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Thank you, Jesus!
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We just celebrated Thanksgiving with our dear friends the McHouls and a host of other missionaries, Haitians and new friends.
It was a blessed gathering of fellow servants that brought back memories of traditional Thanksgiving meals shared in the states with family and loved ones over the years.
For our kids, however, who have spent the last six years in Haiti, this annual event is the Thanksgiving memory that they will flash back on as adults, remembering this massive pot-luck meal with every kind of delicious food, dessert and goodie. Running around and playing tag, hide n' seek and other games with all the other missionary kids. Laughing. Taking photos. Catching up. Relaxing with dear friends. It is a special memory indeed.
We are so very thankful to be able to share this special event once a year with fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. Lifting up our glorious God for His immeasurable love, mercy, and grace. Thanking Him for how he protects us, provides for us and keeps us strong in the face of adversity, exhaustion and discouragement. Praying together for our fellow servants in other parts of the world who cannot publically praise His name, nor thank him out loud, nor sing worship songs with all our heart.
As I looked around the room, I saw dear people who are dedicated to serving God. People who have faced violence, kidnapping attempts, and illness for the sake of the cross. Recently, enduring earthquakes, cholera, hurricanes and chaotic elections. And all of whom have family in the states, celebrating on this same day, whom they cannot share this day with because of the ocean that divides and a commitment to serve in this way.
This is our life. This is where we live. But oh what a wonderful life we live! What a blessed season we share.
Our God is great beyond measure and worthy to be served, worshiped and adored! Praise be to His name!
We thank you, dear friends, for reading this, praying for us and caring for the children at MDL and the people of Haiti. We also thank our dear Jesus, for the privilege of serving Him here, this way, in Christ, in Haiti.
God bless you all. The Manasseros
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Christmas in Haiti
 It's that time of year again. Christmas carols in the air. Chestnuts roasting -- well, uh, maybe coconuts roasting on an open fire. The familiar smells of special foods prepared each year. The joyful expressions on little faces. The kids at Maison de Lumiere are very excited about Christmas this year.
It has been a difficult year for all of them -- the devastating January 12th earthquake, the rapid spread of cholera, hurricanes and the recent uncertainties associated with the presidential elections. Looking to the hope and joy of Christmas is not just a beautiful distraction but it's a time of renewal - of hope, faith and illumination for our awesome Savior is born.
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"For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." Isaiah 9:6
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Without a doubt, the gift giving and gift receiving is fun for the kids. In a bigger sense, it is more the reassurance of hope from a Savior who gives us eternal joy in the face of adversity, hopelessness, and despair.
Our children have seen it all. Most have experienced more than most of us have seen in a lifetime. But they have witnessed the healing, restoring hand of God, first-hand, and their faith is stronger because of it. Christ has not only helped sustain these children through all of the tragedies of this year but He has given them hope for a lifetime.
We want this Christmas season to be different than in the past. We are doing all we can to make it a very special time, despite the challenging times. However, we are not changing anything. We are maintaining all the regular traditions. For the community, we will host our 4th Annual Christmas Pageant on December 22nd with singing, dancing, skits, a meal to feed 400 needy people in the area and our Nativity Play, complete with live animals and a stellar cast of MDL actors. We will also have the traditional gift exchanges and special Christmas meals together with all the kids and staff at the orphanage. However, this year will be more like an extended Thanksgiving as we continue to praise and thank the Lord for getting us through a tougher than usual year. For His faithfulness. For His protection. For His mercy. For His provision.
Please celebrate with us this holiday season with your prayers for the children and people of Haiti. Also, if you feel so moved to help support our Christmas effort financially you may do so online or you can mail donations to:Child Hope Christmas Fund, P.O. Box 3677, Redondo Beach, CA 90277.
Thank you and may God bless you and your family abundantly this Christmas season.
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Haiti Celebration Dinner
 We are hosting a special dinner in Southern California to celebrate all God has done in Haiti, to give thanks and to bring together the many different people, churches, businesses and organizations who are part of the amazing work He is doing.
The Haiti Celebration Dinner will be held Sunday, January 16th, 5pm, at the Grand Hotel in Long Beach, California. Bill and Susette will be speaking, along with a number of other special speakers and guests.
We hope you can attend. You can find out more or sign-up online at
http://www.childhope.org/child_hope_haiti_celebration_dinner/
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| | Jocelyn at work |
Graduates Update: Jocelyn, James & Alex
Recently, I was fortunate enough to be able to visit my daughter Ariana in Florida. I helped her get enrolled in a driving school and pass the various tests. She is now "officially" a licensed driver. Oh Lord, help us. Just kidding, she actually did very well, passing both her written and driving tests the first time through.
While there, I was also fortunate to visit our three earliest MDL graduates: Jocelyn, James and Alex. All three boys came to the U.S. on educational visas and were in the states when the earthquake occurred. As a result, they were able to extend their visas an additional 18 months and get involved in a work-training program.
Jocelyn and James are in a work-training program building roads in South Florida with Bergeron Construction, one of the firms bidding on Haiti rebuilding efforts. They are getting experience in every aspect of road construction, including driving graters, tractors and testing road integrity. If you have ever been to Haiti you know how valuable those skills will be.
Alex has had experience in computer systems installation and, more recently, in restaurant services and retail sales.
All the boys are attending night school to complete their GEDs, a high school equivalency exam.
It was so great to see them again and to see how they have taken on their new responsibilities. They have never missed a day of work nor been late. They work lots of overtime and want to learn more and more. They have their own apartment that they share and they pay rent, utilities, food and all expenses from their earnings. They are saving money and learning how to live responsibly.
We are very proud of them all and can't wait to see what God has planned for them next. Please keep them in your prayers that the Lord continue to be strong in their lives and that they seek to honor Him in all they do. |
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New Houses!
Over the past few years we have been praying and longing for more space to accommodate additional girls at our girls home. It has also been very difficult for us to turn away very needy girls because of limited space. Recently, with the earthquake, many more girls have been orphaned and some have even faced abuse in the tent cities. It breaks our hearts to turn away these girls in need. So, we have been praying hard and our faithful God has been listening.
Well, our prayers were answered recently when a home became available near the Manassero's house that could help make that happen. The owner of this large home was unable to complete the house and was looking for a potential renter who would be willing to get a guaranteed low rent for six years if they completed the home. We saw this as an excellent opportunity to finally expand the girls home. Now, this house, although impractical for a girls home, makes an excellent guest house that will allow us to do some switching around to make it possible to accommodate more girls. If we make this home the new guest house (at a lower rent than the current guest house), move the girls next door into our current guest house and make the old girls home, a house for long term interns and staff, we would accomplish more than we could have dreamed. And the current guest house, would allow us to nearly double the number of girls. Praise God!
Now, that's only half of the miracle -- We could never have afforded to make the improvements on this home if God had not provided a second half to this. One of the most amazing parts of this is that a contractor named Chad Youngquist, who had recently visited Haiti as part of a missions team, happened to visit the house as we were praying for God's direction. Shortly after he saw the home he felt God's calling to organize and coordinate the construction project from start to finish. Now, he will be spending one month in Haiti overseeing 35 plus guys who will rotate in and out during the 30 days until the project is completed. It is no small task but Chad has already assessed the job and has outlined the details of what is required. Because of Chad and his team's generous donation of time and effort, we will soon be able to open our girls home up to more needy girls. Isn't God awesome?
We thank our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ for His mercy and grace. And thank you for sending Chad and his team.
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 GoodShop for Haiti
Did you know that when you shop online you can also support the work of Child Hope in Haiti?
Please make every gift count this holiday season. You can find coupons at more than 1,600 top stores (including Amazon, Macy's, J.Crew, Toys R Us, Best Buy, Gap and more) AND a percentage of virtually every sale will be donated to CHILD HOPE
Just go to GoodShop.com, designate CHILD HOPE as the cause you support and then click over to your favorite store and shop away! Or just click here: http://www.goodshop.com/?charityid=801785
Or, add our toolbar to your browser at http://www.goodsearch.com/toolbar/child-hope-international - and your purchases will earn a donation for us even if you forget to go to GoodShop first!
Please spread the word.
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