God has perfect timing!

These past few weeks have been a combination of amazing and chaotic all at the same time.  The Lord is definitely working in our lives.  Truthfully this is really scary.  The scary moments that overtake me are coming more frequently and the times that I see God in control are too far in between.

We have no doubt that God has called us to be in Haiti full-time and we are okay with that, its all the details that I have problems not worrying about.  We are praying that we will return in July full-time but it is already May and still so much is to be done.

Then my mind starts gravitating to thoughts of "what are we thinking?" and "there is no way I am going to be happy living in Haiti, what about the comforts I am used to" (hot water, air conditioning, Wal-mart and Ingles just down the road).

Part of my bible study lesson this week is about anticipating the voice of God.  As Christians we are to anticipate hearing from God.  Honestly most of my prayer/quiet time is spent voicing my concerns, complaints, and all the stuff "I'm" not happy with.  I hardly ever take the time to just sit quietly and wait for God to answer.  So of course God has convicted me once again, and most likely it won't be the last, about trusting and having faith in Him.  Do I truly have faith that God will do what He says He will do?

When I really sit, quietly, and think about that question the answer is no.  I still think that I have to do things on my own.  Again, God askes why not?  Do you still not think I love you enough and care about you enough that I will handle all the details of your life.  I just need to let Him and say "I believe, but help my unbelief".  (Matthew 6:25-34- about not worrying)

The only thing God is telling us to do right now is to obey.  What we feel God want's us to do is just let people know about what He has called us to do, then He will work on their hearts.  We need monthly supporters, that's the bottom line.  We won't get them unless we give people the chance to be a part of the amazing things God is doing in Haiti.  Please consider being a part of our ministry.

We have had great and wonderful praises this week.  First we gained 10% in our monthly support, then God brought an awesome couple to us to rent our house.  Praise the Lord!!

Our prayer for this month is that we can contact or meet with those that have told us they want to support us and /or have made one time donations in the past, and see if we can count on them for monthly support.  We know God can raise our monthly support by 20%.



                         Praises
                                                Rented our house
                                                Gained 10% monthly support in April
                                                Got our Haiti car papers
                                                We have 88 monthly supporters
                                                We are 45% monthly support coming in


                                                 Prayers
                        Individuals to partner with us monthly
                                               To gain 20% monthly support in May
                                               To get residency visa's
                                               40 ft insulated trailer to ship supplies and furniture to Haiti
                                               Pickup, utv or atv to ship to Haiti
                                               Tow behind lift for high electrical work and other maintence

A Great Welcome Back

    We got back to NC a 2 weeks ago.  We have and still are being welcomed back by so many of our friends and family.
     We have to say it is good to be back in the states but Haiti is our home now.  God has given us such a passion for reclaiming Haiti for Christ that it was hard to leave.  We were able to be a part of three conferences, these were the first since the earthquake 2 yrs ago.
    The most frequently asked question is when are we going back.  The answer to that is totally up to when we have our monthly support, close to 100%.  It feels like we have hundreds of people praying for someone else to support us not realizing they are the ones who know us.  It's rare to be supported by people who don't know us. We have some giving $5 up to $300 a month, this all add's up. We are at 33% of our monthly support coming in now, this is helping us to be able to purchase tools, furnishings supplies and other items and have them shipped to Haiti.
     Moving from this blessed country to a fifth world country, the poorest in the western hemisphere, is not a easy thing to do or  commit our lives to help and share Christ love with these people and give up the comforts of our home. No play land at chick-fil-a or playground for the kids at all.  
     We are back to give others an opportunity to partner with us help train 3000 pastors and leaders in Haiti each year so they can reach even more Haitians than we could. Providing this compound and conference center is a blessing among the other ministries we are doing there.
    The only thing holding us back from moving to Haiti full time is our support.  We need people to partner with us monthly!  We don't want to put a limit on God but we are praying that He will have us returning in July full time.
    Please be in pray for us.  We are in such a blur.  In the last week have spoken in 2 Bible Fellowship Groups and spoken to all 3 Awana groups and an evening service.  Praise the Lord!   But in addition to this we have been trying to get receipts from the last three months turned in, thank you notes written, and other paperwork done.
We are in a limbo mode right now, partly here, and partly there, just trying to find where I packed the socks is overwhelming.

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Nicky speaking at the evening service at First Baptist Hendersonville.  

These soccer balls with the wordless story on them are a great sharing tool with the Haitians.  Most of them can't read but when they play with this ball they will remember that Jesus loves them.

    Pastor Ryan spoke about serving like Jesus.  What an encouragement we got.  We don't always know why or what God is doing exactly but we know the ultimate goal and the reason for what we are doing.  We just have to be faithful on this long journey.
   We thank ya'll for your continued prayers and support.  We would not be able to obey God's call if it weren't for people like you.

We flew into Miami  last Wednesday. Got to speak to 70 or so youth at Turning Point at Calvary in St Augustine FL Sunday morning, sharing what missionaries actually do on the mission field, its not all preaching and Bible studying like many people think, especially kids. Mechanics, plumbers, electricians, medical, computer fixers, well drillers,  photographers, engineers, cooks, etc....all gifts are needed.  Many people don't realize they can be a blessing to share God's love. With out these people the preachers and ministers can't live and disciple and share God's love. Here at Global Outreach Haiti Mission all these talents are needed, but most of the time the few of us have to do the best we can because we don't have these talents. Teams come and will have their gifts God has given each one and help us in these areas and we wish we could keep there passports so they would have to stay. We enjoy sharing with youth and children what missionaries are doing and that they too can be one here in the USA and over seas also, where ever God calls them.

These are a few pictures of whats going on in Haiti now, many UN bases all around Haiti





One of the buildings on Delmas, the main street in Port au Prince, still not removed

         A new building being built back in the city. Around 3 million living in or close to Port au Prince

                         Hope for Tomorrow!
 12 years ago the Espwa Pou Demen (Hope for Tomorrow) flannelgraph ministry was started by a missionary couple at Global.  Started by Eileen, asking her Haitian housekeeper if she wanted to help with the flannelgraph ministry.  Today that flannelgraph ministry is being run by the same Haitian lady and includes many more leaders who are taking this ministry all over Haiti. She put together a 2 day conference for 162 leaders from all over Haiti (February 24-25). What a success, a house keeper leading this ministry without the help of Americans. Sure they still send down flannel kits and help fund training conferences every 2 years. PTL!!! This is what its about Discipling Haitians.

One of the teachers leading 100 kids that don't go to church at a Saturday program (these kids get a meal at this program)

                                     This is a craft the leaders learned at the conference

                                              Look at these happy faces making flowers

                                                         These Haitians love the kids

This was the first time some of these leaders had traced their hands and used scissors before

 
                                            Our outdoor chapel holds close to 400 people

Praises
We safely got back to South Carolina
We got our visa's started
Had a great flannel graph conference Friday-Saturday
We have 30% monthly support coming in
We prayed over our van on the way to SC and it hasn't had a oil problem since

Prayer requests
Need to find a insulated 18 wheeler trailer in good shape to ship our home good's, furniture, appliances, tools, etc.... to Haiti and to use for secure storage in Haiti
For individuals to partner with us monthly in prayer and support
For our van to continue running well

Conference week

Our youth conference went really well this week.  We had close to 200 youth from around the country come for a five day conference.  Besides the awesome worship times, learning to share God's word with others, they had they enjoyed playing games in the afternoons (bumpers, relay races, and shooting water balloons in a sling shot).



Some of the games they were having the conference.  The leaders were trying to keep the kids from geting the towel that was on the ground in the middle of them.



Ellie holding a little girl at the Saturday morning Bible school.  They use a flannel graph to teach the kids.



Xander picking up trash around the compound getting ready for the conference.



All the kids.  We really need to get us one of these.  This is a Polaris Ranger, a necessity getting around the compound.



Getting the homemade light poles up at the basketball court
The big light on the back was made at the GE plant in Henderesonville NC plant where Kristies parents work.
We are praying the may donate some lights like these to help light up the compound. This light was made in 1999.
These poles are 32 feet tall.

Prayer Requests:

Please pray for our conference that starts Friday, the 24th, this is going to teach and encourage those who do the flannel graph ministry.
Friday morning we go for our Visa appointment, pray it goes well.

                 Helping to reclaim Haiti to Christ                 
                Your support is leading haitian people to Christ thru these ministries.




So much work to do on the conference center to get it cleaned and repaired for our youth conference.

Xander helping Nicky clean the compressors on the 7 refrigerators and freezers in our volunteer quarters. They get so hot in the heat here when not cleaned and burn up the compressors with all the dust here.

The addition on our burn clinic finished last summer needed a security light to light it up at night.

Xander helps Nicky after school starting at 1 o'clock.

Nicky's laying out lines for new septic lines at the house North Carolina Baptist Men are renting. 2 of these will be hand dug 3' wide 5' deep and 5' wide by 100' long. Also 4 feet of rock will be picked up and placed under and around the lines then covered back up. This gives work to our workers for a few weeks. Lots of hard work to keep this place in good shape for these ministries

Nicky's cutting trees off the fence and fixing a problem area close to NCBM house.

Unfortunately a chainsaw died doing this, the heat and dirt here are hard on equipment and most have  to be shipped in to replace broken ones.

We have over 25 pole mounted security lights and many more wall mounted lights for lighting up the compound to keep it safer at night. These poles are old and scary to lean a ladder up on to change bulbs, starters and the whole light. Nicky's praying we can get a tow behind lift that will reach safely these lights for replacement and for painting buildings, roof repair, trimming limbs, etc..... one fall and it will be too late.

                                          Not a job he enjoys but some one has to do it!

This is an example of a tow behind lift to safely replace lights, paint, and repair high roofs, that we are praying for.

This was the hanger we took down off the basket ball court and will put back up over our grease pit.

We cleaned out our cabinets in our Volunteers quarters to spray for bugs and check for the date on the food. Good time to clean between teams.

                                      Kristie and some of the ladies cleaning the kitchen out.

Praise's

Saturday we got our drivers license after 45 days

We have a young couple Jon and Ashley Kling helping for 3 weeks

Prayer request

Pray we get a appointment for our residency visa's before Friday

Pray we get our car paper work this week

Pray for our youth conference starting Friday, our new youth leader started Feb1st This is new to the ministry

CONFERENCE TIME AGAIN

    We had our first conference since the earthquake 2 years ago (Jan 12, 2010). What a great blessing to all. Close to 90 pastors and ministers from different churches came for the 3 day conference. Tom from Danville KY lead 1/3 of the teaching, pastor Kelly from our church in TiTanyen did 1/3 and pastor Carl lead the last 1/3 of a John Maxwell equip leadership training. This team was in the middle of a conference when the earthquake hit, so it was fitting for them to be the first group back. The Haitians have already planed next years conference with this team getting 2 pastors from each of 50 churches to be trained with this leadership material to take back so they can train their church staff. We have conferences scheduled through out the year. This is discipleship at its best. 

This is a blessing to have our conferences up and going again!

                                                  3 Days and nights of conferences.

Xander and Ellie helped out in VBS at one of the schools a team sponsors here. Tom, that put on the conference, his sisters came and did VBS

Xander and Ellie had to help the school kids color their crafts.  The kids weren't sure what to do with the crayons.

          Another dress given to a young girl, picture above Ellie's wearing one of them too!

          We also guest housed 3 teams for other missions while they were in Port heading out to the northwest Haiti. One of these worked in Port showing the Hope movie.  They brought back packs that included everything to show the Jesus film and the Hope movie in creole. The backpacks included a solar panel that powered speakers, projector and microphone.  This team was from the group who made the Hope movie and are translating it into many different languages around the world. The other 2 guys were with the Jesus Film Harvest Ministry that shows these films millions of times around the world. Some of the head guys have been showing these for over 20 years, I took video of them sharing why and how they show the movie like they do. It was great learning from these guys so we will be more effective in our ministry here showing these films. These guys also gave me a number of resources for sharing Christ with people, so excited to show you when we come back to the states.

Went to show the Hope movie at Double Harvest with this team, all that is needed to show the movie is in one of these back packs. Technology has come a long ways from a loud generator, drop cords, big speakers, big projector, DVD player and screen. This would be a good investment one day, these were promised to another mission, but great to know this is out there!

We were setting up at Double Harvest in the dark.

 Xander cleaning the pool, we all have lots to do! This was a great blessing donated a few years ago so the kids on the compound would have something fun to do since they don't leave the compound much.

  Also we got our first basketball goal up on the basketball court. They had just finished the court right before the earth quake hit then it got turned into a helicopter landing pad while Samaritans Purse were here. This will be a blessing to many youth in the future. We will be taking the hanger down and putting it back up over our grease pit.

This is how most travel here,

BIG BLESSING

God provided us with a 2009 Ford Everest, for a great savings here. Its just like an Explorer with 3 rows of seats with a 2.5 diesel motor. This is a place you can't safely buy used cars unless they come from another mission, that ministry just upgraded cars so this blessed us! 3 of the 4 times we went to Port we had loss brakes, dead battery, broke water line, starter died and had to be towed home. This truly is another blessing from GOD!  Thank you to all that are partnering with us.

It was a long week some mornings up at 4AM to get things done, 5AM to cook for teams each day, and back to our room at 8 to 9pm. Thank you for your prayers!

BLESSINGS

God provided a great conference disciplining 88 pastors and ministers!

GOD provided a family car for us at a great price!

Many more also.

PRAYER REQUEST

Please pray that Eddie the Haitian man getting our drivers licenses, residency, and Visa's will get what he promised he would done 

Pray for us to find some one to get our car stickers and paper work done so when we have our monthly support this will be ready for us to come back and have already been done.

Pray that God would build our prayer,support, equipping team and that will allow us to be the hand and feet of Jesus here to reclaim Haiti for Christ!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 Pray God would bless us with better Internet when we come back. many days and nights it doesn't work making it hard to keep our team posted with how things are going and prayer needs!

making a difference everyday

We don’t have to be famous, rich, important, church workers, or a CEO of a company to make a difference. Changing the world doesn’t necessarily come through a massive production, but rather through touching one life at a time.

Here’s a story I heard once:
As an old man walked the beach at dawn, he noticed a young boy ahead of him picking up starfish and flinging them into the sea. Finally, catching up to the youth, he asked him why he was doing this. The answer was that the stranded starfish would die if left in the morning sun. “But the beach goes on for miles and there are millions of starfish”, countered the man, “How can your efforts make a difference?” The young man looked at the starfish in his hand and then threw him safely in the waves. “It makes a difference to that one”, he said.

There are people all around you that you can make a difference in their lives. It takes us looking around, seeing where the Spirit might be leading, and acting on that.

Never believe that a few caring people can’t change the world. Because, indeed that’s all who ever can.” -Margaret Mead

Here in Haiti a lot of humanitarian work is done and around the world, people spending trillions of dollars, much of which does nothing for the souls of men, not leading them closer to Christ. The end result is an easier way of life here on earth but hell is their reality if we don't share the truth with them and they accept Jesus into their heart. We all need to remember to take the time and make sure seeds are being planted, Jesus is being shared and is being glorified in all we do. Some times this means slowing down and pouring into someone not just speeding though life getting to the next thing we feel we need to do.

                                        Work on the conference center

 Replacing rotten boards on ceiling, then screwing roofing back down to new boards

                                              Replacing insulation in cafeteria ceiling.

Pouring concrete on grease pit shed.

Finishing concrete.

Installing deeper sinks in cafeteria.

Finished Grease pit slab for mechanics shed to be relocated from basket ball court.

Fixing door closers on cafeteria.

Kids helping Nicky after school.

Ellie found the camera.

PRAYER REQUEST

1-23-11 is first day of conference over 100 pastors here to be discipled for 3 day conference.

 Drivers license, residency paper work to get finished in next 2 weeks. Pray for Eddie our Haitian man getting this for us that he moves quickly.

God's discernment about used vehicle purchase here this week. If it's not right for God to close door but if it is right that it will go smoothly.