December 2008

Hurricane Relief

• The hearts of His people in the U.S. were touched by the devastation from the four hurricanes that crushed Haiti in September. This has consumed much of our time this past three months.  Almost immediately it became evident that we needed to work through our 14 churches; the pastors met and hurricane relief funds were distributed on multiple occasions to use in their communities.  A meeting with the pastors in September, while we were in Haiti, revealed how lives were being touched and how the empowering of the pastors and churches to reach out brought fulfillment, as well as effective ministry.

• Jesus directed our hearts to concentrate our efforts on food relief.  Already scheduled were five “Kids Food” bagging events. This food was shipped to Haiti and dedicated to hurricane relief. By the end of December, 13 containers will have been processed and cleared through Haitian customs.  Over 1,500,000 meals have been distributed to 24 missions, feeding about 30,000 people, and more is on the way. Some containers have peanut butter and other goods on them.

• Special thanks to IDES, Kids Against Hunger (Tulsa, Minnesota, Iowa, Florida, Missouri), National Missionary Convention, Greenwood Christian Church (Greenwood, IN), Connection Pointe Christian Church (Brownsburg, IN), DeMotte Christian Church (DeMotte, IN), West Hills Church Christ (Pittsburgh, PA), and Park Chapel Christian Church (Greenfield, IN).  Also thanks to those of you who have sent in your financial gifts…an amazing response to this need by God’s people!

• The plan is to continue to provide food as long as the doors are open in Haiti.  Currently the turnaround time for a container to release from customs is 2 weeks (compared to the usual 2+ months).  PLEASE PRAY that the government of Haiti will extend their decree to allow relief containers in more quickly, bypassing some of the paperwork.

• Additional thanks to some key people who have been used of God to meet the needs of the people of Haiti: Firmin Louis (Container Processing Agent), Bobby Curlee, Greg Murphy-Dillow, Todd & Dana Krahel, Karen Lydick, Sonny & Shelby Baxter, and many, many more who worked the food bagging events and traveled far and wide to get the job done.

• Some other needs being met (in addition to food) include: rebuilding homes, rebuilding Lifeline’s three church/schools that were destroyed and distributing clothing, shoes, bedding, household goods, mattresses and more.

Haitian Staff

• We have a new pastor at Grand Goave Christian Church, Luc Jean-Julien.  He is a long time member and also a graduate of Christianville Bible University.

• Emmanuel Adam, our Administrative Assistant in Haiti, was married on November 22 to his long-time sweetheart, Ruth Telcine’, whose father is pastor of Laregal Christian Church and her brother, Philemond, is Director of the school there.  Ruth’s sponsor, Barry Garrett, helped fund their new home. 

• Marie Tarn Victor, Lab Technician and a 10 year employee of Lifeline, gave birth to a healthy baby boy in October.

• In August, Sandia Piton, the Christian Education Secretary to Lucson Desrosiers, was married to a fine young man who is a policeman.  Sandia was raised at Lifeline’s Children’s Home in Mahotiere, Haiti.

Work Teams

• In late September, a team of 14 women went to Haiti; over half worked in clinic while the others distributed sponsor gifts from the January 2008 gift deadline. The April 2008 gifts did not arrive until after we left Haiti; those gifts will be distributed in January 2009.

• Christmas gifts shipped in late August and arrived 2 weeks ago.  They are being stored for the women’s annual Christmas trip on January 8.

Homes for Haiti

• Homes have been built in record numbers; this year we constructed a total of 39 homes.  We have constructed 100 homes since 2003

• Seventeen homes are already scheduled for 2009.

Schools

• The hurricanes delayed the opening of schools by one month.

• In January, we will begin feeding the primary school students at our Mahotiere Christian School. This is the only remaining school for which we did not have sufficient food supplies to feed these students. God has provided.

• The Higher Ground Project to improve schools and church facilities (physically, spiritually and academically) is starting to take hold.  So far we funds have been donated to construct steel church benches, school desks/benches and teacher desks.  These will last forever!  Plainfield Christian Church is partnering to renovate the Leogane Christian School.

• The Haitian masonry team did a great job with the reconstruction of the Vieux Cayes church/school, which had been destroyed in the September hurricanes. 

Prayer Needs

• Please pray that when Bob & Gretchen return to Haiti in January; that we will continue to turn hearts to Jesus, who is their provider and lover of their souls.

• Funds to meet our Haiti payroll budget which is about $29,000.00 per month

• Upcoming all-staff prayer meeting/vigil in Grand Goave, Haiti; this will focus on keeping our eyes and hearts focused on evangelism and on how we can be more effective in leading people to Christ.

• Pray for the 10,000 students whose lives are being touched for Christ in our 12 schools and nutrition programs in Haiti.

• For the pastors of our 14 churches who are reaching out to win the lost.

• For our school directors and leadership staff in Haiti who continue to grow and learn. Specifically for Georges Pierre-Paul, Resource Distribution Manager, as he travels to all the various church/school locations to deliver food and supplies.

• For the safety of all the missions distributing and feeding food to the hungry victims of the catastrophes this past September.

October 2008: Hurricane Relief Update

On September 20^th a team of 14 headed south to Haiti, not knowing exactly what we'd see or experience.  We were there for 11 days and throughout the trip we learned daily of tremendous needs and heard story after story about loss and suffering.  We witnessed first hand the mud, flooding, and the loss of crops and homes. Food, housing and replacement of lost belongings are on the top of the list of needs.  Lifeline is doing our best to address many of these needs.  There is a huge shortage of food and prices have skyrocketed.  A case of chicken went from $260.00 Haitian to $350.00 Haitian dollars.

In addition to holding clinic, distributing sponsor gifts, and obtaining information from many families of their loss, we were personally able to prepare relief boxes for over 50 families. These boxes had food, blankets, shoes, clothing and other items. This is being duplicated throughout our 14 churches.  The amount of money sent by sponsors of children who suffered major loss and the usual quarterly Lovelink cash gifts to distribute to the children totaled over $20,000.00 which will help a lot!

Lifeline sustained loss to a number of our church/school facilities: Vieux Cayes was wiped out and as of today we still have not been able to get there to do the reconstruction (road is not passable; the government was grading it when we left Haiti). We lost 3 classrooms at Laregal and everywhere the facilities are flooded and mud has been left behind.

A meeting was held with the pastors of Lifeline's 14 churches and they gave written reports on how they are utilizing the finances being provided regularly for relief.  Every story is heart wrenching and we have not yet had the chance to review every written report from each pastor but the greatest needs continue to be for food, and to replace the household items, animals and gardens washed away in the flooding.  Hundreds have lost homes. Over 25 people in Grand Goave alone lost homes but this is small compared to the horrible devastation that took place in the Gonaives area of the country, as well as in Jacmel and the Les Cayes region.

The pastors are very grateful for the money they are receiving. We talked about this being an opportunity to show Christ's love and for the church in Haiti to truly function as the body of Christ is intended to function…reaching out to the hurting people. The funds that you and others have donated are empowering them to do more.  One pastor made the statement that  "It's hard for people to come to Christ when they are hungry". We went around the circle and each pastor reported on the progress and efforts in his church.  What impressed me about their reports was how many pastors have empowered their members, deacons, leaders to be the ones to do the relief giving and to reach out in Christ's name.  They are truly striving to use this tragedy to save souls as well as lives.

Right now the major focus of Lifeline is food…so far we have had 4 - 40 foot containers ship and 2 have cleared customs; more are in the process of being loaded and by the end of the year we will have sent 8 containers for hurricane relief. Some of those are going to other missions. The containers of KAH food provide 285,000 meals.  We are also seeking larger donations to be able to replace some homes lost through Homes for Haiti. The cost per home is $3650.00 and we can construct one home from beginning to end in about 4 days.  And we can have 2 homes going at the same time.

SOME GREAT NEWS:  The government of Haiti has given a 90 day waiver to organizations like Lifeline shipping in food for hurricane relief which means these containers do not have to have the usual franchise approval.  So we are rushing to take advantage of that window of opportunity. There was some concern that perhaps the pledge/promise would not be honored by the government but I can tell you that 2 Lifeline containers cleared customs in just about 2 weeks.  So pray with us that the others on their way will clear this fast too.

The plan that we developed with the pastors is that when the container with Kids Against Hunger food, and with all the canned goods comes we will divide that up equally among our 14 churches for distribution.

But in addition to this we are allowing other missions to ship through Lifeline so we are pushing to get as many containers as possible.  We are hoping to send an entire container to the Gonaives area and one to Jacmel. Thanks in major part to IDES for their donations that are going to relief in all these areas and also have helped to fund the shipping costs. The cost to ship a container, process it and deliver is about $8000.00. This is in addition to the cost of the food. So the donations coming in for food and relief are helping tremendously.  To provide a full container of 285,000 meals and to ship, process and deliver is $36,000.00 total.

Please don't forget about Haiti and the tremendous need there.  We know that we will be doing this relief work for months to come as it takes time to get the containers there but in the mean time the money we are providing to the pastors is helping a lot.

SPONSORS:  Many child sponsors have inquired about their sponsored children and we have gotten reports from our staff and even designed a hurricane Information Form we use in Haiti to query each family that we know suffered loss and as we learn of the specific needs we notify sponsors.  Many have already sent in extra funds. If you are a child sponsor for a Haitian child, even if you did NOT receive notice that your child had major loss please be aware that the cost of everything has gone way up and everyone is suffering. Thus  any extra money you can send to help your child and their family is greatly needed and appreciated.  We will see that they get it as soon as possible.

Thank you to each one of you and we will continue to keep you posted.

September 3, 2008: Hurricane Effects & Response

As of yesterday some of the information we have received from Adam and Gary in Haiti:

1. At least 12 homes have washed away in Grand Goave and many of them are families of our school and church.  Sponsors are being notified of serious/major loss, loss of homes, etc.

2. The lake at Deuxieme Plaine has overflowed and swallowed up the highway and many homes of the people in our school and church there. Gary went there yesterday to dedicate one of the new homes we just constructed and everything out that way is under water from the swollen lake.

3. Lifeline's Vieux Cayes Church/School collapsed (see picture on home page)

4. Adam's brother Dady and many others are trapped in Gonaives where flood waters are covering roof tops.  We don't know how or where he is this morning but yesterday he was trapped on his roof and had lost everything; we are hearing these same stories all over Haiti from other missionaries. Many have cell phones but those won't hold up for long. There are no agencies in Haiti such as FEMA, etc. to help people.  The U.N. is there doing what they can and they are feeding many too.

5. We are again feeding about 1500 to 2000 people each day but also need to begin feeding our school children again (8000) since school opens next week.  Our food supply is nearly gone and the one container in customs has not cleared yet.  Another is en route to Haiti and as soon as it docks on the 9th we'll pay the $7000.00 deposit to get it out immediately. But right now the fastest way is to buy food since we can wire money to Haiti.

6. We've been in touch with the people at KIDS AGAINST HUNGER requesting more containers of food.  Today we'll learn more.

7. IDES (International Disaster Emergency Services) has been approached to provide relief funds.  Pray that these funds will be granted so we can purchase the additional foods we need.

8. Once the hurricane donations come in, we will begin wiring money to Haiti to buy more food and to purchase the many things that the people need to try to return to normal life.  But with the rains still coming, and Hanna doing much more damage than expected because the storm turned southward over Haiti, the relief efforts will be something that will continue for months and months. Already people are starting to respond financially and we are urging people to partner with us so we can do what is needed.

9. We are also asking for foil packaged meats and meals, canned vegetables, canned spaghetti meals, pastas, beans, rice, and other grains that we can ship to Haiti. Also we can use small blankets, like "throws" and stadium blankets.  Our warehouse will receive whatever folks send and we'll be shipping another container of food after September 12th (we have a full shipment scheduled the 12th then we will open the warehouse for another container).

Please pray for our Haitian friends, and for our Cuban friends who also got hit by Gustav; we have not heard back from Eduardo since just prior to the storm hitting Cuba. 

Pray that God will provide the funds and the ability to get what the people need and that our distribution process is effective.  Pray that no more loss of life will occur. Pray for Bobby Curlee and Tim Kaiser who go to Haiti September 16 and for our team of 14 going to Haiti September 20. It would be great to be able to distribute more goods when we arrive.  Our thrust is special clinic, distribution of Lovelink gifts and money, and whatever we can do that our Haitian staff members need help doing.  Most importantly pray that souls will turn to Jesus for their help and salvation.

We'll keep you posted.  Thank you in advance for your love, prayers and support.

Donations accepted by mail.  You may also donate via credit card: contact Karen at KarenK@Lifeline.org or 614-794-0108.  Or donate online; all major credit cards are accepted.

September 2, 2008: Tropical Storm Hanna

An update from Adam, Lifeline's Administrative Assistant in Grand Goave, Haiti:

The water is of 3 meters high in Gonaives. The houses are under the water in Gonaives.  Things become worse right now.

Dady [Adam's brother] is in the top of a home where the water is all around. Please prayer is requested for him and for all the other people in this situation in Gonaives, Les Cayes, Jacmel, ...

Pastor Ramonque called me again to let me know that all the people around of his area come into the Lifeline Church to get protection.

September 2, 2008: Hurricane Gustav

From Bob & Gretchen:

Dear Friends,
We pray for His rich blessings on your behalf.

At this time we also request your prayers and financial assistance as we continue ministering to our Haitian brethren in their perilous time of need.  It is still early and reports are sketchy but we already know that Haiti has been devastated by Hurricane Gustav.  The most ferocious part of the killer storm made a direct hit on the Grand Goave Department (Province) where most of our outreach is centered.  There has been a tragic loss of life and tremendous property damage and destruction: Untold numbers of houses, businesses, gardens, livestock, banana and other valuable fruit trees, entire crops, utility lines and about every other thing you can think of have been blown or flooded away.  Even the new bridge that we waited for three long years to have built has been structurally damaged.  Many folks have lost everything.  We still don't know the extent of damage to Lifeline's various facilities.

We have already begun our relief effort through preparing and feeding the KAH food (fortified rice) that we have on hand.  We have also been working with the local magistrates (mayors) to feed and assist the disaster victims.  Adam, our administrator in Haiti, provided the following list of urgently needed items:  Food, Purified water, Clothing, Sleeping mats, Roofing material, Mattresses, Beds, Medicines, Cooking stoves and "Everything that would be good for a human being."   Additionally, we anticipate that hundreds of families will need help to repair and rebuild their homes.

All of this is bad enough but compounding the situation is a severe shortage of supplies and inflated prices.  As an example the following price increases have been reported to us: 
-Rice, 100 lb bag; was $230 HA ($32 US); now costs $700 HA ($100 US)   
-Canned milk by case; was $115 HA ($16 US); now costs $160 HA ($22 US)   
-Oil per gallon; was $45 HA ($6.50 US); now costs $80 HA ($11 US)   
-Kerosene per gallon; was $25 HA ($3.50 US); now costs $50 HA ($7 US)   
-Gasoline per gallon; was $40 HA ($6 US); now costs $57 HA ($8 US).   
-Cement, 66 lb bag; was $42 HA ($6 US); now costs $85 HA ($12 US) 

So this is where we stand:  we have already begun our relief effort but we need a lot of help.  As many of you know we have suffered severe shortfall in receipts this summer that has resulted in our being more than challenged, money wise and lacking funds to supply our disaster relief effort.  We are already arranging for 286,000 additional fortified rice meals to be shipped to Haiti and have applied for $16,000 in "start up" disaster relief assistance from IDES. 

This is where you come into the picture (some of our supporters have already responded) .  We anticipate a need in excess of $100,000 to provide the "on the ground" help required.  We have turned to God in prayer and now we turn to you and humbly ask for your much needed help.  Please send $500, $1,000, or $10,000, more or less, as you are led and enabled by our Heavenly Father.  Thank you for your prayers and consideration. 

Please share this request with your church and others who may be able to help. 

You may mail donations to:

Lifeline Christian Mission

184 Olde County Line Road

Westerville, Ohio 43081-1034

You may also donate via credit card: contact Karen at KarenK@Lifeline.org or 614-794-0108.  Or donate online; all major credit cards are accepted.

August 30, 2008: Hurricane Gustav

We have learned from our staff in Haiti that hundreds in the Grand Goave area are homeless, sixteen homes in one area alone were washed away; others were lost throughout the community and some of those loosing homes are the families of children in our school program. Our church at Vieux Cayes suffered loss when a wall was blown down. We also learned late this afternoon that so far our staff knows of nine people in families in our Deuxieme Plaine Christian Church area who died...this is all just the beginning of what we are learning.  Please pray for these precious people who need Jesus and need help.

August 29, 2008: Hurricane Gustav

The hurricane wiped out gardens, animals and personal possessions of thousands of families; hundreds are homeless.  The latest prices on commodities reveal a nearly 100$ increase in some prices!  Sponsors will be notified if their children suffered loss.

Hurricane Relief contributions are being received to purchase food, pure water, sleeping mats, cook stoves and providing grants of money to people to help purchase what they need and to rebuild some homes; you may mail checks to Lifeline marked ‘Hurricane Relief’.  All major credit cards are accepted; either email KarenK@Lifeline.org or donate online.

August 28, 2008: Hurricane Gustav

A report from the Lifeline Leadership Team in Grand Goave, Haiti:

This is unbelievable!!!

This is with sadness and sorrow we are reporting this to you this morning. After this cyclone passage in Haiti, we have no more hope for Haiti as most of the people count on their land to produce something to eat that would help them fight against the high cost of living.

Since last Monday late in the afternoon, a big wind and a small rain came and lasted all the night. Then day after (yesterday), the big wind and big rain keep going until today. During the passage of this cyclone Gustav, a lot of houses were damaged. A lot of gardens (banana trees, corns, beans…) and animals were destroyed and died.

We don’t register any death of people in our area yet but we know some people at Thozin (Adam’s area specifically) where water gone with and they got saved back with the help of some strong men including Pastor Julihomme. We have a few sponsor families who lost their homes like Afasin Peterson and Avril Yvenerson (will let you know about the others later as we continue with the research); again Joseph Forest’s house is damaged. He is living temporarily in a friend’s house.

Some trees at Lifeline's compound are uprooted and fell down. All the yard area has a lot of water.

We even are afraid for the new bridge because it’s cracked. The water in the river is absolutely high.

Water that crosses in front of Adam’s new house damaged the wall. He lost big part of his garden in the yard; gravel and sand are washed away.

Water submerged a lot of houses. Some of the people are staying in the church where Adam is living right now (the church is upstairs). And a lot of rains pass through the yard of that church.

Torbeck and Lazile are not exempt of this damaged caused by the Hurricane Gustav. Pastor Ramonque reported to us that a lot of houses washed away including gardens, animals, etc and rains still falling there. There is no power in the Grand Goave area; we cannot be in touch with Deuxieme Plaine and Laregal people because. There is no damaged reported at Savanne Carre and Desbariers but rains continue to fall there today…

As the rain continue to fall by the time being, we could ask a lot of prayers for Haiti specifically for Grand Goave areas for protection for the people and other urgent needs like: Food, Purified water, Cloths, Sleeping mats, Sheet metal, Mattresses, Beds, Medicines, and Cooking stoves.  Everything that would be good for a human being.

Lifeline makes arrangement with the magistrates of Grand Goave to bring the needy people/disaster victims to our facility so we can help with some Kids Against Hunger (KAH) food cooking in our facility including people in our nutrition programs.

We will give you more information as we’re searching.

Sincerely,

Lifeline Team Haiti

May 31, 2008

Hello from warm, humid and overcast Grand Goave, Haiti.  Five staff members arrived safely on Wednesday without delays. Praise God.  As I sit here in Mission House #2 in Haiti we can see the sun rise and hear the roosters and the delightful noises of Haiti coming awake! What a blessing from God.

Heavy rains and hurricane weather have struck Central America.  We've had no reports of loss or damage in our ministries in Honduras or El Salvador and we are in touch with them regularly, almost every day.

A MAJOR NEED here at Lifeline:  Contributions really dropped off in May (early summer slump) and we are struggling to make ends meet. Would you pray about this for us and if you can help in some way, please do?

HAITI NEWS:

• Yesterday here in Grand Goave we distributed Lovelink sponsor gifts to the children.  We worked from 8 a.m. to 5:15 p.m. and distributed all but about 40 gifts.  I took just under 400 photos! Lots of happy kiddies running around.  Today I will knuckle down and identify the photos for processing when I return to the States.For those of you who have never experienced the gift distribution process here or in Honduras it's quite an undertaking. There were about 30 people who worked together, mostly Haitian staff and translators to get the job done.  They never let up and just kept the process going child by child as they find their gift, lead them to the various stations to get everything the child is to receive and then I take the photos!  Bertie LaCorte and Lakey Curlee were life savers in the process!  It is a very fun time!

• We had some good news-several more of our young people were baptized into Christ recently.  But there is always sad news too...one young man's mother was in a motorcycle accident in April and died when her neck was broken.  And one little boy was carried here by his mother because he had a horribly high fever and we sent him right to clinic for malaria treatment.  We also learned of some births!  And we learned that our long-time lab employee, Marie Tarn Victor is pregnant for the first time!   All of the sponsors in these situations will be notified of their childrens' situations and needs.

• Our house-building projects remain on schedule and we have constructed 1/2 of the homes scheduled for 2007.  Many happy families here in Haiti!

• Our first work team of the season arrives next Friday and there are 3 groups coming together. Dr. Joni Scott is one of the group leaders and she fell last week and fractured her sacrum so please pray for her.  She is still coming on the trip but it will be painful for her, I'm certain.  This team will construct 3 homes, hold clinic, distribute more gifts, attend worship services, work on the Jeanty Church construction, and much more.

• Following a couple of stormy weeks of boycotting high food and fuel prices, calm has come to the country and relief is on its way in the form of additional international funding for food. Lifeline is soliciting more food products to ship to Haiti to help out. We can use: Canned meats, pastas, beans, rice and anything else you want to send that won't perish in a 3 month time frame. Thanks to IDES for funding the deposit to clear containers through customs.  They do a fantastic work for God's kingdom.
• Schools are in their final Trimester and school registration will begin in early June for 2008-09 school year.
• Materials are available about our Higher Ground Program to help Lifeline take our Christian schools to a higher level spiritually, academically and physically. While leaders, school directors, teachers, parents and students work together to put an even greater emphasis on the students' spiritual needs Lifeline is working stateside to raise funds to do total renovations of all 12 of our Haiti schools and our 2 Honduras schools. We have a goal of raising $10,000 per school. Individuals, churches, youth groups, Bible study groups, etc. can partner and request to be linked to a specific school to help with this project. You can choose to fund all or part of the funding for a specific school. Included in the funds needed is $100.00 per desk to provide a student or a teacher desk.  We make them in our welding shop in Haiti and they are now all-steel! To obtain photos, more information and materials to share contact Gretchen@Lifeline.org.
• Lifeline continues to solicit used or new musical instruments for our Lovelink Children's Home in Haiti and we recently requested funds for a new refrigerator and freezer for there and a generous donor sent $1000. We still need funds for a freezer.
• Lucson Desrosiers recently completed the extensive Teacher Training Seminars at each school in Haiti and the teachers are being equipped to do a better job of educating. This too is part of Higher Ground! Lucson will be traveling to the U.S. to attend a special training conference for Christian Educators. Pray for his 2 week trip to be successful for him and for the schools in Haiti and that he will enjoy his first trip to the U.S.
• The church construction at Jeanty Christian Church has been funded and in June work will resume on a permanent structure.
• Summer work teams are gearing up for their Haiti trips. Pray for their safety and productivity.
• Home #16 was just completed in Haiti; we have 16 more for this year and we have 8 on the schedule for 2009 thus far. Praise God for this awesome blessing and evangelizing tool. If you had a home constructed for someone so far this year you will soon be receiving the DVD and Packet sent to each donor.  Janet Simms puts those together and does a great job.  So if you haven't received yours it will be out in the next month or so.

April 2008

• In an effort to draw attention to their plight and get the attention of their leaders and the international community many Haitians held a boycott over rising food costs and fuel costs. This took place throughout the country last week. Christians don't participate in these demonstrations which were mostly non-violent but they still suffer like the others.

• Things have normalized for the time being and we ask for prayers that relief will come quickly to help the people but also help keep calm and continue the overall progress we've seen the past few years.

• Praise God that Lifeline and Kids Against Hunger (KAH) are feeding so many and easing the burden of needing food. Thanks to you ministry partners who send extra funds for food and who participate in the KAH Food Bagging sessions. It is literally sustaining many people through dozens of missions.

• Yesterday a container of the KAH food cleared customs and already we've notified the recipient missions they can come and begin picking up their new supply.

• Homes for Haiti/home building has continued uninterrupted. So far this year we've constructed 13 homes out of 32 on the schedule and we already have 7 on the build schedule for next year.

• Pastor Mike Wood (Concord Christian Church, NC) held his 2nd Leadership Mentoring Workshop for Lifeline pastors and it went very well.

Some of the individuals that have been baptized in Deuxieme Plaine!

February 2008

• This week, while visiting the Deuxieme Plaine Christian Church/School to distribute gifts from their sponsors to the school children Pastor Stuart Lismat told us that so far this year they have had 88 baptisms and most of those are youth in the church and school.  Please join us in praising God for each and every one of these precious lives and for the pastor and staff who were instrumental in leading these souls to Christ.

• Lifeline has hosted/led 6 work teams this winter; # 7 comes next week

• Pastor Mike Wood of Concord Christian Church arrives Friday for semi-annual Haiti Leadership/Mentoring Seminar with all the pastors.

• Meetings with Haiti School Directors to continue developing Lifeline's Higher Ground Project have gone well; and all employees are in process of signing their new contracts

• Have constructed 7 homes so far this winter; 4 more to do in March.  Total of 29 on calendar for 2008. And 6 on calendar for 2009 so far.  This is one of the greatest witnesses to the communities and people are coming to Christ through this and other programs too.

• 2 more containers cleared customs this week; 1 goes to Jacmel for all the area missions there to share. Thanks to Tina Isenhower and RoRo Eustache for helping distribute this food for us.  One container coming to Grand Goave will supply our schools for the remainder of the school year and will provide for other missions too. We have 1 more KAH food container in customs that will be shared with many other missions.

• One of our longest time employees (teacher) at Mahotiere Christian School died this past week.  Director Alix and the staff and children are mourning her passing away.

• Gary's wife, Clarita is suffering a lot with her uncontrolled diabetes and passed out yesterday and had to be carried to the clinic.  Pray for Clarita please.

• Thanks to a commitment from Chapel Rock Christian Church the construction of the new church at Jeanty, Haiti is becoming a reality.  The building itself has not been built but the fence and entrance are nearly complete and the church construction will begin when the funds are available.

• Next week Lifeline receives the team in Haiti from North Carolina, Virginia, and Ohio.More on this team later!

First service at Jeanty Christian Church's the new land/site, January 2008

January 2008

• Our first group of the year, from Footville (Wisconsin), Jamestown (Ohio) and joined by several others from other areas, left Haiti today and Karen Lydick came in to join us from Plainfield, Indiana.  This was a marvelous group and God did awesome work through them as we built a home, dedicated a second home, held clinics, rat-proofed depots, organized, sorted, unloaded materials that came on containers, handed out dozens of pairs of eye glasses, distributed food and baby layettes, and did a lot of repairs and maintenance type work.  The team visited our Lovelink Children's Home in Port au Prince, had a lot of fun, drank about 100 pots of coffee, and spent time with their sponsored children.  They were a fun, energetic and easy to work with group of servants for Christ.  George Reuss installed the new server in Adam's office so that our computer system is now the very best!  We are now catching our breath for a day but also prepping for our women's team coming in on Tuesday - about 40 women will be distributing Lovelink Christmas gifts from sponsors and we'll hold our 20th annual Women's Rally for our church women. The Haitian women will come from all over the country from the Lifeline churches.

• In addition to all this we had 3 containers come with Kids Against Hunger food for Mission of Hope.  We had the pleasure of meeting Marshall and Sherry Horn from KAH; he is their Vice President.  They were here with the other mission but wanted to see our warehouses and feeding too. Bobby and Lakey Curlee are here with us this winter as is Bertie LaCorte and our winter intern, Adam Questad, an engineering student who has been to Haiti many times with other missionaries.  He is helping Bobby oversee the house construction, among other things, in Bob's absence.  In December, the Haitians built 4 homes by themselves and we hope to do 4 more this month, Lord willing.

• An urgent prayer need: Two of the seven containers shipped by or to Lifeline this past fall got hung up due to mistakes that were not of Lifeline's doing.  One container had the contents listed wrong by the shipping company, and another one had the bill of lading delivered to the wrong address by DHL and we can't find it.  Each of these containers cost us $40.00 a day as they sit on the ground waiting for the paperwork to be completed!  We appreciate so much what is donated and Gilbert Jules works diligently to clear the containers as quickly as possible but Satan does his work too.

• School started this past Monday at all of our schools.

• This coming week we have 30 missions scheduled to receive Kids Against Hunger food for continuing the feeding of their children - about 20,000 children and some adults being fed!  How awesome is our God!