Guest Blogger: Russ Finkbeiner

The time went so quickly that Russ and Josh actually escaped before they wrote a post on the blog.  Not to be deterred, however, I made them promise to send me their posts when they got home :)  Here is Russ'...

Wow! Where do I start with this most recent visit to Lemuel?  Each time I visit, it is hard to believe how much has changed in so little time.  God’s hand is very visible in the development that is occurring on the Plateau.

I would like to say thanks to Manis, Judy and Krischelle and also to the  Lemuel house staff for making me feel at home and comfortable.  I heard that the phrase “If you want it, we don’t have it” might be more prevalent in the near future. That may be the case, but they do have everything you may need. 

With the progress on the school moving forward, it was good to get some ground work put together  so that when the material arrives, the guys there can use their skills to finish the roof.  I just hope Sam can figure out my Canadian construction methods.  Sorry Sam, everything is in feet and inches.

Also, a heartfelt thanks to Thony, Lucson, Obed and Tiga for proving the point that I can’t play basketball.  Even though I think my team only won 1 game out of who knows how many, I don’t think it was the score that really counted.  It is those type of memories that make these visits memorable.  Also again to Thony, the daily Kreole lessons paid off in Miami when we were able to let our server know that her flirting comments with Josh did not go unnoticed.  Who knew the ladies could turn so red?

I would also recommend that if you are ever in the area, to make it to the Samdi Speciale over at the shop.  The food and entertainment is awesome.  Way to go Wiliamso and friends!!

I can hardly wait for the next visit.  Again, merci beaucoup.  Na we pi ta!

Russ

Visitors from Canada and a Latrine Update

 I never thought I'd be writing so much about latrines :)  
 

 "Interdit aux Eleves" means Off-limits for Children

As the whole building slides into the hole it is now falling apart.  We are grateful to have been able to get everything salvageable off while we still could. 

 The temporary latrine is almost done.  There is a "stall" for teachers, one for the older children and one for the younger.  

 They even put a little shelf in the teachers' stall for toilet paper and hand sanitizer.  How cute :)

In other news, we have Russ and Josh from Emmanuel Baptist Church in Exeter, Ontario.  They were delayed one day in getting up here because of the storm but got here Saturday safe and sound.  

 Laying out the truss pattern for the school roof. 

Yesterday they put the gutters on Manis' office (green building in the background) and fixed some issues with the church doors.  They also had a basketball game with some of the guys and Russ gave little karate lesson :)  This morning they are laying out a truss pattern for the school roof.  When we are able to continue with that project, all the guys here will have to do is copy the pattern.  

I have conscripted Russ and Josh to be guest bloggers this week so you will be hearing from them soon. 

Sandy

While Haiti was very much on high alert and ready for Isaac, Sandy was much more unexpected.  I have heard of terrible damage and loss of life in the south and center of Haiti and our thoughts and prayers are with those who lost so much.  Up here we were pretty fortunate.  We got a lot of rain which was wonderful, and although it did some damage to some of the mud houses, overall our area was pretty fortunate.  There were many people who slept sitting up in corners of their homes because their thatch roofs leaked so badly, but in church yesterday everyone was praising God for all the rain.  There is great hope that they might actually have a harvest this year.  The wind did some damage to some of the plantain plants but overall I have not heard yet of too much damage to the gardens.  

There was one pretty big loss that we suffered from Sandy here at Lemuel: the school latrine.  As water rushed around it, it actually dug out the soil around the footers and the latrine building began sliding into the hole under it.  On Friday the guys were able to salvage the doors and metal roofing and got busy digging out a new hole for a temporary latrine.  School started back up today and with over 100 children you have to have a bathroom of some sort for them to use!  The damage done was estimated at about $2500.  As we look at building another permanent latrine we are considering the options of somehow demolishing the current building and reusing the same hole or digging a new one closer to where the new school is being built.  We would greatly appreciate your prayers for wisdom as we decide what to do. 

Thank you so much to all of you who upheld us in your thoughts and prayers over this past week.  

Stripping off anything that can be salvaged as the latrine sinks into the hole.

The side that is sinking.

 

 

School in Session

For the first two weeks of school there were still quite a few parents who weren't yet able to send there children.  Most of them were there today, though, so without further ado...

The new temporary school building.  

The palm frond building that was being used for the school was moved off the basketball court (so the children can play on it) and over next to the permanent school building that is under construction.

First, Second and Fifth Grade on the left side of the building. 

I will be so happy when each class has their own room!

First Grade

Second Grade

Third Grade

Fourth Grade

 Fifth Grade

Sixth Grade

The three Kindergarten classes all meet in the church building

Kinder 1

 Kinder 2

 Kinder 3

A New Year Has Begun!

Thank you all again for your prayers during the Seminar last week.  Pastor Marcus did a great job and there were some good discussions.  On Friday, guest speaker Gela Cupidon, spoke about seeing education as a job and a career, not as a pastime.  She also encouraged the teachers to become true professionals, not just a group of young men and women who happen to have a job.

All of the teachers signed their contracts at the end of the week and on Monday the school year officially began.  I will be posting more pictures of the school in session soon, but until then, I would like to introduce you to our school staff...

 

 Osselet Lilite

School Director

Patricia Fatal

 Administrator & Secretary

 Wiltha Belizaire

Kindergarten 3 Teacher

Kindergarten Supervisor

 Lovelie JnFrancois

Kindergarten 2 Teacher

Kattia Amazan

 Kindergarten 1 Teacher
 

Andiose Saint-Ange

First Grade Teacher

 

David Calixte 

Second Grade Teacher

Bergeline Joseph

Third Grade Teacher

 

Thony Amady 

Fourth Grade Teacher

 

 Guillaume Oltin

Fifth Grade Teacher

 Wilnique Metayer 

Sixth Grade Teacher

Teacher Seminar

Thank you so much to those of you who have been praying for our teacher training seminar that is going on this week.  Yesterday something happened that was purely the work of God.  During this week Pastor Marcus is teaching through five "non-negotiables" of our faith.  As he spoke yesterday about a Holy God and about the the helplessness of sinners, he had not planned to share his own testimony, but ended up doing so to help the teachers understand a point he was making. 

As he shared, one of the new teachers from Port-au-Prince felt his words pierce her heart.  It was so similar to her own experience, an experience that she had never shared with anyone.  She told me afterward that something inside her was pushing her to speak and try as she might to keep it in, she couldn't.  She began to cry and with all the teachers around her asking her what was wrong, she finally stood up to share.  I will not get into all the details she shared but she has been going through an incredibly intense spiritual battle.  As she shared things with us that she has not even told her family it was as though light was able to flood the darkness that she had been trying to fight so hard on her own, in secret. 

Over their lunch break, Marcus was able to talk to her, and while I cannot predict what her future will look like, I feel like this is an opportunity that God has given her to renew her relationship with Him and to pull others around her to help her fight this battle. 

Please be in prayer for this young lady.  Her name is Bergeline.  Pray that she will grab hold of the promises of God and be able to distinguish and reject the lies that come from the Father of Lies.  Pray that she will intentionally pull people around her who can help her and that she will never again try to hide this, or fight this battle alone.

As we go into our second day, please continue to be in prayer for Pastor Marcus, for all of us who will be involved, and for the teachers who will be listening.  May God's will be done.

Prayer Request: Teacher Seminar

At some point today all of the teachers for the primary school will be arriving.  They will be spending this next week in preparation for school to start on October 1.  Each morning there will be two seminar sessions and after lunch the school director will be working with them to "teach them the ropes" and help them prepare for the first few weeks. 

Also arriving today is Pastor Marcus Guthrie from Lake Tomahawk Bible Church in Wisconsin.  Pastor Marcus was here with the LTBC team last November and has kindly agreed to come do some Bible teaching as part of the teacher seminars.  We have teachers coming from different areas and different churches so it is important to address some basic doctrinal issues and make sure everyone is on the same page, especially as in concerns what the children will be taught. 

The second morning sessions will be taught by the Lemuel Administration, explaining to the school staff a bit about Lemuel and how things work here.

We would greatly appreciate your prayers for the seminar, for all the final school preparations, and that even now that God would be preparing the hearts and minds of those who will be attending.

Thank you!