing this county in prayer for many different reasons and just add this to the list.

Announcements are being made on the radio for people to boil their water or use cleansing tablets, wash hands and avoid non cooked foods.  No more fresh fruits or uncooked vegetables for us for a while.  And we are washing hands ALL the time.  I already use Clorox in our wash and rinse water for dishes and we are putting Clorox into the campus cistern.

They are trying to keep this outbreak to the Artibonite Valley in the center of the country but cases are being diagnosed closer to Port-au-Prince because of the movement of vegetables, fruit and people around the country.

Once again we know GOD is in control and HE makes no mistakes.  Thanks for praying

Phyllis

Brief Update from Phyllis Schmid

The McMartins and Schmids were in Kansas City, Missouri, the location of the home offices for CrossWorld now for a leadership conference from October 11 through October 15.

The CrossWorld Leadership conference was very good. The guesthouse at the new facility was very nice with large rooms with individual bathrooms like in a motel. There were comfortable lounge areas for fellowship, laundry facilities and an excellent menu of meals. It was exciting to see old friends and make new ones and just to see how God is working through CrossWorld in so many different areas. The worship times each morning were truly a blessing to our hearts. Those from Haiti shared one afternoon about the earthquake and aftermath with the staff there in Kansas City who did so much to help us.

Update from Phyllis Schmid

35 seconds is all it took on January 12 to change the face of Port-au-Prince and our STEP campus for years to come.  Our campus became a place of refuge providing safety and shelter for almost 5000 people in our area. They knew it would be temporary and God provided through many different sources for their needs.

The seminary (STEP) lost the original Bible school building built in the 1940’s. It partially collapsed trapping several students and causing the death of one student. There is a scholarship set up in the name of the student who perished and the first recipient of that scholarship this fall is his brother.

Interviews with David Schmid

This link takes you to Haven Today's website were Dad is interviewed.

Video: http://www.haventoday.org/video-david-schmid-gd-566.html (short video)
Radio: http://www.haventoday.org/havenplayer.php?file=david_schmid.xml&id=2319 (longer interview)

This radio interview is with Steve Hershey, teacher at Quisqueya Christian School: http://www.haventoday.org/havenplayer.php?file=steve_hersey.xml&id=2319

This radio interview is with Elsa Peterson, with Baptist Haiti Mission:
http://www.haventoday.org/havenplayer.php?file=elsa_peterson.xml&id=2319