One Year Later

 Photo of Bonne Fin on October 10, 2016, 6 days after Hurricane Matthew blew through

Photo of Bonne Fin on October 10, 2017, 1 year later

As the photos above indicate, the past year has been a year of healing and regeneration.  Both were taken from the same location but 12 months apart.  It is amazing how the landscape can change in just 1 year.  God's work in the physical landscape is amazing and the His work in the spiritual landscape of our lives can fill us with awe.  How mighty are His acts!!

Praise Him for His mighty acts:  praise Him according to His excellent greatness.  Psalm 150:2

Fun Happenings in October

It has been so fun to watch Selah grow in Haiti.  She loves to be outside and easily finds things to do, even by herself.  Notice that her two front teeth are missing - the true sign of being in Kindergarten.

Mara is studying Space and Earth Science this year and she is thoroughly enjoying learning about the Heavens.  She is spending lots of time using the telescope that was left here by the Klopfenstein family.  We are very thankful to have it.  In the above picture, she is sharing some of what she has learned with the other students.

Our teacher, Kaitlin organized a "Chopped" cooking competition for some of the kids.  Alayna and Mara prepare their food dishes and Carrie, Anna and Kaitlin serve as judges.

Krae was very excited to receive a Lego Boost Robot kit for his birthday.

Since our family celebrates most of our birthdays in October, we planned a birthday beach day at Port Salut.  This fishing boat was just off the coast and Selah though it might be a pirate ship.  A bit small for a pirate ship, but fun to imagine anyway.

We enjoyed a delicious supper at a restaurant along the beach.  This was one of the few times in Haiti that everyone really enjoyed their food.  This restaurant is 1.5 hours from our home, but we will definitely go back again.  

We started a partial renovation of the Guest House in October.  The first phase was to add a concrete roof to the back kitchen area and finish off the room to be the full-time kitchen.  Here are some pictures of the work on the roof.  

A team from Rockville, CT came and completed the finish work inside the new kitchen at the end of October.  Here is a photo of the new kitchen area.  The ladies who cook at the Guest House are very pleased with the new space.  We have a few more items to complete, but it is a great improvement so far.   

Prayers

As some of you may have guessed, I started this post about 8 weeks ago.  I found it challenging to finish for several reasons.  Finding the time to sit down and blog continues to be difficult, but I also have been contemplating writing about a difficult situation on our campus.  After much prayer, thought and counsel with Rick, I have decided that sharing some of our difficulties is appropriate and will give our readers specific ways to pray for our mission.  Once I decided to write about this topic, I then spent a few more weeks thinking about how to start.  So, here goes...

One of the things that we hear about often in Haiti, but do not see as missionaries is community justice.  This is a common practice in most developing countries as well as impoverished areas in the USA.  We are learning that it happens in many places and more often than we know.  In October, we saw an example of it on the edge of our campus.

The story begins with a man from a nearby community that was suspected of stealing in Bonne Fin.  Several motorcycles and some other electronic items had been stolen from some Haitian families in Bonne Fin. On a Saturday night in early October, the man was in the act of stealing a motorcycle when he was caught by some men on the road in front of the Bonne Fin MEBSH church.  The group of men proceeded to physically beat the man until he was dead.  His body was left, beaten and naked, on the road in front of the church.  

On Sunday morning as the community was going to church, a crowd was attracted along with lots of talk of what had happened the night before.  The local police department did not make it up to scene until about 1 pm on Sunday, probably about 12-14 hours after the incident occurred.  

Of course, as Americans from middle class neighborhoods, our missionary family was shocked and saddened by these events.  As we  talked with Christians in the community as well as some of the hospital employees, the common feeling was that is was not Biblical to take the man's life; however, most would say this and then start to justify the actions of the community.  We heard them say how bad the man was and that it was the only way to stop the spree of thefts since the police cannot be counted on to take action.  We heard that the man was using Voudou to gain physical strength through evil spirits.  It was believed that he was able to steal the motorcycles by lifting them and carrying them on his shoulders so that the motors or crunch of the tires on the gravel could not be heard.  It was believed that he gained power from evil spirits to be able to enter homes quietly and steal items.  We heard people say that only God has the right to take human life, but this is the only way to keep order in the community.  As well, no one was talking to us or the police about who was involved in beating the man.  Simply, no one would admit to knowing who was involved.  

It is events such as this one that bring to mind how culturally different we see certain situations.  I want to make clear again that the concept of community justice is not limited to Haitian culture, but is seen all over the world.  This is just the first time that we have observed it so obviously on our campus.  

I share this account to give those who love and support us a glimpse of our realities as we serve in Haiti.  We need your love and prayers as we process these types of events and as we strive to be Godly examples to those around us.  The people in our community need your prayers as well.  Pray that they can understand the lessons of scripture and find other ways to keep their community peaceful.  Pray that they will strive to convert the lost souls among them instead of using violence to keep the peace.  Pray that we will grow in our cultural understanding, but still teach and observe the precepts of the Bible.  

Finally, brethren, pray for us that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you; 
And that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men; for all men have not faith.  
But the Lord is faithful, who shall stablish you, and keep you from evil

II Thessalonians 3:1-3

In closing, thank you for your continued love, support and prayers.  Thank you for being patient with us when we do not do well with communication.  Thank you for walking in the light of Jesus with us and for serving in your own way where the Lord has called you.  
I hope to post more about the end of 2017 in a few days so check back for another update soon.