The Church Roof is On!

The beginning of this month we had a team come down from Canada to put on the church roof. They had planned to come back in February but the earthquake had made that impossible. Six men, Bryon, Ronnie, Steve, Bruce, Norman, and Toby worked with men from the church and the community to put 3/4 of the roof on. They were disappointed to not be able to finish but there were not enough 2x8s and they don't sell them anywhere here in Haiti. We so appreciated their very hard work in the sun, strong winds, and dust, to not only get as much of the roof on as they could, but also complete many other odd jobs.

We have been able to begin using the new building and are SO grateful for it! In fact our very first Sunday to use it was Easter Sunday! It was a day of double rejoicing! We have also been able to spread out the school classes during the week.

More pictures to come when I can get them from those who took them...

Update

Dear Friends,

It has been a while since we last posted! I (Judy) was in the US for a very full few weeks. I returned on Tuesday and am working on getting caught up on everything. So much happened while I was gone! The day before I left we were rushing to finish plans for four families who were ready to begin building brick homes (as opposed to mud). When I returned just three weeks later all the walls were up in every house!

When Manis first came to live here over four years ago he told the community that if they wanted to build brick houses, Lemuel would help them, but first they had to take the initial steps of saving money and collecting the majority of the materials. When they were ready, Lemuel would give them a boost to help them get started and then once the house was complete, would help them with the roof. Four families took Manis up on that offer and have been saving and gathering materials since then. It is so amazing to see what has taken so long for them to prepare for, actually coming to fruition.

Marenn's new house in front of her old mud houses.

Mme Tiferne, her father and oldest daughter (holding Ani)
in front of their new home.

Obert and his brother-in-law working to complete their walls.

Wilda and her daughter Widlika in front of their new brick home.
Wilda also has 3 young boys whom she is raising on her own.

Wilda and Widlika in 2006 in front of their old home.

I was also amazed to see the progress on the guest houses. For some time we had been planning to build a few rooms that could be used for guests, teachers, work teams, whoever…! But after the earthquake, when we heard of some of the elderly moms of our kids in Port-au-Prince sleeping on the ground outside, we wanted to get them built as soon as possible. I have been so touched by how hard the men have worked to get the rooms to a point where they can be used. One group from Trinidad has already used them as have some of our youth from Port-au-Prince. Today they are working on “plastering” or covering the cinder blocks with a layer of cement in preparation for yet another work team!

Guest House!!!

Tomorrow a team of six men is coming from Canada to put the roof on the church! You may remember that this team was planned for January/February, but that we had to postpone it due to the earthquake. In a sense, it was a good thing, because in that time they have actually found an even better way to do it! Please pray for their health and safety while they are here. On Tuesday when I arrived I found a huge group from the church all working together to get the floor poured and the walls plastered in preparation for the team. It was so touching to see women carrying heavy buckets of cement from where they were mixing it to where they were pouring the floor. They are so excited for the team to arrive and we are thrilled with the level of participation and ownership that the community has shown for this project.

The church building, ready for a roof!

Church committee members cleaning up around the church in preparation for the team.

It has also been exciting to see the “food for work” idea catch on in surrounding areas as three other communities have begun digging water holes. We have been able to pay them using food that MAF has provided. There was also a fair amount of discouragement to find that the huge water hole this community has been working on for so long has some technical problems. After one small rain they realized that the dirt that was so hard when they were trying to dig through it, turned grainy and just crumbled. The sides that crumbled then fell into the hole and partially filled up what they had worked so hard to dig out. We are not sure that it will hold up through any larger rains. We are looking into some possibilities for making it stronger but are also willing to move on if the soil is simply incapable of making a good water hole. Another, smaller hole that was dug before actually held up well and captured a lot of water so we may be looking at making that one deeper.

Manis talking with one of the Metsiyen community leaders.

Working on the water hole in Plateau Atea.

Manis surveys the work at Grand Plateau.

We have been greatly encouraged by the reports we are getting from our staff in Port-au-Prince. They, and some of the youth, have been providing activities for the children as schools have been closed since January 12. They have also held meetings with the parents and have been able to address some of the immediate needs. Any schools that are still standing will be opening April 6, and our orientation school is one of the few that fall under that category. We have been overwhelmed with parents wanting to put their children in our school, so our staff has been working hard in preparations to accommodate many more students. We are still awaiting news from the government regarding when reconstruction can begin.

Thank you all so much for your prayers and support, especially over the past 3 very difficult months. We have been privileged to see God’s hand at work and are excited to see all that He has in store for us and for this country.

Work continues on the water hole

This week we were able to hire 24 men to work in the water hole. The woman in the jeans, red shirt and white hat on the far right is Marenn. She came up with the plan for the water hole herself and has been responsible for the project.

In addition to paying the men with food at the end of each week, one of the women in the community cooks them a meal while they work.

A Surprise!

We were so blessed by a huge surprise on Saturday. Two MAF pilots flew up with a plane full of water filtration systems and protein enriched rice for our community! The amazing thing is we were going to have to stop work on the water hole because we were out of food to pay the workers. They arrived just in time to allow us to expand the program for at least another week! It was like God dropped this gift, literally out of the sky!

MAF pilot, Jason talking with Ginger Muchmore and Marenn while Manis and John unload the food and buckets from the plane.

Unloading 150 bucket filtration systems.

MAF pilot, Harry showing us how to put the systems together.

Sticker on each of the filtration systems.

Ginger Muchmore explaining the filtration systems to the men working in the water hole.

Ginger demonstrating how it works.

Workers gather around to receive oil after receiving their buckets and food.

Marenn distributing oil.

The workers leaving with their food and buckets.

Manis, Marenn and Regilien with the filtration buckets.

One lady who received her filtration bucket and behind her the line of people waiting for theirs.

Interns, John and Anna, with their filtration buckets. They live with families in the community so these buckets will provide them with filtered water in their rooms.

Update

Below is an email update that was sent out to those who have signed up on our website.

Dear Friends,

We apologize for the long delay in communication since our last email update letter. We have been prayerfully considering how Lemuel should respond to the devastation of the Haiti earthquake. Since you have been a part in supporting our mission in Haiti, we would like to share with you what has happened in the past weeks and what we hope for and are planning to do in the future.

Last Saturday, three of our North American volunteers arrived in Haiti. It was a long process of excitement and disappointment as different contacts kept falling through, but doors finally opened at just the right time. We met on the Plateau to talk through what the next steps would be and how Lemuel would be involved. It is important for us to assist those in need without changing the direction that Lemuel is already committed to here on the Plateau. With the resources we were generously given by Empower Ministries, and other individuals, to help those with immediate needs, our goal was to come up with a plan that will not only be effective in immediate relief but will further the overall mission of Lemuel.

After discussing our options, we agreed to send some of our team, including two of our young leaders, into Port-au-Prince to address the immediate needs within the communities we serve. To work in Haiti you have to be flexible in your plans. There are so many hoops that one must maneuver through in order to make any headway. It takes time to assess, plan and execute.

When we arrived in Port-au-Prince we were not sure exactly what we were going to be able to provide or do. We held another meeting with trusted leaders from the community to talk about the possible plans of receiving food aid from larger NGO’s and how we would distribute this help without jeopardizing the security of Lemuel. While we were discussing the “possibility” of receiving aid, World Vision called in the middle of our meeting and offered to help us with food that would feed five hundred families. This would be able to help every child in Lemuel plus many others.

World Vision personally delivered five hundred sacs of food to our location and from there we distributed the food amongst the five leaders to pass out to their communities. While World Vision was generously working with us to process this request for food, we met with other organizations in Haiti to continue getting aid to people. Samaritans Purse generously gave us tarps to use for shelter as well as food that we were able to bring up to the Plateau to help aid the Port-au-Prince refugees who are now in the homes of extended family here.

A goal we have in Lemuel in regard to our children is that “as they grow older and enter adulthood we hope to continue to be an encouragement to them as they reach back into their communities and their country.” It was encouraging to be able to help in a time of need, but what was even more beautiful to see was how God used the first generation of leaders that grew up in Lemuel to reach out to help their community in a time of crisis. With obedience to God, maturity and wisdom, Lemuel’s first generation leaders were able to distribute food to their communities and be a light in time of darkness.

While we are happy to be able to help relieve some of the urgent need, Lemuel is focused more on the long-term needs that will arise. We know that once the dust has settled the immediate investment in Haiti by the international world may not be there. That is where we feel our place will be. We will be here for the long-haul to work with people to rebuild their lives.

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your love and support. We cannot do any of this without you.

Respectfully,

Lemuel Ministries

Lemuel volunteers Bonita and Bryon Sparling along with Lara Berry (not pictured) arrived on the Plateau January 29th. There they met up with Samuel (left) and Abdonel (center), two of our Lemuel youth, and other Lemuel leaders to determine a plan.

MAF (Missionary Aviation Fellowship) has been so kind to make flights for us. They flew Lara and Bryon into Port-au-Prince where they met up with Lemuel staff.

The Louis family was kind enough to receive Lara and Bryon in their home and host the meetings.

The Louis' home which they had been slowly building for 25 years collapsed in the earthquake. They could have built it faster but they preferred to help people who were in need with most of their incomes.

Mr. Armand Louis in front of his home.

The Louis family, some of the most kind and generous people we know, in front of their home.

Lemuel staff and young leaders, Mr. and Mrs. Armand, Bryon and Lara in the Port-au-Prince meeting.

Meeting with World Vision.

World Vision truck arrives to drop off 500 sacks of food.

People from the Louis Family's community, including two policemen (one at left in picture) help unload the sacks.

Abdonel, one of Lemuel youth and Lara take a break on the sacks of food. Abdonel received 75 sacks to share with his community.

Leon Cameus, one of the Lemuel Staff in Port-au-Prince brought a truck to pick up 200 sacks for Lemuel students and others in the community.

Samuel, another of our youth picked up 75 sacks to share with his community.

Update from Phyllis Schmid

I am so sorry that it has again been a long time since I have written. We have been having a lot of trouble with our internet. I wanted to pass along this most recent update from Phyllis Schmid on the Bolosse campus (adjacent to the Lemuel House).

Well, I know it is time for another update and what better time than a quiet
Saturday afternoon. You would be surprised at how quiet it actually is
during the day when many of the thousands who sleep on campus are out and
about. The campus is a "sea of blue" tarps that is and things are going as
well as you could hope for under these conditions. I've come to realize
that I'm adjusting to the "new normal" as Cindy says.

Every Monday and Wednesday some of the STEP wives have been having
children's club in the afternoons and then on Friday's they have been
showing a film outside. People though tired, discouraged and grieving in
various degrees are handling things well. Having drinking water available
through the water filtration system given us by Samaritan's Purse has
encouraged people. We are not seeing medical needs on campus anymore from
the quake itself. Pray that other diseases that can come from such tight
living conditions will not become a reality.

We are hoping to be able to have running water to the houses before too
long. An organization has offered us a temporary "bladder" to use at the
top of the hill to hold water until we can build a new cistern or repair the
old one which is leaking from the quake. It hasn't arrived on campus yet so
that is on hold right now.

Most every evening a group gathers for singing in the evenings and I love to
hear the voices joined in beautiful hymns. This Sunday we will again have a
service on campus. People are still concerned about being inside buildings
so churches are meeting outdoors. Maybe I can attach a picture of last
Sunday's service with this email.

David has been working on his home office as much as he could today. He
hasn't been able to get in there since the quake with everything else going
on. He needs to get it cleaned up and functioning again. The Bible School
offices of David, Bruce and all the other professors especially on the lower
floors where most of them are still are too dangerous to try to get into.
Like David was saying today many of his and Bruce's books are out of print
anymore. Many of the profs had French theological books which are also very
hard to replace. But the STEP library did not sustain damage other than
bookcases falling over - the building is fine.

I worked on regular CrossWorld finances this morning and am relieved to have
that done for a while. Not everything came out as it should have but after
the month we've had I'd have been shocked if it did.

This afternoon I was rather self centered and took a nap, washed my hair,
and am now soaking my feet in a bubbling foot spa (a Christmas gift from my
son several years ago that I much appreciate from time to time) as I write
to you. McMartins are showing a movie (not sure what is showing) at their
wide screen living room theater (they project it on their wall) tonight so
Roger, David and I will join them for a little "down" time, a movie and
popcorn!

Right now David, Roger and Bruce are working to put up razor wire across the
areas where our wall fell. People in the "tent city" have had things stolen
and we know it is mostly from that area of the campus where the wall is
down. These people have so little so having thieves take advantage of the
situation is sad.

We do not know of another food shipment coming our way but we are
researching where and how people can get some of the aid food coming in. We
have received fuel shipments which have been a big help. Also a huge
surprise yesterday was that a neighborhood near us got city electricity
back. We don't have it but just to know that one small section has received
service back is such an encouragement.

Jehu and the boys are doing well. Still sleeping in "camp" like conditions
but working to salvage what they can from the debris of their rented home.
Once the new building is judged to be stable work will continue so that they
can begin using it.

We are receiving some people from CrossWorld this week - to do some
debriefing and evaluating the situation on the campus and in the country.


This update sounds a little dry to me but just want you to know that we are
"hanging in there" and thankful beyond words for your prayers,
encouragement, uplifting emails and generous giving to meet the many needs
in this country at this time. This is sure not how we saw ministry
unfolding for us in 2010 in Haiti but God had other plans. Pray we can be
sensitive to His leading and guidance in all areas of our lives as we seek
to be used by Him in Haiti "at such a time as this".

Update

I realize it has been a few days since I posted an update... my apologies! I guess I was just too overwhelmed with everything to try to write it all down.

On Monday Indy (our school director) and Petion (Manis' brother) returned from Port-au-Prince. They had gone to take in some supplies and to check on family and our Lemuel kids. With them they brought cameras that we had sent with them, full of images from Port-au-Prince. I don't think I am even going to post them here. I am sure you have seen a lot on the news and some of them I wish I could erase from my own mind. That evening a trailer from Bruce Robinson arrived with all kinds of supplies for Bolosse. The men transferred everything over to our dump truck (no easy task!!!) and got it ready to leave

Tuesday Indy headed back in to Port-au-Prince with the dump trunk since the driver didn't know how to get to Bolosse Campus.

On the way back on Wednesday the dump truck broke down. It is now on the property of a mission that we work with (CAM). We are trying to figure out a way to get it fixed and back here. We would appreciate your prayers as it is really needed.

Below is the most recent update from Cindy McMartin on Bolosse campus...

Greetings!

This morning began with the 6.0 quake. There were at least 2 houses that fell down in the neighborhood around us. It was kind of discouraging because we thought maybe there wouldn’t be anymore big ones. Thank you for messages from you with encouragement from God’s Word. You continue to minister to us with your messages of love, prayers, and the Word.

This morning we had a medical group with another mission who was already in country arrive up here to give a hand. They spent all day up here seeing patients. It was so encouraging to have them here and to see people receiving some medical care. They are returning tomorrow.

A dump truck from our missionary family (Dilus/Robinson) in NW Haiti also arrived last evening. It was loaded with tools/equipment (jack hammer, bolt cutter, generator, wheel barrows, etc). Judy also sent in clothing and sacks of rice and gunny sacks full of plantains. Judy even had the driver get us some peanut butter in one of the cities they passed through on their way in – peanut butter and bread have become a major staple for us – it’s quick and seems to stick to our ribs.

The men who have been working so hard here on campus were running out of energy. Because we had received the food supplies, I had Eliette come and she cooked up some large pans of rice and plantains. All the workers and guards here on campus were able to receive some nourishment today.

Monday, the men went into the Seminary building to retrieve computers, files, and valuables in professors’ and administrator’s offices. Bruce climbed in a hole above his door – sure glad he told me that after he finished – and had a ladder inside so used that to climb back out. He got his laptop, office computer, monitor, printer, files, and a personalized desk calendar with pictures of our 2 grandsons that he’d gotten for Christmas – worth risking your life for, right?! Tuesday he helped the UEBH get into their offices to help retrieve things. After coming out of the finance office door that had been shut, it would not shut again – so he realized things were still shifting. He will not be going back in until we have some expertise help.

We had our kids clubs again today. I wasn’t sure I was going to be able to do mine because it had been such a busy day (and I didn’t eat lunch until 6 pm), but God gave strength and also a young Haitian lady who worked with me. She had such energy and enthusiasm and really got the kids involved. Yesterday I had been so surprised to see how little my group (5-7 year-olds) knew of Bible stories or even the simple choruses I was singing with them. Today I reviewed the Bible story with them and sang the same songs and it was great to see how much they had retained – one girl was even able to recite the Bible verse. After today, I think they all know the story, verse and songs. It was a good time with these dear kids.

So, it’s been a full day. God is answering your prayers and giving us health and strength and providing for our needs. Several Haitian friends (ladies) have brought us buckets of water these past few days. We are tired, and it’s not enjoyable living like this, but God has a plan and we continue on as He gives strength and direction. Please keep praying.

Must go to bed. Our love to each one of you,

Cindy for Bruce too