Blog Makeover

As you can see, our blog has a new look!  It also has more information.

We are currently unable to update our website so we have transferred most of the basic information from it to here on the blog.  Within the next few days our website will begin forwarding directly to this blog.  There are a few pages I am not quite finished with yet... I appreciate your patience!

If you have any comments or suggestions we'd love to hear them!

Christmas Program

On the 24th the school held its annual Christmas Program. Here are some photos...

The church was packed!

Mary, Joseph, Baby Jesus, the Shepherds and the Wisemen.

The School Choir singing Angels We Have Heard on High (in French)

Reciting a Christmas Poem

The Literacy Class students and their teachers singing a song

The Girls' Group presenting cookies they made to the lucky winners who found a yellow piece of paper under their seat!

The Winners!

At the end of the program the teachers passed out report cards and gifts to the children.

Christmas Presence

My uncle, Jim Beerley, is an amazingly talented musician, singer and songwriter. Although he rarely talks about it himself and most people don't even know how gifted he is, we in his family are very proud of him. He wrote a song called Christmas Presence that I would like to share with you all.

Uncle Jim speaking at Lemuel's 2011 Leadership Retreat

CHRISTMAS PRESENCE
by Jim Beerley

I’ve never met a shepherd or wise men from afar.
I’ve never been to Bethlehem or followed shining stars.

I’ve never heard a heavenly choir of angels as they sing,
or heard the world rejoicing at the tidings that they bring.

Who’s ever known a virgin rock her baby off to sleep?
And who’d believe a King would make His bed among the sheep?

And I fear that somehow Christmas will get lost in lullaby,
unless we are committed to share it with our lives.

So with a warm smile, a gentle touch, with a cup of water given in His name;

With a word of hope, an extra mile, give the presence of Christmas every day.

For I do know broken people and their dreams that slipped away;
Those who fear the darkness, those who curse the break of day;

And I’ve heard the cry of hunger that still haunts my memory,
and I’ve seen great injustice that drives me to my knees;

And I know a greater mystery than can never be explained;
the poverty of riches, the loneliness of fame.

Yet to one and all, whether great or small, we’re called to enter in,
and be the light of Jesus, make it Christmas once again.

So with a warm smile, a gentle touch, with a cup of water given in His name;
With a word of hope, an extra mile, give the presence of Christmas every day.

They will never find the Savior in their gifts beneath a tree;
When we help someone in need, then Jesus they will see.

So with a warm smile, a gentle touch, with a cup of water given in His name;
With a word of hope, an extra mile, give the presence of Christmas every day.

Let’s give the Presence of Christmas every day.

Catching Up and Introductions

Well I am really behind so get ready... this is going to be a long one! Our internet has been on again/off again for the last few weeks which makes it a little difficult to get the blog updated! (My apologies for the inconsistencies in font size and type, I have tried repeatedly to fix it but "blogger" has decided to do everything in its power to drive me crazy today and just won't change it!)

First, the promised pictures from the Lake Tomahawk Team!

The majority of the team put on an English Camp for our primary school students. It was wonderful to watch the kids learning English and having lots of fun while also learning Biblical truths.

While the rest of the team did the English Camp, Marcus, Rick and Alan worked with some of our guys on putting in a kitchen at Dadithe’s house. This kitchen will be used for the Women’s Professional School that she plans to open. More importantly than just putting in the kitchen though, these men spent time with some of our men, teaching them new skills (cabinetry) and how to use the new tools they brought down... including a table saw! Yes, they get a table saw in their suitcases!



Second, I want to FINALLY officially introduce you to our two “new” team members here on the Plateau!

Krischelle Frost

Krischelle Frost is not exactly new, she has been here multiple times and was actually here last year teaching English. She has returned this time in a different role though... drum roll please... Krischelle is taking over the bookkeeping!!! YAY!!! She is doing a wonderful job and we are infinitely grateful for her willingness to accept the position.

In addition to the bookkeeping, Krischelle is also teaching a Bible Study in the church, helping me with the girls group (more on that coming soon), tending her garden, working with the Church Chorale, and a million other helpful things.

Samuel Schafer

Samuel Schafer has come to us all the way from Germany and we are so excited to have him here! Sam first came to the Plateau with Bonita Sparling in 2007 to help with a summer camp. He was spending the year working with a German couple in the south of Haiti for his civil service. He then came back the next summer to help again with camp before returning to Germany. He had been interested from that point in coming back to the Plateau to work with Lemuel, and Manis could see what a huge help he would be, but the timing was in God’s hands.

After meeting up with Sam again in Pennsylvania this past summer and talking through the possibilities, it finally worked out for him to come! He is currently learning the ropes and will soon be taking over the bulk of the day to day maintenance and development projects from Manis. He is a huge help and we are so grateful to have him here.

Thanks to Sam, Lemuel also, for the first time, has literature in German! Sam went into Port-au-Prince this past week to visit the German Embassy and some other offices to look into finding assistance for the Food-for-Work program we hope to start in the New Year. He felt it would be awkward for him, as a German, to take English literature to the German Embassy so he translated the brochure!