My mother used to read to us from a book called "Nobody's Boy" or as it's called in Dutch "Alleen op de Wereld". It is a very sad story about a boy called Remi who was abandoned as a baby somewhere in France. In those days I could not imagine that someone could do that. That's the story that has been in my head since I played with Jud-Love our newest member of the Matthew 28 family, this week.
I wonder when Jud-Love will discover that she has been abandoned. Will she ever get rid of the fear she went through when someone left her in the dark alley on the outside of the orphanage gate. How long was she there alone where she could have been eaten by a wild dog, before she was found. How many people almost stepped on her when they hurried by in the dark. How scary was it when the big gate creaked open and a strange person picked her up. Would she still remember her mommy if she were to come back. Who laid her there? Were they watching when she was picked up? How old is she really and where did she come from? What is her real name. Endless questions going through my mind. Just imagine her mind!
She smiled every once in a while. A good sign. Already some of her older "sisters" carry her around and proudly use her as their live doll. They love her and look out for her. Has she ever had that before? Most likely we will never know the answers to any of these questions.
But what I do know gives me peace just like the end of the book did long time ago. Her life will be different from Remi's but Jud Love is now home in a place where many people will love and care for her. Just as Remi she will not have a youth of riches or wealth, but she'll have food and a place to sleep. She will go to school and grow up with her many brothers and sisters. She will get to go to church on Sunday and sing in the little kids choir, clapping her little hands and wiggling her little feet. There will be so much more....
Jud-Love is our newest child but she is yours too when you support our work. And even if you don't, she is yours because all the children in this world are ours to take care of when they need it.
You were a child once too.
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Monday, December 19, 2011
Thursday, November 24, 2011
When you can't say what you wanna say!
Do you remember that bible story about the guy who rode on the donkey and it could speak! This guy went to curse the people of Israel, sort of a free lance job, and all that came out of his mouth were blessings and good things. Well I will give you a modern day version of that.
There once was a TSA officer who went to work at the airport. His day was going quite well until in the afternoon, a mission team came through his line. One of these dudes was carrying a back pack with on the outside a bunch of insect nets strapped to it. The kind that have two foot long wooden handles attached to metal frames. Well of course that was a no-no. What was that guy thinking! So the nets had to go, they could not go be carried on. Could they maybe go in the checked luggage? Not an option because the bags, which were too heavy in the first place, had already been checked and were on the way to the airplane. So now what? The nets were important for the work. The mission worker got upset, but the officer would not budge. Talking it over did not help either. The officer was right. It could not go.Standing back while watching helplessly, an emergency request popped up in my head. God, please let the guy change his mind. The discussion went on and was leading nowhere. Then it happened. The man confirmed once more that the nets could NOT go. His next sentence was " Gentlemen y'all have a good day" and he stepped away. Still in a daze the mission worker grabbed his nets and walked on. What had just happened?
I envision the officer standing in front of the mirror that night, trying over and over again to say " You will have to leave those items here". The words came out right each time. But this afternoon they would not! He shook his head. Maybe it had just been a dream.
Sometimes things like this happen. Coincidence?
There once was a TSA officer who went to work at the airport. His day was going quite well until in the afternoon, a mission team came through his line. One of these dudes was carrying a back pack with on the outside a bunch of insect nets strapped to it. The kind that have two foot long wooden handles attached to metal frames. Well of course that was a no-no. What was that guy thinking! So the nets had to go, they could not go be carried on. Could they maybe go in the checked luggage? Not an option because the bags, which were too heavy in the first place, had already been checked and were on the way to the airplane. So now what? The nets were important for the work. The mission worker got upset, but the officer would not budge. Talking it over did not help either. The officer was right. It could not go.Standing back while watching helplessly, an emergency request popped up in my head. God, please let the guy change his mind. The discussion went on and was leading nowhere. Then it happened. The man confirmed once more that the nets could NOT go. His next sentence was " Gentlemen y'all have a good day" and he stepped away. Still in a daze the mission worker grabbed his nets and walked on. What had just happened?
I envision the officer standing in front of the mirror that night, trying over and over again to say " You will have to leave those items here". The words came out right each time. But this afternoon they would not! He shook his head. Maybe it had just been a dream.
Sometimes things like this happen. Coincidence?
Friday, October 28, 2011
Sylvany
In my previous post I talked about God's plan for our lives. Well listen to this one!
About ten years ago when I was in Haiti, one afternoon I walked into the girls dorm of the orphanage. I did not usually do that but my curiosity had been raised because I heard a tiny little baby crying. It was odd because at the time we did not take in babies since we did not have the means to nourish them, something we still don't do. I walked into the dark hallway and soon found the room with the little crying child. There was nobody in the room and I picked the baby up from the bed it was laying on. She was so little so perfect with her silk black curls and she squeezed her little eyes against the light that peeked through the window. I hummed a little song to her and when she was quiet, all of a sudden one of the caretakers came in and swiftly took the girl out of my arms. I was a little disappointed and asked the lady " I did not know that we took little ones like that", and "What is her story". The lady answered that I would better ask pastor Pauluis.
With that said I left the two behind and went about my work.
That evening during dinner I remembered and asked Pauluis. He got all excited and shared Sylvany's story with me.
Sylvany was born in a little village called Bankamarie where we had a feeding center. The father had died earlier and the mother was in bad shape after giving birth. A few days later she died and Sylvany became an orphan. The maternal grandmother tried to take care of the child but had no ways or means. Sylvany was quickly wasting away. In utter distress the grandmother laid the baby without clothes in the yard behind the house where a hog was pinned up. Although this is something no one talks about, it still happens in Haiti from time to time. The hog was expected to eat the baby. But it did not happen that way. A neighbor lady had witnessed the act and snatched the infant up just before the hog touched it.
As she had now taken the responsibility for the child she took it to Bohoc where she knew a lady who was at the time on the board of Matie Vingt-Huit, the orphanage.
It just so happened that Pauluis, the director, had married Marita the head care giver nine months earlier and that Marita was expecting her first child, which was due to be born any day. Without much trouble she was able to start nursing Sylvany and when shortly thereafter her own daughter Clifline was born she fed the two together. Marita was of course in the unusual situation that she had plenty of good food available and thus was able to feed the two of them without problems. Any other woman in the area would barely have had enough milk for one.
Now to me that was a miracle, a chain of events in which I clearly see God's hand. How much did He want little Sylvany to live. Just imagine how much He loves you too. I marvel at the idea of seeing God play chess against Bobby Fisher or Karpov. They wouldn't know what hit them. He thinks all these moves ahead and He is waiting for you to make your move.
About ten years ago when I was in Haiti, one afternoon I walked into the girls dorm of the orphanage. I did not usually do that but my curiosity had been raised because I heard a tiny little baby crying. It was odd because at the time we did not take in babies since we did not have the means to nourish them, something we still don't do. I walked into the dark hallway and soon found the room with the little crying child. There was nobody in the room and I picked the baby up from the bed it was laying on. She was so little so perfect with her silk black curls and she squeezed her little eyes against the light that peeked through the window. I hummed a little song to her and when she was quiet, all of a sudden one of the caretakers came in and swiftly took the girl out of my arms. I was a little disappointed and asked the lady " I did not know that we took little ones like that", and "What is her story". The lady answered that I would better ask pastor Pauluis.
With that said I left the two behind and went about my work.
That evening during dinner I remembered and asked Pauluis. He got all excited and shared Sylvany's story with me.
Sylvany was born in a little village called Bankamarie where we had a feeding center. The father had died earlier and the mother was in bad shape after giving birth. A few days later she died and Sylvany became an orphan. The maternal grandmother tried to take care of the child but had no ways or means. Sylvany was quickly wasting away. In utter distress the grandmother laid the baby without clothes in the yard behind the house where a hog was pinned up. Although this is something no one talks about, it still happens in Haiti from time to time. The hog was expected to eat the baby. But it did not happen that way. A neighbor lady had witnessed the act and snatched the infant up just before the hog touched it.
As she had now taken the responsibility for the child she took it to Bohoc where she knew a lady who was at the time on the board of Matie Vingt-Huit, the orphanage.
It just so happened that Pauluis, the director, had married Marita the head care giver nine months earlier and that Marita was expecting her first child, which was due to be born any day. Without much trouble she was able to start nursing Sylvany and when shortly thereafter her own daughter Clifline was born she fed the two together. Marita was of course in the unusual situation that she had plenty of good food available and thus was able to feed the two of them without problems. Any other woman in the area would barely have had enough milk for one.
Now to me that was a miracle, a chain of events in which I clearly see God's hand. How much did He want little Sylvany to live. Just imagine how much He loves you too. I marvel at the idea of seeing God play chess against Bobby Fisher or Karpov. They wouldn't know what hit them. He thinks all these moves ahead and He is waiting for you to make your move.
You are not an accident
For You created my inmost being;
You knit me together in my mother's womb .Psalm 139:13
You knit me together in my mother's womb .Psalm 139:13
"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,
before you were born I set you apart; Jeremiah 1:5a
before you were born I set you apart; Jeremiah 1:5a
From being a little boy I have always known that I was loved and wanted. Not until my mother read us the famous Hector Malot novel “Nobody’s Boy” did I know that there were children for whom it was different. I remember crying when Remi left the house at the hand of Vitalis. My world felt all of a sudden less safe. I still think back with fondness to those precious hours before bed time, listening to stories being read. They were moments shielded from the cruel world outside. Those were the days that I could barely read myself.
Years later, as I was leading Mission Camps, it became apparent to me that many more have to deal with this ‘not being wanted’ thing. Nowadays one of my standard devotions I use is based on that subject. It is so important for people, especially for young people to know that they are not accidents. Today parents often think that, because they have all sorts of birth control available, the conception and birth of a child is solely their choice. I believe with all my heart that God is the One who gives that privilege to them. Yes, we know how to make a baby and yes many babies are conceived without any plans to do so. But failure on our side to be careful with this privilege God gives us does not mean a lack of planning on His side.
It is heart breaking to see young people raise their hands when asked if they ever overheard their parents speak of them as an accident. It is so ignorant of parents to speak of their children like that. Christian parents should know better than that. Read the passages at the top of this chapter again. You get it? God tells us through those words that He knows all about us before we are formed in the womb. Knitted is the word that David the author of this psalm uses. He set us aside. That means He made a plan for us!
My mother used to knit a lot. Our family had nine people and most every sweater in our house came from her knitting needles or even more fun, the knitting machine. I loved to watch her use it. I still hear the sound of the slider over the needles. It created music in my head and the sweater was growing with every move. I would help her keeping the yarn from tangling up. It is funny how things change in life. Now I cannot bring up the patience to get a knot out of an extension cord.
Knitting is something that takes a lot of planning. You have to have it all in your head or on a piece of paper and do a lot of counting otherwise it is not going to work. I think that’s why David in Psalm 139 uses the metaphor of knitting. Being a shepherd he might have been a knitter himself. He shows us that God has a plan for us. We were in His head before we came to being, yes long before that moment. I share that with young people so they may understand that their decision to come to a Mission Camp is part of God’s plan for their life. It fits also in God’s plans for the lives of the people they come to serve. And when from time to time He allows us to have a little insight in these plans, it blows our mind. That’s my God. He loves me and since he knitted me he wants me to be good. Just like the rest of the creation he made long time ago.
I have since grown up and found out that God has an awesome plan for my life. In the following chapters I will try to share with you how I, little by little, have come to understand that. I’m still learning and never know what’s next. All I know is the end of the story. I’m going to be with Him. Yeah!
Where is my courage?
Some time ago I read a very interesting story about the spread of Christianity in the world. One thing that captured my attention was the courage of countless early Christians in the face of death. Almost all of the Apostles died in a violent way. Many accounts have been noted throughout the ages of Christians refusing to denounce Jesus Christ and being tortured or killed for their beliefs. Still today there are quite a few countries with ongoing persecution of Christians. Even in Haiti there are still areas where the lives of them can be in jeopardy. Just a handful of years ago we visited in one of these "zones". Shortly before our visit, a preacher had been killed under the cover of night. It was a grim reminder of the ongoing spiritual warfare against followers of Jesus.
Reflecting on that I wondered if I would be that strong? As a little boy my fourth grade teacher had a wonderful gift of telling stories. He would read from this book about the Eighty Year war, a religious tinted war between protestant Holland and Roman Catholic Spain following the time of the Reformation. I vividly remember the stories about the people who burned at the stake or were drowned in burlap sacks, weighted with stones. They were so brave. Sometimes after school was over we protestants kids fought with the catholic kids, whose school we had to pass on the way home. Mostly it was calling names and throwing rocks. It made you feel like you came up for those martyrs. Silly stuff.
But where is my courage now. Upon waking one morning, I heard a fragment of a radio program and the one sentence that stuck with me was: "We don't need a Creator in this world".
That is often the opinion these days and hardly news but when do I object? Have the people who say these things ever experienced something that makes them doubt? In my years I have seen things that rocked my little world and that encouraged my faith immensely but I wonder if I have done enough to share that with others. Maybe I have to look at myself first before I talk about others. Some people with whom I did share my stories, smiled in apparent disbelief. Others encouraged me to write a book about it. Well, I've tried many times but have put it aside just as often. Yet, the above has emboldened me to try it once again. I am going to write about these events in my blog. Maybe, just maybe it will encourage someone else who wonders if we need a Creator.
To be continued........
Reflecting on that I wondered if I would be that strong? As a little boy my fourth grade teacher had a wonderful gift of telling stories. He would read from this book about the Eighty Year war, a religious tinted war between protestant Holland and Roman Catholic Spain following the time of the Reformation. I vividly remember the stories about the people who burned at the stake or were drowned in burlap sacks, weighted with stones. They were so brave. Sometimes after school was over we protestants kids fought with the catholic kids, whose school we had to pass on the way home. Mostly it was calling names and throwing rocks. It made you feel like you came up for those martyrs. Silly stuff.
But where is my courage now. Upon waking one morning, I heard a fragment of a radio program and the one sentence that stuck with me was: "We don't need a Creator in this world".
That is often the opinion these days and hardly news but when do I object? Have the people who say these things ever experienced something that makes them doubt? In my years I have seen things that rocked my little world and that encouraged my faith immensely but I wonder if I have done enough to share that with others. Maybe I have to look at myself first before I talk about others. Some people with whom I did share my stories, smiled in apparent disbelief. Others encouraged me to write a book about it. Well, I've tried many times but have put it aside just as often. Yet, the above has emboldened me to try it once again. I am going to write about these events in my blog. Maybe, just maybe it will encourage someone else who wonders if we need a Creator.
To be continued........
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Of An Unashamed Love
After a four month pause caused by my illness, I finally went back to Haiti last week. How exciting it was to see the orphans and all the Haitian people I love. The team I brought in this time, consisted of a family from our area in North Carolina as well as a relative of me from Holland who runs Matthew 28 over there. Jonathan Miller from Hayesville assisted us by working on our well system while his wife Kellly was teaching a class in small business development. Their two sons had a great time playing soccer and climbing trees with the orphans. Kids adjust so quickly! Jan, my relative from Holland helped out with the work and spent time finding opportunities for the Dutch supporters of Matthew 28 to help. He went back with a list of projects.
I will tell more about this trip on Facebook but there is one story that I like to share with you here in my blog.
On Thursday morning when Kelly was teaching her class to a group hungry for knowledge, one of the students, pastor Saint Lo, became ill. He walked out of the class and came to me to ask for some medication. I asked him what the problem was and he pointed to his abdomen on the right side and said that it hurt very much. Now when a Haitian tells you that you better take it serious. They are very tough people and will rarely show you the pains they suffer. I asked him to lay down and gently I checked out his abdomen. When I touched the area were, in my own experience just months ago, my appendix ruptured, he bounced of the table. He was sweating profusely and was running a fever. I knew the man had to go to the hospital. This was however easier thought than done because we had no vehicle at the time as one of our objectives for the week was to go buy a new truck. I jumped on a bike that I borrowed from one of the people in the courtyard. Soon I found out that it had no brakes when I tried to slow down for the entrance gate of the neighbors. The gate post was hard. Trying again, this time aware of the brakes, I made it to the house of Greg Van Shoyck who turned out to be willing to bring us to the hospital. Shortly thereafter pastor Saint Lo was on his way to hopefully receive treatment for his pain. On the way we were sitting in the cab of the truck where Saint Lo moaned and groaned as we hit one pothole after another. I tried to hold on to his shaking body as much as I could. When arriving in the city of Pignon where the hospital is located, we had to stop along the road to ask a family member of the pastor to come with us to the hospital. In Haiti it is a must to have someone with you in the hospital to take care of you. We stopped in front of the house that he pointed out and a lady came out to talk with us. She agreed that she would come right away to meet us at the hospital. Another lady came, I thought from the same house, carrying half an avocado in her hand and asked the pastor for money to buy bread. Saint Lo stretched himself trembling with pain to reach in the pocket of his pants. He pulled out all he had, two coins worth about a quarter, and gave them to the lady. He indicated he was done and we rode on to the hospital. While trying to hold on to him to ease the pain I asked him if that was his daughter. With a face showing surprise and the pain he endured he looked at me and said: No, I have never seen her before but they are all God's children and need to eat. Greg and I were stunned after watching this display of love. Of an unashamed love! We dropped off one of God's warriors at the hospital, one who tries to be like Jesus! May he be healed completely.
I will tell more about this trip on Facebook but there is one story that I like to share with you here in my blog.
On Thursday morning when Kelly was teaching her class to a group hungry for knowledge, one of the students, pastor Saint Lo, became ill. He walked out of the class and came to me to ask for some medication. I asked him what the problem was and he pointed to his abdomen on the right side and said that it hurt very much. Now when a Haitian tells you that you better take it serious. They are very tough people and will rarely show you the pains they suffer. I asked him to lay down and gently I checked out his abdomen. When I touched the area were, in my own experience just months ago, my appendix ruptured, he bounced of the table. He was sweating profusely and was running a fever. I knew the man had to go to the hospital. This was however easier thought than done because we had no vehicle at the time as one of our objectives for the week was to go buy a new truck. I jumped on a bike that I borrowed from one of the people in the courtyard. Soon I found out that it had no brakes when I tried to slow down for the entrance gate of the neighbors. The gate post was hard. Trying again, this time aware of the brakes, I made it to the house of Greg Van Shoyck who turned out to be willing to bring us to the hospital. Shortly thereafter pastor Saint Lo was on his way to hopefully receive treatment for his pain. On the way we were sitting in the cab of the truck where Saint Lo moaned and groaned as we hit one pothole after another. I tried to hold on to his shaking body as much as I could. When arriving in the city of Pignon where the hospital is located, we had to stop along the road to ask a family member of the pastor to come with us to the hospital. In Haiti it is a must to have someone with you in the hospital to take care of you. We stopped in front of the house that he pointed out and a lady came out to talk with us. She agreed that she would come right away to meet us at the hospital. Another lady came, I thought from the same house, carrying half an avocado in her hand and asked the pastor for money to buy bread. Saint Lo stretched himself trembling with pain to reach in the pocket of his pants. He pulled out all he had, two coins worth about a quarter, and gave them to the lady. He indicated he was done and we rode on to the hospital. While trying to hold on to him to ease the pain I asked him if that was his daughter. With a face showing surprise and the pain he endured he looked at me and said: No, I have never seen her before but they are all God's children and need to eat. Greg and I were stunned after watching this display of love. Of an unashamed love! We dropped off one of God's warriors at the hospital, one who tries to be like Jesus! May he be healed completely.
Monday, August 8, 2011
Giving it back
Worrying comes easy to me. I know I shouldn’t but I do it never the less. This time of the year is always difficult for me. The summer is in full swing, people are away on vacation and the pressures of responsibility for what happens in Haiti creep up on me. Tropical storm Emily, it went away but in my mind I saw the little houses around the feeding centers lose their roofs made of banana leafs. That happens every time I hear of a tropical storm. I want to do something but have no means.
The list of needs for the education of the orphans will come in and it always happens when we are real low on money. I get upset about the cost of shoes and uniforms and dream up better and cheaper ways to do it but it always takes second place behind keeping them alive. All these precious children in the orphanage and the feeding centers, who for every bite of food depend on what is given to Matthew 28. Staring faces patiently waiting for someone to fill their empty plate. Twenty little legs, bruised, scarred and infected, squeezed together on each side of the tables, resting from the long walk to the feeding center. Little lives God has entrusted to us.
A farmer friend and I were passing by a cornfield today in the car. He mentioned how much corn was selling for. All because of ethanol. Just in one year up 90 percent. The children don’t know what ethanol is. But they do understand what it means if a feeding center is closed. They know what hunger is.
Last time in May on our way to the orphanage we passed a house outside Hinche. Pauluis stopped and asked Dr. Doug and me to come with him. We walked up a dangerous set of stairs. In the half dark we found a little boy sitting in a plastic stroller. His name was Jonathan. He had cerebral palsy. The mother did not understand what was wrong with him. Nobody ever told her. She let me pick him up and I laid him on a bed in a back room. He felt like a little tree with fragile branches. Doug checked him out and tried to give instructions on how to keep him more mobile. So little you can do…
If I could not give it back to God, I think I would go crazy. But Jesus said: “You give them something to eat” .Then, when we realize we cannot do it ourselves with what little we have, we may give it back to Him. He will do miracles with whatever we put in His hands. We may put Jonathan in His hands too.
So I am asking you to help put things in His hands. If you can come to Haiti with me. do it! Let’s talk about what you could do there. Let God do miracles with your gifts.
Friday, June 24, 2011
Being in His Hands
I had almost forgotten. I am just as much in His hands as the children of Haiti. Without Him I would not be around anymore. Scary and comforting thought at the same time.You also were His hands this time. All of you who have prayed for me and Els. All of you who showed your love and sent comforting messages during these trying days and weeks. All of you who came to visit me. Almost every day I had moments when I thought your outpouring of love was going to burst my heart but then there was so much love that the energy lifted me high. Your faithfulness has been overwhelming. It is the same faithfulness that has supported me all those years with the mission work but it was so different now because you did it for me. Wow! To hear that so many people were praying for me was more humbling than I can express. Oh, the beauty of Love we will never be able to fathom. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
I still have a way to go and difficult times are still ahead but I know that I am in His hands. Always was!
Hein
I still have a way to go and difficult times are still ahead but I know that I am in His hands. Always was!
Hein
Friday, May 27, 2011
Being His Hands
The baby looked with her tear filled eyes into mine and became quiet. Not a sound came over her lips anymore while I applied the patch, still as careful as I could but knowing now that some Higher Peace was at work here.
Being His Hands and caring for His little children. We must never forget why we are here.
Monday, April 25, 2011
Still dependent
Lately we have been very busy with planning and planting rice. Our desire for many years has been to grow our own crops and then feed our orphans and the hungry children in the feeding centers. It is no secret that Haiti still is and probably will be a place of shaky politics for a long time. So for years Mark and I have been thinking to make Matthew 28 in Haiti less dependent on foreign money. Now part of that maybe a pipe dream and I am fully aware of that. Working on more independence is however not a bad thing and so we plan and plot for it. You might have read some about our project in Saint-Raphael where we leased land, intending to buy it in two years, provided that the plan works. We looked at all angles, we thought, and planned and planted our first rice crop. Just a few weeks ago we went to see the progress and bright green rice plants were almost burning our eyes out. Have you ever seen rice grow? It is beautiful.
During the last two weeks the seedlings were planted out on the big field. The night before we went to check on the crop we had a big rain at the orphanage. Wonderful! But come to think of it when we drove to the fields, about an hour or so away, the muddy roads got drier and drier. Saint Raphael did not share in the rains nor has there been any since. This is the rainy season. Today I talked to Pauluis who brought the bad news that our first planting is doomed to fail. All the farmers around us, and there are many, have the same problems. Does it ever end? Now what Lord?
We can plan all we want but we still depend on God's blessings and rain is sure one of them. Please pray with me for rain, Haiti needs it so badly!
During the last two weeks the seedlings were planted out on the big field. The night before we went to check on the crop we had a big rain at the orphanage. Wonderful! But come to think of it when we drove to the fields, about an hour or so away, the muddy roads got drier and drier. Saint Raphael did not share in the rains nor has there been any since. This is the rainy season. Today I talked to Pauluis who brought the bad news that our first planting is doomed to fail. All the farmers around us, and there are many, have the same problems. Does it ever end? Now what Lord?
We can plan all we want but we still depend on God's blessings and rain is sure one of them. Please pray with me for rain, Haiti needs it so badly!
For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him.
Pauluis, the Haitian Director of Matthew 28 and I recently made a tour to visit as many supporters as we could reach in less than two weeks. We had a great time talking and eating with all the folks who opened their hearts and their homes to us. Like always people were eager to hear about Haiti first hand and I wish there was time enough in my life to visit with everyone. There just isn't and I know you will understand. Something happened though that is worth sharing with all of you.
One night we were talking with some friends about the urgent need for a new vehicle in Haiti. The old truck we have is a complete nightmare and a bottomless money pit and I commented that there are people in this world who could write us a $30,000 check while not noticing it in their check book. Just one problem I did not know anyone like that. We laughed it off.
The next morning at breakfast I was the first one to come down and our host had all the food ready. We talked for a while about the recent loss of her father and how much he had admired her personal drive for mission work. Her father had not left a great deal of money but one of the things he did was to set aside some funds intended for mission work. I did not see it coming, but her next words made me break out in tears. She and her husband had decided the night before, to give Matthew 28 a matching grant of $30,000 to buy a new truck. Wow, how great to have friends who share your dreams.
God is good y'all, He sure is!
Please help us to raise money for the new truck, it will be matched dollar for dollar. I am hoping for special gifts because we need to keep funding the food for our orphans above all. Maybe you have been blessed with an unexpected tax refund, who knows. God plans ahead.
I've got the first $500 check laying in front of me, so that one is good for a thousand. Yeah!!
One night we were talking with some friends about the urgent need for a new vehicle in Haiti. The old truck we have is a complete nightmare and a bottomless money pit and I commented that there are people in this world who could write us a $30,000 check while not noticing it in their check book. Just one problem I did not know anyone like that. We laughed it off.
The next morning at breakfast I was the first one to come down and our host had all the food ready. We talked for a while about the recent loss of her father and how much he had admired her personal drive for mission work. Her father had not left a great deal of money but one of the things he did was to set aside some funds intended for mission work. I did not see it coming, but her next words made me break out in tears. She and her husband had decided the night before, to give Matthew 28 a matching grant of $30,000 to buy a new truck. Wow, how great to have friends who share your dreams.
God is good y'all, He sure is!
Please help us to raise money for the new truck, it will be matched dollar for dollar. I am hoping for special gifts because we need to keep funding the food for our orphans above all. Maybe you have been blessed with an unexpected tax refund, who knows. God plans ahead.
I've got the first $500 check laying in front of me, so that one is good for a thousand. Yeah!!
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Do you have that too? You listen to words you have heard many times before but all of a sudden they seem to have a new, very profound meaning. Last Sunday morning that happened when I was listening during a prayer in the humble, little church of Matthew 28 in Haiti. The worship leader was praying about that time to come, when they, the church members, would no longer be hungry. In our church we pray for hungry people, but all of a sudden it hit me that here we were praying among the hungry people.
Isn't that what Jesus said: the poor will always be among, or with you. So we should always be among them, right.!
Are we? I know I am not.
Plenty of things happened again that are still stirring up my mind. Good things, such as the agriculture project we started this week. Our first rice harvest is expected in 4 months! Jimmy Eldridge frolicking in the field catching bugs in his net, in order to see if they were the good or the bad kind. Bringing "Proclaimers", solar powered MP3 players with the New Testament on it, to feeding centers and orphans. This in an effort to spread the Gospel to those who can barely or not at all read and that's just about everyone in Haiti. Helping the sick in the mobile clinic and praying with them. Working on improving the fish farm. Hanging out with the orphans and teaching them English at night, I am an hilarious teacher they say. And then, we are feeding lots of children again, thirteen centers, times fifty kids, four times per week. Oh, it was so beautiful to see them sit a the new tables filling their tummies. Thank you Lord.
But then bad things too. Very disturbing, one night we get a grandpa in the court yard. He is in a panic because his grand child has been in the clinic with cholera since 4 days. They gave the child nine IVs, the medication did not work and now they told him they were out of options. He wanted to take the child to the big hospital and he had no way to do it. Our truck was out on an errand and not going to be back for a few more hours. So I tried to get something else going. As a new grandpa I felt what he was going through. Something had to happen. So I asked to call our truck back, but it had broken down with a flat and the spare was flat too. Than we called around to find the phone number of the local UN battalion. We finally got it but they said they had no vehicles available for that purpose. The clinic was not going to use it's vehicle for it and that was it. Frustrating. Our truck came back a few hours later and we unloaded the wood it was carrying in a rush and sent it off to move the child to the hospital. A while later the driver came back with the news that someone else had brought the child to the hospital. What a relief. I hope the child will live. It is just not good for your nerves.
Good things again. We met with Laura Lynn and Emory her boss, in Gonaives. By the way she helped out with the clinic we did this week. It was nice to work together again. Their mission started working on home construction and has just begun with building houses made with poured concrete. Seeing their design brought some new ideas to my mind and we might start soon with poured houses ourselves. They can be build much quicker and are likely even stronger than the ones we were going to build. Our first foundation should go up by the end of March. Right now we are working on building the access road. Remember "What about Bob"? Baby steps, baby steps.
The water tower should go up as planned. The design is almost ready and a team from Detroit is warming up to come in May. The March trip should take care of some of the preparations for that project like pouring a foundation.We still have open spaces on that trip.
Oh there is so much to do and we need so much more support to accomplish it, but in all honesty the things that have been done during the last year are enormous. People from all over the world are now thinking with the Haitians about solutions. Just got the coolest brochure from Jimmy about concrete mixers. If you are interested, check it out. It explains in a way why the damage in Haiti was so extensive. I will put the link at the end of my story.
Now listen to this: We are going to have electricity in Bohoc. Can you believe it! It should be available around May. For a mere $6,000 we can get our own concrete power pole with a transformer. Of course we should not dream too hard because in countries like Haiti there is usually power for only a couple hours per day but it's a start. Now we can wire the entire orphanage with lights and think even about maybe a freezer to keep food from spoiling or keep serum from going bad. The options are endless and it means there will be opportunities for people to improve their lives. Just think about it: what would change in your life if there was no power. Now reverse that. Wow!
Enough for today it's time for you to read it. Please pray for our work and for the children of Haiti. If by any chance you feel moved to help us, give me a call or an email: hein@matthew28.org
Blessings and thanks for staying with my blog.
Hein
The link for the mixer story http://www.theconcretemd
Isn't that what Jesus said: the poor will always be among, or with you. So we should always be among them, right.!
Are we? I know I am not.
Plenty of things happened again that are still stirring up my mind. Good things, such as the agriculture project we started this week. Our first rice harvest is expected in 4 months! Jimmy Eldridge frolicking in the field catching bugs in his net, in order to see if they were the good or the bad kind. Bringing "Proclaimers", solar powered MP3 players with the New Testament on it, to feeding centers and orphans. This in an effort to spread the Gospel to those who can barely or not at all read and that's just about everyone in Haiti. Helping the sick in the mobile clinic and praying with them. Working on improving the fish farm. Hanging out with the orphans and teaching them English at night, I am an hilarious teacher they say. And then, we are feeding lots of children again, thirteen centers, times fifty kids, four times per week. Oh, it was so beautiful to see them sit a the new tables filling their tummies. Thank you Lord.
But then bad things too. Very disturbing, one night we get a grandpa in the court yard. He is in a panic because his grand child has been in the clinic with cholera since 4 days. They gave the child nine IVs, the medication did not work and now they told him they were out of options. He wanted to take the child to the big hospital and he had no way to do it. Our truck was out on an errand and not going to be back for a few more hours. So I tried to get something else going. As a new grandpa I felt what he was going through. Something had to happen. So I asked to call our truck back, but it had broken down with a flat and the spare was flat too. Than we called around to find the phone number of the local UN battalion. We finally got it but they said they had no vehicles available for that purpose. The clinic was not going to use it's vehicle for it and that was it. Frustrating. Our truck came back a few hours later and we unloaded the wood it was carrying in a rush and sent it off to move the child to the hospital. A while later the driver came back with the news that someone else had brought the child to the hospital. What a relief. I hope the child will live. It is just not good for your nerves.
Good things again. We met with Laura Lynn and Emory her boss, in Gonaives. By the way she helped out with the clinic we did this week. It was nice to work together again. Their mission started working on home construction and has just begun with building houses made with poured concrete. Seeing their design brought some new ideas to my mind and we might start soon with poured houses ourselves. They can be build much quicker and are likely even stronger than the ones we were going to build. Our first foundation should go up by the end of March. Right now we are working on building the access road. Remember "What about Bob"? Baby steps, baby steps.
The water tower should go up as planned. The design is almost ready and a team from Detroit is warming up to come in May. The March trip should take care of some of the preparations for that project like pouring a foundation.We still have open spaces on that trip.
Oh there is so much to do and we need so much more support to accomplish it, but in all honesty the things that have been done during the last year are enormous. People from all over the world are now thinking with the Haitians about solutions. Just got the coolest brochure from Jimmy about concrete mixers. If you are interested, check it out. It explains in a way why the damage in Haiti was so extensive. I will put the link at the end of my story.
Now listen to this: We are going to have electricity in Bohoc. Can you believe it! It should be available around May. For a mere $6,000 we can get our own concrete power pole with a transformer. Of course we should not dream too hard because in countries like Haiti there is usually power for only a couple hours per day but it's a start. Now we can wire the entire orphanage with lights and think even about maybe a freezer to keep food from spoiling or keep serum from going bad. The options are endless and it means there will be opportunities for people to improve their lives. Just think about it: what would change in your life if there was no power. Now reverse that. Wow!
Enough for today it's time for you to read it. Please pray for our work and for the children of Haiti. If by any chance you feel moved to help us, give me a call or an email: hein@matthew28.org
Blessings and thanks for staying with my blog.
Hein
The link for the mixer story http://www.theconcretemd
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