Hello from Haiti:
Our yard is a very busy place. Everywhere you look in our yard there is someone building or doing some kind of work. Praise the LORD!!!!!!!!!!! Many thanks to all the wonderful people who have donated to help us recover from the earthquake. Many thanks to those of you who prayed for us. Every day the situation here improves in some way. Praise the LORD!!!!!!!!!!!
Jared and the orphanage boys built another stairway and are working on a shower for the cooks. Praise the LORD!!!!!!!!!!!
Steve has a crew getting ready to pour concrete over 2 rooms on the second floor. He has another crewputting stucco on the downstairs. Praise the LORD!!!!!!!!!!! Steve will be leaving for a few weeks, then we hope he will come back again.
Jared will be in charge of construction with Steve out of the country. Jared and Amanda are raising support to come as full time missionaries. We really need them here. People can donate to them at Christian Light Foundation. Write " for Jared Kostreva" in the memo on the check.
We had 3 teachers here to teach English and Bible studies to the orphanage children this week. They all had a wonderful time. Praise the LORD!!!!!!!!!!!
A pair of mechanics looked at our old truck and put it back together. Praise the LORD!!!!!!!!!!! One big problem was missing bolts to hold it together.
Please pray for our new truck. We have picked one out but the government is making paperwork very difficult. We cannot get the truck until it has a license plate. Please pray for the paperwork to be done.
Dr. Karen brought a medical team and worked with a medical team from Rainbow Baptist Church. They saw about 250 to 300 people each day. About 22 people accepted Jesus. Praise the LORD!!!!!!!!!!!
The team did a clinic at the Church on the Roof. The ravine walls are so steep that many houses fell on the house below or are a danger to the house below. Pastor Cenor asked for prayer for another place for the church - on flat land.
The team brought our very official looking Christian Light vests and caps. Wearing a vest or badge can open many doors to get help such as free rice for the school. They are very impressive!! Praise the LORD!!!!!!!!!!!
Dr. Karen did a minor surgery on my foot removing a plantar wart so I will be sitting down a lot for a while. I am so thankful to be able to get it done here. She is always so willing to help no matter how tired she is. Praise the LORD!!!!!!!!!!!
God bless you,
Sherrie
Friday, April 9, 2010
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Posts from Pastor Jonathan Grooms who was in Haiti with Steve
Day 3
What a joy it was to celebrate Resurrection Sunday in the country of Haiti. Because Jesus rose from the grave we can offer hope to the precious people of Haiti today. After breakfast this morning, Dr. Karen gave all of the orphan girls beautiful Easter bonnets to where to church. Soon after, we walked from the Christian Light School to Pastor Lenny's church. It was precious to watch all of our team members, plus Dr. Karen's team, walk down the narrow streets holding the hands of the little orphan boys and girls. They looked so beautiful all dressed up in their nicest clothes.
Pastor Lenny's church suffered damage from the earthquake so we met under two large tarps on their basketball court. The church was packed full of people. I would guess there more than 300 people in attendance. We were all very impressed with the deaf ministry they have at the church. We were told they minister to more than 200 deaf. The service began with a long time of singing praises to God. One of our team members said that they were so excited to participate in the worship service because they felt like even though they couldn't understand the words the Haitians were singing that she was still worshipping God along with them with all her heart. I will never forget the rest of my life when the invitation was given watching a deaf woman come to the altar and just pour her heart out to God. I wish I knew sign language so that I could understand what she was saying to God. She was so passionate about expressing her thoughts and feelings to God. It reminded me of how God wants us to come to Him all the time.
After the service we walked back to the school, but made a brief stop at Sherrie's home that was destroyed by the earthquake. As we were walking away from the compound Sherrie said, "The Lord gives and the Lord takes away, blessed be the name of the Lord". What a testimony of God's love and grace in her life. Sherrie has taught our team so much as she has shared many things that are on her heart with us. She many times breaks down in tears as she thinks about the pain that many of these orphans have been through. She is one of the most compassionate, loving people I have ever met. Please pray for Sherrie as she continues to direct and lead this school and orphanage. It is a huge responsibility.
When we got back to the school we had a delicious lunch and then had an Easter egg hunt for the children. They absolutely loved it. The look of excitement in their eyes was precious. They ran all over the yard looking for Easter eggs filled with candy. All of the children had a wonderful time. They also shared the Resurrection story with the children by using the Resurrection eggs. It is always a great sight to see the last egg opened up and nothing is in the egg, because it shows that the women arrived at an empty tomb early that early Sunday morning nearly 2,000 years ago.
After the Easter egg hunt we went out to the city to see some of the devastation to the presidential palace and other places as well. It is unbelievable to see the destruction that the earthquake caused to this city. Tonight we enjoyed some "milky" ice cream, spending time with the children and fellowshipping with each other.
As I am writing this, I can hear a local church singing "Blessed be your name… you give and take away… you give and take away.. my heart will choose to say… Blessed be your name"! It is only through the power of God's Spirit that the Haitian people can truly sing those words after realizing that nearly 1 in 10 people in this city died, and 2 in 10 people were severely injured.
We are really looking forward to what God has in store for us the next 4 days here in Haiti. Thanks for your continued prayers!
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Amazing Day 4
It is 11:30pm at night and I continue to hear a group of people singing praises to the Lord. What a beautiful sound to hear as we lay in bed tonight.
Today was an absolutely amazing day as we ministered in many different ways and in many different places. Dr. Vance, Betsey, LB and Pam worked at the clinic along with the medical team from Florida. They saw around 300 patients today! Amazing!! The team even performed a minor surgery today. They worked hard all day long, giving of themselves so that the precious Haitians could be helped. The greatest report we heard from the medical team was that 7 Haitians gave their hearts to Christ.
Britney and Patience worked with the orphan children all day long. Some may think that they have the "easy" job this week, think again! They start around 7am and go all the way up to dinner, around 6pm, with only a very few breaks. I spent time tonight talking to both of them about their day and all I can say is that I am so proud of the two of them. With the little I got to watch their interaction with the children today, I was greatly impressed. Please pray for endurance for them the remainder of the week, and also that the children will be attentive and orderly.
Shannon worked with the construction team today. They were able to accomplish a lot. I saw Shannon painting chalkboards while others were preparing the forms on a new set of stairs that will be poured tomorrow. There is so much work that has been done, but still there is so much more to do.
Verne and I had an adventurous day with Pastor Cenor. We traveled on 4 different tap-taps to reach our destination near the Dominican Republic. A tap-tap is the normal mode of transportation for the Haitian people. You would almost have to see it, before you could believe how many people they can cram in a vehicle! We went to the "Love a Child" compound to check on Erica to make sure she and her brother are ok. She was the young girl whose arm was severely damaged that we helped in January. As many of you heard, Erica's mom, Karen, passed away last week. When we arrived Erica greeted us with a huge smile, a hug and a kiss on the cheek. Her smile was so beautiful. We loved on her and told her how sorry we were that her mom passed away. Her arm that was really damaged badly by the earthquake looked great. She can move it all around, as well as her fingers and thumb! We praise God for the doctors who helped her and our God who healed her!
God sent a woman (who is missing her leg) to take care of Erica and Kenny while they are at "Love a Child", until they are both placed in an children's home. Please pray that God would provide them a home where they will be loved and cherished.
So, as you can see, God is answering your prayers and the team is doing a fantastic job of loving on the Haitian people.
Tonight I received bad news that my grandfather, J.O. Grooms, passed away around 610pm. My heart is sad to know his time on earth is over, but I rejoice in the fact that He is in heaven with his Savior with no more pain or suffering.
God provided me a flight home so I will be heading home in the morning to attend his funeral service. Please pray for my family during this time.
The team is being left in great hands! I am excited to hear all that God will do through them the remaining 4 days of this mission work. Please continue to pray for them as often as God brings them to mind!!
I will continue to try my best to keep you updated on what takes place with the team each day. Thanks for reading our blog!
Posted by RFBC Missions Ministry at 1:01 AM 0 comments
Sunday, April 4, 2010
What a joy it was to celebrate Resurrection Sunday in the country of Haiti. Because Jesus rose from the grave we can offer hope to the precious people of Haiti today. After breakfast this morning, Dr. Karen gave all of the orphan girls beautiful Easter bonnets to where to church. Soon after, we walked from the Christian Light School to Pastor Lenny's church. It was precious to watch all of our team members, plus Dr. Karen's team, walk down the narrow streets holding the hands of the little orphan boys and girls. They looked so beautiful all dressed up in their nicest clothes.
Pastor Lenny's church suffered damage from the earthquake so we met under two large tarps on their basketball court. The church was packed full of people. I would guess there more than 300 people in attendance. We were all very impressed with the deaf ministry they have at the church. We were told they minister to more than 200 deaf. The service began with a long time of singing praises to God. One of our team members said that they were so excited to participate in the worship service because they felt like even though they couldn't understand the words the Haitians were singing that she was still worshipping God along with them with all her heart. I will never forget the rest of my life when the invitation was given watching a deaf woman come to the altar and just pour her heart out to God. I wish I knew sign language so that I could understand what she was saying to God. She was so passionate about expressing her thoughts and feelings to God. It reminded me of how God wants us to come to Him all the time.
After the service we walked back to the school, but made a brief stop at Sherrie's home that was destroyed by the earthquake. As we were walking away from the compound Sherrie said, "The Lord gives and the Lord takes away, blessed be the name of the Lord". What a testimony of God's love and grace in her life. Sherrie has taught our team so much as she has shared many things that are on her heart with us. She many times breaks down in tears as she thinks about the pain that many of these orphans have been through. She is one of the most compassionate, loving people I have ever met. Please pray for Sherrie as she continues to direct and lead this school and orphanage. It is a huge responsibility.
When we got back to the school we had a delicious lunch and then had an Easter egg hunt for the children. They absolutely loved it. The look of excitement in their eyes was precious. They ran all over the yard looking for Easter eggs filled with candy. All of the children had a wonderful time. They also shared the Resurrection story with the children by using the Resurrection eggs. It is always a great sight to see the last egg opened up and nothing is in the egg, because it shows that the women arrived at an empty tomb early that early Sunday morning nearly 2,000 years ago.
After the Easter egg hunt we went out to the city to see some of the devastation to the presidential palace and other places as well. It is unbelievable to see the destruction that the earthquake caused to this city. Tonight we enjoyed some "milky" ice cream, spending time with the children and fellowshipping with each other.
As I am writing this, I can hear a local church singing "Blessed be your name… you give and take away… you give and take away.. my heart will choose to say… Blessed be your name"! It is only through the power of God's Spirit that the Haitian people can truly sing those words after realizing that nearly 1 in 10 people in this city died, and 2 in 10 people were severely injured.
We are really looking forward to what God has in store for us the next 4 days here in Haiti. Thanks for your continued prayers!
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Amazing Day 4
It is 11:30pm at night and I continue to hear a group of people singing praises to the Lord. What a beautiful sound to hear as we lay in bed tonight.
Today was an absolutely amazing day as we ministered in many different ways and in many different places. Dr. Vance, Betsey, LB and Pam worked at the clinic along with the medical team from Florida. They saw around 300 patients today! Amazing!! The team even performed a minor surgery today. They worked hard all day long, giving of themselves so that the precious Haitians could be helped. The greatest report we heard from the medical team was that 7 Haitians gave their hearts to Christ.
Britney and Patience worked with the orphan children all day long. Some may think that they have the "easy" job this week, think again! They start around 7am and go all the way up to dinner, around 6pm, with only a very few breaks. I spent time tonight talking to both of them about their day and all I can say is that I am so proud of the two of them. With the little I got to watch their interaction with the children today, I was greatly impressed. Please pray for endurance for them the remainder of the week, and also that the children will be attentive and orderly.
Shannon worked with the construction team today. They were able to accomplish a lot. I saw Shannon painting chalkboards while others were preparing the forms on a new set of stairs that will be poured tomorrow. There is so much work that has been done, but still there is so much more to do.
Verne and I had an adventurous day with Pastor Cenor. We traveled on 4 different tap-taps to reach our destination near the Dominican Republic. A tap-tap is the normal mode of transportation for the Haitian people. You would almost have to see it, before you could believe how many people they can cram in a vehicle! We went to the "Love a Child" compound to check on Erica to make sure she and her brother are ok. She was the young girl whose arm was severely damaged that we helped in January. As many of you heard, Erica's mom, Karen, passed away last week. When we arrived Erica greeted us with a huge smile, a hug and a kiss on the cheek. Her smile was so beautiful. We loved on her and told her how sorry we were that her mom passed away. Her arm that was really damaged badly by the earthquake looked great. She can move it all around, as well as her fingers and thumb! We praise God for the doctors who helped her and our God who healed her!
God sent a woman (who is missing her leg) to take care of Erica and Kenny while they are at "Love a Child", until they are both placed in an children's home. Please pray that God would provide them a home where they will be loved and cherished.
So, as you can see, God is answering your prayers and the team is doing a fantastic job of loving on the Haitian people.
Tonight I received bad news that my grandfather, J.O. Grooms, passed away around 610pm. My heart is sad to know his time on earth is over, but I rejoice in the fact that He is in heaven with his Savior with no more pain or suffering.
God provided me a flight home so I will be heading home in the morning to attend his funeral service. Please pray for my family during this time.
The team is being left in great hands! I am excited to hear all that God will do through them the remaining 4 days of this mission work. Please continue to pray for them as often as God brings them to mind!!
I will continue to try my best to keep you updated on what takes place with the team each day. Thanks for reading our blog!
Posted by RFBC Missions Ministry at 1:01 AM 0 comments
Sunday, April 4, 2010
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Prayer and Praises April 1, 2010
Handing out clothing we and others sent.
Giving out shoes
lots and lots of rice
buiding the safety railing and stairs
tarps given out so Mr. Frenal can have school
dehydrated potatoes
lots of steel to make it safe
Hello from He is risen! He is risen indeed!!! I serve a risen Savior!, not a dead prophet!! Praise the Lord!!!!! First - a huge THANK YOU to all the people who have worked so hard and given of yourselves to help us. We are overwhelmed at your goodness. You have blessed us over and over. Praise the Lord!!!!!!!!! I have been able to give about half my staff some money toward housing. Praise the Lord!!!!!!!!! Thank you for helping with this. We received boxes of clothing and shoes, and school supplies and toiletry items and medicines and toys this week. I asked different staff members to sort and distribute on different days. The staff sent a lot of clothing home with the school children. It will fit someone in the family. Every staff member and school child received gifts at our Easter party. Thank you very much!!! Praise the Lord!!!!!!!!! We received a LOT of rice and peanut butter and dehydrated potato slices from Rays of Hope. This will feed a lot of people!!!! Praise the Lord!!!!!!!!! Steve and Jared are doing a wonderful job supervising construction. Jared is great with the children, especially the boys. Praise the Lord!!!!!!!!! We have begun working on the roof of the first wing. Work on the back wing is stopped waiting for the roof to be done on Wing #1. Having this roof will make things much dryer for the people sleeping in the Starlight hotel. It will provide classroom space in the future. Praise the Lord!!!!!!!!! Prayer requests: Please continue to keep Jared & Amanda in prayer as they try to come full time. They still have difficult hurdles in front of them. I need the help now. We still don't have our truck. We need it yesterday. We have selected one. The government has added new paperwork and regulations that make it harder to buy trucks now. Please pray for our blue truck. Our Internet connection has been terrible. I have been trying to attach pictures for 5 hours. Sometimes we lose it and have to start over. Please pray for our Internet service. God bless you, Sherrie |
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