It is great to back home in Haiti after our visit to the states. Yet, Haiti is a land of many challenges. The first day after getting back, we had to clean the house from top to bottom. There was a layer of dust over everything about an inch thick. The house was locked and not in use for two months, but no glass in the windows. We live in a house open to the elements. Yes, there is no air conditioning.
We came back to find mice living in our photocopier in the Bible school, which as you can imagine, is not a good scenario. Then soon after we found a rat in a cupboard on our porch. Then the following week, we found a rat in our guest house. When I chased it with a stick and cornered him on the back porch, he leaped off the porch, only to land on his feet two floors down in the yard and run away.
We have been gearing up for the school year. I have been preaching in Haitian churches, and publicizing the Bible School since being back in hopes of a good group of first year students. Margaret has been overseeing a three day seminar for our elementary school teachers.
Yesterday, I was talking to the pastor of New Life Church of Demier and asking him how construction of the church and school are coming. We had left a Haitian team to work on it while we were gone. If you remember, this is the church that takes two hours by car and a three hour walk to arrive there from where we live. He gave a good report on the progress being made. We have erected two school buildings, in the process of building a bathroom, and half way done with re-building the church which will also be used for two classes during the week.
Yet, with progress, there is always challenges. The challenge we are facing now is that because of the large tin roofs the water is washing away the land around the school. You must understand that the church and school are on the very top of a mountain. To combat this problem, there are two things we can and must do: first build a water tank to collect the water off the roofs, but it will not be able to hold all the water; second, build a graded retaining wall to stop the erosion. Of course this all requires money which we don't have at this time.
Be in prayer for the Bible school, our elementary school, and the on going construction of the Demier church location.
We thank all those who remember us in prayer and give towards the work here.
Haiti Happenings
Thursday, August 25, 2011
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
State Side
We wanted to update you in what were are doing. We are presently in the states visiting family, friends and churches. We are outside of Rochester, New York. Western New York is sure beautiful. We are keeping our supporters abreast of what we are doing and getting some needed rest. We will be returning to Haiti on August 2nd. Pray for our health as we are dealing with several health issues. We thank all those who pray for us and financially support us.
Saturday, June 4, 2011
Up-date June 1st
This past month has been very busy.
I went out to one of our country churches,pastored by Ylophane Dieuseul, in a mountain area called, L'azile. God is doing a great work out there. The congregation has grown and we have built a new school building where over 250 children attend and get a free hot lunch everyday.
We had a two fold mission as I went to visit this church. The first was to take 11 goats up in the back of our double cab pick-up truck over rough roads. It's a three hour trip. We did this to begin a goat project for the church and community. These are a special kind of goat that is relatively new to Haiti and much larger than the native goats. We gave ten families, one female goat each and the church keeps the other goat which is a male for breading with the females. The person who receives a goat does not pay for it but is required to give two kids (baby goats) back to the program. One will be given to another family and the other goes to the church to help it financially. The second reason for going was to hold a leadership seminar which went very well.
The other thing we did this month was coordinating and getting all the material into our Demier church for two classrooms and the church we are rebuilding in that area. This is no small feat when you consider hauling in everything you need on your head and by mule over mountains and through rivers for 3 hours. We have already carried in 100 sack of cement, 90 - 2x4's, 1,400 concrete blocks, 3 truck load of sand, 40 sheets of corrugated tin roofing, 40 bars of steel, food for two weeks to feed 15 people, and many other misc. items. These figures do not include all the material we hauled in for the first two classrooms we have already built for the school.
Last but not least, we had our Bible school graduation where 20 men and women graduated. They completed their three year Biblical and Theological study. It is always a joy to send equipped and trained laborers into the harvest field. We now have graduated over 370 students. This was our 21st graduating class, to God be the glory!
We want to thank you all for your prayers and financial support of God's work in Haiti. We could not do this without you and God's gracious favor.
I went out to one of our country churches,pastored by Ylophane Dieuseul, in a mountain area called, L'azile. God is doing a great work out there. The congregation has grown and we have built a new school building where over 250 children attend and get a free hot lunch everyday.
We had a two fold mission as I went to visit this church. The first was to take 11 goats up in the back of our double cab pick-up truck over rough roads. It's a three hour trip. We did this to begin a goat project for the church and community. These are a special kind of goat that is relatively new to Haiti and much larger than the native goats. We gave ten families, one female goat each and the church keeps the other goat which is a male for breading with the females. The person who receives a goat does not pay for it but is required to give two kids (baby goats) back to the program. One will be given to another family and the other goes to the church to help it financially. The second reason for going was to hold a leadership seminar which went very well.
The other thing we did this month was coordinating and getting all the material into our Demier church for two classrooms and the church we are rebuilding in that area. This is no small feat when you consider hauling in everything you need on your head and by mule over mountains and through rivers for 3 hours. We have already carried in 100 sack of cement, 90 - 2x4's, 1,400 concrete blocks, 3 truck load of sand, 40 sheets of corrugated tin roofing, 40 bars of steel, food for two weeks to feed 15 people, and many other misc. items. These figures do not include all the material we hauled in for the first two classrooms we have already built for the school.
Last but not least, we had our Bible school graduation where 20 men and women graduated. They completed their three year Biblical and Theological study. It is always a joy to send equipped and trained laborers into the harvest field. We now have graduated over 370 students. This was our 21st graduating class, to God be the glory!
We want to thank you all for your prayers and financial support of God's work in Haiti. We could not do this without you and God's gracious favor.
Friday, April 1, 2011
Pastor Homes
Another group has come and gone. This time it was a joint group from Corner Stone Christian Fellowship and Zion Fellowship. There main focus was finishing a pastors house that Zion Fellowship financed. They were a great group and a real blessing. We thank God for the ladies on the group. They reupholstered all our furniture which was a big task to tackle in a short amount of time. It looks like a new place around here.
We are still working on our mother church at Croix des Mission. The next group will put a bond beam on all the walls. The following team will put the roof on which will be very exciting. Also, we are digging in for the long haul at our church in Demier which will involve re-building the church parsonage, church building, and school. Pray that God supplies for all these buildings. We know that he will.
God bless all who pray and give to our ministry.
We are still working on our mother church at Croix des Mission. The next group will put a bond beam on all the walls. The following team will put the roof on which will be very exciting. Also, we are digging in for the long haul at our church in Demier which will involve re-building the church parsonage, church building, and school. Pray that God supplies for all these buildings. We know that he will.
God bless all who pray and give to our ministry.
Saturday, January 1, 2011
Reflections
Dear Family in the Lord!
As I reflect on this past year, it has been a year of surprises, challenges, and blessings.
This year we have seen a devestating earthquake that took the lives of over 200,000 people and the homes of millions. We have seen a hurricane that devestated the crops of many farmers. We have seen a Cholera epidemic which is still upon us that has infected over 150,000 people and taken the lives of 3,000 people. We have seen politcal upheaval that brought riots and destruction of property.
This year has been a challenge for us and the Haitian people. Once again we have seen the resiliance of this people in the midst of great suffering. Suffering that few of us have ever experienced. It has been a challenge for us because we have had to add to our ministry responsabilities the task of meeting the physical needs of the Haitian people. Yet, the greatest burden we bear is to continually look upon the plight of the Haiti. Our hearts do weep for Haiti.
This year we have distributed water, tarps, tents, food, clothing, hygiene kits, and water filtration systems. We have re-built 5 homes, and are in the process of re-building two churches and one school. Among these things we have managed to operate our Bible school, oversee our churches, teach on the radio, do Bible seminars, host 20 teams, and keep up with a mirad of correspondence and bookkeeping.
This year Margaret's mother died which was a great loss to us all. Yet, we will always remember the bright example of this faithful, fearless, and loving servant of the Lord who touched the lives of every person she met. Now she is enjoying the fruits of her labor as she basks in God's presence.
Amongst all this suffering God has richly blessed us. He has kept us healthy and safe. He has supplied our every need abundantly. He provided for Rachel's colllege, the on going needs of the mission, a 14 foot truck, and a double cab pick-up truck. Yet, the greatest blessing of all is that he spared our home and Bible school building from being destroyed. We thank God daily for this as we look around and see thousands of people under tarps, in tents and the 10 ft. by 10 ft. temporary wooden structures they call home.
Also, we can not forget another great blessing this year. It is you, our supporters, who have diligently prayed for us and given generously to us and the needs of the Haitian people. We could not have made it through this year without you and definately not without the Lord.
Be blessed in 2011.
Roger & Margaret Clark
As I reflect on this past year, it has been a year of surprises, challenges, and blessings.
This year we have seen a devestating earthquake that took the lives of over 200,000 people and the homes of millions. We have seen a hurricane that devestated the crops of many farmers. We have seen a Cholera epidemic which is still upon us that has infected over 150,000 people and taken the lives of 3,000 people. We have seen politcal upheaval that brought riots and destruction of property.
This year has been a challenge for us and the Haitian people. Once again we have seen the resiliance of this people in the midst of great suffering. Suffering that few of us have ever experienced. It has been a challenge for us because we have had to add to our ministry responsabilities the task of meeting the physical needs of the Haitian people. Yet, the greatest burden we bear is to continually look upon the plight of the Haiti. Our hearts do weep for Haiti.
This year we have distributed water, tarps, tents, food, clothing, hygiene kits, and water filtration systems. We have re-built 5 homes, and are in the process of re-building two churches and one school. Among these things we have managed to operate our Bible school, oversee our churches, teach on the radio, do Bible seminars, host 20 teams, and keep up with a mirad of correspondence and bookkeeping.
This year Margaret's mother died which was a great loss to us all. Yet, we will always remember the bright example of this faithful, fearless, and loving servant of the Lord who touched the lives of every person she met. Now she is enjoying the fruits of her labor as she basks in God's presence.
Amongst all this suffering God has richly blessed us. He has kept us healthy and safe. He has supplied our every need abundantly. He provided for Rachel's colllege, the on going needs of the mission, a 14 foot truck, and a double cab pick-up truck. Yet, the greatest blessing of all is that he spared our home and Bible school building from being destroyed. We thank God daily for this as we look around and see thousands of people under tarps, in tents and the 10 ft. by 10 ft. temporary wooden structures they call home.
Also, we can not forget another great blessing this year. It is you, our supporters, who have diligently prayed for us and given generously to us and the needs of the Haitian people. We could not have made it through this year without you and definately not without the Lord.
Be blessed in 2011.
Roger & Margaret Clark
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