Haiti Update #6

July 31, 2013

There's lots of good news today...and one challenge.

Here's the challenge: no power tonight. It was off when the team got back after a long, hot day of service in Savanne. They have hit the mid-week exhaustion point as well, a great bit of that attributable to the heat, but they are taking it in stride and chalking it up to "that's what you can expect here." They have set up cots under the cabana (a covered portico area with a concrete floor) and added layers of bug spray to the layers of stickiness from the day! They will enjoy a night in the relative coolness there as an alternative to the stifling rooms.

If you would stop and pray right now that power would come back on, though, that would be great :)

On to the good news:

• Our team managed to see 98 patients today in the space of about 7 hours. That is great management and team work! With each patient, prayers were said for them as they were taken care of, translated for them by an interpreter. The combination of care and heartfelt prayer always makes an impression. A picture of a little worried patient is attached. It must be pretty daunting for these little folks to give themselves up to strangers to be poked and prodded. And they probably don't see a lot of white people in Savanne, either!
• The Children's ministry was able to cycle through 8 different groups of kids for 30 minutes of bible stories and a fun time of coloring T shirts. Picture attached.
• A highlight was presenting fisherman Jude (whose story was told in yesterday's update) with nets for his fishing boat. The 2010 earthquake destroyed his livelihood by taking his boat out to sea during the crazy upheaval of the earthquake-stirred waters, and he was absolutely destitute as a result. As his need became known, several team members wanted to pool resources to help him get a new boat, which he built himself with supplies donated by that group...but the original estimate was not sufficient to pay for fishing nets. The boat was completed in February (picture attached) Recently a donor stepped forward to buy the nets, and in God's great timing, they had arrived just as our team was going to Savanne this week. They were pleased and delighted to present them to him. A picture of the nets before their delivery is attached, as well. We hope to have a picture of Jude accepting the nets tomorrow. By all accounts he was beyond delight. He is committed to paying back the funds so that another person can benefit from these "microloans, " or hire others so they can work towards becoming self-supporting fishermen with their own boats as well. 
• Finally, another investment in changing a life. The last picture is Louinel, who has been known to our hosts at the Guest House for a long time. He is bright and motivated, and wants to become a doctor. Even though the cost of that in Haiti sounds quite low to our ears ($1800/year for 5 years) it is often unattainable for the average Haitian. Once again, a consortium of investors have pooled their resources and committed the funds to send him to school. In return, he has committed to spend his first 5 years of medical work in Haiti, with our hosts ESMI. Everyone involved is delighted to see this new model of personal investment take off. Might it be the first of many?

A last word - because the power is out, those of you who typically have received emails or texts from team members probably won't tonight. All of the electronic devices are out of juice! Another reason to pray the power is restored...

Please pray:

• For rest under trying circumstances. For effective bug spray! And for power and water to be adequate for the rest of the team's stay.
• For a lightness of spirit instead of being weighed down by the undone today. 
• For workers for the harvest in Haiti, for there truly is much left to do.
• For the children and adults who heard the gospel today, for people who heard the prayers and the saw the witness of the medical team, and for Pastor Mongerard, who ministers in Savanne. He will continue the ministry begun today with energy and faith.
• For ministry tomorrow in orphanges in Dariverger and Biggarouse, near each other and about 40 minutes away from the guest house. For safe travel and continued energy and health. Rumor has it that there might be a side trip to one of Haiti's beautiful white sand beaches on the way home for a quick dip.

Thanks for praying for the team. They are grateful to know you are supporting them in this way.