Night at the orphanage, a school of sticks, incredible people

Here’s a quick update on the recent Haiti mission trip–we will have pictures and more for you after Christmas!

A group of 8 went to Haiti on Dec 15. Four returned on December 21, and four more are staying a few extra days. The kids at both orphanages are doing very well, and were excited to receive their Christmas packages from their sponsors (THANK YOU!!). For the first time, we have a guest… room at the Williamson orphanage, and Mike (Bellamy) spent three days and nights there. There was not a lot of sleep to be had, and showers came out of a bucket, but it was great to have so much time to interact with the kids, workers, and community leaders. The community of Williamson is very supportive the ministry, especially the school, which is providing an affordable education for kids that would not otherwise be able to go to school. Mike met with the leaders to discuss how a community water project could help provide clean water for the community, as well as fund the school.

Several of the team also took “motorcycle taxis” up the mountain and visited two very poor communities that they had not been to before. Mike said he was so humbled, because at one of the villages, they waited all morning for the group, and then presented them with a meal, and had them go up front and talk, as if they were VIPs. When Mike spoke, he said, “I’m from the wealthiest country in the world. We have cars, and out teenagers have cars. This is not a sacrifice for me. You, on the other hand, are taking care of the orphans in your community the best you can, and you sometimes go hungry to do it. That is the real sacrifice.” This village has a school made out of sticks and they can’t afford to pay their teachers. They are taking care of 10 orphans. HOHH is looking to raise funds to provide families with goats to start getting on their feet economically and be able to fund their schools. we are realizing that we need to do more sustainable projects, so these schools and communities can fund their own education and move on to other villages. There is much more to say about the trip, and pictures to show. Praise God for His protection and guidance all year, and thank you for your support. If you are interested in making a donation before the end of the year, you can donate online atwww.houseofhopehaiti.com

Merry Christmas from House of Hope Haiti!!

December 2011 Newsletter: Year in Review

Dear Friends,

Attached is the Dec 2011 Newsletter.  We want to thank you for your prayers and support this year.  Some really exciting things have been happening with the ministry in the last couple months. One long-awaited answer to prayer is that we were finally able to have a very deep (190 ft) tube well dug at the Williamson orphanage, which will provide lots of clean water for the mission and in the near future, for the community!  The kids at the orphanage literally cried for joy when clean running water came out of a tap.

There is still a ways to go to finish up the orphanage and school buildings at Williamson, but we know that God will continue to provide what is needed at the right time.

Please pray for Mike, Nannette, and six other people who will be going to Haiti December 15-21.  We have some skilled workers going who will be doing some concrete work at the the Williamson orphanage. The group will also spend time checking (Jo Ann, our volunteer P.A., will be going)  on all the kids at both orphanages, visiting Pierre’s orphanage  and clinic, distributing Christmas gifts from sponsors, getting information and pictures for sponsors, working on getting the clean water community project together, and more.  They will also spend time encouraging and worshipping with our Haitian staff and brothers and sisters in Christ.

Again, thank you for your love, encouragement, support & prayers for the children of Haiti and the House of Hope ministry.

Mike & Lenore

September 2011: New beds, Proclaimers, and beginnings

Check out this month’s newsletter: Sept 2011 Newsletter.

Haiti team home safely

Dear Friends, Just wanted to let you know that the team that visited our sites in Haiti returned safely last night.  Thank you for all your prayers.  God blessed their work there–they built much-needed steps to the cafeteria at the new orphanage, did VBS with the children, held a two-day seminar for pastors in the area, distributed clothes, shoes, and many other supplies to two orphanages and children in the community, did medical checks and administered worm medicine to children.  Several of the members made the grueling 3 hour hike to our church/school site in the mountain village and distributed more supplies and medicine there.  They did much more, and we are grateful for their love for God and the children of Haiti demonstrated through their service there. I also wanted to mention that the HOHH annual meeting that was originally scheduled for this Sunday, August 7 will be postponed to a date in September or October. We will let you know when and where it will be held if you are interested in attending. Thank you for your prayers and support! Mike & Lenore

love and marriage Haitian style

after the pastors ate lunch, there was some food left for the neighborhood children

ladies session

 

We enjoyed a wonderful end to our seminar today!

The pastors opened up, were honest, and engaged in the discussions. Pastor Bill did a great job of leading a discussion about relationships, marriage, and sex. He spoke about the need for men to be faithful to their wives, to love their wives, and to count their wives needs before their own. In Haiti, it is very common for men to have children by multiple women and they often leave their wife to be with another woman. Bill emphasized the need for Christian men to set an example for their congregations in their own relationships and marriages.

After this, Pastor Jake did a session with the men on preaching and the female leaders had the chance to lead a session for the women that was separate from the men. We asked the women what struggles they had and what obstacles they were up against. Many of them spoke of men who were unfaithful or who had more than one woman in their life. We encouraged them to wait for men who would love them and honor them and treat them the way Christ treats his church. We were fortunate to have two more mature Haitian women there who are both in strong marriages and could speak to their young friends with wisdom. We pray that God works powerfully in the lives of these women and uses them to touch the lives of many!

Before the close of the seminar, we handed out certificates for everyone who attended so that they can have proof of their ‘seminary’ training. I hope that the Lord continues to give us opportunities to come here and encourage and guide these pastors. I pray for this in part because it is so badly needed and in part because it is such a joy and a challenge for all of us to be able to serve them in this way.

Some of our team had the chance to spend the last two days with the children at Valley. They did VBS activities, medical check ups on some kids who are running a temperature, and get shoe sizes for everyone!

Tomorrow we will be worshipping at Williamson and then taking the Trou-Bagette (sp?) kidos to the beach for the afternoon. After all of the preparations and work that has gone into the last two seminar days, it will be a blessing to be able to sit back and enjoy some relaxed time with the children!

As you continue to remember us in your prayers, please pray for…

• Today we will join the church at Williamson for worship, and then we will take some orphans to the hotel for a fun afternoon at the beach. There will be many opportunities today to build/strengthen relationships with the staff and kiddos of House of Hope. Pray that we will have energy and passion enough to be present to people today, and to show the love of Jesus.

• If there are any loose ends from our work this week, we will work to tie them up today. Pray that no work will be left undone, and that we will have the presence of mind to know what needs to be done.

seminar day one!

Wedley!

our team’s escort up the road

new pavilion steps

Today was another wonderful day in Haiti!

It was the first day of our seminar. We were able to minister to 43 Haitian pastors, evangelists, and church leaders. They came dressed in their best and ready to learn. The music was loud and the walls were lined with curious children from the neighborhood. Grace and I did a session on understanding and teaching the Bible. We focused on the importance of application, carrying God’s word in your heart, and how all of the Bible is about our relationship with God and our responsibility in God’s kingdom.

Pastor Jake spoke with the pastors about the importance of Christian character. He focused on how church leaders need to be willing to share their weaknesses with each other, lean on their Christian brothers, and work together to accomplish more. You can tell that many of these men and women are worn out and in need of encouragement and rest. Many of these pastors are working alone and isolated from other churches. We pray that they will continue to build relationships and support each other in their common work.

Before we left, we were able to have some time for questions. It is clear that many of these pastors have troubles that weigh heavy on their hearts and the most we could do is listen. During this time, we had the chance to identify some areas where people are misunderstanding what the Bible has to say and unsure of God’s promises. We hope that we will have the chance to address these tomorrow and that God will give us the words.

As we enter the second day of the seminar please pray…

• Please pray today for the Ministry Leadership Seminar and VBS! Please pray that the Holy Spirit would be in complete control. Pray that He will work mightily through us, so much so, that we will be convinced that it is Him working and not us.

• Pray for the safe travel of all of the many pastors and leaders who will travel for hours to attend the seminar. Once they arrive, pray that the Lord will give them rest and rejuvenation as they enjoy the conference. Pray that the Lord will tell us what these men and women need to learn to help the communities they serve.

• Pray for our teams members who will teach, lead VBS, continue doing health checks, and do maintenance work around the orphanage. Pray that we will be flexible if things donʼt go as planned, and that we will be sensitive to the Spiritʼs leading.

p.s. Sorry for no post last night! The internet was iffy and it was getting late!

 

 

there’s a fungus among us…but it’s ok because we have a cream for that

Valley House of Hope kids playing

 

Bonjour friends! Another beautiful day in Haiti is at its close.

With everything that has happened since we got here, it feels like we’ve been here for 3 or 4 days. It’s hard to believe that it has only been one!

The group that ventured up the mountain on the back of motorcycles are safe and had the opportunity to connect with the people in a remote village. They were able to hand out seeds, check on some goats that House of Hope purchased for them, and give away an audio Bible. The man who got the Bible is a teacher in the school there and said that he travels down to teach Sunday school every week. At first, he didn’t seem to quite understand what it was that he was receiving but when they got it to work and the recorded voice began to read the Gospel of Matthew in Creole, a smile spread across his face and his hands raised in joy and gratefulness!

Two of our team were able to spend the day building steps on the Grace pavilion at Valley House of Hope. They worked hard, had many chances to interact with the orphans and staff, and built some sturdy stairs that will last for years and make getting into the pavilion much much easier!

The rest of our team spent the majority of the day at Pastor Pierre’s orphanage. Our two nurses were able to work in the clinic. They looked over dozens of children and most of them were in good health! At the end of the day, they had gone through a lot of fungal cream and cookies. Unfortunately, they did see a couple of adults who are suffering from conditions that were beyond their ability to treat. We pray that God’s hand is on those two women.

While at the orphanage, we were also able to get to know Pastor Pierre better and spend a lot of time playing with the children and handing out clothes and shoes for all of them! When we first got there, you could tell that they weren’t quite used to having large groups of ‘blancs’ showing up, but it didn’t take long for them to warm up to us.

Tomorrow will be taken up mainly with preparations for the seminar. This evening, Pastor Jake read to us from Zechariah 4:6: “Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit.” It is a potent reminder that we will not accomplish anything here by our own efforts and we are not here to do a good thing for God on our own. We are here to be a part of the good work that God is already doing in Haiti and the only way that will happen is through the movement and the power of the His Spirit.

Thank you for continuing to remember our teams in your prayers tomorrow…

• We will spend today preparing for the Ministry Leadership Seminar, which starts tomorrow. Please pray for all who will attend. Pray that the Lord will give us the knowledge and the words to speak what these faithful men and women need to hear. Pray that all of the following details will come together for the event:

• Sound System

• Music/Haitian Band

• Translators

• Culturally relevant messages from our team

• That the market will be open so we can buy food to feed the pastors, and that we can do it within our budget

• That each pastor/leader who plans to attend will have the ability to find transportation

• VBS activities for the orphans (this will be happening during the seminar)

• Our nurses will begin doing health checks at House of Hope and Valley House of Hope. Pray that God will give them the wisdom and means to care for these children today!

•There are some on our team who are experiencing extreme poverty for the first time this week and struggling to come to terms with life here. Please pray that God gives them peace and continues to open their eyes to what He is doing here.

some of the children from Pastor Pierre's orphanage

 

 

I think this baby may know more about life than I do

 

 

Carol (one of our nurses) was able to examine a 6 day old baby girl!

 

boys from Valley House of Hope

 

Here in Haiti!

We made it! Our team had a busy, long, and very successful day of travel. All of our (and your) prayers were answered today and God’s hand was evident in the little things. The two flights into Port-au-Prince carrying team members arrived within 20 minutes of each other and we were all able to meet in the baggage claim and go through customs together.

After a bus ride up the coast and a wonderful dinner, we are all hard at work getting ready for a big day tomorrow! It will be a big day and the team will be going in a few different directions. A few of us are riding motorcycles to a new mountain village to greet the people there, bring them seeds, Bibles, and audio Bibles. Two will be off to Valley House of Hope with Samuel to build steps and do some other work there. The nurses will be busy assisting in a clinic by Pastor Pierre’s orphanage. Everyone else will be distributing clothes and shoes to all of the orphans there and will hopefully have some time to play with those children! It will be a full day and we have a lot that we are hoping to get done.

Here are some specifics to remember in your prayers on Wednesday:

• One of the major purposes of this trip is to search the hearts of some potential

future ministry leaders. Pray that the Lord will give us discerning spirits and that

He will lead us to the people we need to meet.

• A few from our team will be exploring a new mountain village today and greeting

the people there on behalf of House of Hope. These people have yet to hear

about Jesus, and they have many needs as far as work, food, education, etc. Pray

that the Lord will prepare their hearts to hear the gospel, and that we can establish

a relationship so they will have us back! The missionaries who go up the mountain

today will go on the back of motorcycles. Please also pray today for their safety.

• 53 orphans will receive new clothes and shoes today! Praise the Lord for His

faithfulness.

• 2 nurses from our team will spend the day at a Haitian clinic today. We hope to

partner with this clinic in the future as we care for orphans, and the greater House

of Hope Community. Pray that a beautiful relationship will begin today!

• There are some accountability issues that will be addressed among a few staff

members today (and throughout the week). Pray that everyone involved will

approach these meetings with love, humility, and hearts ready to confess and

change courses.

• A couple of team members will be doing some hard manual labor outside today. Pray

that God will protect them from the oppressive heat and give them joy as they work

and interact with orphans and neighbors from the community.

creole bibles and malaria pills

 

The bags are packed with children’s shoes and Creole Bibles and medicine. I started taking malaria pills two weeks ago. My passport is ready and I bought a new bottle of insect repellent. It must be time to go to Haiti.

This will be my second trip to Haiti with House of Hope and while it seems like I should be prepared for next week, time has dulled the memory of the smells and the sounds and I have forgotten many of the things that I saw last November.  I know that there is no easing into Port-au-Prince and as soon as I step off the plane I will be immersed in a world wholly different from the one that I live in every day. There is only so much that you can do to prepare your mind for an experience like the one that we have waiting for us.  At some point, you can only show up, take it in, and pray that God uses your time there to make Haiti a better place and you a better person.

18 of us will be flying out on Tuesday looking to accomplish several tasks that the Lord has set before us. Here’s what we will be working on…

• The pastors and professional church workers on our team will be leading a seminar for Haitian pastors and christian leaders for two days. While we call it a seminar, those in attendance will consider it seminary. Every day, pastors and church leaders in Haiti are faced with moral corruption, false doctrines, and extreme poverty. Most have little (if any) training and need to find other sources of income on top of  their ministry work to support their families. This will be the second seminar held at Valley House of Hope. We learned a lot through trial and error during the last one in November and are praying that we will be able to encourage these pastors and equip them for ministry. We are planning for 100 pastors to attend and hope to cover topics such as conflict resolution , counseling, marriage and family, evangelism, Biblical literacy, and women’s role in the church.
• An experienced teacher on our team will have the chance to talk with and encourage Haitian teachers, many of whom are teaching with an 8th grade education themselves.
• Our team includes two R.N.s who will be conducting exams, assisting in clinics, teaching hygiene, and looking into the possibility of vaccinations. We are excited to have these 2 along and are sure that God will do great things through them.
• A few people from our team will be exploring an unreached mountain community to see what their needs are as far as water, agriculture, and education.  We hope to begin doing ministry in this community in the future, so this trip will be a “first touch”.  We’ll probably take them some solar-powered audio bibles and seeds as a gift.
• Donations have been collected to purchase 30 beds for an orphanage that is run by Pastor Pierre who is a friend of one of House of Hope’s staff (David).  Pastor Pierre is caring for 53 children and supporting them solely on income he can generate on his own. Most of their beds were destroyed and he has not been able to replace them. We will also be bringing them clothes, medical and hygiene supplies, and doing medical exams on all of the children.
• We will be looking for opportunities to connect with Christian leaders who are strong, faithful, trustworthy, and Godly. These individuals may be able to help lead House of Hope in the future.
• And of course, there will be plenty of time to play with and love the 60+ children at the House of Hope orphanages.

If our task was simpler or we were hoping to do less, I may be tempted to tell God that he can take the week off and we can handle it. But when I look at this list, I am humbled by the scope of this mission and can only admit that we will accomplish none of this apart from the hand and will of our Lord. 

Our team covets your prayers this week. The 18 of us who are going are not the only ones who are actively participating in God’s work in Haiti. Everyone who says a prayer for us or has donated to our trip is an essential part of our mission!

Here are our prayer requests as we prepare to leave…

• Please pray for safe travel and arrival in Haiti on Tuesday. We have a three people,Susie, Carol, and Marva, who will be arriving on a separate flight from the rest of our team. Please play that there will not be any travel delays so we will all arrive the same day, and hosts will not have to make the long trip to the airport twice.

• Pray for those who would travel 2 hours, each direction, to pick us up.

• As many from our team experience extreme poverty for the first time, please  pray that God will do a great work in our hearts. Pray that he will bring comfort and strength, but also that he will move us to action and to prayer.

• Please pray for safety and good health for our team as we have only one week to do the work the Lord has set before us!

• Throughout the week we will be giving away 150 Bibles, 6 solar-powered audio Bibles, and 500 packets of seeds. Please pray that God will put these very valuable items in the hands of people who need them most. Pray also today for people in Haiti who are hungry, and more importantly, people who are desperate for the love of a Savior. God is POWERFUL and can do ANYTHING! Pray that He will see fit to use us as His hands and feet to hurting people this week.

 

Hi! My name is Susie and I will be blogging for the team this week. I'm hoping to upload some pictures too, but the hotel internet speed may thwart me

Prayer requests and plans for July/August trip

We are blessed to have a team going to Haiti from July 26-August 2. Please see this Pray for Haiti document to read about the group’s tentative plans and prayer requests for each day.