UPDATE:

We apologize-again, it has been almost a month since we updated this blog though we continue to update the facebook site.  If you are active on facebook and would like to "like" our page there you will receive more frequent updates.  In the meantime, we will try to keep this one updated more regularly too.  

So.... What has God been doing?  WOW-  What a question!  Here are just a few updates about the projects and ministry in Haiti.  We pray you are blessed as you read them to see just exactly what has been going on.

Life is Wealth Orphanage:  School started on October 1st.  Backpacks full of school supplies were given to each orphan (thanks to generous donations from the summer groups), uniforms made/tuition paid/books purchased for each sponsored child, and from what we hear school is going well.

Little Berlando in his new uniform- all ready for school! 

THANK YOU to Hawks for Haiti (Hamburg School District in Pennsylvania) for their generous donations that were used to purchase classroom supplies and books for the school at Life is Wealth.  Teachers have expressed their frustration when children from the community attend school and do not have the proper books and supplies- hence, teaching is much more difficult.  Now they will have some classroom copies to share with the children and studies can progress more efficiently.

math & grammar books were bought for the classrooms as well as dictionaries and classic literature books with funds from Hawks for Haiti-  THANK YOU!    

English & French dictionaries for the language classes- bought with Hawks for Haiti money as well

 The grounds of the orphanage and school are now much cleaner - thanks to Path of Life Ministries in Michigan who donated 5 trash cans.  They were put in strategic locations around the campus and children will be encouraged to use them (by the teachers and staff).

Wooden holders were built for the trash cans so they do not "wander" out the gate and into the community.  

The water building has been complete since the spring, but we are excited that the first week of November a team is coming to install the water purification system at the orphanage!  This will insure that the orphans will have fresh, clean drinking water available to them but also that the orphanage will be able to purchase water for their cistern with funds generated from the sale of purified water to the community.  One step closer to being completely self-sustaining!  AMEN!

We have also worked with the pastor to help him hire 10 women who will serve as "mommies" for the children at Life is Wealth.  These women began training on Friday, October 17th and all are very excited about the opportunity to mentor and impact the orphans.  The way the schedule was created insures that there should always be one or more of these women on site at the orphanage.  The training involves learning positive ways to work with children, the effects of abuse/abandonment, how to discipline yet not negatively impact the child's self esteem, normal child development, etc...   Classes are being led by a social worker living in Haiti.  (NOTE:  We still need about $750 per month to supplement the salaries of these women for the pastor.  We are trusting God to provide these funds, but if you would like to support this program please contact us)

The women he has hired (there are 12 because the existing staff is also being trained- these women cook, clean, do the laundry, etc but they also interact with the children )

The women (and Pastor Yves on the right) at the training session in the church.  

We can not wait until these women have "settled in" and some of the negative behaviors have changed at the orphanage because then we can begin the music program with the donated hand bells and recorders/music, we can install the new flat screen TV that was donated and shipped on the bus and we can finally give out some of the really nice church dresses.  We have been holding these items at our base because there was no way to insure that these items would be properly cared for and not be ruined quickly (unfortunately a reality due to lack of supervision of the children in the past- we want to be good stewards of that which has been given).

Mirebalais/Bracelets of Promise:
This program continues to be VERY successful.  We have about 80 bracelets here in the USA if anyone is looking for some (they make great Christmas gifts- hint hint).  We have already taken each girl making bracelets the equivalent of about $40 US and each has an equal amount of money in the bank for their future.

Also, Jesula had her baby on September 18th and we were able to visit/get photos (see another blog post on here).  The baby is a girl and her name is Melantchy.

Here are the latest bracelets (some in the photo have sold already)

Vehicle Situation:
Our Jeep (photo below) is for sale in Haiti.  You can see that it was recently worked on- the bushings and other things in the suspension have been replaced.  We are shipping another Mitsubishi Montero the end of October (hope it is there for the December mission groups) because the Jeep is just too small for our needs.

The Jeep "at the shop" in Haiti- ready for the parts I brought from Miami in September (it is fixed now)

The Montero that will be shipped at the end of October.
We are still filling it with items we will use at the base or orphanage.  

Bas-Citronniers:
We will be doing a complete update on this community and our involvement in the next few weeks, but for those of you who already know about our project there, here is an update.  School began on October 6th and things are going well.  The committee is keeping records that we will review together upon my return to Haiti in November.  We are going to compare actual expenses vs. budgeted ones as well as spend some time planning for the future as the community moves toward self-sufficiency and independence.  This is a GREAT community with amazing potential to be successful and we are encouraged and excited as we move along with them on this journey.

Some of the students in Bas-Citronniers at school the first week of classes (the locals took these photos and shared them with us- not sure if the children were praying or hiding).  

Raising the flag in the morning before school starts.  

Base Update:
We are praying about relocating to a bigger building.  Our vision is to have a place where Redgi can live, James/Aline (his wife as of Dec. 20th) can live and we can house not only teams, but interns as well.  We also would love to be able to do the Training & Discipleship Center on site which means teams wouldn't have to travel to/from another location for a large majority of our future ministry.  This is very exciting for us and we ask for your prayers for Him to lead us to just the right location/base.  This is a photo of just a few places we have been looking at.  I will look at them further in November- rent is going to be MUCH higher if we move so that is something we need to pray about.

(This one was a school but could be used for a base with teams/housing on the second floor and Training/Discipleship center on the first floor.  **Cool note:  I did ministry here my first summer in Haiti with two teams.)

(This one is a big house for rent- similar to what we have, but the whole house)

That's a LOT of information but there is a LOT going on that we wanted to share with you.  There are many more things we could write about or share and we will try to do so in the days/weeks ahead.  In the meantime, please check out our facebook page for more current info.  God bless and thank you so much for ALL your support and prayers.