Haiti Update #1 2/19/16

The Chicago based team (representing 5 CMP churches) has just departed from O'Hare, and others are coming from Texas, Washington State and Las Vegas, 18 in all. They'll meet up tonight in Miami for a team meeting, except for the few who are doing a red eye from the west coast; they will meet them at the airport tomorrow morning.

This trip has been complex to plan and greatly needs your prayer support. In our American culture's way of doing things, plans have been made, supplies purchased, extensive training completed, and bags stuffed with necessary supplies. But in Haiti, plans often need to change due to "on the ground" realities,such as:

• Building supplies necessary to install a water purification system have been hard to come by and expensive due to the current level of political unrest in the country. Supplies and deliveries are often interrupted as a way of protest. Even food is in somewhat short supply in some places. It is not known as of now whether work is sufficiently completed for the water purification installation to begin. 
• New government policies have been implemented relating to medicines brought in to the country. The team and ESMI have done their best to comply, but policies are so new that the customs agents may not know what the procedures are. Also, the team is not sure that they have all the necessary paperwork assembled and in their possession. 
• Even on the ground transportation in Miami tonight and tomorrow morning for a group this size with up to 35 stuffed duffel bags has been tenuous to secure. 

In all, after all of our human planning and effort, God is sovereign. His love for his children on the team and for his people in Haiti is much more powerful and important than all our human planning can accomplish. Ask God to be merciful and gracious, and that he'd take our best plans and bring them to the fruition he desires.

There will be a brief update tonight when all are accounted for in Miami, but even now, please pray as you are able today and tonight for these things. Some are very time specific over the next 36 hours.

Generally, pray that the Lord Jesus will be exalted in this week, that He by the Holy Spirit will work powerfully in and through the team, that we will be of real encouragement and assistance to the church planting and ministry efforts of El Shaddai, that Satan will be bound, and that the gospel will go forth with great grace and power during this week.

More specifically, please pray:

1. That all the bags will get through customs in Haiti without any fees being charged or bags/supplies being confiscated.
2. Pray for safe and timely travel throughout the week, especially with the significant amount of political unrest at this time.
3. That everything will go well with installing the water purification system at Cavaillon, especially that the team of six Haitian men will be responsive to the training and learn how to install, operate, and maintain the system.
4. For good team chemistry and for the safety and health of our team. 
5. For Ted Powers as he preaches Sunday at the churches in Les Cayes and Cambry.
6. Pray for the Medical Team as they provide care for some of the orphans and the surrounding community at Cavaillon (Mon and Tues), Savanne (Wed), Las Anglais (Thurs), and Cambry (Fri). – Our trip to Las Anglais will be the first time the 200 children in the school there and the community itself have received medical care.

We hope to have daily updates with some pictures of the day's activities. You will enjoy seeing the smiling faces and walking along with them as they week progresses.

Thanks for your support!