Haiti Happenings

Haiti Happenings

Sunday, July 15, 2012

Land of Never Ending Adventure

Greetings to all from the land of never ending adventure.
Being a missionary in Haiti is such FUN.  We never lack for exciting things to do.
The past 10 days have gone something like this:

Rachel arrived for a 3 week visit! Yeah!

JP Kim arrived from Maryland to help distribute some goats.
We drove south and into the mountains for 3 hours, parked, hiked straight up for 30 min at 1PM in the hot sun. 
I got dizzy and we stopped several times, but I made it to the church!
Held a service that evening and Roger preached.
Hiked down in the early morning coolness (much easier)...with 55 goats!
Loaded the 55 goats into the big red truck and drove 3 more hours over bad mountain roads and through a river to another church.
Pastor Carrenan gave a teaching on goats and then we distributed the goats to folks from 5 different churches in that area.
Was great to see everyone excited to start raising goats.
Held a service that evening and again on Sunday AM. Roger preached at both.
Slept on a blanket on a hard cement floor and the night club next door played LOUD music until 4 AM.
Didn't really sleep too well!
Then drove 4 hours home.

Was great to be in my own bed again!  But for only 2 nights.




Then we were off again.  This time to the beach near Jacmel.
Arrived about 10AM and began setting up a large tent.  It's about 14 ft square.
Worked all day in the hot sun and we all got a bit sunburned.
But we had a lovely place to sleep that night...with the sound of the waves and the gently ocean breeze.
We all slept well, even though we were on mats on the ground in a tent.
Spent the next day relaxing in the shade.
The third day at the beach we spent putting up tent number 2.
Started early and then relaxed.
These tents will be used for our pastors retreat in August.  We will have 14 pastors there for 3 days of teaching and relaxing.
Traveled home yesterday and had a good nights rest in our own beds again.
Yes, we're tired, but we had great FUN! 



Blessings to all,
Roger, Margaret & Rachel Clark
PS - Rejoice with us...today is our wedding anniversary...24 years of fun and adventure! Can't wait to see what the next 24 will bring!

Monday, June 11, 2012

Trip & Graduation

It has been a while since I have posted an update. Much has passed. We have had several groups come and go. We have built 3 of our 12 steel trusses for our Croix de Mission church in Haiti which is pastored by Jeanty Osnac. We still need funding for the last 6 trusses at $1,200 a truss.

Last week we came back from 5 weeks of visiting friends and churches on the West Coast. We were in California and Oregon. It was a blessing to see old friends and speak in several churches. People were very good to us.

Saturday June 9th we had our 23rd graduation class from New Life Bible School. Seven graduated with a diploma in theology and nine with a bachelor degree in  theology. A total of 16 men and women equipped for effective service in Christ. We thank God for over 350 alumni who are serving in various areas of ministries, lay leaders, evangelists, pastors, teachers and as apostles. Our alumni our ministering to thousands of people on a weekly basis all over the country of Haiti and in other lands.

We are looking forward to the coming of Hope Chapel from Eugene, Oregon led by pastor Kent Brown. They will be distributing goats to needy families as a source of food and income. Also, they will build 40 benches for our churches that lack seating for their members. How would you like to go to church and not find a place to sit or have to bring your own chair. This is a common occurrence any many Haitian churches. Oh yes! No comfy pews or cushioned chairs.

Monday, April 30, 2012

April 30th Update

Greeting in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ!

The past three weeks has been very busy for us. Three weeks ago we had John Wicks, our engineer, in to do welding on the trusses and get set-up for a group of 22 people. Beside this, he installed the counter tops and installed a sink for the new kitchen we put in this year for our guest house.

For the last 10 days we had a group of 22 with us. They worked very hard despite the high humidity and rain we had. There were welders, carpenters, masons and other skilled people in the group. In 10 days they finished laying all the blocks that needed to be laid in the church. Praise the Lord, no more block work! They also cut all the steel needed for 5 trusses, and welded three trusses. Also, they made great headway on two other trusses.

This was a great feat since they had to cut several of their days short due to rain. The traffic was horrendous because of the mud, rocks and water in the streets due to all the rain which resulted in trips across town from 1 hour to 2 hours one way; rather than 45 minutes. Also, one day they had a city wide strike that blocked the only road we could go on with Mack trucks and burning tires at different intersections. This caused the group to lose 3 hours of work as we waited for the government to get things under control. Oh yes, one day we had to take them to a friends guest house to take baths because we ran out of water at our house. These are some of the challenges one can face on a mission trip. Yet, they all thanked God for the good food that Margaret prepared for them everyday.

What is our next step in the re-construction of New Life Church of Croix des Mission? The next steps is to finish the 9 remaining steel trusses. We have enough money to fabricate 2 more trusses; therefore, we need money for 7 more trusses. Each truss costs us $1,200 in material. Also, we will need money for purlins and tin. 

We are praying that God provides this need so that the people in this church don't have to continue to suffer under the sun and in the rain. Also, we need certified welders to come down and weld these trusses for us. Maybe you know of one and you would be willing to help him get down here.

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Group of 23 people

I know it has been a long time since I have had an update. We are now in the midst of 10 day team working with us. They left early this morning to the work site. We had to squeeze them in like Saradines in our long-bed flat truck. Besides the 23 people in the truck, they had all their tools with them which took up the whole middle between the two benches. We are looking forward to a great week with them.

They will be working on our mother church in Croix des Mission, Port-au-Prince, which is pastored by Jeanty Osnac. It is a church of some 800 people. They are working at putting on the roof this week. They will not get it done, but will finish up some walls and begin to put up the trusses.

We thank God and those who give to our ministry and work alongside of us. God bless each and everyone of them.

Thursday, January 12, 2012

The New Year

We are now into 2012. We thank the Lord for bringing us through another year. We have been truly blessed in many ways this past year. We had some good family time as my daughter spent Christmas and the New Year with us.

I am writing this on the second anniversary of the Haiti earthquake that killed so many people and brought such destruction. The government has planned special events all week. Yet, what is most encouraging is the special services that are taking place through out Haiti today. The church is testifying of God's grace and spending much time in prayer for the country of Haiti. The earthquake brought many to Christ and rejuvenated the faith of many. I pray that this be the year when God pours out His Spirit in a mighty way in Haiti.

There is much hope in Haiti today. Most people are pleased with the new government that was elected this year. They seem to be moving Haiti in the right direction. More than 50% of the rubble has been removed, over 100,000 people are back in homes, and 6 tent cities and there people have been relocated. This month they are to begin re-locating those in the biggest tent city which is located in the middle of the city next to the presidential palace. There are over 900,000 children going to school for free in the country through the education program of the government. Yet, there is still so  much more that needs to be done because the needs are so many and so great.

We as New Life Mission of Haiti have our challenges ahead of this year. Our biggest challenge is completing the re-building of our mother church. Another challenge is that we are in a legal battle over one of our church properties. Then there is the daily demands of our neighbors, churches, schools, feeding program, and co-workers in Christ.

We thank God for all those who support us through their prayers and gifts of love.