'Twas the Week Before Christmas

'Twas the week before Christmas and all around the world, presents are being wrapped for all the boys and girls.

Children are playing and singing with friends, with eager excitement that it will be Christmas when the week ends!

As you finish your shopping, baking, and traveling plans, don't forget about the families and children all over the land!

In Haiti the Christmas traditions may be different than you own, however the name of Jesus Christ is still being made known.

You can make this Christmas special for a Haitian child today!  You can help us change their lives a variety of ways!

$25 a month sends a child to school.  You would equip them with a variety of tools!

As you finish your to do list, check it again, would you give a gift to a Haitian child this Christmas and enable their hopeful future to begin?

In this Christmas season as you prepare to give gifts to friends and family we ask that you consider giving a gift to a child in Haiti.  Our child sponsorship program has been in existence for many years.  We depend on your support in order to provide school uniforms, books, basic health care, and one meal a day to the children in BHM sponsored schools.

Many families in Haiti do not have the money to send their children to school.  It is crucial for the development of Haiti as well as individual children that they receive proper training in their formative years.  Help us expose children to the Word of God and equip them to read the Word as well.  Begin sponsoring a child today, visit: www.bhm.org.

Re-dedicating the Churches of Haiti, One Building at a Time.

December 11, 2011 was not your typical Sunday for Williamson Church.  Williamson Church was completely damaged to the point of needing to be rebuilt after the 2010 earthquake.  There have been a variety of pressing needs since the time of the earthquake and BHM has been working diligently to meet these needs.  It was not more than 3 months ago that the work to rebuild Williamson Church started.  

 Many long hot days were spent rebuilding Williamson Church.  It is fair to say the work was not done in vain and December 11, 2011 will hold a special place in the hearts of the people of Williamson Church.  This church places a high priority on reaching out in other communities to evangelize and start new churches.  BHM Field Director, Pastor Baker, and his family along with other leaders from the Fermathe area traveled to Williamson to be a part of this re-dedication celebration.  It was indeed a very FULL service of praise.

The service began at 9 a.m. and concluded at 1:30 p.m.  There were special music groups that performed from surrounding churches.  A message of thanksgiving was presented by Pastor Edrice Romelus, Pastor of Thomassin Conservative Baptist Church.  Towards the middle of the service a plaque of appreciation was presented to Pastor Baker and BHM.  Pastor Jean Claude Smith, Pastor of the Williamson Conservative Baptist Church, acknowledged the many needs of the people of Haiti.  He was quick to state that he was incredibly thankful that God had chosen to bless his church family through the gifts of the supporters of BHM for a new building.  Spirits were high and the name of God was praised yesterday at Williamson Church.  

Thank you, our sponsors, for your generous giving that enables BHM to assist pastors and churches in Haiti.  Continue to remember Williamson Church as they seek to share the good news throughout Haiti.  Also, pray for the variety of other churches in need of a building after the destruction of the devastating 2010 earthquake.  If you would be interested in contributing financially to this great need visit our website:  www.bhm.org and make your donation to "Restocking Lumber Depot."  This will enable us to continue to purchase the materials necessary for the churches.

Meeting Needs Physically & Spiritually

Matthew 14:14, When he went ashore he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them and healed their sick.

Throughout the course of Jesus' ministry he traveled from town to town healing the sick and sharing the power of the Gospel.  He IS the answer to the physical and spiritual needs of the people.  Last week a medical team of 5 from Association of Baptist for World Evangelism (ABWE) partnered with BHM and performed medical clinic's in the surrounding areas of Fermathe.  From the moment the team arrived in Haiti it was clear they had compassion for the people and were ready to bring assistance to the sick.

 Above:  Abigail took the patients blood pressure before they saw the Dr.

 The team performed a total of 4 medical clinic's while in Haiti.  3 of these clinic's were held in churches and one was hosted by a man who opened up his families home for the clinic.  The typical clinic lasted 2 days in each location.  There were many people who came to the clinics with a variety of needs.  It was always exciting on the second day of each clinic to see that the word of the clinic had spread and the crowds increased.

Luke 15:15, Yet the news about him spread all the more, so that crowds of people came to hear him and to be healed of their sickness.

The history of each patient was taken before they went to see the Dr.  During this time the patient was asked a variety of questions about their physical history.  They were also asked if it would be okay if the team shared with them about Jesus.  It was during this time of history taking that many people entered into a relationship with Jesus Christ for the very first time!

Below: Zach, along with one of BHM's translators presented the Gospel during the time of history.

There were close to 20 people who came to know the Lord during the medical clinic's last week!  The lead pastor from each clinic area was given the names of the people from the area who accepted Christ in order to be able to follow up with each decision.  We are so thankful for the medical needs met and the lives changed last week!  There are many more details and stories to be told from this special week.  Check out our upcoming newsletter for more information about the medical clinics.

Expand- To spread out, unfold, or develop.

Kyrk and Deborah Baker have been serving in Haiti for 13 years.  In this amount of time they have grown in their love for the people and developed an understanding of the culture.  Working with BHM they have met and served with many pastors throughout Haiti.  5 years ago they traveled to the Northwest for the first time and visited a town called Atrel.  It did not take long after seeing Atrel that the Lord began to plant in their hearts a desire to be a part of His work in the northwest. "When we were in Atrel I instantly loved the area and the people.  When I first moved to Haiti to serve I desired to be in a place like Atrel.  Since seeing and knowing the needs in Atrel I know the Lord has placed it in my heart to live there," said Deborah.

The northwest is one of the country's poorest areas.  It is a 6 hour drive from the mission in a good vehicle with no traffic issues or driving interruptions. This very long drive is only 160 miles from the mission.  The majority of the ride to Atrel consists of rocky roads with a great amount of bumping and head jarring.  Pastors and leaders in the northwest have to make the difficult trip to Fermathe on a regular basis to receive training and be a part of the conferences offered by BHM.  In the long range plan of BHM we have desired to see training centers develop throughout Haiti.  The work being done in Atrel is hopefully the first of many training centers that will be developed throughout Haiti.  Kyrk and Deborah along with BHM desire to see a training center built in the northwest to make it easier for Pastors and leaders to receive training and better serve their district.

The church in the northwest is growing steadily and Christian leaders are hungry for knowledge.  Kyrk and Deborah desire to move to Atrel and begin a training center.  This center would expand the work BHM is doing to strengthen the church of Haiti.  Last week Kyrk along with others from BHM traveled to Atrel to talk with Pastor Fritz Metayer and take some up to date pictures of the area.

Pastor Fritz oversees 16 churches around the district of Atrel.  Of these 16 churches every church except for 1 has a school connected with it.  We have been sharing with Pastor Fritz about the desire to start a training center in Atrel.  When he was first presented with the idea of a training center being established in Atrel he said, "It is exciting to see God open the door for a training center in the area.  I am so happy to be a pastor, it is a pleasure to be used by God."

Pastor Fritz attended the Summer Bible Institute in Fermathe for 3 years.  When asked if it was difficult to travel to Fermathe he said it was not difficult.  It is amazing to see the servants heart of Pastor Fritz and others in the northwest.  They do not complain about the journey for training but we know if we could expand it would open the door for so many more to receive training.  Kyrk and Pastor Fritz had a great time discussing the needs in the area and working to develop a plan to meet those needs

Kryk and Deborah and their family hope to move to Atrel full time by November 2012.  There is a large amount of work to be done in order to prepare in this amount of time.  BHM owns property in Atrel for building a training center.  Currently Kyrk and Deborah are working through the details of purchasing land behind the property of the training center to begin building their home.

Posts have been placed along the property BHM owns in Atrel for future building projects.  In the next few months we hope to have more of a barrier in place to establish the ownership of this property.  The location of the training center and Kyrk and Deborah's home will be on a hill looking down into the town of Atrel.  It will be close to the school and church of Atrel.  Below: Atrel Church

Below: Atrel school, located on the same property as the church.

Thursday Kyrk and Deborah and the kids will be traveling to visit family in Canada and the U.S. for the holiday season.  Pray for safe travel and a time of rest.  While they are away they will have the opportunity to share with others about BHM's desire to expand and their upcoming move.  We trust the Lord's guidance and timing in this upcoming year as the details for expansion are developed.  We ask you to prayerfully consider how you can be a part of this spreading out and developing of BHM as well.

Wedding Bells are Ringing!

Invitations have been made, the venue has been selected, the order of the ceremony has been decided, and now the countdown has begun for the wedding day!  This may be the typical order of wedding preparation for a majority of weddings in the U.S.  However, it is not the norm for Pastor Smith as he prepares to perform a wedding ceremony for 91 couples!  Yes, you read that correctly.

December 30, in the area of Muraille Lacee, 91 couples will stand before their family and friends and enter a covenant marriage before the Lord. They will join their lives as one and become husband and wife.  One wedding ceremony for 91 couples is not your typical idea of a wedding.  It quite unique for the town of Muraille Lacee as well.


Over the years there has been a lack of good evangelical witness in the area of Muraille Lacee.  There are currently no evangelical pastors or churches in the area.  The area of Muraille Lacee is in need of the Gospel.  Due to a lack of exposure to the truth's of Scripture and an active relationship with Jesus Christ there is not a strong moral presence in the community. Couples who live together outside of a marriage relationship has become a way of life.


Many of the young women in Muraille Lacee have babies before they are 18.  Pastor Smith and members from the Conservative Baptist Church of Williamson have begun traveling to Muraille Lacee to do evangelization.  CBCW made their first evangelistic voyage into the community on August 2 of this year.  Since August they have made 2 more trips to Muraille Lacee and will be returning in December.  Pastor Jean Claude Smith and the members of CBCW are burdened for the people of Muraille Lacee and go through great lengths to share the Gospel in that area.


In order to arrive in Muraille Lacee they must drive for several hours.  After the drive they must walk for 8 hours on a path that no car or motorcycle is capable of traveling.  Once arriving in Muraille Lacee the people travel house to house sharing about Christ.  They also host church services, without a church building.  Lay preachers travel to the area on a regular basis to preach and serve the Lord's Supper.  Pastor Smith and several people from Petionville Church and Williamson Church will be making the long journey to Muraille Lacee for this incredible wedding ceremony!


A wedding of this size will definitely attract the attention of everyone in Muraille Lacee as well as the surrounding areas.  Pastor Smith is hopeful that this wedding will be a tremendous opportunity for a positive testimony to the community to begin following moral principles.  A public commitment before the Lord and family and friends has the power to change an entire town.  It will truly be a day to remember.  There are many things that still need to be done for a wedding of this grandeur.

A Group Effort

Pastor Smith is in need of some extra funds for a variety of wedding expenses.  The families, who will be getting married on December 30, have a very difficult time collecting any funds for their wedding expenses.  We would like to invite you to come alongside BHM and help us assist with this opportunity for a complete and total heart change in the community of Muraille Lacee.  We hope to have representatives from BHM in attendance at the wedding.  We look forward to being able to share with you at the first of the year many wonderful updates from this HUGE wedding.


If you would be interested in contributing to the wedding of the year please visit our website at www.bhm.org.  Once you are at the website click, "Donate Now" located in the righthand column.  Write, "Wedding" in the ministry designation reference box and then continue.  After you have made your contribution if you have any questions or any suggestions for making this weeding a success please e-mail bhmhaiti@bhm.org.  We hope to keep you updated over the next few weeks about the progress of this incredible wedding.

Overseas Communication

What a wonderful thing is the mail, capable of conveying across continents a warm human handclasp. ~Author Unknown

The mail enables communication down the road, across the country, and even around the world. The child sponsorship program recognizes the importance of conveying a warm handclasp and even a big bear hug across the seas!  This is why sending "snail mail" from the sponsored child to the sponsor and vice versa is so important.

Darlene Winn, a missionary serving in the BHM child sponsorship office said, "Sending letters between the child and sponsor allows the child to become a real person to the sponsor as well as the sponsor to the child.  The child is encouraged and knows someone is interested in their education, and cares about them and their family.  The correspondence between the two reminds the sponsor to continue to give but more importantly encourages the child to stay in school because they know someone cares."

The communication allows the child to know that not only does someone care about their future but they care about their today as well.  The child sponsorship office at BHM provides a variety of ways for sponsors to send their hugs across the ocean.

"We send out reminders to the sponsors about birthdays, Christmas cards, and we provide the sponsors with a progress report from the child in the spring so they can know how to congratulate or encourage their child." said Darlene.

Sponsors are encouraged to write letters and send small gifts that can fit in envelops to their children.  When a child receives a special surprise from their sponsor they are encouraged to write their sponsor as well as draw a picture for them.

Below, a little girl was working hard on a thank you letter. 

Her mother sat off to the side excited about the gifts her child received and thankful for this special connection with their new friends.  The impact of sponsoring a child not only influences the child but also affects the entire family.  

If you are currently sponsoring a child from BHM we would love to hear from you.  Let us know your favorite thing about sponsoring a child.  It is truly a blessing to see the impact on these children because of the generous donations.  For more information on the child sponsorship program please visit our website at www.bhm.org.

Assisting with Effective Leadership

In order to be an effective leader it is critical to be trained effectively.  The heartbeat of Baptist Haiti Mission is to come alongside the leaders of Haiti and assist them with the things they need to train and instruct others with a Biblical Worldview.  Last week ABWE (Association of Baptists for World Evangelism) came to Haiti and did this very thing.  They spent one week teaching lay preachers.  They taught them the importance of teaching the entire Gospel.  They enabled them to see how the whole Bible points to Christ and the redemptive story.  The idea for a conference of this nature did not simply develop over night.

Jim Cook and Gill Thomas who work for ABWE, traveled to Haiti shortly after the earthquake in 2010.  It was then he saw the incredible need for a Gospel centered curriculum for the churches of Haiti.  ABWE has produced curriculum for several other countries and were certain they could produce the same curriculum for Haiti.  Through a series of God orchestrated events and connections the curriculum was translated into Haitian Creole and over 70 lay preachers traveled to Baptist Haiti Mission last Tuesday – Friday to be exposed to this new curriculum.

Gill and Denise Thomas, and Carl Sexton missionaries of ABWE taught the classes.  There was a great deal of information to cover in a short period of time.  However, it was the heart of the instructors to ensure they did not simply provide the participants with the material, but also equipped them to teach the material.

“We would provide and teach the materials to the lay preachers.  We would then split them into groups so they could teach the material to one another.  This allowed us to know if they were truly understanding the material or simply giving us courtesy smiles,” said Denise.

Along with providing Gospel centered curriculum in Haitian Creole for the lay preachers, they also taught about the importance of effective evangelism.  The model they used for this was “Tilling, Planting, and Reaping”.  When sharing about Christ it is important to find out the core beliefs of the person to which you are speaking.  Every person is not at the same place and it is important to realize this.  The lay preachers were again split into groups and encouraged to illustrate this view of evangelism.  Similar to farming, every stage of sharing Christ with someone is important.  Below you will see a simple picture of this life changing concept.

Some of the lay preachers traveled for two full days to arrive for the conference.  After their time at the conference the overall consensus was that it was worth the journey.  There was a great combination of fun and learning that took place over the past week.  Pray for the pastors as they return to their home churches eager to share this new material.  Also, pray for us this week as we are having Sunday School Teachers travel to BHM to be trained in this curriculum as well.  We are excited to see all the Lord has in store, as we seek to effectively equip those who have the power to influence Haiti through the power of the Gospel.

Building, One Block at a Time

“DUCK!”  This word has become quite common for the team from Fellowship Bible Church in New Jersey who are serving alongside BHM this week.  Each morning the 15 member team composed of a variety of ages and backgrounds, pile into the back of one of BHM’s blue trucks. They prepare for a very bumpy 35 minute ride with a lot of incoming tree limbs.  Their final destination is the home of Yonel and Philomene Britus.

This special team has traveled from the U.S. to work alongside BHM and help build a home for the Britus family.  The Britus family lost their entire home in the earthquake in January 2010.  Since then they have been living down the mountain side in a one room house built with sheet metal and wooden beams.  The family has 7 children ranging in age from 17 years to 5 months.  Yonel Britus knew Baptist Haiti Mission was working to build houses for those who had lost their homes in the earthquake.  He informed BHM of his need for his family.  With the help of this team and the workers at BHM the home for the Britus family is well under way.

Ryan, 12 years old, passed cement blocks out of the truck for the team to carry.  They carried the blocks down a very steep, windy, and rocky trail to the foundation of the house.  This is Ryans first time in Haiti.  He came with his dad.  His dad served with BHM last year to build a home for another family.  The team got straight to work as soon as they arrived at the house.

Some of the team remained at the top of the hill sifting through dirt and rock to get sand to use for building the house.  This task was quite time consuming.  However, every little sift made a difference and contributed to the structure of the house.

Down the trail the remainder of the team worked tirelessly to build this two room home for the family.

Of course it would be no good to have all work and no play.  In the afternoon several children came out and were eager to play with the team.  There were many cheers during a game of “Sheep, Sheep, Chicken.”  The ladies who came with the team were able to spend time with Madam Britus and take turns holding her youngest son Ronald.

Madam Britus said she is so happy they are getting this house!  She is excited to have security for her family every night.  She said when it is finished she will definitely invite her friends to come and see this new gift.  The house should be complete on Wednesday afternoon!  Pray for the team as they continue to work hard on this special home.  Pray they will serve the Lord both in word and in deed during their time out building.  Pray for the Britus family.  Pray they will grow in their love and understanding of the Lord. 

If you are interested in being a part of a construction team with BHM contact us by visiting our website, www.bhm.org, for more information.

What Does Mathematics, Character Development, and a Christian Worldview all Have in Common?

Abigail Adams, the wife of the second U.S. President John Adams once said, “Learning is not attained by chance, it must be sought for with ardor and attended to with diligence.”  This quote is a good summary of the events, which took place last week at BHM.  150 of Haiti’s teachers and leaders were here October 17 - 21.  Many months of planning and preparation were done to make this event possible.

The Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI) put on a conference for some teachers and leaders from a variety of Haitian schools.  The theme of this conference was, “A Recipe for an Effective Christian School.”  The special subject focus for the conference was mathematics, requested by the teachers and leaders.

Speakers from the U.S. and Canada traveled to Haiti to lead this conference.  Head educators in Haiti also lead some sessions throughout the conference.  Christian educators in Haiti and all over the world who teach in public schools use public curriculum.  The entire program in ACSI is to train teachers to think through their curriculum from a Christian worldview.  Throughout the week the teachers and leaders were taught that their personal life as well as professional life must be lived through a Christian worldview.  This is not only important for the teachers but also for their students.

The teachers have a huge opportunity to make a long lasting impact on their current students.  How are the teachers training their students to think Biblically?  How do you teach math with a Christian worldview?  Connie Mycroft, who was assisting with administration for the conference says, “The goal of ACSI is not to ‘devotionalize’ mathematics.  Rather, to train the teacher to marvel at the order of God and to teach the students that nothing happens by chance but is all orchestrated by the Creator.”

There was a great amount of Character molding that occurred this past week.  Pray that this change does not stop now that the teachers have left the conference.  Pray they carry the truths and principles to their students and their home.  Tuesday afternoon Joyce O. Baker, Associate Director for Academic Advancement with ACSI, had the teachers divide into groups to work through a math worksheet.

The purpose of this exercise was to stress to the teachers that they were to work in such a way that no one was left behind.  They could not move forward to the next problem until everyone in their group understood and agreed.  This was a new and exciting experience for many of the teachers.  Working in groups and a variety of other sessions taught the teachers a great deal about themselves as well as the students they interact with on a daily basis.

We are thankful for the opportunity to partner with great organizations like ACSI.  Continue to pray for the teachers and leaders of Haiti.  They have a huge mission field and we are so encouraged by their desire to teach Biblically.  As Abigail Adams said, learning is not attained by chance.  Pray the teachers and leader’s continue to train with diligence.  

Students Helping Students

Last week in the United States it was fall break for many schools.  Most students use fall break to sleep in and stay in their pajama's all day.  This was not in the schedule for Brent Frieden.  Brent is a high school Freshman from North Springs Alliance Church in Michigan.  Last week Brent used his fall break to travel with his Aunt Nancy and three other ladies to do some much needed organizing in the depots on the mission.


Brent's Aunt Nancy works for ABWE.  She has made several trips to Haiti since the earthquake and has made a huge impact in the medical supply storage depots.  This group spent many long hours organizing and sorting through mounds of boxes.  On Tuesday morning they took a special break from their physical labors and embarked on a journey.


Brent and his sister Kayla have partnered with their youth group from North Springs Alliance to raise money to support Smannley through the BHM child sponsorship program.  Smannley is a 4th grade student who attends a BHM school in Fermathe.  The journey for the team began by traveling to Smannley's house to meet her mother and other family members.

After arriving at the house the group walked up a steep muddy hill and were warmly greeted by the family of Smannley.  The group gave the family a variety of food items such as rice, beans, sugar, powdered milk, and cooking oil.  They also brought Smannley some toys and supplies for school.  It was great that the group went to visit her family before visiting Smannley at school.  She has quite a long walk to school and back so it would not have been possible for her to make the walk home with all of her gifts.

Brent and Kayla encourage each student in their youth group to give one dollar a month to support Smannley.  Brent brought a picture of his youth group to give to Smannley.  On the back of the picture was the name of the youth group and an explanation that the students were praying for and supporting Smannley.  It brought forth great smiles from Smannley as she learned that these students cared so much for her.

The child sponsorship program at BHM requires the donor to provide $25 a month to support the child.  This small donation covers a variety of expenses and benefits for the child and school.  Sponsors are encouraged to write letters to their child and begin a correspondence.  Letters and other small items such as ponytail holders, crayons, etc. can be sent in envelopes through the mail and do not have to go through customs.  Packages are not accepted due to the great expense of customs.


If you or anyone you know would like to be a part of this program please visit our website, http://www.bhm.org. 

School Time!

School has officially started here in Haiti!  Check out the blog post by the new missionaries here at BHM.


http://salterseasons.blogspot.com

New Home for the Martel Family

Mr. Martel standing beside his old home.

I am Rene Martel and I am 56 years old.  I live with my wife, and our 11 children between the ages of 32 to 3 years old.  When the earthquake struck I was working, but my wife and some of our children were in the house. When they felt the earthquake, they ran out of the house.  Thankfully they were all out before our house collapsed.  After that, we lived and slept outside for about a week. After that, we built a house using the materials that were usable from our old house.  But our new house has many problems, it is leaking and not very secure.  It is not a great life this way. Therefore, we are very thankful that BHM came and built us a new house. It is the biggest thing that could happen, because I couldn’t have done it by myself.  What I needed has been given, and I am very thankful for that!

Martel Family with some of their children in front of their new home.

A new home for the Antoine Family

 My name is Noïs Antoine and I am 48 years old. My wife and I have five children, three boys and two girls. Our eldest is 15 and the youngest is 3 years old. At the time of the earthquake I was inside the house. The ground started shaking, and as the shelf fell down I went out and watched the house collapse. Fortunately, the children were outside and no one got hurt. We left the property on where our old house was, and went to my wife’s property a short distance from our old house. There we built a temporary house, out of the things we had left from our old house. We have been praying for a new house, because we believe that when you have faith in the Lord, He will provide.  Our prayers have been answered, and we are very thankful and happy with our new house. 

Antoine family in front of their new house.

The home that the Antoine family lived in after the earthquake.

BHM holds Annual Church Conference

Last Thursday through Sunday we were blessed with having about 255 people from most of the BHM affiliated churches across Haiti come to the mission campus in Fermathe for the annual church conference.  This conference was special since it was the 51st anniversary of the founding of the church association (ASEBACH)  We were unable to hold conference last year, so this was the big celebration year.

One of the sessions lead by Dr. James Lacy

The theme for the conference was "Only God has the Answer" taken from Gen. 41:16.  
There were inspirational messages, workshop/seminars, and regional business that was done during the conference days.  Special thanks to Dr. James Lacy with Converge, Michigan who came and daily shared a message at the conference.
We were also blessed to have the Board of Baptist Haiti Mission from the US here and they were able to spend some time interacting with the pastors and others who came to the conference.

 During the final service on Sunday 3 men were ordained for the ministry- Persondieu Tanisma, Solect Jean Baptiste, and Vulgard Camille.  Pray that as these men continue to serve as pastors in their communities, that God would continue to use them in mighty ways and that He would encourage and guide them as they share God's Word with others.

The Sunday Morning service, the closing of the conference

Helping Hands Partners with BHM Hosptial to Provide many Orthopedic Surgeries

During the week of March 20 - 26, we were blessed with having a team of medical personal from Helping Hands in Annapolis, Maryland.  They did 37 surgeries, mostly orthopedic, and all who received treatment were very grateful.

The Helping Hands group from Annapolis, Maryland.

Michel and some of his relatives along with Dr. Suleika.  Michel was an earthquake victim who was badly injured and was treated in Annapolis, Maryland by some of the doctors with the Helping Hands team.

Len and Dr. Holt are creating a child’s brace using materials that we had here.

Dr. Jacob Bernard is the patient who received treatment for his back pain thanks to Dr. Vickers and Ben Gelfand.

Dr. Linda, an anesthesiologist, holding a newborn child delivered by cesarean.

Kelli Lieb standing with Farah who was preparing to go into her 7th surgery for bones that were broken during the earthquake.

Visit to Jako Church

Today Pastor Baker was able to visit the Jako church affiliated with the Baptist Haiti Mission.  This is a small church in the mountains outside of Port-au-Prince with a congregation of about 30 people.  Their church building is made from sticks and plastic and they have a couple of benches and rocks for people to sit on.  As more people came to the service today, the preacher brought in more rocks for them to sit on.
It was a great encouragement to see these people worshiping God together even amongst such simple conditions.  God is at work and visiting churches like this encourage us to see how God is working even in small remote villages like Jako.

The Jako Church building

Pastor Baker was asked to preach once he got there.  Jeff (one of our drivers) was willing to help translate.

Smile train returns to BHM hospital

A few weeks ago we were blessed to have a team of medical personal, volunteering with Smile Train, come and serve at the hospital.  This group specializes in cleft lip and pallet surgeries.  During the week that they were here they did over 60 surgeries.  The people who received these surgeries were so thankful.  Before the surgeries, these people were not comfortable walking out in public or living a normal life.  Now, thanks to the smile train surgeons they are able to look normal and live a much more normal life.  We are so thankful for the ways that God used this medical team to bring new hope to the people.

One of the people who came was young 10 month old Vadely.  He was born with a cleft lip and he has had a very difficult start to his life.  He was unable to drink from a bottle and therefore his mother didn't know what to feed him.  She was doing the best she could and giving him water and some crushed up food mixed into the water.  When he was brought to the hospital for surgery he was very weak and malnurished.  Sadly we were not able to do the surgery for him, but we gave Vadely's mother some formula and baby cereal.
One week later Vadely's mother brought him back to the hospital and it is amazing how much he has improved.  He can now hold his head up and has regained some of his strength.  Every 2 weeks his mother is going to bring him back for a check up and to receive more formula and cereal.  It is our pray that he will gain enough weight by June, when the Smile train surgeons return, so that Vadely can have surgery.
Thank you for joining us in praying for Vadely.  Pray that he continues to gain weight and strength.  Also pray for his family, that they will see God's love through all of this and draw closer to God.

Vadely and his mother

Vadely, his mother and Madame Carfa (a very dedicated nurse at our hospital)