Recycling

Well, our Christmas tree went to the dogs - literally. The watchdogs that guard the church during the night decided to "play" with the Christmas tree. They tipped the tree over and chewed on the branches and broke most of the ornaments. There was not much left of what had been a beautiful Christmas decoration. So our beautiful tree was recycled and now we have several decorative wreaths, hung high up on the walls!

Recycling is a very common thing in third world countries. Nothing is ever thrown out. Everything is fixed again and again until it cannot be fixed anymore and then it is taken apart and used as parts for repairing other items!

One very common item that is recycled is the oil drum. You see them everywhere. Most people use them for garbage cans. But some creative people have used them for dog houses. And we see them used as grills that hold quite a large quantity of meat for barbecuing.

We also see many people that push carts around town looking for things that can be reused or sold. Rule number one is - never throw anything away! If you do, expect someone to pick it out of the trash and find some use for it. This man pushes his cart around our neighborhood. Usually he is looking through the trash for empty bottles which he can trade in for a peso a piece. This is his income to take care of his family.

It is really interesting to see how things that could be trash become useful items. Chewed up trees become beautiful wreaths, oil drums become grills, used bottles become a family's income. And here also, God has deigned to recycle souls - from sinner to saints. His Word is changing hearts by washing away sin and guilt and giving forgiveness and hope. People who feel "chewed up" by their sins and rejected and "thrown out" by others hear the good news of forgiveness in Jesus and that because of His perfect life and innocent death, God has a use for them - to serve Him and to speak of His love to others.

So, even though we had to recycle our tree, our hope is still strong. This past Sunday over 80 recycled souls attended worship service to hear that their sins separate them from God, but that because of Jesus, in His great love and mercy He will still find a useful purpose for them in this life. Trees becomes wreaths, oil drums become grills, bottles become pesos, sinners become saints.

Remain Calm

"Place the oxygen mask over your nose and mouth. Breathe normally. Remain calm".

Anyone who has ever flown hears these words over and over again before the plane leaves the ground. But they are not the words you want to hear when the plane has reached cruising altitude. On a recent flight, our plane had reached 25,000 feet and we were expecting the flight to go well when the pilot announced that the plane was losing pressure. The pilot started a steep decline and the oxygen masks fell out of the ceiling. As everyone worked at putting on the masks, the plane kept going down until we leveled out at 10,ooo feet. After about 15 minutes we were allowed to take off the oxygen masks.

At that time, the man sitting next to me was visibly shaking. The first words he said were, "What if we had all died?" During the remaining portion of the flight I was able to tell him about the Savior. Jesus lived the perfect life we have not been able to live. He gives us that perfection which we have not earned and do not deserve. What happens to all the sins that we have already committed? Jesus paid for all of them with his innocent death on the cross. His perfect life and innocent death are all we need to enter heaven. And He gives them to us freely.

A frightening situation became the open door to talk to someone about the peace God gives us through faith in his Son Jesus. Now we do not need to fear death because we know what comes after this life ends. We can be calm, Jesus is there.

Cholera

Now that the hurricane is past and the rains have stopped we are watching the cholera situation. The official count now lists the number of deaths from cholera nearing 1,000, with another 12,000 being treated. Because of the poor hygiene conditions in Haiti, the bacteria is spreading at an accelerated rate. The poor living conditions and lack of clean water aid the spread of the bacteria.

With the death rate exceeding 100 per day, there is a problem of what to do with all the deceased. There is a shortage of coffins and also unavailable space to bury the people. More and more cases are appearing in Port au Prince where the situation is especially precarious since the city is still full of rubble from the January earthquake and since so many are still living in tents.

People on the Dominican side of the border are watching the situation in Haiti and hoping the cholera will not spread to this side of the island. There have not been any "official" cases of cholera in the DR yet, although there have been several reported cases. For the past two weeks the border has been closed and the authorities are keeping a tight watch on anyone coming over the border, most Haitians are not allowed to cross into the DR. The border was opened for a short time this past Friday, and three women were trampled in the stampede of people that tried to cross into the DR. This is causing increasing tension between the two countries. The governments of the two countries are trying to come to an agreement of an orderly passage of people over the border, but until they formulate a plan, everyone is watching and waiting.

Thomas

This past weekend hurricane Thomas passed over Hispaniola causing flooding in Haiti and in the Dominican Republic. The first rains started at the beginning of the week and slowly increased as the week went on. By Friday, schools had canceled classes and the rains were coming down quite steadily. The rains continued throughout the weekend, and even this past Sunday it was still raining.

The flooding in Haiti has increased the fear that the cholera will spread. Health officials hope to keep the cholera epidemic from spreading to this side of the island, but with the flooding caused by the hurricane, the fear has increased that the original source of the cholera bacteria will now be swept over much greater areas of Haiti. There have been some reported cases in Port au Prince, but the greatest fear is that it will get into the "tent cities" and cause many more deaths. There have not been any confirmed cases of cholera in the DR so far. Now, the debate has become: can cholera be kept out of the DR - or if it is just a matter of time?

In an effort to keep the cholera from entering the DR, the border has been closed for the past week. Even "healthy" people are not allowed to cross since a person can carry the bacteria for up to a week without showing symptoms of the disease. There has been no word as to when the border might be re-opened.

photos from Listin Diario

Fellowship Sundays

Once a month the congregation gets together to enjoy a fellowship evening. This also works as an opportunity to invite friends and relatives for evangelism opportunities. We always meet new people and have many opportunities to witness. There are usually several activities going on at the same time - the men play dominoes, the children like to play games, the women may play board games or work on preparing the meal. The evening ends when a typical meal is served for all. These get-togethers are very well attended, over 100 people at the September one.

Cholera
The cholera outbreak in Haiti has officially recorded about 300 deaths. We have talked to some people who have actually been in Haiti - they say the number is actually much higher. Many are dying in the countryside without being "officially" registered as a cholera death. Here in the DR we are hearing on the news how to prevent the disease - washing hands, washing fruits and vegetables, don't buy food on the street. There have been some "rumored" cases of cholera here in Santiago, but health officials have yet to confirm that these cases are valid.

Christmas

"Se acabó el año". Christmas trees and decorations are in full swing here and have been for over a month now. The stores are full of Christmas merchandise and a night time drive is lit up with beautiful lights all over the city. Seems like everyone is anxious for the holidays!

Disguises

"Newborns are born with disguises. When you see them, you marvel at how cute they are, how helpless, how beautiful. But this is all just a disguise. You see, beneath this disguise lies a sinful, rebellious heart, an unbeliever, an enemy of God".

This is how Pastor Alex began his sermon this Sunday, explaining the realities of sin and the necessity of baptism. He continued:

"Baptism is such a simple thing. Just water and the Word. Where is the grandeur, the lightning, the ground shaking - announcing that God is working faith and forgiveness in the heart of the child? We don't see it - but we believe it because of the One that promises that it is so."

After this, two children were baptized, sins were forgiven and faith was worked in their hearts. The ground didn't shake, the sky didn't go dark but we believe the promise that these souls received the gift of eternal life. Thanks be to our wonderful Savior who keeps his promises and continues to forgive sins and create faith through the sacrament of baptism.

Rejoicing

This past Sunday we were privileged to have another baptism. The parents were very anxious to have their newborn receive the blessings of forgiveness and faith. The birth was on Wednesday evening and was done by c-section. On Sunday morning, the mother walked about a quarter mile to church, carrying the newborn so he could be baptized. When the pastor asked the parents to come forward for the baptism, you could see the joy on their faces as they walked up to the front with their daughter and their newborn.

Many of the children of the congregation also walked up to the front to see the baptism. They were also curious as to what was happening. What a thing God has worked in these hearts! A whole new generation is learning that God works faith and forgiveness in the heart of a newborn in the sacrament of Baptism, just as He promises.

This was the fifth infant baptism of this year and more are planned for the coming weeks.

What a wonderful blessing to pass on to our children the inheritance of faith that we were given by God's mercy - by grace giving what we have received by grace. The angels are rejoicing and our hearts are full of praise for such a wonderful Savior and for the great gift of Baptism - for babies too!

Rainy Sundays

Most of us are accustomed to going to church and sitting in a quiet sanctuary, enjoying the beautiful stained-glass windows, maybe listening to the organist play inspiring pre-service music.

When you go to other countries, things can be quite different. In the Dominican Republic we usually have to contend with loud motorcycles going by, trucks loaded with speakers blaring music or political ads passing by, or as happened recently - rain! Here is a video of the pastor of the Pueblo Nuevo congregation attempting to preach over the sound of the pouring rain falling on the tin roof.

Haiti. Seven Months

Haiti Prepares for Upcoming Elections

The National Office for ID's has been flooded with people requesting an ID card to be able to vote in the upcoming elections. Every day more than 1,000 people stand in line requesting this identification paper. Unfortunately, there are only 3 offices where citizens can apply. (Alter Presse)


Seven months after the quake, people from the tent cities staged a sit-down in front of the National Palace. They are demanding that the government of President Preval grant them access to decent living quarters. The homeless are fearful of forceful expulsions from the tent cities. Everyone knows that seven months later, the conditions are horrible, a situation of prevailing misery without any respect for the principles and guidance of the UN for the internally displaced. To date, only 3% of the refugees have been relocated. (Alter Presse)


Thirty-four candidates have submitted their names for the upcoming elections. The electoral council has 10 days to approve the validity of the candidates (Aug. 17). The election of Nov. 28 will choose not only a new president but also 10 senators and 89 members of the parliament's lower house.

Haiti's next president will face an enormous task of rebuilding a country devastated by the Jan. 12 earthquake. The office is never an easy job. Presidents have only rarely completed a constitutional five year term. Most in history have been overthrown, assassinated, declared themselves "president for life", or some combination of the three. (Evens Sanon, Haiti Star)

Dominican Cooking

Living in different countries gives you opportunity to learn new ways to do things. I have been invited into many kitchens where Dominican women have shared cooking tips and recipes with me. The first rule of all Dominican cooking - wash your rice before boiling it!

Another thing that at first seemed curious to me was the way in which meat is handled. All meat is washed before it is cooked. Chicken is first cleaned by holding it under running water and then soaked in lemon or vinegar water before cooking, to remove all bacteria. I was really surprised the first time I saw someone put ground beef in a sieve and wash it under running water!

One thing I have seen many times in the DR and have come to see as something "normal" is the way Dominican women open cans. Most homes do not have a can opener. You just use a sharp knife to open the lid of the can. These are some pictures of women opening cans with large kitchen knives.

Some might think it would just be easier to give everyone an opener, but I have come to admire the creativity and ingenuity of these women. They use what they have available to them and use it to create and prepare delicious dishes for their families and guests.

Haiti, Six Months Later

"We've been forgotten", "We don't know where the international aid is that everyone talks about", "People are suffering, baking in their frayed tents", "Where is the reconstruction?" "Haitians complain of little or no food, a lack of local government leadership and no escape from the tent cities".

These are just a few of the comments occurring more and more frequently in the Haitian news. People are becoming desperate as their situation fails to improve. Following are a few excerpts from local newspapers describing the current situation six months after the tragedy.

President Preval announces Nov. 28 as voting day to choose new president. But organizing elections will not be an easy task. The electoral councils headquarters were destroyed and records lost in the quake. Millions of voters were either killed, made homeless or displaced.

Haiti's constitution does not permit Preval to run again. Haitians propose
Aristide as a possible candidate for upcoming elections. (Haiti News)

Hospital Closing
In the days after the Jan. 12 earthquake, doctors flocked to Haiti to volunteer in the country's private premier hospital. Six months later, the hospital is closed. Not accustomed to providing free care and missing deadlines for getting international aid, the hospital shut down in April.

Promises of support from military organizations and more importantly, money, never materialized. Money promised by charities never came through. The hospital's administrators, in an oversight, were late meeting deadlines for other forms of assistance.

The hospital had to close when its owners could no longer afford the 400 gallons of diesel needed every day to fuel generators or for the salaries for the staff of 170 caregivers who kept working despite damage to their own homes. (Haiti Net)

There are warehouses filled with food, goods and medical supplies already in Haiti. A lot of it arrived in Jan. right after the earthquake, but because of the lack of coordination between the relief organizations and the government, it is just sitting there. That blunder is costing lives. (Haiti Star)

Reconstruction
In the immediate aftermath of the quake, 1,340 tented villages and squalid camps sprung up, and are acquiring an ominous air of permanence. The inhabitants stay because their homes no longer exist or because their landlords have used the housing shortage to drive up rents.

Why isn't rebuilding taking place? Lack of money, incompetent governance and the sheer quantity of the rubble are all factors. About 60% of the emergency relief that was promised was delivered. But only a small fraction of the $5.3 billion that was pledged for reconstruction has materialized and much is in the form of forgiven debts - not cash. Some workers say the biggest barrier to reconstruction is government ineptitude and bureaucracy. It takes months for an aid organization to register with the state. Until then, they must pay a 30% tax on goods brought into the country.

What about the rubble? Only 5% has been removed since Jan. If trucks worked at it every day, it would take 3 yrs. to remove it all. Al the current rate, it will take an estimated 20 yrs. or more.

Land tenure causes further complications, it's hard to know who owns what. Many of those living in tents did not own their homes - they were renting. But even those who did own property are unlikely to have proof. Only 5% of Haiti's land is accounted for in public records - and the building that housed title deeds was flattened in the earthquake. There is no proper land-registry system. Land titles pass informally from one generation to the next, largely because titling costs several thousand dollars and public officials are generally held to be corrupt. (Money Week)

Preval announced that the six month emergency phase has ended and reconstruction has begun. The distinction was not lost on some Haitians.

The most visible early emergency programs such as massive food distributions have stopped. Tarp and tent building are growing instead of shrinking - 665,700 plastic tarps and 97,000 tents were handed out, but most are now falling apart. The number of people in relief camps has nearly doubled to 1.6 million.

When building materials finally get through customs, there is nowhere to put them. Fights over land rights, customs delays and slow coordination between aid groups and government have hampered nearly everything.

Donors have met 10% of a promised $5.3b promised for reconstruction - separate from the humanitarian aid, mostly by forgiving debts, not providing cash. (Taipei Times)

Fruit

(Top row: mango, cuña de amor, guayaba)
Mango season is here. Everyone is eating mangoes and everyone who has a mango tree in their yard is giving away mango. This is great - because we get to eat mango every day. Some fruits are good for eating and others only work for making juices. The Dominican women have educated me in the many different ways to prepare the different variety of fruits. We enjoy all the tropical fruits available here on the island and I just wanted to share some of them with you.

Some fruits are available all year long, such as bananas, oranges, plantains. Others come in seasonally, like tangerines and grapefruit (Dec. - March), guayabas (April-May), mangoes (June - August). When a fruit is in season, there are pick-up trucks full of fruit on the street corners selling their product. They drive in from the country and sell it right off the back of the truck, right from the tree to you.

(granadilla, zapote, jagua)

Even if you don't like mango, there are many other tropical fruits available here. These are just a few pictures of the different fruits that we enjoy here.

Father's Day, Santiago, 2010

This is Nelson, liturgist for the Moca congregation, Cordero de Dios. Next to him is his daughter, Marinelsy. Nelson leads the congregation in the opening liturgy of the church service and then pastor Alex goes up front to give the sermon. When they change places, Nelson goes to the back and gets his daughter and has her sit with him during the sermon.

This is Eduadro, also with his two daughters. Society sends parents many messages about caring for children: giving them an education, proper nutrition, protecting them from harm. But how often do we hear any encouragement to train them spiritually? What a blessing for the future of these children, and of our nation, to have fathers who give honor to God by training their children in spiritual ways.


Fathers shaping their children's lives; teaching them to love and serve their heavenly Father who has provided all we have and are.

Tattered Tents

How long would you live in a tent? It has been five months since the earthquake and the majority of the victims are still living in tents. But tents are not designed for long-term living. After months of the hot sun beating down on them, now heavy rains and high winds are deteriorating the tents.

The population is becoming restless. This past week shots were fired toward the house where President Preval has been living since the tragedy.

And while the people are trying to keep dry from the rains and hope to dry out their soggy mattress before the next rain comes, the leaders of the international community met at the Moon Palace tourist center, a five-star resort in Punta Cana, DR to decide how to help Haiti.

(Photo from El Caribe newspaper)

Mother's Day, Santiago, DR 2010

Mother's Day is celebrated on the last Sunday of May in the DR. It is a widely celebrated holiday and most people try to get home to be with their mother. Stores are usually very busy and traffic is heavy. Traditionally, women are not to cook and most will receive gifts, even if they are very humble presents.

We were reminded on this day what a wonderful thing it is when your own mother is a Christian and teaches you the stories of Jesus. Many of our members here do not have believing mothers and are trying now to witness to them. This is a picture of two expectant mothers who are thankful that the Holy Spirit has worked faith in their hearts and want to baptize their infants in this same faith.

The most popular question about Mother's Day is "How was your day"? The most common response is to tell how the family cooked for mom and what they gave mom as a gift. Most people want to tell you what they were able to give their mother as a sign of their appreciation for all she means to them. What a blessing to have a mother that we appreciate for having talked to us about Jesus, taking us to church and teaching us His Word. What greater blessing than to worship the Savior with your parents, to sit at Jesus' feet and learn about His love for all.

Haiti Herald, May 28, 2010

Registering the Population
The OAS has begun developing a civil registry in Haiti that includes minors and children. The most basic elements of social and economic planning and development require a clear accounting of the population and their location. This process was started five years ago and more than 4 million adults had been registred when the earthquake hit on Jan 12. Efforts have been renewed since Jan. and some 1,500 children and their parents or guardians have been registered so far. (Caribbean News)

Relocating the Homeless
President Preval underscored the relocation of the homeless as a priority before the beginning of the hurricane season. But he has not found the magical formula to carry it out.

Relocating the homeless has become worrisome for the Haitian government and the international organizations intervening the the post-disaster activities. Many strategies have been studied, but none so far offers the desired effects.

People are being allowed back into their homes once they have been inspected. Some 40% of the homes in Port au Prince are still habitable. Some people who could be back in their homes refuse to return prefering to live in the camps where they can take advantage of receiving water, food and sanitary facilities.


7,000 homeless were forcefully removed from the soccer stadium. Another 245,000 are in danger of flooding during the rainy season. Seven tent sights have been declared high risk areas. Government officials make regular visits to these areas urging the people to consider moving. President Preval says that housing is his first priority. "Relocating 1.3 million people who sleep on the streets will take time and will be costly. We have started with those who faced the greatest danger. The reconstruction is going to take a long time". (Le Matin)

(The following is an article that explains a little about how the political system works in Haiti. It is a bit lengthy but I found it to be very instructive about insights into how the country is functioning).

Haiti and its flawed electoral process!
By Jean H Charles

The Haitian Constitution stipulates that regular presidential elections shall take place every five years on the last Sunday of November, with a presidential inauguration to take place on the following February 7, to correspond ab eternum to the day the Haitian people delivered themselves from the Duvalier dictatorial regime.

The earthquake of January 12, 2010, has destroyed the capital city of Port au Prince as well as surrounding cities of Jacmel, Leogane, Petit Goave and Grand Goave, with more than 1.7 million people sleeping under a tent, sometimes in the rain amidst squalor and the mud. Vital records have been destroyed, the dead have been cremated without proper state sponsored identification and the Preval government has exhibited a culture of deception, corruption, and perversion of the electoral process. It is a perfect storm to create a disaster in lives lost in the next few months. It is also the perfect tool for maintaining the status quo through a flawed electoral process. Yet the international community, through the voice of the OAS Assistant Secretary General Albert Ramdin, the United Nations representative Edmond Mulet, the CARICOM delegate PJ Patterson, is pushing full speed ahead for a flawed election to take place under the baton of Rene Preval, a master mind of cunning, double talk, and plain disregard for the plight of the majority of the Haitian people.

May 18 commemorates the weaving of the flag made with the blue and red piece of cloth from which the white piece symbolizing colonial France has been extirpated. On this very day of celebration, the people of Haiti are demonstrating en masse, on the street demanding the forced departure of the Preval government so they can go on with their lives, and ensure a fairly clean election. Will Preval and the international community, through misguided policy, succeed in maintaining a status quo that will lead to disaster in the coming months of the hurricane season with millions of people at risk? Or will the Haitian people succeed in forging a new order of business in running the Republic of Haiti?


Haiti has been sinking deeper into bigger risk in food security, diminution of human life protection and severe environmental degradation. The international community has responded with unusual humanity and compassion to the earthquake-stricken Haiti with ten billion dollars, the corrupt regime and the partisans of the status quo will easily sink $100 billion with no apparent result for the Haitian people. They have discovered a brand new concept: disaster profiteering.

Not one of the 565 rural hamlets of Haiti has received any funding for infrastructure and institution building. Seven million Haitian people out of the 9 million population live in extreme misery, neglect and ostracism from their own government.

Faithful Leaders

This month we were privileged to celebrate the birthdays of two of our leaders.

The mens club got together and gave Philip a surprise party.





The congregation gave Pastor Alex a surprise party after Bible study.






What a blessing it is when God allows us to have faithful leaders that teach us His Word, not only in classes but also in their daily lives. This is another example of God working among the people as He preserves His work by strengthening the leaders, giving them hearts dedicated to spreading the gospel and seeking the lost.

Haiti Herald, May 15, 2010

Manifestations Demand the Resignation of Preval
Protesters are demanding that President Preval resign. His term was due to end in Feb. but presidential elections may not be held until Nov. because the earthquake destroyed voting records and polling places.

The entire lower house and one-third of the senate are no longer sitting because the earthquake prevented Feb. legislative elections from taking place. Effectively, the parliament is ceasing to exist as a governing body. This concentrates power in the hands of the President and the international commission that has been set up.

The commission, co-chaired by former President Clinton is to oversee the $9.9 billion US for foreign reconstruction, money pledged at a March conference, a sum 40% larger than Haiti's entire gross domestic product.

Many protesters say that Preval has sold the country to foreign powers, while the commission violates Haiti's sovereignty. (Haiti Globe)


Four months after the quake, and people are still living in tents. "We've heard that foreigners have given lots of aid money. But we are still living the same way as before, and we're still dying the same way," said Davery Nulmeus. Haiti's needs are still enormous, but more than 100 days after the quake, the plan for dealing with them is unclear. (Haiti Press)

Reconstruction Blackout (Haiti En Marche)

The earthquake killed 300.000 people and destroyed 500,000 homes. With international aid, the government is taking inventory of the losses. Some buildings are a total loss, others need to be demolished. Some can be repaired but need to be reinforced to prevent hurricane damage or further damage from more earthquakes.

But while we wait, those who are in charge have been totally vague. No one seems to know what to do.

No one knows what Port au Prince will look like in 6 months, one year or ten years - or even if the capital is condemned to remain in its present state. At this stage, nothing seems impossible. In any case, the Reconstruction that everyone else is talking about seems to be a foreign word for the administration.

The people await their words of wisdom. Everyone realizes they need to be understanding of the difficulty of the situation, even those who have the means to begin reconstruction. But the officials continue in their silence.

Even if they don't know the agenda for the future projects, they at least have some idea of what is being planned. They would do well to inform the population - if only to be able to inform them that they will not continue living in this situation indefinitely, to give them some spark of hope that there will be some kind of order in this monstrous cacophony that reigns now in the capital.

Who knows what the capital could look like after this huge earthquake that affected each and every one of its inhabitants? This is the subject of conversations in all of Haiti. Rumors are flying. But the people involved are the last ones to know.

The people are forced to get their information from foreigners. The people being affected are the last to know. That is the rule in Haiti.

So everyone tries to keep on hoping. Do the people who actually live here have a voice in the plans? A city should be built for its inhabitants and not just for the pleasure of building.

We need to reawaken the spirit of being a good neighbor, not just trying to protect our own territory. The people dream about a change.

We hear people say all the time: "If I rebuild, and the the State decides to put a community center next to my house - behold the chaos".

With regard to the Reconstruction, it seems that everyone's mouth has been sewn shut.

Until now the population has remained calm. But if the hurricane season causes another catastrophe, the absence of information will leave the people only one choice, as a popular refrain says: Each one for themselves and all for God.

And that will be the end of everyone's dreams.
(This article taken from Haiti En Marche, May 12, 2010)

Sound the Trumpets!

Trumpets are sounding, angels are rejoicing, Christians are giving glory to the Savior.

Today, through the sacrament of Holy Baptism, the Holy Spirit fulfilled the promise of forgiveness and faith in the hearts of three children. What a blessing as all three children received the blessings promised in the Word.

What a joy for all of the members who were present at the baptisms. Faith was strengthened and comfort given as we continue to see God working among the people. He is the one creating faith in the parents hearts, leading them to believe the promises and bring their children for baptism. Why else would someone want their children to be baptized? Doesn't society teach us that we are basically good, that children are innocent, not guilty? The rite of baptism is a witness to the world that we believe what God says in His Word, that our children are sinful beings that need His forgiveness and washing of their sins. It is a witness of our trust in God to fulfill His promises in the lives of these young ones. They are now His children.

When the sacraments are practiced they are a blessing for all present. Those who participate receive the promised blessings. Those who only observe are also blessed by hearing the Word and remembering how God worked this faith in them also. With thankful and humble hearts we recognize that this gift comes to us purely by God's grace since we have not and do not do anything to deserve it.

What a wonderful day for the Christian church. Sound the trumpets! Give praise to God! He is working among the people: creating, strengthening and preserving them in faith through the power of His Word.

Arise, be baptized, for the forgiveness of sins and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Tents

Another common theme among the Haiti pictures are the tents. At first glance, many of the pictures seem similar and you may think you are seeing the same thing. Rona explained that after the earthquake all the parks in the city were taken over by survivors. What you are really seeing are different tent cities in different parks around the city.






People prefer these park areas since they usually offer a bit of shade from the hot sun.











This is one park that was closed off to keep people out. City officials hope to preserve the park.










This is the "family" tent. Rona's family sleeps in this tent at night since they are afraid to go back into their house until it has been inspected.

Lines in Haiti

Rona shared some of his photos from his various trips into Haiti. Here a few that give an idea of what people's daily lives are like since the earthquake.



This is the food line. To receive food, you must first stand in line to receive a coupon. Once you have the coupon you are eligible for a food ration. The system for receiving the food is not very organized. There is only ONE line, no matter how many people are in that line. (Rona said it could be up to 2,000 people in line). Everyone must wait in the hot sun until it is their turn. This can mean ALL day until your turn comes.






There are also lines for water. This water is for cleaning and washing, but not for drinking.








Stand in line to receive medical care. There are clinic tents set up in different parts of the city. Some were placed under trees and have shade. Those that don't have any shade turn into saunas when the sun beats down.











Work line. Some international organizations offer to pay $5 a day to workers who are willing to help clear rubble. Workers are also allowed to scavenge for materials that they could use for the reconstruction of their own houses.

Haiti - Three Months Later

Reconstruction - Are We All Speaking The Same Language? (from Haiti En Marche)

President Rene Preval gave a press conference in NY. Questions from the national press and international press are not the same. Foreigners are focused on preparing the refugees for the oncoming hurricane season. The President can answer easily enough that the government will appropriate lands outside the capital to relocate thousands now living in tents. But, what about the rebuilding and helping the people not receiving food, medicine and tents? In regard to the rebuilding of the capital, the government has not made any statement.

What do we mean by reconstruction - really? Who gets what? Can we rebuild all the houses in Port-au-Prince that were destroyed by the earthquake? What are the conditions for rebuilding? Who funds it?

When we start talking about rebuilding we need to get the banks open and operating. The banks need to give out credit, but how can the banks recover their own losses when their buildings were not insured? What about private homes? There is no precise answer.

While the US press talks of a Reconstruction Commission overseen by former president Clinton and Haitian Prime Minister Jean Max Bellerive, President Preval says these plans are all very premature. The only thing we know for sure is that the World Bank will handle the reconstruction funds.

* * * * * * *
What is really happening in Haiti? Rona Abraham came back from Cap Haitian this past week. He had spent two weeks in the neighboring country doing evangelism work and visiting his family. He showed us a receipt for medications (see photo) for his cousin who had been hurt in the earthquake. When he went to the pharmacy to get the medicines - he had to pay for medicines that had been donated for earthquake victims! You can see the stamp on the left side of the receipt PAYE (paid). When they questioned the workers as to why they were charging for these medicines, they just shrugged their shoulders. He says that food and tents that have been donated for victims are also being sold.

* * * * * * * *
The first group of victims was to move to the new government camps on April 15.

Aided by the UN and the US Army, Camp Corail should be ready to receive 8,000 people. The camp is 20 km (45 min) north of Port au Prince. People are hesitant to move to the new camp, only a few showers and latrines have been installed, about 20 large white tents, the school is still under construction, camp management is just getting underway. The move is planned to begin on Sunday. Everyone who stays in the new camp will receive $50 - after staying for two weeks.
(Haiti En Marche)

Easter

He is risen - Just as He said.

Easter is not a big holiday in Latin America - Good Friday seems to get all the attention. Many people remember Jesus' suffering but then do not rejoice in His victory.

For us, Easter is the highlight of our faith. Our Savior has left the tomb empty - victorious. The churches in the DR celebrated this Easter by showing our new WELS movie, "The Road to Emmaus". Pastor Alex showed the movie in Moca in the morning and Pastor Juan shared it with his congregation in the afternoon in Pueblo Nuevo.

People enjoyed the movie and we hope it will be used for further outreach and evangelism. Many new people were already present for the two showings and members have many more friends with whom they would like to share the movie. We are thankful for these kinds of resources to aid in evangelism, especially since we have found that videos are a very popular method of learning in Latin America.

Haiti Herald, March 8, 2010

Restoring agriculture is seen as crucial to help Haiti feed itself and to provide jobs. The Haitian government estimates that it needs $1 billion over the next decade to revive the agricultural sector. - Brazilian scientists are developing 50 acres to plant corn, rice and beans. - The UN Food and Agricultural Organization has started a cash-for-work program to help farmers replace 20-30,000 wheelbarrows, shovels and other equipment that were lost in the earthquake. (Haiti Globe)

School will officially open on April 5. The Ministry of Education encourages all schools that are able to re-initiate classes. New school calendars and programs will be distributed by the government to help teachers get back on track. (Haiti Press)

Now that the government has officially set a date for reopening schools they face a new dilemma - what to do with the refugees living on the school grounds? Will they force refugees to leave school premises? Where will they go? The new camps are not ready. Refugees refuse to abandon the schools - the only safe place they have to live. "If necessary we will defend ourselves. We are ready to burn tires if they come in". The refugees are already organized in the camps where they are living. Many receive weekly humanitarian aid that they would lose access to if they moved to a different area of the city. Medical services are also readily available where they now live. (Haiti Press)

Rubble from the quake will be used to rebuild the capital. Officials plans to reuse much of the debris being cleared away from collapsed buildings. About 90% of the construction debris can be recycled. The debris from the Jan. 12 quake is enough to fill the LA Superdome - 5 times. (Haiti Star)

According to it's own estimates, the government of Haiti pegged funds needed to rebuild the nation at $4 billion. Donor nations have already committed more than $5.3 billion over the next two years. The international monies will be used to build hospitals, schools and government buildings.

Update: Schools did not reopen on April 5 as planned. Most schools are still rebuilding. The majority of the larger schools were severely damaged. Of those that did not collapse, most students are too fearful to enter and refuse to do so. The adopted solution is to rebuild. New schools are being built of wood with tin roofs - leaving most of the side walls open. The new date for reopening of schools is next week -- maybe. (Haiti Press)

Good Friday 2010

On Friday afternoon, the members of the Moca congregation invited their friends and neighbors to come and watch "The Passion of the Christ" with us at the church. All the benches and chairs were set up.




People started arriving and before long almost every spot was taken. Most of the members were in attendance but there were many, many new faces. The children sat up front and the majority of them sat through the entire film. A quick count came to 150 people present.







After the film, Pastor Alex gave a brief Law and Gospel presentation pointing out the real motive for Jesus' suffering and death. He also spoke of the hope and peace we have through knowing that He was suffering for MY sins, forgiving ME.

Everyone was invited to return on Sunday for part II of the story,
"The Road to Emmaus".