Well, this week has been a week of being really late or really early to everything on our normal schedule. If you’ve ever been to Haiti or from what we understand, any third world country, you most likely are familiar with the fact that time and punctuality have little meaning to the folks that live there. Throw that in with the recent time change and a collective indecisiveness as to when we are going to start following it and you have a mess of confusion and missed appointments. We’ve just decided to accept that there are just some things about Haiti life that we will never get used to. However, what we ARE getting used to very quickly is having our own place to live. We are beginning to remember what it’s like to prepare meals without interruption or having to wait on the stove/pots and pans and counter space to come available, shower under an actual showerhead that doesn’t occasionally surprise you with a worm or tadpole bath, and have actual storage space as opposed to living out of five gallon buckets. Life is grand and we are so thankful to be in our little house!!
This month we want to highlight two young people who are very special to us. Pastor Kenan, for years, has taken young people into his home to instill them with life skills and assist them with their education. Djud and Dahana are both fourteen years old and are the two most recent additions to the mission house. Djud’s older sister, Sanfa, has lived in the house since 2012 and is like a little sister to us. Now it’s a huge blessing to have little brother Djud here as well, going to school, learning the ropes around the mission, and tackling projects together. Dahana is here too receiving her education while learning how to prepare meals, clean house, and take care of other responsibilities that are expected of Haitian women. Dahana’s mother died just seven months after Dahana’s Christmas day birthday and her father whom she barely knows, lives in the Dominican Republic where he was obligated to go to find work. Both Djud and Dahana are from a small village called Pellier, about a three-hour drive away where our mission has another church and school. These two have become like our little brother and sister as well. They are both wonderful helpers, well mannered, and easy to engage in discipleship. It has been an absolute joy for us to share life with and pour into these two young people!!
There is a sweet elderly woman in our church whom we all call sister Flerimone. Sister Flerimone is a devoted woman of God and a faithful soul winner. We recently received news that while on an outing to evangelize in our community, she had the privilege of leading an elderly man to Jesus and the next morning after putting his faith in Christ, the Lord called him home. We rejoiced at this man’s salvation but did not realize until we attended his funeral that he was actually an old friend of ours named Edanier (pictured with Chris in the photo above). Edanier and his family used to live just down the road from us on a beach front property but they were forced to relocate after hurricane Matthew completely destroyed their home. Sadly, since then, we don’t see them as often. Edanier was a gentle soul who suffered from several health conditions that were never properly treated. Our memories of him are of a quiet man who suffered in his earthly body and spent most of his time sitting or laying in pain watching the ocean through his failing eyes. But now, as we think of Edanier, we can think of a man whose soul is with Jesus and will live pain free in his glorified body for all of eternity. We are reminded by his story that life is indeed so fragile and that eternity is so near. Our next breath is never promised and Edanier was just hours away from taking his last when he said yes to Jesus. “Today is the day of salvation!” Have you said “yes” to Jesus?
We always love to get to share about one of our students responding to the gospel. No one in Haiti has made Chris laugh more than a young man in the seventh grade named Rubens. There are many times in class where Chris has to force himself to not look his way because it always results in disruptive laughter. Rubens only stands about four feet tall and has a quick-witted personality. Most of the time he’s too busy making jokes to engage in meaningful conversation but recently the Lord arranged for Rubens to hear the gospel. Chris and Djud were up in the higher parts of town one day when they found Rubens in the street carrying on in his usual character. After several minutes of comedy, conversation opened up about eternity and what that meant to Rubens. Rubens was sure he would go to heaven based on his church attendance and stated that he needed to go more often so that he wouldn’t go to hell when he died. Thankfully, this opened up the conversation for the real gospel to be shared. After a good long talk and sharing what the Bible really says about going to heaven, Rubens said he wanted to trust Jesus as his Savior. Glory to God!
Garvenly and Rubens at school (Rubens on right.)
We thank you for your interest, prayers, and support for our ministry and appreciate you taking time to read our newsletter. It means so much to us! We pray that God richly blesses you and your family.
For His Glory,
Chris and Cassie Myers
Pray for the development of partnerships that will allow for the financial support and advancement of our mission.
Pray for Cassie to learn and retain the Creole language.
Pray for the funding necessary to complete and operate the feeding center at our school in Mole St. Nicolas.
