Second Mother's Day

May 21, 2023

Bòn Fèt dè Mè! Mwen swete tout ti manman Ayiti yo bòn fèt jodiya. Nou vrèman se poto mitan pou chak fanmi, chak legliz, ni pou tout peyi a. Map priye pou nou. Mwen konnen nou santi ke chay la trop pou nou, men nou pa janm pou kont nou. Jezi pap janm lage nou. Mwen wè fòs karaktè konsa nan nou. Rete konekte chè sèm yo.

Happy Mother's Day! I wish all my Haitian mommies a good holiday today. You truly are the center post for each family, each church, and even the entire country. I am praying for you. I know you feel like the load is too much to bear, but we are never alone. Jesus will never leave us. I see such strength of character in you. Stay connected, my dear sisters.

In Haïti today, moms are being honored on Mother's Day (Fèt dè Mè). I am almost shocked each time this day rolls around, and I reflect on unusual it is to find a Haïtian who doesn't think the world of their mom - plus some, even the adolescents. We often see the youth spend weeks preparing to put on special presentations for their moms. I encourage each of you to consider what I hear so often from my friends, "I love my mom because she carried me in her belly for nine months. She didn't have to do that, but she chose to. She gave me life." We owe our lives to our moms, as well as the LORD.

Last week we celebrated Flag Day in Haïti. What a GRAND celebration it was!!! Students dress in red, blue, and white. Each had a flag to wave and a song to sing as they marched in their parade.

There were presentations, including someone role-playing the "Nèg Mawòn." The statue in Port-au-Prince of a runaway slave represents the rallying cry that sparked the slave revolt against France and Haïti's birth as a free nation and the world's first black republic.

Of course, there were lots of group games to be played.

The best days often include Haïti's favorite pastime - soccer! The top two upper classes faced off in a match and a joyful ending to an incredible day.

Celebrations are great for the soul. Personally, I think days in preschool and kindergarten are almost as good as a celebration, too.

Your prayers and financial gifts support ministry to the whole person; spirit, soul, and body. From babies through high school, children receive a nutritious boost from the hot meals they are served each weekday.

Rice and soy with bean sauce is a favorite among the students.

They are cared for in the medical clinic when they are not feeling well.

They are encouraged and taught through daily times of prayer and Bible lessons in the classroom, baby feeding programs, and church services.

Life is very difficult in Haïti. The LORD is using our prayers and financial support as a lifeline and to bring hope where many are faltering.

We were so blessed this past week to have Angie and Scott join our family and Carole-Ann in the Dominican Republic. Each morning the sunrise clued us in that it was going to be another hot one...and another... and another!

Daily dunks in the pool were a necessity for most of us - especially those grandbabies! Speaking of grandbabies, have I shown you any pictures lately?

I love how everyone interacted with the kids. They would ask for Carole-Ann and Angie each morning when they woke up.

Everyone visited the villages. Angie and Carole-Ann followed up on the January mobile clinic patients who needed their medications refilled.

We so appreciate Scott. He completed several maintenance tasks and started painting the chain link fence. He still managed to get in some fun time, as well.

We said goodbye to family, Scott, and Angie yesterday. We also welcomed Lisa and Kristine from Bless Back Worldwide. Lisa is the Haïti/DR director, and Kristine is the Nicaragua director for Bless Back. And, of course, they were already out and about today, starting with a visit to the Haitian Baptist Church of Luperòn.

They had a great time in the village of LaGrua. Lisa led the team that held the mobile clinic there in January. She was thrilled to see some of the people they had helped and the warm welcome they gave her.

Lots of visiting took place...

...and some praying, too. This dear woman has breast cancer and has spent all that she has for the diagnosis but has not been able to obtain treatment.

Angie, Carole-Ann, and Alexis found a little girl in this village last week who had been through a terrible ordeal due to a decayed and infected tooth. We were able to return today with medication for her.