Jesus loves the little children

Yesterday, a young girl was brought here so we could take her to the maternity hospital in Croix-des-Bouquet. She was in the maternity clinic across the road from us for Friday night, and then they wrote her and reference letter and told her to go a bigger hospital. Instead of going to a bigger hospital, her family took her home. Saturday afternoon, a friend heard her suffering and came to do something about it. Before we could get her in a vehicle to take her to the hospital, she had the baby on the ground. We quickly got her back to the maternity clinic across the road. The mother is fine, but the baby was too premature to have a chance. It is amazing how delicately developed such a small baby is. It seems like the girl's boyfriend gave her some type of medicine to cause the abortion. He mixed it in some food and she ate it unknowingly.

Baby Dedication

Baby dedications...... a very important part of this country. I love them too - it's special to see parents who want to dedicate their dear babies to God!! This one was especially special because the parents are very good friends of ours.... and the baby girl is named Julissa. Apparently after me!Here the pastor is holding baby Julissa and praying a special dedication prayer..
The happy parents signing a paper of dedication.

Mama [Octalia] and Papa [Joel] and baby all dressed up for the occasion!!

It's so exciting to see friends walk in truth!!! ~Julia

Way Beyond the Blue

I heard a weak cry coming from the little girl. "How old is she?" I asked the mother. I needed to know so I could give her the right amount of medicine. "2 years old," the mother replied. "She's two?" I asked incredulously. "Yes," she responded, ducking her head. Her speech and clothes betrayed her mountain heritage. The tiny girl wore a little raggedy white dress and a dusty kerchief tied around her head. Then I saw her scrawny legs poking out beneath a little blanket, and a tiny face turned to look at me. Large frightened eyes stared at me out of the bony baby face. Somebody close by rudely asked the mother why she never feeds her baby. Clutching her baby tightly, she answered softly, "She's always been small. Ever since she was born she hasn't wanted to eat. She just had cholera, and now she has malaria. She doesn't want to eat or drink. She just cries all the time." It was clear to me that she loved her baby. I finished getting the baby's meds. The mother told me she was from Pays Pourri but she's living in Bocca de Monn, a tiny village close to the clinic.

Wednesday on the way home from the kids class in the Projects, Rebecca and I stopped in to see the tiny girl. She was sitting in her mommy's lap crying softly and painfully. The medicine was in its little bag beside. I was happy to see the mother was giving her juice. When I asked what kind it was she said it was carrot juice that she had made. I referred them to Love a Child. They have a malnourishment program and a very good pediatrician. She said she would try to go, and thanked me for coming.

Today after clinic I walked down to the village to see her. Along the way, somebody told me that the baby died yesterday. I was shocked. I knew she was very sick, but I see a lot of sick people all the time. I walked slowly up the trail to see the mother. She was sitting on a small piece of cardboard by the wall. Her eyes filled with tears when we talked about the little girl. My heart just ached for her. I knew they were very poor so they probably just buried the little girl close by somewhere. I thought of how vastly far apart our lives are. I would go home, eat supper, visit, and then sleep in a soft bed. Somebody was cooking over a fire close by so hopefully they would all be able to eat something tonight. The tiny mud and stick hut spoke of few comforts and it was obvious they didn't have much in the way of earthly possessions. Yet, when we talked about heaven her tear-filled eyes lightened up and a smile crossed her dark, leathery face. We prayed together and when our eyes met after the prayer, our hearts did, too. The differences weren't so vast our hearts were crying together and most importantly we both love and serve God. We both know we can see the little girl again. She was such a little scrap of humanity and yet she changed my life. I thought of how in Canada her life might have been saved. I thought of all the ways I could have helped her. I thought of how even in her small window of life, she knew of a mother's love and care. I thought of how she is happy and healthy,but best of all, she is with Jesus, somewhere beyond the blue. And I was comforted. ~Sheila

Random pictures of the day.

I had to take a few pictures to send to Haiti for a project they are doing and I though
 those of you who never visited IFMs USA office might like to see some pictures.

This is the door I walk through every morning, and the wall I hide behind all day.
This is our small portion of an old school building.

This is Amy Bryan, she is my instructor and office coach.

Oh, I almost for got to mention, this is our storage depot, 

donations are stored here until they are shipped (lo`t bo` dlo) across the water.

Insight from the USA office!

I had a normal day in the office at IFM.

I answered the phone, bought tickets to send people to Haiti, replied to emails and made the daily entrees in the ledgers.

After I was finished with my regular office jobs I started sorting donations that have been accumulating on a large heap.

I know I am a missionary and  I should be glad for the items people want to share with the less fortunate in this world, but  it seems to me there is a line where common sense would say, if it is not good enough for me it is not good enough to ship to Haiti.

What am I to do with somebody's junk mail, dried grass clippings, dirty pop cans, filthy pill bottles that have hair sticking to them and coupons that expired a year and a-half ago?

With the help of God I was able to sing,

Every blessing you pour out, I will turn back to praise,

When the darkness closes in Lord still I will say.

Blessed be the name of the Lord,

Blessed be your glorious name.

And I added, 

When donations pile up Lord,

Still I will say, blessed be your glorious name.

Wismith & Becca

The Bride & Groom

A bouquet on a guests table

Becca's bouquet

Blessings as you move to Haiti.

Piña Coladas!!

Shea whipped up some delicious piña coladas for us. There is nothing like fresh pineapple, coconut milk, ice:), whipped cream and a maranschino cherry on the top!!

Any of you recognize these 2 old ladies??:)

Nothing like chilling out on a warm haiti evening with a cold drink & great friends!!

Bits and pieces...

I spent my last weekend on Hispaniola in Dominican with my dear friends

Tom & Laurie and Bill Jones and his family.

When Laurie found out I never saw the Aqua ducts

she suggested we go spend some time there, that is where I took this picture.

I am glad we went, it was lovely.

Just after we drove out of customs from crossing from Haiti to Dominican Republic

our truck started to sputter and in short order it stalled and we coasted to a complete stop.

What will we do? We do not have tools to fix this machine.

After a few minutes Keko determined that we were out of gas, so everybody got out and

we had a man powered F150!

Praise the Lord we could see the gas station from where we were

and the road was totally flat so us five men could push the truck by ourselves.

This was a good last memory for me before I headed for USA in a few days.

This picture is one I took in PAP.

I realize there is nothing significant about this picture but it makes me think

about Haiti and everything I have seen and learned while living there.

Thank you to each individual who mad my time in Haiti

a great time of learning and growing.

Although I had many hard and unexpected tests, I can truly say

God intended all this for my good.

Time to talk

For those of you who aren't familiar with Digicel, let me explain :-) Practically everyone in our town has a cell phone and you can use any old phone and just buy phone cards as you need them. Lots of places sell the phone cards. As it happens, I needed to call Mike but had no phone card, so I went up the street to "quick" buy a phone card. The first place I go to has no cards, so I head up the road to check another place. I see a lady with a Digicel apron, so I ask her, but sorry to say she's out too. I check another place and still no phone card, but the lady tells me where I can find one, so I head in the direction she tells me. A girl walks along with me and shows me the store. I thank her and go inside. Yep, she's right, the only problem is that I didn't bring enough for a 100 gourd card, I only have enough money for a 50 gourd card!!! So, I turn around and head back in the opposite direction. I pass some of the same ladies I had talked to earlier and as I passed there were 2 or 3 ladies that called out to inquire if I got my phone card. I told them what happened and that I would check somewhere else. Happy to say, I did find a phone card and made it back to call Mike. It just struck me again that the Haitians are interested in people's lives. It doesn't cost anything to be a friend and to be interested in the lives of others, even if it is just buying an ole' phone card :-)

Changes

Never choose to be a worker for God,

but once God placed His call on you,

woe be to you if you

"turn aside to the right hand or to the left".

Quote by: Oswald Chambers

From: My Utmost For His Highest

It was a cold day in February, 2011 when I received a call from an unfamiliar

phone number, I was at work but I decided to quickly answered the call

and see who wanted to talk with me.

I was greeted by a business man who introduced himself as Merv Sommers,

with International Faith Missions.

He went on to explain that somebody gave him my name and phone number

and suggested he call me to find out if I would be interested in moving to Haiti.

I was speechless.

I had been praying and seeking Gods will for my life but I was planning on going to college

for medical training, not moving to Haiti.

By the end of our conversation I agreed for him to mail an application to me.

I had a trip planned in a few weeks so while traveling I filled out the application

and dropped it in the US Mail in San Diego California.

It was easy to see things were changing in my life,

by this time I knew if my application was excepted I would move to Haiti.

As time went on I began preparing to make a huge move in my life,

and I committed to move too Haiti.

The move was not easy but God gave me strength

for every minute, of every day.

He never left me sit alone, He always carried me over the rough ground.

It is only eight short months since I received the first phone call from IFM

and here I am making plans to leave Haiti and move to Michigan

to work in our USA office.

Living in Haiti has been a wonderful time of growing for me

and learning to trust God even in the smallest things of life.

Please pray for me as I work in our USA office.

~Keith Martin

Nidel and family sick with cholera

This is Nidel. He is 6 years old. He just arrived in the World Vision Cholera ambulance from a mountain town 2 hours away. Nidel's 9 year old brother died yesterday from cholera. Nidel would have died within a few hours, if he did not arrive at the cholera treatment center. His severe dehydration makes him very tired. He is extremely lethargic.

Below: Nidel's older sister Timenmen (13 years old). She also arrived at the CTC very dehydrated

Below: The mother of 6 is caring for her three sick children.

Below: Nidel's younger sister Naika (4 years old) looks good. She came in yesterday. As you can see, she is well hydrated again, although she shows signs of malnutrition.

Cholera Update.

This evening when I was in the Cholera Center I was forced to realize

there is a lot more Cholera around then I would like to admit.

I believe there was a person on every bed and there were people laying

on the floor beside there family members.

The nurses were busy putting iv's in and taking and recording the patients

blood pressure and tempature.

Please pray that God would provide funds to keep the Cholera Center opened,

our contract with World Vision will expire in a few days

and like anything else it takes funds to keep a Cholera Treatment Center in operation.

Thank you for interceding in prayer on behalf of the Haitian people

who are experiencing this dreadful infection. (Cholera)

Thank you Jesus!

Dadou had her check up visit for her leg this week.

We are thrilled with the results and a praising God

for answering our prayer and healing her leg.

The doctor took an X-ray of her leg and said everything was great,

she doesn't need to use her crutches any more

and there was an American team of Doctors at the hospital this week

so they could release her from the treatment program,

she doesn't have to go back in December.

Thank you to every body who has being praying for Dadou.

Most of all, thank you to our Heavenly Father

who was fit to heal our dear friends leg!

Update on Dadou Pierre.

I am sure you have all heard about Dadou's broken leg

and the complications she has been having ever since the break.

I have been cleaning and bandaging her lag a few times a week,

it has been a real blessing to see the open wounds slowly get smaller

and to she new skin cover the exposed ligaments.

We have been praying for months that God would heal her leg

and prevent her from having to undergo amputation surgery.

Now I am not a doctor, neither can I see inside her leg but as far as I can tell

by looking at the outside, her leg has majorly improved.

This morning when I bandaged it there was only one very small drop of blood.

Pleas pray for Dadou as she has a few doctor's appointments in the near future,

and specifically that her leg would continue to heal inside

as much as it is healing outside.

October Seventh she will be seeing a Haitian Doctor

and in November she will be seeing a medical team from The United States.

PS. Too respect Dadous privacy I have not included photos.

Pitures of this and that...

Leanna and Heather playing "spoon" with their new friends.

Me with my dear brother and sister who came to visit me!

James teaching language class.
left to right: Sulley, Keith and Trent.

A boat load of fishermen passing by the back gate of the courtyard.

The early morning sun peaking over the mountain.

A courtyard view of another beautiful sunrise.

Personal Piety? Followers of Jesus"

Most of us when we think of piety we think of a priest or some other professional holy person. Perhaps strutting around performing some sort of ritual that no one else is qualified to carry out. Too many, it carries somewhat of a revolting hue, the one that thinks they are so much better than the average. When I think of this word I think of someone that, with the upmost pride and almost idolatrous precision adheres to a petty religious pattern that in the end is of no eternal value in itself. I realize that this is a twisted understanding of the true meaning but for some reason this week it’s been hard to shake this thought, Piety.

But may I be so bold as to say God abhors piety (this type, not the true definition). Isaiah spoke of this type of piety.

Is this such a fast that I have chosen? A day for a man to afflict his soul? Is it to bow down his head as a bulrush, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? Wilt thou call this a fast, and an acceptable day to the lord? Isaiah 58:5

Can’t you just hear the rotten distaste in God’s mouth, “Is this such a fast that I have chosen”. “Do you mean this is what you think I’ve asked you to do”?  Before this he said:

Yet they seek me daily, and delight to know my ways, as a nation that did righteousness and forsook not the ordinances of their God; they ask of me the ordinances of justice; they take delight in approaching to God.  Isaiah 58:2

Doesn’t seem too bad, they seek Him daily and delight to know His ways; right? But God just seems totally revolted in this surface piety religion we call Christianity. Did you catch the last part, “take delight in approaching to God” Not delighting in God but in approaching Him, in the method, forms and services. Taking delight in their: men’s prayer breakfast, Choir uniforms and everything on the church schedule. Not it’s not about the holy presence of an all knowing God. We are more concerned how our prayer sounded to those listening, than whether our creator received worship from it. We are more worried what people might think when we walk in church half an hour late than how God feels about the way we treat our family trying to get there on time. Ask yourself, does this thing called church really reflect the heart of God? Or are we just wallowing in our carnal piety as the Pharisees in the day of Christ.

This is a paradigm that seems to weave the pattern of God’s will. Isaiah goes on to say:

is not this the fast that I have chosen? To loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?

Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? When thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine  own flesh?   Isaiah 58:6-7

Is this not what Christ’s ministry consisted of? Did He not come to “bind up the broken hearted” and “set the captives free”? Here is Isaiah declaring the heart of God and then God sends His son to live out the example only for our thick heads to still not get it. To many of us (today’s Christian population) are more concerned about following our churches code of conduct than weather our neighbor is struggling to pay his rent. To preoccupied with the new church building plans rather than the thousands of people dying never to read the word of God in their own tongue.

Then shalt thou call and the Lord shall answer. Thou shalt cry and He shall say here I am. If thou take away from the midst of thee the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and the speaking of vanity.

And if thou draw out thy soul to feed the hungry and to satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity and thy darkness be as noon day. Isaiah 58:9-10

If we could only keep the lord’s fast (vs. 6-7), he says to put off our yoke, our working of our hands and our humanly intelligent babblings. That we might draw out our soul to feed the hungry. He did not say our wallet he said our soul, that we might pour out of our inner selves in order to touch the afflicted. This by far is more physically draining than any fast of man. To daily moment by moment pour of ourselves into those in need. It is humanly impossible to sustain such a fast without God’s strength. It is in this way that God has designed us to be connected to Him, our father our creator. And it is for this reason that Christ came to earth that we might follow Him.   

                                                                      Shea

Between Now and Sun-set.

The sun rising above the lake.

I was amazed as I sat and watched the early morning sky change from Black to Gery,

but I became enraptured as the Grey slowly turned too lighter shades and suddenly

what was a Black sky just a few minutes earlier was now a blazing scene of Black, Grey,

Pink, Red, and Blue.

As I was watching this all take place I began to think about the sun-set and how these two

events compare to our life.

God created each one of us, but because of our sin we have been separated from Him,

unless we permit "The Son, Jesus Christ" to rise in our life we will not be able to enjoy life,

and when we come to the end of the day, "our life is ended," we will not enjoy the sun-set because we will be cast away into a deep and horrible darkness.

Where you have been, and what you have done doesn't matter.

The deciding fact in where you will be at the end of the day

hangs totally on this one thing.

"Will you let "The Son, Jesus Christ" rise in your life?"

You only have between now and sun-set to get ready.

life is good

After winding our way up the mountain road, you can see for miles around! This is a lake in the Dominican Republic.

The mountain folk grow amazing veggie gardens... right now cabbage, potatoes and onions are selling at a low price. We bought 7 heads of cabbage for $.84 US.

Nothing like good ole pine trees and brilliant blue sky.

The used clothes section in the market. Something for everyone!

The animals waiting to take their loads home.

We even found WILD STRAWBERRIES up in the mountains...

...and DANDELIONS!!

What a revitalizing day enjoying God's beautiful creations!!

On our way home we stopped in Fond Verette at Yonel's for a visit. They served us crackers and juice, and then Yonel sang and prayed with us. They are a very nice Christian family and showed great hospitality. Yonel is growing potatoes and onions for IFM and they should be ready to harvest in a few weeks.

beef on the run

On the way to Port on an ambulance run.... this unfortunate calf ran into the ambulance!!

Skinning the beef in the courtyard with lots of handy advice....

The supper table turned into the butcher block!!

Fresh meat for the freezer! Yeah!!

The tired, but jolly butcher. What a great night!!

A day of rest.

A view from the beach walk.

Saturday morning all the IFM headquarters staff and the WATER Team got

into our truck and enjoyed a two and one-half drive to the beach.

After the long ride it felt good to get out and walk around and take in the beauty of the park.

After we paid our admission we headed for the beach.

It was absolutely beautiful; the water was a lovely blue, and the sand was clean and white.

I was totally amazing as I sat on the sand and watch the waves come in and break when they hit the beach. As I sat there I was meditating on Gods wonderful creation and the beauty of it all.

There is no possible way any human could create the sea, and place the sand, stones, plants and fish in it. It had to be created by almighty God!

Around noon we got lunch and then returned to the water and enjoyed several more hours of swimming and visiting before we needed to leave for home.