Friday, August 14, 2009

Comings and goings....

A big thank you to all of you who prayed for us these past couple of weeks. It is high time I update you on all that is happening here. While we are still struggling with various health issues, in general everyone is doing much better. Linda has made a speedy recovery, thanks to all of your prayers on her behalf.

We were able to start and continue holding the peacemaker seminar with the boys from the neighborhood. Of the 50+ who were enrolled about 40 have actually showed up, and 30 of those have been very faithful in coming every night. We've worked through the first 5 lessons, and will begin #6 tonight. The HOH Young people have done a great job at helping. Here you can see them leading a worship time with the boys...


Another way they've been involved is as small group leaders as each of the boys have been placed in a small group to do activities together. They have been leading Bible studies, and helping the boys work through their workbooks.







This is such an important part that they play as they build relationships with these young boys that hopefully will last even after the course finishes. Here are some pictures of the groups working together...

Thank you for your prayers for us as we share God's Word with these young boys. One young girl who is here at the HOH taking care of a niece who is sick has been listening to the studies each night. This past week she accepted Jesus as her Savior after one of the sessions. Please continue to pray for God's Word to bring forth fruit in the lives of all those who have been hearing it.

Here are some other newsworthy tidbits...
  • In the last 2 weeks, we've enjoyed visits from both our friend Jeb, and our friends from the UK (the Brooke family and Nathan). It was nice to spend time with them all, and we feel so blessed to have such great friends, supporters, and co-workers.
  • A newsletter for the HOH has gone out, if you haven't had a chance to read it yet, take a chance to look it up on the website: http://www.handsofhope.org.uk/files/hohnewsletter.pdf . It has some important information you won't want to miss, so make sure you take a bit of time to read it.
  • All the results are back for our students who took government exams. This wasn't a great exam year all across Haiti, with very low success rates all around. For the HOH, we had a success rate of 66%. Quite a bit higher than the national rate, but unfortunately that means we had several who failed the exams and have to redo the school year. Several of them have a chance for a re-write, so some re-write exams on Monday (the 17th), and others on the 24th. They would appreciate your prayers as they are preparing for and writing these exams.
  • Several of the Our Hope kids have been home to visit their extended families and reconnect with their home communities. It is good for them to keep building these relationships, but we do miss them when they are gone. Somehow the house seems empty, in spite of the fact we have numerous visitors who have come to spend some time with us this summer. Linda's 4 nephews are here, one from Cap Haitian, and the other three from Boston, MA. Several girls have come back to see us (Helen & Vonette), and have spent several weeks with us. Other people have stopped in here and there throughout the summer, so there have been lots of comings and goings around here.
  • School is just around the corner, and we've begun buying school books and uniforms. With the start of school we will begin our normal Bible studies here at the HOH. I'd appreciate your prayers as I prepare for these.
  • Last Friday night we had a going away prayer meeting with Angie. She left to go study in the US where she had received a scholarship at LeTourneau Christian University in Longview, TX. We all shed a few tears as we said goodbye to her for an unknown amount of time. I know she'd appreciate your prayers for her as she begins this new stage of life. She is extremely grateful for God's hand in working out all the details of her being able to attend this university, and at the same time is a bit nervous as this is all very new for her. So pray that she adjusts well (she arrives there this Sunday), and that she would grow in her walk with the Lord as she studies at this school.
We appreciate your interest in the minsitry of the HOH, and in the lives of the kids in our care. Thank you for your prayers on our behalf. We'd ask you to continue to pray for God's provision of our needs, and that we would continue to be a light for Jesus Christ in this needy country.

God bless...