Here is an update on conditions in Haiti and about our Fall trip to Rochester. There are also some prayer requests at the end of our message.
Haiti Conditions Update
School started on time in Haiti this year! Isn’t that exciting? If you think back to the last several years, the Fall is often the time for organized protests across Haiti. Those protests were usually severe enough to close the schools for several months. Thankfully this year is different in that regard.
Things in Haiti have not changed much recently. The gangs still control most of Port au Prince. We are grateful that has not had a big impact on our work in Jacmel and Grand Goave. We are so thankful to God for His ongoing faithfulness so we can provide for the children in our care and the families that we help in the communities around us. Thanks to the ongoing support of Hands and Feet Project, we are helping more and more families in our communities.
More Haiti Trip News
As we mentioned in a previous update, Randy was in Haiti for a few weeks in July & August. It’s a challenge to arrange all of the transportation options to get to our campuses. But we found safe ways around the new obstacles that have arisen recently. For example, the ministry that we have historically used to fly from Port au Prince to Jacmel is still temporarily not operating in Haiti. The alternative is that we found a small commercial organization to fly us from Port au Prince to Les Cayes, towards the west end of the lower peninsula, and then had to drive to Grand Goave and then on to Jacmel. That added a bit of driving to the trip, but it all worked out okay.
Haiti and Technology
Randy worked on some computer and networking projects while in Haiti, and he kept working on a new internet solution after he got back to the States. He brought in some new internet equipment to Haiti that connects directly to a satellite and does not rely on any other Haiti services. Once it was fully configured, it has been running well with good reliability and speed. Now all we need to get our campus connected to the internet is for solar power to work and a satellite connection. We will look for opportunities to install the same service at our other locations.
Summer Events
Our staff put on some great events on our campuses to wrap up summer and prepare for school. They held a Vacation Bible School where they learned about Moses and the parting of the Red Sea, Jesus feeding the 5,000, and about Peter walking on water. They also hosted a Village Values event where we celebrated people who most often exhibit our core values. Then they also had a back-to-school event where everyone received their school supplies and uniforms for the year.
Hello Rochester!
Fall is upon us in the States. We woke up to 38 degrees this morning! That was in Binghamton, New York where we are visiting family. We came up to Rochester last weekend. It was great to be able to participate in the missionary conference at Pittsford Community Church for the first time. We shared information about our work with Hands and Feet Project in a couple of different venues. It was a great experience meeting many people from the church, meeting other missionaries from around the world, and seeing some familiar faces from a long time ago from when we attended the church.
This is another short trip to Rochester; it seems like they are always too short!! We will be in Rochester through this weekend and then we start the drive back to Florida.
Open House at Tom Wahl’s!!
We have an opportunity to see people in the Rochester area at our Friday night Open House! We will be available from 5 to 7:30PM Friday night at Tom Wahl’s in Bushnell’s Basin. It’s on Route 96 in Bushnell’s Basin. This is the address and a link to their web page:
643 Pittsford Victor Road, Pittsford, NY 14534.
Here’s the Facebook page for the event if you’d like to respond to let us know you’re coming or if you’re interested. We would love to see you there if at all possible!
Prayer Corner
Thank you for all your prayers for our ministry.
- Please continue to pray for the kids in our care, that they can continue attending school, and that they will continue to learn everything they need to have a successful year.
- Please also pray that they continue to grow in their faith, Biblical knowledge and love for Jesus.
- The country of Haiti can also use your prayers for peace and stability for the entire nation.
- And finally pray for opportunities for some of us at HAFP to find a time to safely travel to Haiti this Fall and/or Winter.
Thanks! And may God bless each and every one of you!
The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid;
Deuteronomy 31:8
do not be discouraged.