Let me Share Some Recent Happenings since my last Update:  

 1.)  Purchase of Land:

We are finalizing the details of the 10 acre land purchase with the seller and it seems 99% sure that UCBLP will be closing the land gift within the next couple weeks.  (UCBLP is a Haitian Governmental organization formed post-earthquake to facilitate housing infrastructure and coordinate international governmental donations.)  The Chilean government is beginning a pilot project to purchase and plan the development of this land which will be located 100 meters from the current New Life Village!  This will not only be permanent land for the current village families but will also allow expansion for up to 100 refugee families.  It is absolutely AMAZING how God takes the little that we have and multiplies it!!!  This is truly nothing short of a miracle that all of this is coming together!!

Securing the land has required close coordination with Haitian and Chilean government officials, the land owner, Haitian pastors, leaders and friends. Mark Olson (missionary pastor pictured above) a licensed contractor, has provided special expertise.

 2.)  Peace in the Village - at Last:

There is complete peace in the village!!!!  In July I told you that I was in a battle between darkness and light and I needed your prayers.  I was not kidding -Thank-you for praying!!!  

Last July, with help from the Haitian National Police and the UN, we were able to dismiss several village residents and outside individuals who were stealing and terrorizing the New Life community.  They had threatened to burn down the village and kill some residents. We discovered they were in a gang that had a plan to sell ten village houses.  After the UN and National Police did an investigation, it was revealed that the four detainees had paid a bribe to the judge and walked free despite their ten year penitentiary sentences.  The National Police intervened again with a warrant for their arrest.  None of them have been back to the village since.  The judge who took the bribe has been removed. 

If it sounds like a scene from the Wild Wild West that is exactly what it was like...the only difference was that my only weapon was prayer and a can of tear gas!  Your prayers made the difference!!

The bad guys are never around when you have help!

The bad guys marked the houses they were planning to sell!!!  Hmm!!

3.)  Medical Help:

I was able to find urgently needed medical help for several people.  

Mr Auriel (pictured below), from New Life Village, who recently became a believer, was so weak he could not get out of bed. His diabetes and blood pressure caused a small stroke which resulted in facial disfigurement and severe head pain.  We prayed for him and within hours his condition improved.  I took he and 3 other patients to the Project Medi-Share hospital (8 people in my car - Toyota Corolla).  The doctor discovered that Mr Auriel had an additional condition which was treatable but potentially deadly if it had not been detected.  I spent 5 days at the clinic helping my patients get the testing and help they needed. 

(Left) Mr Auriel hours after we prayed for him - the dropping of his face was restored and he had much more strength! (Above) These were the two precious hydrocephalic (fluid on the brain) children who I was able to get treatment for.  There happened to be a team of neurosurgeons from the US that treated the kids.

Before the surgery Katiana would cry out in pain because of the pressure on her ears due to her Hydrocephalus condition.  She could not hear well.  She was 5 years old and weighed 17 pounds (this included the extra weight of the fluid on her brain).  She was severely malnourished.  Twenty four hours after her surgery she actually sang and smiled.  Her head was visibly smaller and her pain was gone.  Her mom is alone with five children and almost no food.   With the help of "We Care Haiti" I was able to give Katiana peanut-butter, cheese, rice and vitamins.  Katiana's mom was praising God and with tears said she knew God had sent us because she always prayed for help for her baby.    Initially, it took us 5 hours to pick Katiana up.  When we brought Katiana home after her surgery in my small car (my van is broken down), we got caught in a rain storm.  The road flooded like a rushing river almost bringing water into the vehicle and it got dark.  We had to stop and find shelter for mom and baby until morning when the storm passed!  Pray that my van is repaired soon.

Katiana after surgery on the ride home.  I wish you could have heard her sing.  She loves rice and beans!!

4.) Registering Vision4Word in Haiti - New Friends and Helpers sent from God :

Left to Right -  Widmy - Translator and Village administrator  Madam Maude Brutus - Caring woman who rescued me in court   Lucien Shilet - Police Investigator and founder of three schools which we are partnering with  Dadi - Helpful friend who works for the ministry of Agriculture and in education Kendra- Myself  God has answered my prayers and sent me a whole group of incredible Christian partners in the work.  We have formed an actual Haiti board and registered Vision4Word with the Mayors office and we are in the process of registry with the National Ministry of Social Affairs.  This is a major step as there are ministries in Haiti that are not registered for many years because of the difficulty of this process. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Thank-you so much for your prayers and support which give me the opportunity to live this adventure - at times difficult, at times scary but always possible when securely anchored in the ever present love of our Heavenly Father.  I am praying that God would continue to supply the means so I can keeping doing the work I have been called to and complete what was started in His name.

Sharing with these precious ones who know suffering so well in Haiti, impacts and changes my life!  I recently read the following words:

My treasure - my boys Andersen, Nathan and Landon.

If you are interested in a good laugh related to driving in Haiti click below for a two minute video link:

Highlights From Port-Au-Prince - Don't Drive Haiti