arcade fire

home again

so i realized that haiti truly has become another home to me...i knew this before but with each trip it sets in a little more...i dont even really back anymore...just throw some things in a bag...and make sure to have two full suitcases of goodies and things needed for the ones i love here. and what else...no big events...just come in and do daily life like before. and an awesome bonus...everytime i return my haitian creole is better. so thats definitely a plus!

its been AMAZING being here as always. the nannies and the kids...i cant tell you how much i miss them when i am away...because its ridiculous...but my season now is not to be here permanently and i am at peace with that...just glad i have gotten to come twice in the last year...what a blessing!

i found out the day i left that kervens was going to be in Gonaives and when i got to the house dorothy told me he wasnt coming back until saturday...i wont lie thats been really hard. i miss him so much...and really wanted some good quality time with him...so i will have to make the most of saturday through monday afternoon with him...but my heart doesnt like it right now....sleeping in his bed...but wish i could say night time prayers with him and sleep somewhere else...God surely has a reason. so praying about it and really focusing on lovin on everyone else...

speaking of everyone else...a certain someone...My lil man Poutchino is walking and standing....its a miracle that i among many others have been praying for! PRAISE GOD! he's been working on it for awhile...when casey was here i had heard about how he had gotten better and was pulling up more...then when i came for a month in aug-sept. 3 times he took about 5 steps to me...but NOW....oh my goodness...the boy stands without help for a LONG time...and can walk all the way across a room...and is SO confident. my heart is overwhelmed with joy...seriously one of the best miracles that i have been blessed to see...know...and have some sort of part in the story! what an honor....this little man...this miracle child...this gift from heaven...this face that lights up a room...this son of God...there is SO MUCH MORE in store...i know it!!!! but to see it all unfold...i am beyond blessed.

Dorothy has 22 children & babies in the house right now and i think altogether i just met 6...so i am doing good! there is also i think 2 new staff that i met...things are always changing...moving...creating...but i really believe thats how God is and how He created us...so its good. when we create we are impowered...when we move there is progress...when we change so can the world... "be the change you want to see in the world."- Ghandi

on that note...i'm gonna sign off...but i'm sure i will update you again. we have an inverter that works...so i have had access to internet all day...its kind of felt wierd...i'm not used to that.

anyway....m'espire tout moun gen bon nwit!

MESI POU TOUT BAGAY!

tasha rae

haiti- my christmas present!

i dont know that i have i informed everyone....

i leave tomorrow for haiti...(my christmas present from my parents. an amazing blessing). so i am going a week before the team to be with dorothy and the kiddos there. plus i have a bag full of medicines from christian light foundation for her... plus a bag full from MM. i am still going as a MM missionary.

lots of people ask me...'when do you work at the market place or much ministries?'... everything that i am involved in falls under and within being a much ministries missionary... its a lifestyle. all the things i am connected with are a part of transformation and adding strength to what MM is already doing... whether its organizing the cool stuff store at the market place, distributing food at the BMC, serving coffee and talking about why fair trade is important at wake up coffee shop, going to home group to worship and sing with young adults, or flying to haiti to bring medicines and hold babies...all thee above are part of the blessing of being a MM missionary. i am extremely honored.

this holiday season has been hard...not necessarily in a bad way as i am beyond blessed...i have a roof over my head...food to eat...clothes to wear...and SO many lovely people in my life...but it was the first christmas not in kansas city with my family and friends...my first christmas that i really didnt give any presents as my finances are so low. trusting God to work it all out...but the process of that is going very slowly. every month it works out somehow...

but this month i will be in haiti and bills will come out of my account and i dont even know how the money will get in there...but i am trusting that it will. because God is a God that provides...He loves his daughter and somehow it will work out.

yes i wont lie its been really hard at times being here not knowing if this is really it when i have become the type of person that never fills up the tank in my car...$3 dollars will get me where i need to go and somehow the next $5 will come when that much gas is gone...and by no surprise really it always works out...BECAUSE GOD IS GOOD!

so there you have it...my christmas season has been great...different, but good. i am so blessed and excited about haiti and seeing all my lovely babies and family there...but praying for finances...

thanks for your prayers...support...encouragement and more...to all those that read this mess of a blog...my ramblings and short synopses.

love love love

Lindsay Morris

So my new friend...

shes becoming my partner in crime...actually more like ministry...but if anyone thinks of a fun name for us...like bonnie & clyde we are looking... (wink)

anyway...i dont know if i have mentioned her already, but she is a huge blessing. i do much better working in a team than individually and she brings something really great to the days that i am at the BMC (baptist ministry center) right now i am there on mondays and wednesdays, but she is only coming on wednesdays...but let me tell you it IS a blessing.

we hand out food, but then we will go visit people in the neighborhood together and the last 3 or 4 weeks we have taken girls to eat at the only restaurant near the BMC called twin oaks. we are building a good relationship with them. in fact me and lindsay were talking and realizing that most of the employees at twin oaks probably are from the neighborhood or have a story similar to the girls we are working with now...we need to invest in them just as much.

in fact...some of you know that this community i am in here is more charasmatic than i have ever been involved with before. i few months ago north island church (which is where i go most of the time) did a prophecy convention with some people that came in from atlanta. so i decided we needed to practice some of the skills that they taught at twin oaks.

so God gave us a word for the woman giving us our food. we also asked God to tell us her name...lindsay got brandi and i got jodi...not the same name, but same ending...well her name was daphine...so the i part on the end was right...we are still learning to listen to God when He tells us things. bc i really do believe that when you speak into someones life...the impact can be huge and when its a complete stranger and God uses you its even more impactful.

i want to be able to speak into peoples lives and do it well. listen to God and bring words of life! in Gods word we are told many many times that the power of the tongue either brings life or death. i want the discernment, boldness, clarity and wisdom to really hear the Lord and speak words of life to those all around me.

so all those rambles to say...Lindsay is a wonderful partner in ministry at the BMC. she is bold, gracious, encouraging, and so much more. a great resource as she also works will braveheart and care-net here in brunswick.

plus she is really becoming a wonderful friend to me in this community here. i have nothing but great things to say about her!

check it out!

here is the link to the coffee shop that i am working at...its truly lovely. pray with me about opening one in kcmo...i have told bo mann that i want him to franchise one out there...so from MM to Wake Up...to Freedom Fire and my dear friend Sarah Beth...one day i pray for this vision of creating a community of transformation and freedom to work out in kansas city mo!!! PRAY WITH ME!

wake up coffee company


love love love

wow

its been a long minute since i have written on here...for that i apologize...but life is moving and life is good!

i went to kansas city for thanksgiving...a fast trip as i was only there for a total of 4 full days. however i was able to see most everyone i love for a brief amount of time...not all, but it was a blessing.

thanksgiving with the family was wonderful...we didnt watch braveheart and if you know me you know that is one thing i brag about in my family...for the past 10-12 years we watch that movie...its great. i think the tradition and my family have officially had the breakup...i'm dealing... lol

anyway...i am back here in southeast georgia and its wonderful. everytime i go home i am stirred about the potential kcmo has to create a culture and atmosphere the way much ministries has here.

i have a much more structure schedule these days as i think i have mentioned before. it is SO helpful for my spirit...i have not always been a self motivated person...and although i love flexibility and going with the flow...structure really allows for me to be productive...so i am learning the healthy balance of both.

in terms of the urban house that we were exploring...it doesn't seem to be going anywhere...i have been on a roller coaster in my spirit about it...one day i love it and want it to happen the next day i am discouraged and confused...one day i have peace and then the next minute all i can say is I DONT KNOW... so we are still praying into it...but i personally don't have clarity on what the Lord is doing or calling me to do in it.

i talked with the woman Danya who owns the house to touch base with her and let her know that i haven't found anyone to live in the house with me...and i cannot do it alone. i definitely am spending more time in the neighborhood and meeting more people...praying for more...but in terms of living in the urban core of brunswick...i don't know where it is all going.

we did tell her that we would have a definite answer to her by the beginning of january so i was feeling a lot of pressure to have committed people and a firm confidence that this was suppose to happen...however i talked to Dayna and she expressed that she is fine...all she needs is at least 30 days to help the people renting the rooms now find a new place...she said.."maybe january is not right, maybe it will happen in april, maybe it will happen in march, maybe it wont happen until august of 2010, but i still believe it has great potential!" hearing her say that gave me peace...and lifted a weight off my shoulders. now we can still pray into it...ask for clarity...but have no exact time frame...so there is more room to make connections...more space for God to move...

i am loving my routine...living in the cottage, investing in the norwich corridor area (where the house would be) 2 days a week...working at wake up (the coffee shop) 2 days a week...and working at the marketplace 2 days a week...it's really lovely...doing my best to learn as much as i can in each place...

i realized that i haven't done the best job of living deliberately since i have been here...but the more i go back to kansas city the more i see the potential in expanding much ministries there. and the more i realize that i need to really do a better job at taking advantage of the gift God has given me here. i need to soak it ALL up and really learn all i can while i am here. this is my training for something...don't want anything to pass me by...don't want to look back and think why wasn't i living deliberately.

i have been challenged to ask mama kathy & papa beaver at least one question a week...things to help me understand more of what it takes to run businesses and create a culture that invites the holy spirit in...everything.

my question this week to the mama & papa is 'what are 5 things that you know now, but wish you would have known in the beginning?' so we'll see... i will try to post what i learn from the questions mainly to help me keep a log of this stuff, but also to let you learn with me...or better yet dialogue with me.

Dorothys update 11/09

t's almost Thanksgiving. I am SO thankful, for more things than can be named. This past week while we tried to give baby Dathsun a chance for life we were especially thankful for the oxygen concentrator, inverter and batteries, hot water bottle, feeding tubes, syringes, blankets, preemie baby clothes, preemie-xs diapers, our pediatrician, pediatric nasal cannulas and tubing, Karen who drove us everywhere we needed to go and kept checking on the baby at the hospital. And so on.

Dathsun was born Nov 7, 2 months early, to a 13 year old girl in Gonaives. He was 1 lb 10 oz and hypothermic when he came to us Nov 13. We took him to General Hospital the next day. They said he was too old(!) for an incubator and put him in a small cribwith no warmer or other special support. General Hospital went on strike over the weekend. They stopped treating Dathsun and all other patients. Dathsun came home Tues Nov 17 weighing only 1 lb. He stopped breathing twice that day but was resuscitated both times. Oxygen, a hot water bottle and regular feedings thru a feeding tube kept him alive until Wednesday evening. We lost electricity and could not use the oxygen concentrator. Dathsun passed away not long after.

As we used these items I kept thinking of our friends in the U.S. who sent or brought all these things. People say nice things about those who go to other countries to help others. But, don't forget that no one could do anything without all the wonderful people at home! Being allowed to go is a wonderful gift. The real heroes are the ones who stay home and make everything work. How I thank God for you!

Jerry Cheatham brought a group to Haiti recently. As usual a few members of the group spent each day with us. They REALLY loved on the children. They also brought lots and lots of goodies for us, stuff for fun and stuff we really need for operations. They were lots of fun!!!

Myson was pretty sick when we saw the doctor Thursday. She said he would have to go back in the hospital if the antibiotic she prescribed didn't work fast. Praise the Lord, it worked fast! Myson has not had fever since he started the antibiotic and his breathing is much better. Praise the LORD!

Agape Flights graciously delivered turkeys yesterday! We have a nice little turkey that cost only $8 USD in the U.S. Here it would have been at least $50 USD. We are planning a feast! I hope you enjoy your feasting as much as we expect to!

Mostly, I am thankful that the Lord who created the entire universe is personally interested in every human being who has ever lived on earth. He sees past our faults; He care about the smallest details of our lives. Through Jesus He made a plan to forgive our sins. He offers us eternal life with Him in heaven, a perfect place where death and illness and pain and suffering will not exist. All we have to do is repent our wrongdoings and follow Him.

May the Lord bless and keep you.

Dorothy Pearce

"And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love." I Cor. 13:13

Faith-Hope-Love Infant Rescue
http://dorothypearcehaiti.blogspot.com

Donations:
Christian Light Foundation, Inc.
P.O. Box 23881
Jacksonville FL 32241-3881
Memo: For D. Pearce, Haiti

SAVE DARFUR

be a part of a live discussion on how our government can improve the situation in darfur!!!

http://www.savedarfur.org/pages/ask-us

MM NOV. 09

Much Ministries. Inc Nov. 2009

Thank you so much for your recent contribution to Much Ministries.
MUCH is happening here and your kind and generous gift are a big part of it!
Much of what we are about here at the MUCH ministries is investing in the Brantley County Community.
Our barometer for success is the impact on this community.

COMING SOON: Much Ministries DBA Brantley County Risk Reduction Program:.
• A DUI School.
• Anger Management Class
• Parenting Seminar for anyone going through the court systems with issues that involve children.

It is our goal that the tools given through these courses will help break unhealthy cycles and help establish new patterns for living. We are SO EXCITED about this development. We are presently renovating former garage space into classroom space.

Parenting Classes began this September and are having an impact on the families in our community. Our Curriculum, Becoming A Love and Logic Parent, emphasizes creating responsibility in kids by allowing them to make choices, make mistakes and let consequences do the teaching. Every class is filled with “A’ ha! Moments”. Classes meet Monday mornings 8:30 am and Wed. evenings 6:30 pm.

Pottery Classes are up and running. Judi Marshall is teaching every Tuesday at 10 am, 4 pm and 7 pm. Our biggest impact class is the after school 4 pm class. It is a dream come true watching these kids from our community come in here and create!

Thursday Family Night is another time of sharing core values with our community. We are exploring COMMUNICATION skills. Our relationships are our most valuable resource…Learning brave, honest, honoring forms of communication helps us keep relationships strong.

Norwich St. Outreach: More of our staff here are getting involved with the Norwich St. Mission in the Brunswick Urban Core. They are volunteering time counseling and meeting physical needs of the men and women working their way out of addiction, abuse and fear. Bill Thomas, the director of Norwich St. Baptist Mission, is a good friend to Much Ministries and it is an honor for us to partner with him.

Natasha Taylor: we are presently exploring the possibility of Natasha moving into a house in the Core, a block off of Norwich St to begin to live and create community in that neighborhood. Natasha has already established friendships and has a heart for the urban neighborhood. We are looking for roommates for her that share her heart and vision. Donations to help support Natasha can be made through Much Ministries. All gifts are tax deductable and will be deposited into her account. Read her blog http://t-raehaiti.blogspot.com/

MUCH Love Community continues to host recovery groups here at the Market Place weekly. These groups are essential to our community. The leadership is strong and has tremendous zeal for seeing others get totally free of addictions.

Casey Nichols our missionary at large is in New Hampshire working on her Master’s degree in Dance Therapy. Casey is preparing now for the hundreds of children and adults that need restoration of body soul and spirit. You can still support Casey through Much Ministries. check out her blog at caseystories.blogspot.com

Emory and Mary Wilson are changing the WORLD! In the midst of extreme environment, HOPE is springing up! Every day over 150 children are fed and now a school has started right in Jubilee Blanc. The Families are seeing real tangible ways the Love God has for them. What an honor it is to partner with Emory and Mary and catch glimpses of this transformation in the works.

Dorothy Pearce continues to see healing and transformation in the many children that God brings to her. Please check out her blog dorothypearcehaiti.blogspot.com. She is an AMAZING woman doing a beautiful work with the beautiful people of Haiti.

Sherrie Fausey is up and running in the new school buildings. They continue to use every square foot of space. Brilliant. These students are remarkable...working in English, French and Creole. The kids in her orphanage continue to thrive physically, socially, spiritually and scholastically. It is a blast to spend time with them.

Rose and Pastor Genada have managed to rebuild the bakery, the house, and the church building since the terrible floods of last year. They are reaching hundreds of Haitians through the seminary, feeding of children, medical clinics, church gatherings, English classes and more. If you’d like to get on their email list please email Pastor Genada jgenada@yahoo.com. You can donate $ to him through us here at MUCH ministries.inc.

Mission Trips : We continue to lead teams to Haiti to work with these amazing missionaries and the Haitian people. A team of 12 went in September, with 8 of the 12 team members on their first Haiti experience. Many already planning their return trips! We have 3 trips on the books for next spring. Let us know if you are interested in going or helping to sponsor part of a trip!
Your financial gift helps MUCH!

We take handling your financial gifts very seriously. We pray over each check that comes in and Ask God to show us how to make absolute best use of every dime. We ask God to bless you in the ways that matter most to you.

Blessings,
Beaver and Kathy Brooks

Rt.2 725 Hwy. 82 ● Waynesville, GA 31566
Phone 912-778-5575 , cell 912-270-2465 ● Fax 912-778-5575
admin@muchministries.org ● www.muchministries.org

MM updates november

today i updated the website with the update that mama kati made this past week...MUCH as always is going on...

check it out

MEND & MM!

i'm going to try in the next few weeks to write a letter to Invisible children i think it would be amazing if the market place could carry their new brand of bags in our gift shop...check it out here

TO WRITE LOVE ON HER ARMS

TO WRITE LOVE ON HER ARMS...

the universal day TO WRITE LOVE ON HER ARMS is this friday and i feel that this event to bring about awareness is in alignment with the my own hear, with Much Ministries and with God's heart...therefore i wanted to bring some PR to the event...hope you will join us and thousands of people around the world making an effort to bring restoration, healing, redemption and life into action...

WRITE LOVE ON YOUR ARMS....CHANGE THE WORLD!!!!

more fashion show pics

pics from the fashion show...

it did happen and everyone says it went wonderfully...so here are some photos!

dorothys update 10/09

October 23 2009



Dr. Pierre-Louis, our Haitian pediatrician, has been busy. He is expensive, at US$350 per month but has really earned his pay. We are still praying for a sponsor to pay his salary so we can keep him.

9/25, before his contract started, he treated Herode for pneumonia.
10/1, the first day of his contract, we called him about 2 week old Marcus having a fever
10/1 he made a house visit and saw Marcus, Marvens, Leika
10/2 put Marcus in the hospital
10/3 hospital visit
10/5 hospital visit
10/9 house call, saw Leika, Claudine, Marcus, Poutchino, Myson
10/12 phone call, Johnny
10/15 phone call, Marcus
10/16 surgery on Marcus to remove infected 6th finger
Office visit, Leika
10/23 house call, Rosa, Claudine, Poutchino, Mackenzie, Marcus, Tree


Leika is a baby girl who came to live with us on October 1st. Her mother died when she was born, on September 23rd. She is a beautiful baby girl!



Myson does not have tuberculosis (sputum cultures were negative) but is being treated for it anyway because something shows on his chest xray. His immune system is low – CD4 9.5% in July – but they are trying to wait until he is 2 before giving AIDS medicines. Pray for him!



Richardson has a school sponsor and a home sponsor! Praise God!! The home sponsor contributes towards his living expenses but, more importantly, prays for him regularly and sends occasional small things to let him know someone out there cares just for him. 14 of our children do not have sponsors.



Emmanuella improves daily. She actually smiled at a nanny and reached out to touch her face. Aron is growing normally. Gerdeline is now strong enough to turn over and to lift herself on her elbows. Poutchino routinely stands alone now. Kervens, who never had French in school before, is getting A’s! Rosa has settled into our routine and is overcoming her fear of men. Tree’s weight is in the normal range for his age and build. He will go home soon. Herode is in good health again and walking everywhere. We see God's miracles every day. What a blessing!



October has been a blessed month. We got new inverter batteries, paid our rent, paid our staff, etc. The car is still a concern: the front left wheel is wobbling now, I don’t know why. The mechanic is due back in town Monday. The owner of our house will sell the house to us for $210,000. Only a miracle of God can supply that much money but HE is able! We wait on his decision.



I thank God for all of you and for your prayers. Blessings on your households!



Dorothy Pearce

"And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love." I Cor. 13:13

Faith-Hope-Love Infant Rescue
http://dorothypearcehaiti.blogspot..com

Donations:
Christian Light Foundation, Inc.
P.O. Box 23881
Jacksonville FL 32241-3881
Memo: For D. Pearce, Haiti

forgive me

i have been a large slacker in terms of updating my blog over the past several weeks...i always get to this place...where i feel overwhelmed with how much has happened and how little i have written on here. i think....where do i even start to write about all that is going on. so i hope you can give me a bit of grace as i try to summarize some of the things that have been going on around here.

my parents visited...which was a blessing. so good for them to see the life i am living here and meet the wonderful community God has placed me in here. I think my dad was happy to know that i will be here for awhile too...he wont have to move me for a long while! ;) then after they left my sister came to visit! it was lovely to have here here too!

however the week in between their visits and the weeks after MUCH has happened. Mama Kati and i met with a woman who is a Market Place customer and she has bought a couple houses in the Norwich Corridor (the urban core of brunswick- 30min away from Waynesville) anyway...she has the heart of God and really wants to be apart of what we are doing. so we have had a couple meetings with her and are praying about one of her houses!

we have envisioned a place of restoration...an oasis in the desert, a safe haven...not a half-way house...a hOME...a place that has the atmosphere of heaven. we dont know what will happen but we are praying about me being the BIG MAMA in the house. there is MUCH to be discussed and processed...pray for discernment as we go through this...i will try to post more about it later.

then Bo Mann, a friend of the Brooks' and someone who has the heart of God...he loves the marketplace and what much ministires is about. he is opening a coffee shope today actually...called WAKE UP! its all about getting people to think about where they buy there products from and how it effects the world. he is going to carry books to get people thinking...all his gifts, bags, jewelry etc. are fair trade products. All his coffee is fair trade or direct trade..its really amazing...and very much things i too am passionate about.

when i think about extending MUCH ministries to KCMO i see this being something i could definitely do...a coffee shop like this! so we have decided that i will spend 10-20 hours a week working with Bo Mann @ WAKE UP! i wont be an employee, but all the funds i would get to work there will go to much ministries! its very exciting. i'm not a coffee drinker and to be honest i never planned on being one...but this opening and purpose of this shop makes me think i might have to expand my world to coffee...

so in my world right now...mama kati has somewhat released me from being @ the Market Place so much. I am spending more time in brunswick working with the baptist ministry in the Norwich Corridor and more time on the island helping bo mann at the coffee shop. More investing in relationships and loving on people...not that i dont do that @ the MP, but its really good!

i have connected with a young hispanic girl...she is 15-year old and has a 2 month old baby...her father is gone and her mother doesn't have a job...they are in a tight spot...i am picking her up every wednesday to come with me to the BMC (baptist ministry center) so she can help translate if we need it. she is a beautiful girl and i am so excited to get to know her, invest in her and her family! this is one example of several moving forward right now, by being in the neighborhood more.

With the house we arent moving forward until january...even then we do not know...it is in its infancy...brainstorming...processing...discerning...praying...we'll see where it goes...

also...i am honored to have one of the best presents ever...for christmas my parents are purchasing my ticket to go to haiti with the team...so i actually got it today...i am going a week early to see my babies at Dorothy's and then off to bercy Cabaret for the mission trip there. i am so excited!!!!

ok...hope that was a descent wrap up of whats been going on here...please ask questions...feel free to comment...I LOVE IT WHEN PEOPLE DO!

thank you for everything...for reading...for praying...for embracing and being a part of this journey...

mend the world

October 24th!

I just found out today that the marketplace is having a tea party and fashion show!!! Mama Kathy is putting me in charge of the fashion show part. i am VERY excited. the best part is that everything must come out of the cool stuff store (our thrift store) and that leaves SO much room for creativity, i cant wait. i am going to work on looking at outfits and getting my models this coming week and then hopefully have a meeting with them all before the day so we can make sure things run smoothly.

its fun because most of my life the bulk of my clothing has come from thrift stores and hammy downs so i have learned how easy it is to make things into something beautiful, even if at first glance there are definite doubts! i cannot say i am amazing at it, but its definitely something i enjoy. the beauty of finding something and knowing you are recycling, reusing and that there is a story there even if you dont know it...i really love it. the possibilities are endless and the treasures are there to be embraced. plus its more affordable...its just lovely! this job for this month fits me well! how fun to get to go to haiti for a month...love on babies i had missed so much...then come back and get to create outfits out of old treasures! i am SO blessed!

i never know what is in store and its such an adventure! i hope i always live & love like i mean it all the while.

i will take lots of pictures! to be posted later!

<3 <3 <3

waynesville!

my parents left this morning after a 3 day stay here in rural south georgia....it was a good time...i sorta felt like i was back in college again as they helped me hang things, buy things and feel really settled in my new home. its kind of a tradition as my dad has put my decor on the walls every place i have lived...which has been a lot! however i am hoping that this time he wont have to do it again for a long time...i'm officially committed. it was a blessing to have them here, for them to see this beautiful space and these wonderful people. i am beyond blessed to have them as family, supporting me and joining me in the things the Lord calls me to! now if only i can increase support to stay here...its a stuggle, but my plan today is to write another support letter. i know i am suppose to be here so i know God will work it out...even if our economy is in a rough spot and it seems impossible....all things are possible with Him!!!

all in all...HAITI WAS AMAZING...I AM SO BLESSED! Kansas City was a GREAT time...so good to see all those lovely people!

and its WONDERFUL to be back in Waynesville...

picture happy and some more...

so there is much more....but that is a taste for now...i must go to bed...but before i do...i wanted to post this video...because its beautiful...because i am glad this artist is back and seemly to be healthy again...and because its a really beautiful song....hope you enjoy it has much as i do!!!

(its disabled so i cant embed it here...so just check the link!)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mdEEwnlaF84

they keep coming

Richardson's first day of school!!!
Kervens first day at TLC school!

movie time!

my chef!

mama marie with baby sarah (mother and baby took in while dorothy was in states)

my nephew!

snapshots

ISNA

ROSA

CLAUDINE

STYLIST SR. JESULA & RICHARDSON

BEDTIME STORIES

some shots!

POUTCHINO-standing with confidence for seconds on his own and taking a few steps without help...an answered prayer

RICHARDSON-starts school...waiting for his uniform here!

MICKENSON-big and healthy...came for a visit!

Saint Sr. Lucien- devotion time with kids before bedtime!

Papa Tree-father visits one of the kiddos i took in during my stay this year!

kcmo

i left haiti tuesday morning and finally after 3 flights and lots of sitting in airports i arrived in kansas city at 11:30pm...thas the problem about states in the center of the country. its good to be home with family...so excited to see friends, but i of course miss my peoples in haiti. i called kervens this morning before he went to school to check on him. he seems really well. things are going good. Casey gets in today and dorothy gets in friday...so they will be fine.

me on the other hand...well yes i will be because i know my journey with haiti and the wonderful people there is not over...there is much ahead...and i am believing more and more that maybe i really will live there permanently one day, but not now. now i am with much ministries and God is teaching me things...mama kati believes this season is just another season...a training ground for what is ahead. i pray that the training also includes me going to haiti once a year at least....as i always miss them when i am not there.

its good to be in kansas city...at my parents right now, but will more than likely be in the city the rest of the week starting tomorrow. on the 23rd i pack up the car with most of my stuff and my parents and we start our road trip to Georgia. i'm excited for them to see my world there and all the wonderful things God is doing there in that beautiful place!!!

speaking of MM and my training ground in Georgia....does anyone know of places that might be interested in hearing me talk about MM and Haiti. i need about $800 of support a month and right now i have about $300. i need more partners...people that want to come along side me and journey with me in this season. God is doing MUCH, but MM cannot afford to pay me. i receive enough to pay for gas and things like that through working in the business, but it is not enough for the rest of my expenses and i dont want to take money out of the pot that needs to be going into the ministry parts of MM.

so if anyone knows of places i could speak or is interested themselves please please let me know.

LOVE & BLESSINGS
natasha

a little message...

A dear friend sent me this message and i wanted to share it because i really love it! hope you do too!


HAPPY MOMENTS, PRAISE GOD.
DIFFICULT MOMENTS, SEEK GOD.
QUIET MOMENTS, WORSHIP GOD.
PAINFUL MOMENTS, TRUST GOD.
EVERY MOMENT, THANK GOD.

malad

i tried to take kervens to the pool yesterday...we tried 3 places all near by, but all three were 'refilling' the pool so none had any water.

it was very sad...so we didn't go swimming and on the way home i started to feel really ill...when we got home i started vomiting and having diarrhea...no good at all. dont really know why exactly, but it wasn't fun.

chris came over to give poutchino his shot so she also gave me a shot to stop the vomiting...my arm hurts but between that and the imodium she gave me i haven't had either one since then. i slept through the night and feel much better. i'm still tired from it all and my arm is very sore from the shot, but i am MUCH better.

i thought i was doing so well...everytime i come to haiti i get sick at some point...and i hadnt been sick at all...then 3 days before i go i get sick...seriously...i LOVE this place so much...even when i am sick. i most be one wierd girl.

the nannies were all so wonderful...sr. lucien was taking care of me and the kids...cha cha kept asking if i was going to die...he was very concerned...sr. rosemanie brought him up to see him...i told him i wasn't going to die...just sick for a little bit....what else...kevs..hes so good and being responsible when hes knows its needed. he locked up...took care of the things the night nannies needed...took care of me...just sat in the room with me, watched a movie while i slept. so sweet.

this morning i am doing much better...and hoping to feel good by the time church comes around...i want to go...say bye to people and worship...

i cant believe after today...its monday and then i leave tuesday....don't know how i feel about it all....but waiting upon the Lord...for everytime i am here i learn things....and continue to learn them even as i go.

many things

last night i kept gerdeline until 2 in the morning that i went downstairs and spent sometime with sr. lucien and then left gerdeline downstairs with all the other kids. she is taking a bottle fine now so i felt it was okay to let her go be with the other kids and nannies...but i wont lie i miss her being with me constantly...she is just so precious.

what else...a little bit of funds came in so i took johnny and tree to med lab this morning....well actually nurse mary drove with me. i wanted to take gerdeline as well, but some staff called in sick so i didnt have enough nannies to be home if one came with.

johnny did good at med lab...you can tell he's been poked and praded a bit before...knows the drill. but tree on the other hand...Oh My Goodness (as cha cha would say)....he screamed blooding murder. always breaks my heart, but we gotta do it.

i cant believe i leave in 4 days....i'm not ready. then again i never really am ready. yes i know i am not suppose to stay here now...we all know i am great at extending my ticket, but didn't feel the holy spirit's pulling to do that this time...so here i am 4 days to go...and i dont want it to end. i miss this place, these kids, this country...desperately when i am not there.... guess that is a sign that dottie's prophecy is right...i probably will be here permanently one day, but i know it isn't now...there is much for me to learn and do first...even though i have no idea what this is.

so trying to cherish every moment of the last few days here....for now. i still have so much i want to do...take kervens to the pool, sleep on the roof, see emily marie, see pastor A, work with sr. jesula with therapy for frantzo, clean the front room, stock up on things in case they are without dorothy for a few days, and much more....we'll see...somehow the day gets filled and i am busy yet not necessarily crossing things off my list of to dos.

so took the older kiddos to visit patrick and JJ today....they were so excited on the way there...and then once in the gate and out of the car at sherrie's they werent so sure anymore.

what else....poutchino started getting injections today....its a course of 7 days...chris is coming over and doing that for us. Praise God!!

what else....josie went home with his aunt yesterday...so i started with 13 went i got here...then it went up to 16 now we are down to 15 again...its always fluctuating.

well i best get in bed...my eyes are fighting me to stay open.

blessings.

gerdeline

yesterday morning i went out to the countryside to a small village with karen bultje. it was great...i really do love the countryside out here. its a much different pace & place. I think it often is that way any country you are in...city and country just different paces. the village is about an hour outside of port au prince. we picked up Gerdeline a sweet, beautiful girl...7 months old...but so tiny. she has no teeth...she was pretty dehydrated and anemic. her story is that her mama died, dads no where around and the grandma cant take care of her. her hair is not orange, but as me and kevs were saying yesterday...its 'braid, fuzz, bald...braid, fuzz, bald' shes just about 11 pounds. hope we get her weight up fast and her energy. shes been sleeping well...but wakes up every hour or so...and i try to get some gerber or pedialyte in her then.

yesterday she was vomiting and not holding things in, but i stayed with her through the night and she is doing much better. still has not figured out how to use the bottle yet, but we'll get there. she looks at me like...what is this foreign object you have put in my mouth. she needs to learn to suck again. mama has been dead over a month and i don't even know if she was breast-feeding before that. so we are working on it.

i'm quite tired this morning, but as always the day goes on and things need to be done. if possible i will hopefully get in a little nap.

blessings to you all!

tuesday...

yesterday we played in the water with the kiddos after lunch and it was so fun! they are all so precious....its an honor to be here...for God to trust me to love on them...help them and care for them.

however in the middle of our playing chris nuguester called...she was looking for someone to help her take a mom and her baby to hospital espoir. its not far so i said give me 20 minutes. finished with the kids and cleaned up. went over there and off we went. Chris explained that the mom had come to her a couple days ago with the baby, wanting chris to take him in. she told her to come back with a birth certificate. well she did and showed chris that he has clubbed feet and a problem on his back.

she said that he fell on a concrete block...the bandage was so old...she could tell it was going to be bad and decided to take the baby to the hospital. she wasnt sure about the story as it could be a spina bifida case. and when you are desperate for help anyone would try anything. i cant fathom sometimes having to deal with the things these beautiful people are often face with daily.

turns out that chris was right...she had taken the baby to general hospital already and they said he needs an operation, but she did not have the money. they bandaged it up and told her to change the dressings every day to keep it clean until she could come back and get the operation. she didnt change them.

it was so bad, the bandage is practically part of him now. it is infected and it has spread to his whole body. watching them try to take the bandage off and the smell affirms why God doesnt want me to be a nurse even though it would be so handy in a place like this. it broke my heart so bad that this little one would die in a day or two if somehow the surgery doesnt happen. the doctor at hospital espoir didnt take off the bandage as it would only open the area to more bacteria and it has already infected the whole body. this little one (12 days old) needs PRAYER!

i dropped them off and chris was having her driver come back so they could get to Ti Frere...pray. it is so needed. i know not all survive...the mother has alreadty lost 3 babies. she has a 4 year old at home. pray for this mom...i cant imagine losing 3 babies and then now maybe another.

my heart was really broken after this...i was blessed to help chris and to be a person praying for this situation, but its just one of so many in this country. the mayor is building and new building that is huge and the roads are getting widened, but yet still mamas like this dont have the funds, the education or enough resources to get her through this. if so...she is often the exception.

....

so i talked with chris today...and she is still working on getting the baby in for an operation at frere ti ser. pray...chris also stopped by and took a look at poutchino. he has been running fevers almost everyday since i got here. with tylenol the fever goes down, but still with his history of phenomena and many other things...its not good to risk it. dorothy suggested giving him a course of 7 injections that could help....but he might have to get off his other meds. chris is going talk with her friend tonight to make sure if he needs to go off other meds before we start the course of injections (shots of 500 mg of ceftriaxone once a day for 7 days). hope to figure this out in the next couple of days.

pray for poutchi as well.

new baby

Karen Bultje is taking me out to a little village about an hour away from port to pick up a baby in great need of our help on Wednesday.

here are some tid bits from her blog...

"Samson Felix is an 11-month-old child who is miserable with his situation. He can not stand unassisted because he is weak. His feet are swollen and he is in the beginning stages of kwashiorkor malnutrition.

While in the village this grandmother and her 7-month-old grand-daughter came up to me. She told me that the mother died last month and that she needed some help.

Babies in villages like these really suffer when there is no mother who can breast-feed. Pray we can find someone to help this family out."

i am not sure if we are getting the 7 month old or the 11 month old, but either way pray for them. pray for the hungry in Haiti. pray for Gods glory to be seen in it all.

blessings to each of you.

LEKOL!

LEKOL LEKOL....SCHOOL SCHOOL...

kervens and richardson had their first day of school at TLC today! they had a great day...it was fun to walk them...tkae pictures and be here and be mama tasha for it all!

LOVE these kiddos...and them going to TLC is such a blessing!

pray for them and TLC!

keziah!

Keziah Furth stopped by tonight. she was the nurse that lived with dorothy from september of last year to may...she is an amazing lady with so many amazing skills. I fully believe God has ordained her with leadership and she is going to continue to do great and mighty things for the kingdom of God!!!

it was good to see her. i have known her for a years, but only really ever been in her presence for about a month. as she put it...its the bond of haiti!!! it was good to see her and good for all the kiddos too!

thanks kez! (check out her blog-link on sidebar)

heart heart heart!

follow up....

so the father of tree comes everyday almost...hes a good dad. tree is having diarrhea and vomiting, but i put him on sulfaprim and thank God no more vomiting and the diarrhea seems to be stopping. if that doesnt work we will put him on flagyl. i hope to take him to med lab sooner than later. i hope jeremie (the father) can get things together...funds for a home and job to take him back sooner than later. pray for him. when dorothy can she is thinking about buying some of his art work to help decorate the house....but that may be awhile....many things need to come first.

PRAY PRAY PRAY! she still needs a new car...a generator and invertor...constant sponsors to get funds for water, gas, medicine, doctor appointments for the kids, paying staff, etc.

the mother and baby that are staying here are doing well. i was informed on several things referring after birth and breast-feeding that helped tremendously. i tell you...chris nugester is still such a life savor to me when dorothy is not here and i am in charge. marie (the mother) has all her milk now...it just took a few days to come in with a good supply. her baby is very healthy, but a couple nights ago there was drama surrounding here umbilical cord. in haiti they usually tie a string around it after its been cut and then bandage it which often causes tetanus. chris helped me with this and now we are cleaning it...blessings. dorothy thinks that maybe we can help the young mother get into a sewing school so that she will have a trade, be able to get a job and get back on her feet. pray for this as well.

what else...i was able to get Kervens into school! he is going to TLC the same school that gertie had gone to and richardson will go to! its very exciting!! he will be the first child to come into TLC at his age...so its a lot of responsibilty and honor to have the opportunity. they are letting him in because his english is so fluent and its an english speaking school. its great because it gets him out of the house for about 7 hours a day, he'll be able to walk cha cha home, he'll learn french and he'll get to meet more kids his own age. i am very excited for him and glad to have been a part of making the connections! THANK YOU DOTTIE & TLC!!!!

so i think that is about it other than the fact that ours funds are farely low and i will not be able to take johnny or tree to med lab for tests...like i had planned for tomorrow. we didnt have funds to pay the staff this month so we gave them what we could and then with sr. claudias money missing we have helped her with school fees and then the triplets mom we always help. so its been a bit rough, but this is where you have faith...God will provide and where you can you do with out...but overall...at the end of the day we have a roof over our heads...and SO SO SO much more.

PLEASE CONTINUE TO PRAY FOR DOROTHYS FUNDRAISING. it looks like she will not be back before i leave, which is hard for my heart...i am so used to changing my ticket when i am here (wink) and would be more than willing to if it would work out. i dont like them to not have someone here that can drive to all the doctor appointments...etc. God will make a way.

thanks to all of you for reading, for praying, for taking time out of your day to be a part of my journey...this journey...its full of blessings and each one of you are....Gods, grace, mercy and love fall upon you...

LOVE LOVE LOVE!

long day...but....

Okay...so today was a long day, but God is good. we went to AIDS clinic with myson for about 6 or 7 hours. when we finally got home the gentleman i was telling you about didnt make it to the house before we left, but he waited until i came back which was around 1pm. we took the baby in...he is not terribly sick, but i hope to take him to med lab to get test done. in the morning he will come at 8am. madame severe and i will go with them to social services and visit his home and perhaps try to also get his little boy a birth certificate. so it will be another long day. however i feel so good about this man. his name is jerry and his sons name is woodjay, but everyone calls him tree (how cute is that). my spirit feels really good about him, he wants his son back, he wants to get a job, he wants to do better than he is doing right now....he used to work with the UN...he knows some english. we'll see how it goes, but tree is so precious...can tell he is a bit malnourished as he was just in a hospital downtown, he is beautiful, i'm falling in love!

then right after talking with him a mother came in with her newborn. the baby is healthy...was born just yesterday. however the mother has no job and no place to live and i can tell she is having trouble breastfeeding, she even showed me that she doesnt have milk for very long....her supply is low. i told her all the things about the more she does it the more she i will have. i think it hurts her a lot and she needs to get used to it. she is still bleeding from the birth. i think this is not a good thing,so in a few days if this is still going on i think we might need to take her somewhere. i am asking dorothy about this and chris because i'm not so sure. ...i decided to let her live out back in the room you have made for situations like this.

also after we talked to her for a bit....mickenson and his mom showed up for a visit! it was great to see him...he is getting so big. for those of you who need a reminder he was a little one that was here while i was here last year....he had to get 14 shots and if that didnt work a surgery to make his boy parts drop. he is doing GREAT! it was good to see them!

what else poutchino was having fevers everyday, but hasnt had fevers the last 2 days, praise God.

madame severe is hopefully going to talk to the staff soon about the money sr. Claudia has missing. pray for this situation.

its been a long day, but its all good. Gods grace is abundant!

crazy...

so sometimes i feel a little vulnerable writing on here...i was thinking tonight how i have been writing in journal's...having prayer journals since i was around 13 years old...but that is just God, me, my pen and paper, but here its online...ah....

anyway...i want to share its good...just sometimes i think wow.... its much different than a regular journal i am used to.

so today was a bit crazy...

one of our dear nannies misplaced a large sum of her money...for her daughters school and then for her to deliver her baby. we are praying that it is not stolen, but will have to address it. it breaks my heart for sr. claudia...please pray for her. pray that we find it. pray that if we dont find it we have funds to help her...pray that if someone did steal that they come forward and the problem is resolved. we cant have that here....this is Gods house and none of that can be here....we are all an example for these kids we are all a team...so Lord restoration, provision, grace...all those things in this situation.

then a gentleman came to our gate this afternoon...he has a son in the hospital and needs a place to help him take care of his 15 month old. Dorothy told me not to take anyone in unless it was an emergency, so we have talked to him and monday he will come with us to frer ti sere....we have an appointment for Johnny on that day so he and his son will just come with us. pray for him and pray for us as we discern how the Lord wants to help him.

well i have to make breakfast for everyone in the morning...find kerosine somewhere and of course legliz!!

mwen ekri a pita.

Bondye beni tout moun.

big mama

Dorothy left yesterday and i've moved into her room....and i am officially the big mama now. however there is madame sevir who is the director now...she is lovely. she is helping dorothy get her orphanage license and with helping add more structure for the staff and children. she also will be the one dealing with problems among staff if they arise. i will say i am very thankful for this! today we had to go downtown for some paperwork and we had to stop on the side of the road a total of 6 times because the car overheated. dorothy really needs a new one so pray for FAVOR FAVOR FAVOR as she is in the states not fundraising and seeing her family.

she also needs a new generator or inverter or both so that she doesn't have to rely on city (edh) electricity because that can be very fickle, the housing situation as they are tearing down her wall here...she may have to move or maybe she can buy this home still dont know....and then of course there are repairs, medicine, food, and doctor appointments that are always going on. all that to say there is much needed and this is why i speak FAVOR FAVOR FAVOR upon her as she is in the states.

we are doing well here...kervens has grown so much...not much physically although maybe a little...but he has matured in so many ways....growing up...not only learning the fruits of the spirit but definitely practicing them more. he has also become quite the chef....both baker and cook! the new cook that is here since i left Sr. Ava has given him some cooking lessons. we have made several batches of cookies and a brownie mix, plus we have decided he will be my chef for dinner in the evenings. this kid is so amazing. LOVE LOVE LOVE HIM! not just for the new skill of mastering the kitchen....promise. :)

what else is going on...for keziah and casey: Johnny is on his ARV meds now and we take him back to frere ti ser on september 3rd. he seems to be extremely happy. the kiddos miss you both....pray for you everday. ou fe bon travay avek yo!!

ok...i best get to bed. love love love!

day 5...like i never left...

today i worked on teaching one of the nannies how to do therapy with poutchino...he is getting so strong...doing so much more. i am beyond proud of him and thankful to God. he is truly amazing that little boy...and to hold him again...hear him say 'AH, GAN'...is SO worth it! Sr. Kattelyn is doing a great job with him...i hope to work with her everyday possible until she really feels comfortable doing therapy with him! i'm so excited someone will do it everday with him again...as he has gained much strength and confidence. who knows where he will be in another 10 months...maybe taking 10 steps at a time on his own or more...2 to 10, 10 to every...oh the things i know the LORD can do in poutchi...

i leave on the 15th of sept...and i am trying desperately to pretend that will take forever to come...kervens prays for me to stay here longer every night i tuck him in. goodness i have missed that boy. tonight we sat on the roof snuggled...talked about haiti...his future...how its been while i was away and looked at the storm coming our way...i have greatly missed this place!

for casey

johnny rele mwen CASEY jodia...m' panse li sonje ou. pa creye...ou vini anko vit. mwen mande timoun fe kisa ou danse ak yo...mem yo pa vle...petet demen....

mwen espere ou gen tout...se ou pa gen...di mwen.

nou renmen ou anpil...nou sonje ou! nou priye pou ou tou.

LOVE LOVE LOVE

ps- i may not spell every creole word right...but just for my justification...there are many different spellings for lots of the SAME words. ;)

BLESSED today

Today we took LOVEnsky, Johnny & Rosa to the Frer Ti Ser... it was a long day, but so good for them to see the doctors and get new meds. I will have to take Love and Johnny back in about 15 days.

Afterwards we were able to stop and get some food in our bellies...left at 8am and got home at 4:45pm i think...a long day...but good. impatience is a force of the enemy, but when we keep praising and keep truckin on...waiting is never a problem. we are blessed. speaking of....

i was reading my dear friend sarah beths blog and i have to quote her on a post about the word blessed...i cant get it out of my head its so good!


The original word for “blessed” is makarios. Revel in the definition: “Biblically, one is pronounced blessed when God is present and involved in his life. The Hand of God is at work directing all his affairs for a divine purpose, and thus, in a sense, such a person lives coram Deo, before the face of God.”

ISN'T THAT SO GOOD...

i am blessed...blessed to be where God is, blessed to be working with Him...active here in this beautiful country...AYITI...blessed to join the community at Much Ministries and Blessed to help and have a home @ FHL Infant rescue!

family in haiti!

God is so good in the way he works things out...not only do i get to be here with my haitian family and the beautiful community i built over 10 months last year, but my sister, Amanda is here. She is visiting Issac Kervenson...her little baby boy. She is adopting him and after Dorothy, Kervens, Casey, Mama Kati, my mom...I finally was able to meet him too!

He is SO Beautiful and i can tell my sister is in LOVE! I was able to take kervens and spend most the day with them at the hotel they are staying at.

A divine appointment for sure!!! <3 <3 <3

however she leaves tomorrow so keep her travels in your prayers...but especially her adoption process...check out her blog for more info. (link on right).

mwen la!!!!

Yesterday I got in and the flight was a bit late as normal...but i'm here and it is OH SO GOOD!!! the kids made signs for me...sr. jesula cleaned and made bouquets of flowers in the kitchen, the living room, the dinning room and my bedroom...and kervens made me cookies...it was a great welcome home!

so much has changed as i new it would, but yet it feels very much the same. i love this place...and more than that i LOVE all the people here. i didn't realize how much i missed the nannies...i always hurt when i think about the distance from the kids, but not until i hugged sr. jesula, sr. rosemanie and sr. lucienne did i realize how much i missed these beautiful haitian women who work so hard to provide for their families and love on the kids here. their smiles and joy for my return is an honor i cannot describe.

oh and then to talk about the kids...i thought i would be a ball of tears...but i am not as much of a crier in nature as much as some in my life...however when i saw poutchino...that was definitely a choke in my throat and a HALLELUJAH! he has braces and he is doing so well...he was so excited to see me. he is always making his way over and pulling on me...asking for kisses...oh how i have missed this boy. his progress is SO huge...i didn't realize the extent. i did a few exercises with him that i did during our therapy seasons and the boy has concurred many fears...he's standing on his own now for many seconds and taking 2-4 steps without help or desire for it...or at least this is what i see in his face as he wiggles with joy. HE IS SO BEAUTIFUL. flying miles to hug him...and love him...is beyond enough for God and i am so blessed in an overwhelming way to be one of the many people to do it!

i know some say coming here must be a sacrifice, but it is a gift to be in this space...a beautiful gift full of joy, grace, abundance, and love. yes every situation has things that can have pros and cons, but to see poutchi walk 3 steps to me...to hear richardson speak actual sentences in english with his cute voice, to tuck kervens into bed and talk with him like old times, to hug dorothy, to see the smiles on the nannies faces, to meet sr. eva the new cook, to see johnny walking and so very affectionate, the list goes on and on....THIS IS A GIFT. PRAISE GOD...MESI JEZI!

ps

i am going to try to update lots, but it all depends on electricity and power...jus fyi! <3 <3 <3

map retune Ayiti!

M'ALE JODIA!!! MWEN KONTON ANPIL!!!


I am waiting in the airport as i type this...can you believe i am returning to Haiti...i am so excited to go home...to one of my many homes.

Not only am i blessed to be apart of Much Ministries...but blessed to be apart of ministries in Haiti...blessed to have people and communities in my life that see the necessity of traveling 1000's of miles just to hold a little baby or help Poutchino walk across the room.

God's love for us is that BIG! it doesn't matter the distance...it doesn't matter the cost...it's all worth it because God is Love and LOVE does those kind of things!!!

God's speed to each of you...may you bask in the glory of his presence and grace today as he is full of BIG LOVE for you!

AYITI

Haiti here i come.... :)

how exciting is this...dorothy emailed me about a month ago asking if i could come down and look over things while she goes to the states. long story short i am going down. i leave tuesday and am so very excited.

its amazing how after i starting rejecting lies the enemy was throwing at me God started answering all these prayers that had been in my heart. and i am going to Haiti....for a month. i am so blessed.

i'll be there for 4 weeks and then i will be in kansas city for a week...then i rode trip it down with my parents to south georgia so they can meet everyone and help me move more stuff down.

I will hopefully be writing lots on my blog while i am in Haiti...so keep comin back.

ps- if you would like to help with the cost of this trip and Dorothy's Infant Rescue please feel free to send your contributions to:
Much Ministries @ the Market Place
26710 Hwy 82 Waynesville GA 31566

sharing sweet emily!

A few weeks ago i received a call from Cheryl Merritt, some of you may know her. She is a wonderful woman who has served many years in Haiti and was one of the many people who God used to save emily. In fact between her, sarah (her daughter) and me we gave emily her name. emily has been out at bercy, cabaret since november of last year.

anyway...as you know emily was my house warming gift to Dorothy when i came into port to work with fhl infant rescue. i lived with her, loved on her and bonded with her while i was there for 10 months. she is a beautiful lil girl who was a miracle from God. so weak and now so healthy.

to make a long story short...or more like a long story longer (as casey would say)

Shelly Stammis is a woman i met while in Haiti last year. this summer she stayed at Bercy and fell in love with emily marie. she has decided to adopt her! it is an answered prayer because i have been praying for some that i know to adopt her so that i can stay connected with her and be in her life. when i first heard i was like...wait i wanna adopt her...then a second later i thought...wait this is an answered prayer...PRAISE GOD!

Shelly was in Jacksonville with the Merritts so i went down and visited for a day...saw many pictures of emily and was able to be with what i jokingly like to call...my 'baby's mama'...i am so excited for Shelly and for emily...she will be so blessed. Shelly is a good mom, a strong woman and a deep lover of Jesus...I am blessed to know her and so excited for emily. and honored that shelly will still put up with me callin emily my baby too. how cool that she gets to have multiple mamas!!!

so there is the Shout out to Jesus and my answered prayer...and shelly and sharing emily and being so extremely blessed...

Dorothy's Update August 2, 2009

Sharing Lots of people send us clothes, so many that we can't use them all, so we share. Our nanny Rose took clothes to a family in her neighborhood with 10 children. Mostly the children go naked because they don't have any clothes. Rose was immensely touched when the mother cried with joy because of the clothes Rose brought. Other nannies have had similar experiences. Seeing that they can make a difference has inspired them to even greater efforts to reach out to their neighbors. When our staff share clothes, shoes, blankets, etc., they also share the message of Christ. Praise God that we are helping Haitians reaching out to Haitians!

Kids
Johnny's immune system is crashing and he needs AIDS medications quickly. His blood test last week showed a CD4 count of 383, 5.9%. The clinic approved him for medications but before he can start we have to take a class to learn how to give the medicines. Class is set for August 7th. We are trying to keep him away from anyone who is sick. Please pray with us that Johnny will stay well so he can start the meds right away.

Tuesday of last week, 7/21, a friend called to say there was a crying lady with a 1 month old baby at her house looking for help. They were homeless. This is her 3rd baby. The other 2 died as infants, she doesn't know why. I brought the baby boy, Hulkeluno, and his mother home to stay in our back room until he is older and she can find a job. He has 12 fingers and 11 toes! Our doctor said that can be an indication of heart or kidney problems and we need to get him evaluated. We ran the usual blood tests: he has syphilis! She probably does, too. We'll get them both treated.

Friday of last week, 7/24, was hectic. first Pastor Luke brought us a grandmother and little girl, Emanuella. Emanuella was seizing constantly and looked like she was dying. The day before Sherrie had taken them to two children's hospitals. The 1st hospital said the little girl was too far gone to help. The 2nd hospital gave prescriptions for amoxicillin and phenobarbital and sent them away. 'Luckily' I knew there were American doctors doing a clinic in the neighborhood. Two of them came right away. They said it looks like Emanuella is around 3 years old and has had chronic seizures for a very long time. They loaded her up with phenobarbital and told me how much to give her daily.

I have since been told that the 'grandmother' is a stranger who picked Emanuella up off the street. Our staff is afraid that she will try to use Emanuella to get money from a foreigner so we took Emanuella to the police Friday and told them the whole story. Staff from Social Services were there also and made an appointment for us to meet with them Monday morning. They will let me keep Emanuella and will help me to become a licensed orphanage.

Just after we got Emanuella settled, St. Damien's Hospital staff brought Rosa, a 4 year old girl, and her uncle. Rosa has TB and HIV. Both parents are dead. The staff was concerned because Rosa's caretakers were not giving good care. Some of her behaviors make me suspect she was also being sexually abused. She is beautiful, scared, and doesn't know how to behave in a safe setting. Praise God, our nannies are loving and patient. I am SO grateful that God brought Rosa to a safe place!!!!

Later that afternoon Pastor Emory brought Amania and her mom from Gonaives. Amania is 3 and still doesn't walk so we agreed to let them stay here while we have Amania evaluated. We have an appointment with a doctor next Wednesday.

Sterline's mom brought her along when she needed to get more formula, baby food and vitamins. With a heavier-than-normal head and casts on both legs, 7 month old Sterline only weighs 11 lbs. We gave as much as mom could carry and counseled her on feeding Sterline more food more often.

Kimberly's mom called and said she will come today to take Kimberly home with her. Apparently she has found a home. Praise God! We love it when children return to loving families.

Gertie spent July with her mother in their village of Thomazeau. They came back 7/30 so Gert could get ready to go back to school. But Gertie did not want to leave her mom; she cried. We gave them money for Gertie's school fees in Thomazeau (about $50 USD) and asked that she please come stay with us during school vacations. It was hard to let Gert go - I have raised her for more than 3 years and love her very much - but it was the right thing to do. Her village is beautiful and her mother now lives in a nice home and can care for her.

House hunting We know the mayor of Delmas will force the owner of this house to remove part of the house but we don't know when. Our rent is paid thru September and we will be allowed to stay on a month to month basis ($700 USD per month) until the mayor makes her start work. I have been looking for a new house to rent. Ouch! Anything large enough to house a lot of sick babies and toddlers with occasional mothers is way more than $700 a month, more like $2500 a month. It's time to think about buying a house. I hope the owner will agree to sell us this house for a reasonable price and that we will be able to raise the money to buy it or another suitable house.

Car We don't have a new car yet but the old one is currently running. Like the "little engine that could", it had a really hard time climbing the hill to the lab for blood tests but it made it at last.

Equipment Both the generator and the inverter have stopped working. We are now totally dependent on Haiti's erratic electric service.

Tidbits

Hulkeluno was born June 24. On July 21 his mom told us he was 2 months old. She thought babies were 1 month old at birth.
We had a stinky weed growing near the back steps. One nanny didn't want us to pull it up because, she said, it keeps the lugaru (some kind of evil spirit) away. I made sure to remove it completely and tell her that God and His angels are all the protection we need.
God promised to supply all my needs for this work in Haiti. Luck had nothing to do with having American doctors in the neighborhood when a critical child was brought to my home after being refused help at 2 hospitals. God is always good!

I will go to Florida on August 26th for a 3 to 4 week visit and would like to speak to as many groups as possible about the infant rescue mission. Please let me know if you would like for me to speak to your group.

Prayer requests

The spiritual growth of our staff, for them to be bold to speak the gospel as they reach out to their neighbors
Good health for our children
Protection of all missionaries from spiritual attacks. Many of us are experiencing more than usual equipment breakdowns, frustration of our plans, personnel problems, bureaucracy, etc.

Our equipment needs
Our house
Replenishing our pantry with foods to give hungry families
School sponsors for the triplets, Richardson, Gertie and Rosa
The group coming to do Bible studies with our staff
For all of us to remember to praise God for all that he is and has given us whenever we are tempted to worry about what we don't or may not have
God is good, ALL the time! Thank you for your love and support.


Dorothy Pearce

"And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love." I Cor. 13:13

Faith-Hope-Love Infant Rescue
http://dorothypearcehaiti.blogspot.com


Donations:
Christian Light Foundation, Inc.
P.O. Box 23881
Jacksonville FL 32241-3881
Memo: For D. Pearce, Haiti