Dr. Bernard is home

Praise God!!
Dr. Bernard came home on Thursday and seems to be doing very well. He was planning on going back to work today, keeping a lighter schedule then usual for a few weeks.
Thank you for your prayers and we are continuing to pray for his complete recovery.

BHM Continues to Help with Food Distribution

Even though Baptist Haiti mission is busy helping with the rebuilding of homes for the surrounding communities, the mission continues to distribute food to various schools in the mountain region around Fermathe.   We were able to provide food for schools to use through the end of school and at the end of school we delivered food to schools for them to distribute to the children to take home to their families. One such school is Qui-Croit, located in the mountain above the Baptist Haiti Mission. The primary school at Qui-Croit has about 422 students, from kindergarten to 6^th grade.  This particular delivery is not the easiest, as the steep and sometimes narrow mountain road is not in the best condition. But praise be given to God, 30 sacks of rice, 9 sacks of beans, 5 cartons of oil, and one sack of salt was able to be transferred to the school for the families! BHM is really thankful to have the opportunity to deliver food to these communities and to help the people of Haiti in this way.

The mountain road up to Qui-Croit.

Christope, a BHM worker, ready to unload the truck at the Qui-Croit school.

Some members of the community at Qui-Croit, watching the food being unloaded.

A woman carries a very large sack of rice on her head!

Dr. Bernard is doing very well

On Wednesday the Baptist Haiti Mission Board President, Ron Pierre, was able to visit Dr. Bernard.  In his words, "Yes, Dr. Bernard is doing just fine! The Lord has be gracious to Dr. Bernard and his family. It was a blessing to be with them today."

Dr. Bernard and Mrs. Bernard are currently in New York spending time with their son, Jerry.  They are planning to return to Haiti on Thursday.  God is so Good!!!

From left to right:

Bryon Wynn (from ISOH/Impact), Mrs. Bernard, Dr. Bernard, Ron Pierre, Barb Pierre, Linda Greene (President of ISOH/Impact) and Jerry Bernard.

New home for the Saint-Louis family

Emmanuel Saint-Louis is a 45-year old Haitian man who resides in the Griffen area with his wife and six children. During the earthquake on January 12, 2010 his family’s house was severely damaged, and they were forced to stay in a very tiny temporary shelter. Emmanuel and his family are members of the Conservative Baptist Church of Griffen and most of the children attend the school there. This husband and father of six only had the opportunity to have about one year of schooling when he was young. Now, he repairs shoes on his property for a small income.  The Saint-Louis family was chosen as one of the families most in need for new housing; this is a process done mainly through the church.

A group of 23 people from four different Christian churches in Alabama arrived in Haiti the last week of July. The majority of these team members came to aide Baptist Haiti mission in the construction of two new houses. Part of the team was sent to help rebuild the Saint-Louis home, side by side, with local Haitians. But there was not just the rebuilding of a physical home at this site. During the week long project, the team was sure to spread the love of Jesus Christ. They prayed with the family and also taught the children in the community some Christian songs.

The last day was a joyous celebration. The house was pretty much complete, minus a few minor details. A pastor from Alabama gave the message of salvation through Jesus Christ and everybody prayed together. There were prayers for the new house, family, and the community. When Emmanuel Saint-Louis was asked about his family’s new home he simply said that he wanted to “thank God because he didn’t know how his house would ever be rebuilt.” He also gave a Bible verse; Daniel 3:17. It reads, “If we are thrown into the blazing, furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it….” What a powerful testimony that our God can do all things!

Mr. Emmanuel Saint-Louis, repairing a shoe

The Saint-Louis family, outside their new home when it was about halfway finished

The temporary shelter the Saint-Louis family was staying in after the quake

The ladies working

Pastor Randy working

Teaching and singing with the children in the community

Three members of the Alabama team

Pastor Randy sharing the message of salvation through Christ on the last day. The finished house is in the background.

Prayer needed for Pastor Luc

Pastor Luc Accèus is currently serving in the Cornillon Baptist Church. A few weeks ago, Pastor Luc had an unfortunate motorcycle accident; the bike flipped over and he received a very bad burn as a result of the hot engine laying on him. When we were made aware of this accident we sent a driver to go and pick up Pastor Luc and bring him here to the hospital. Pastor Luc's initial treatment and his dressing changes have been very painful but he continues to be in good spirits. It is expected that he will require hospitalization and dressing changes for an extended amount of time.
Please pray that God would comfort Pastor Luc during this painful time and also give him healing. It is not easy for him to be away from his family and church, so pray that God would give him peace and rest during his hospital stay.

Pastor Luc

Dr. Bernard Update

God has been so good and has been answering so many prayers.
Dr. Bernard arrived in Ohio on Friday August 13, 2010 at 2AM, had an appointment with Dr. Stockton at 10 AM, admitted to St. Lukes at 2:30 Pm and had a successful angioplasty with two stents. Wow!
We are all so grateful to all the doctors and people who helped to make this possibly. So many people worked together to get Dr. Bernard and his wife to the states and to make this medical treatment possible. A big special thanks to Linda Greene from ISOH/Impact for all that she did to organize this.

Dr. Bernard is currently at St. Lukes and if all goes well he should be released tomorrow. He will then be transferred to a home that has been graciously offered to them. Dr. Bernard has a followup appointment with Dr. Stockton on Monday August 16, 2010.

Once again thanks for you prayers and continue to pray that God would restore Dr. Bernard's health completely and that God would give Dr. and Mrs. Bernard a good time of rest and relaxation while they are in the states.

Dr. Bernard Update

We are praising God for all that He is doing and how He is answering prayers for Dr. Bernard. He came home from the hospital yesterday and seems to be doing very well.
We have been able to find a willing hospital and physicians in Ohio who are willing to provide the further treatment and surgery that he needs. We are so thankful for the partnership of ISOH/Impact for helping to make all these arrangements and for helping to find doctors and a hospital who are willing to help Dr. Bernard. God is so Good!
Dr. Bernard and his wife will be traveling to Ohio tomorrow.
Thank you so much for your prayers and I'm sure that Dr. Bernard and his family would appreciate your continued prayers as they travel tomorrow and as he has his surgery possibly Saturday or Monday.

Dr. Bernard and Repairs

Dr. Bernard Update:
He continues to be hospitalized.  Thank you for your prayers for him and his family during this time.  We will keep you updated as we know more regarding any further medical treatment and progress.

Continuing Repairs:

Over the past few months, Baptist Haiti Mission has required a more than usual amount of repairs. We have had several different plumbing problems, including a full-time missionary family’s house flooding from a broken pipe! Currently, we are involved in another massive plumbing problem which has required some new toilets, various parts, labor, and some moving around of staff and volunteers.  We thank God for our hardworking Haitian staff and various short-term volunteers who have been humble servants and have helped with these sometimes-unpleasant repairs. It is also a praise that the current plumbing problem is near being fixed and we hope that it stays that way! These issues have not come without a cost. Baptist Haiti Mission would like to thank you for your prayers and faithfulness in giving. We ask that you continue to remember us during this time of “extra repairs.”

Steve, a volunteer from Michigan, helping to fix a bathroom after a "flood."

Pastor Baker, John ( a volunteer from Canada), and a Haitian worker...when the problems began about a month and a half ago.

Richard (a volunteer who resides in Vermont) and BHM worker, Andre, making some repairs. Richard has recently spent most of his week-long stay working on plumbing problems.

One of our BHM employees, Gaston, re-installing a toilet

Cliff, a volunteer from Alabama, helps to dig up the floor to find the septic tank.

Prayer needed for Dr. Bernard

A few days ago Dr. Bernard was admitted to a hospital in Port-au-Prince with chest pains. For those who don't know Dr. Bernard, he is the head doctor of our Hospital on the mission campus. He has served in the hospital for more then 30 years.
Dr. Bernard is a wonderful servant who has diligently helped so many people over the years. Now he is in need of help.
He is in need of advanced cardiac testing, which can not be done in Haiti. Doctors suspect that he needs stents, but they do not have the equipment here in Haiti to help him further.
He needs to go to the United States, or Canada for further medical help. Pray with us that God would make this happen. He has no medical insurance and no way to cover the medical expenses in the States or Canada alone. Pray with us that God would miraculously provide a willing doctor and hospital so that Dr. Bernard can get the medical attention that he needs.

Dr. Bernard, hard at work in his office

Colorado Church Group Helps Construct a House for Gislène

Nine volunteers, all but one being from Cedar Creek Evangelical Free Church in Colorado, recently visited Baptist Haiti Mission. They were headed by the churches lead pastor, Curt Mudgett.  Other team members were: Becky Matthews, Carolyn Hickerson, Leslie Torres, Timothy Putnam, David Simons, Tim Kavanaugh and Hilary Barrett from Georgia. They helped out with many various things on the mission, but their main project was building a house for a woman in need in the community of Sarthe.

Madame Gislène Gilbert is a 58-year old woman who's husband left her approximately 10 years ago and was never blessed with any children.  Prior to the earthquake, Gislène had been housing 7 of her extended family members. On January 12^th, 2010 that small home was destroyed. Gislène is a member of the Griffen Conservative Baptist Church and is one of many volunteers that help to keep the church clean. Other than this, she has no employment. She says that her extended family helps her to get food. In fact, Gislène, has never had the opportunity to have an education, she cannot read or write. With a big smile on her face she stated that she, “Thanks Jesus, praises God, and is very happy that her house is almost complete.” She informed us that she will continue to have the same 7 family members living with her after the housing project is complete.

Just like Madame Gilène, the members of Cedar Creek also feel very blessed. During their 10-day stay in Haiti they worked side by side with 6 Haitian men (sometimes more when the community members would get involved). After the walls were up and being cemented, team member, Tim Kavanaugh stated with a big smile, “It’s a celebratory atmosphere today. In the beginning many were shy and kept their distance. As the building emerged from the ground, our project gained validity. This (as he touches the house walls) brought trust.” Pastor Mudgett’s son, Grant, said “It means a lot to come and help people. I love to help people. I really hope to be a missionary in Haiti someday.”

Over the span of time that the Cedar Creek team spent at the building site, Madame Gislène served the group drinks and small snacks. She did so with a look of joy on her face. During their last day at the building site, Gislène’s family and community brought the team a very large amount of vegetables as a gift offering. Pastor Curt Mudgett gave a message to the Haitians. “Thank you for opening your hearts to us. I am thankful to have made new friends. The feeling of friendship while working side by side of the Haitians has been humbling and joyful.” 

Gislene, making coffee for the team

Part of the team with Gislene, inside her new half finished home

Pastor Mudgett and the Haitian workers, stopping for a coffee break

Gislene, smiling inside the walls of her new home

Carolyn and Leslie, working on the mission

Group picture with team shirts