October ministry update

I (Rebecca) have to honestly admit that this is excerpted from an email to our DEAR prayer partners at Faith Bible Church in Citrus Heights, CA. They keep me on my toes and are so gracious in coming alongside us during these extremely busy times!

• I just completed my most grueling school term yet in this nurse midwife program. Praise though for good grades!

• I also just flew to CA and am going to start a short term contract at the new Sutter Women & Children's hospital, for one last skills refresher. It is also my last term of book studies before starting my clinicals.

• Pray for Ted & Syndie in Haiti as I'm away...and for us all in missing each other terribly!

• Pray for our oldest, Tania, as she is due to deliver her first baby  in the next few weeks. That I will get down there in time to help with the delivery and just for a safe, beautiful, sacred start to their new life as a family.

• Pray for my three big kids here who are all trying to figure out next steps as they work and pursue more education. We need to move them to new housing while I am here as well. So pray for grace & strength!

• Continue in fervent prayer with us over the life and adoption of the 6yo little boy in Syndie's old orphanage, Kervensley. We have been trying to get help from social services in gaining custody and his removal. His relatives were trying very hard to remove him and place him with us, but the orphanage director refused to release him. (this is illegal) Social services agreed to help them, but then the director came into town & they all disappeared and cut off communication. We suspect they were either paid off or threatened by her. IN the meantime, his MD says that his bloodwork shows continual deterioration, which means they are not following his treatment plan. This is by far the very HEAVIEST thing on our hearts and we have to lay it at the Lord's feet each day!

• The coming year is a daunting one...between ministry, work, school, parenting kids in multiple countries and all of the complexities that come along with that. Pray for wisdom, guidance, peace and joy in the midst of the stress and chaos. 

• Pray over the many life changing programs that Ted is helping oversee with Operation Blessing. Just when we feel progress is being made, we see huge disparities arise that humble us, sometimes discourage us, and keep us pressing onward. Just today they saved the life a pregnant mom & her baby in one of the outlying villages. She had extremely high blood pressure, a breech pregnancy, and some sort of cyst or abscess - they were able to stabilize her, transport her to a hospital and provide her care. The woman didn't have the prenatal care needed to identify these issues early or seek care now, bc she didn't have funds for either transportation OR a hospital stay. (probably no more than $200, but completely unreachable for her family) She and the baby likely would have died without this help. It is the Lord's work for sure - as He always seems to bring these type of situations to light just in time to prevent tragedy. 

• Guidance for a new OB program that will train Haitian mechanics and provide GOOD, affordable auto repair for local missionaries throughout the country. God has been throwing open doors and developing this MUCH needed resource quite quickly.

• Praise - our adoption process is finally in full swing & we have been told that it may go quicker than expected due to our residency in Haiti allowing for a different process. PRAY that Kervensley will be included!!

Thank you all for allowing us to pour open our hearts and receive the blessing of your prayers and partnership!

July Ministry update

A very quick list of the highlights:

 PRAISE

- Rebecca completed another term well in her midwifery program. Only two more to go until clinicals.

- We finally found the person who has the right to remove Kervensley from the orphanage!

- SO thankful for Emma's help this summer, would not be nearly as successful with school/work without it!!

- Tania is having a healthy pregnancy and is expecting a baby girl in October, our first grandaughter.

 PRAYER

- A restful & rejuvenating holiday weekend.

- Solutions on dealing with HEAT while studying - for Rebecca - as she starts her next & most important term next week through the very hottest time of the year here. (no a/c @ home)

- For Kervensly to be OUT of the orphanage ASAP and able to be included in our adoptioon paperwork which will be submitted in the next few weeks. For the doors to OPEN WIDE for him at last!!!

- Continued guidance & human resources for starting the midwifery school and the computer programming training center.

- For the THOUSANDS of Dominican born people of Haitian descent that have had their citizenship revoked or denied and are being scooped up & dumped at the border...we just found out that several hunred have ended up in the area of the country where Operation Blessing has had to deliver water due to extreme drought and dried up water reserves. It is a very unstable area for an influx of people in such dire need, though the communities are doing their best to assist them, despite their own situation.

Thank you all for your continued prayers, I'm sure we don't even know all of the ways that they touch our lives and work each day here.

NEEDS

We are STILL seeking a computer programming guru or team to commit to helping get our training program off the ground HERE in HAITI.

Will be working with Programming Firm in the US to prepare students for a new outsourcing business. 

Requires SOME time in Haiti, but doesn't have to be full time here. Could be a team of individuals that takes turns here guiding students.

THIS INDUSTRY and other jobs are SEVERELY NEEDED and VERY POSSIBLE to implement here!!!

March 2014 ministry update

PRAISE

• A sense of peace in the midst of turmoil.
• Tynan & Emma are doing well so far in California.
• A fun visit from TX friends this month in Haiti.
• Ministry team flooded our email box with encouragement & prayers.
• Settling in well to our new house.
• God's grace & provision of countless future options to consider.
• One step closer to guardianship of two kids in dire need.

PRAYER

• Guidance & clear discernment over next steps in ministry here.
• Keep our eyes on Him alone & nothing on our own agenda.
• Sleep, even when we have so much on our minds!
• Tynan & Emma to have enough work to cover their expenses in CA.
• each of us to seek God's presence in every aspect of life.
• Olivia as she continues to work through her recovery program.
• Potential ministry partnerships, vision, opportunities, plans.
• We are researching a new Haitian business & training project.
• Following up on a new possibility to partner on a birthing center.
• God’s divine intervention for the two kids with medical needs.
• Clear plan/provision for developing a 501c3 or non-profit partnership.
• PATIENCE as we wait on God for so many details to come together! 

SPECIFIC MINISTRY NEEDS / OPPORTUNITIES

• Financial Resources (monthly or one time gifts):

We are at unknown monthly funding commitment at present! 

All of our support through Apparent Project comes to an end after March 31st, 2014. We are not quite sure yet where future funding will be received (working on it!)

We are also planning to start up a new 501c3, but as you know that carries an added expense as well. If you would like us to use your gift towards this, please shoot us a quick message to let us know!

If you would like to donate for future months or one-time gifts this month that would be greatly appreciated & will keep us BOTH on the field as we endeavor to switch gears midstream. Please make sure that they are received no later than 3/31/2014 in order for us to receive them.

Any one-time or monthly resources received above our personal budget needs will be applied toward specific items on our lists below or ministry projects!

• Household Items: 

Tires for our vehicle (4)

Solar Panels (6)

Small Chest Freezer PROVIDED!

Small Portable Air Conditioner PROVIDED!

Portable Shade Cover

Roof top garden supplies

• Medical supplies:

Fetal heart Doppler

Portable Ultrasound

Maternity meds (pitocin, cytotec, prenatal vitamins)

• Volunteers:

Painting

Solar installation

Rooftop garden & patio

Encouragement & Enrichment

Business Professionals (tourism, accounting, non-profit, retail, restaurant)

IT Professionals (programming, web design)

Media Professionals (graphic design, branding, PR)

Medical Professionals:

MD, CNM, CPM, OB/GYN, RN, NP, PA, DDS

Social Workers

Child Development Specialist

Project fundraisers

Grant Writer(s)

& /or ANY of these talents:

Crochet

Maternal/Infant products

Agriculture

Hospitality

Writing

Photography

Accupressure

Doula Training

Newborn Care

First Aid

CPR training