Gonaives, Haiti Update (from Emory Wilson)

Most of my blog readers probably don't know Emory & Mary Wilson, but they are from Waynesville where MUCH Ministries is based out of and where Junior & I live, but they live in Haiti. MUCH supports a lot of missionaries...specifically two in Port-au-Prince and two in Gonaives, but Emory & Mary we don't just support I would say we partner with...the relationship and how we do things there in Jubilee, Gonaives Haiti... is much more connected and in constant communication than the other missions that we work with. I hope that makes sense, if you have questions please don't hesitate to ask. Here is Emory's latest update! It's long, but its good....


Hello

It has been a few of very trying weeks that have taxed each of us here in Gonaives and Jubilee. It has been one of the most emotional rollercoasters we have been on, but God has seen us through it and He has been glorified in so many ways. I have not been able to communicate with many of you, because of computer issues, so I will recap what has happened in the last three weeks. I am thankful for those at SSCC who have blessed the ministry with a new computer and for Barry Harrell recovering all my files and info from the old one. It is a blessing to be able to communicate with you again.
When Hurricane Tomas passed by Gonaives on Friday night November 5th, it left a about a foot of water in the city and in Jubilee. It was a trying time for many families. Laura Lynn and Rachel were able to assist many people during that time by allowing them to come to the school to dry off and have a place to sleep. We thank God for His refuge in times of storms. Julie was at the house and made preparations for the worst along with Amos, Gertrude and Marvins. There was alitttle water in the Garage but it did not enter the rest of the house. We praise God for honoring our prayers.
On Monday the 8th of November after Tomas left we were faced with yet another storm called cholera. By Wednesday 8 people in Jubilee died from it. The whole team here was awesome in helping those who had cholera. There were many sick in their homes and many sick people came to the school to get help. The hospital in Roboto was not taking anyone with Cholera and the other hospitals were overflowing. It was not a good situation for three days. On Wednesday afternooon, We visited the Hospital again in Roboto and they allowed us to take the sick people which were at the school to their hospital. This gave us a much needed break. Each day we were dispensing clean water and oral rehydration fluids to hundreds of people. We praise God for the well which was very timely. We were able to help with education for prevention. Mary, Julie, Laura Lynn, Rachel, and Brian all worked very hard to keep people alive through iv, oral rehydration, and education. In the mist of the crisis, Nathan Blessing with Cross International traveled to Gonaives with a truck loaded with supplies which we were out of or did not have. We praise God for His provision through this time.
On the morning of Saturday the 13th, the hospital again would not assist people who had cholera. Laura Lynn took several people in who had needs and began helping them again. In the afternoon we were able to return the 5 patients at the school to the hospital in Roboto. Cholera seems to be better, but reports are they are expecting it to get worse. Over 1,600 people have lost their lives to cholera in Haiti. Near 11am that morning, Julie Aurthur who is our teacher from Virginia, received a phone call that her brother Justin Arthur had been killed in an auto accident. I have never experienced this and do not know what this family has had to endure, but I know God has been there with them. Julie was able to get a flight out that evening with Mary going with and beside her. I thank God for Mary's compassion for others which compelles her to minister to them. Mary has returned and Julie will return on the 30th. Please keep Julie and her family in your prayers.
On Tuesday the 16th we received a call from some Doctors and nurses near Cap Haitia who needed a ride to get to the airport on Wednesday. I have never traveled there but the senery was great and it reminded me of what Jubilee will look like one day. They were able to spend the night with us in Gonaives and made it to PAP in time for thier flight. We seen God's hand of protection and provision in a mighty way through this. We thank god for new friends and relationships.
We thank God for his provision through those who have visited with us over the past few weeks. The first week of November, we had a team from the Waycross, Blackshear, Ga. area with us. Their activities included completing the top on the cistren, teaching worhip songs to the children in the school, and giving lots of love to many children and adults alike. They also were very good friends who gave us encouragement to keep going. We thank God for those who have worked on this cistren to provide clean water to this community. It was definately in a good time with the cholera outbreak. On the 12th through the 14th, we had a few representatives from Somebody cares Houston who were awesome prayer warriors for the season we were going through. In addittion to praying, they helped with the medical issues, told bible stories with puppets and gave much love to everyone. They blessed the school breakfast program with much peanut butter. They were a great encouragement for Mary. The last two weeks Kathy Brooks has led a couple teams who have worked on many different projects including gardening and small business'. We also had a team here from First Baptist Hattiesberg who have been a blessing helping with construction, medical needs and loving the children. Brian Smith has been here for a few weeks working on the housing project. We now have two foundations completed and are woking on the walls of one. He will return soon to continue on this project. We thank him and those from Omaha who are working beside us in Jubilee. We praise God for those who visit us and bring the hope of God's unconditional love with them to share with us and our friends.
If you would like to see more updates on what has happened the last few weeks, you can look at muchministies.org, omaharapidresponse.blogspot.com, omaharapidresponse.org, or you can find Laura Lynn on facebook at lauralynnnichols. Many of you have asked how you can help with the school. There are opportunities to help in the school through jubileekidsinc.org .
The presidential election was held yesterday with much violence and people dumping ballot boxes in the street. It is expected to bring unrest. Please continue to pray for the government and this process.
I hope each of you have had a wonderful week this week as you have reflected on what you are thankful for during this season. As I have reflected the last few weeks, the thing that I am thankful for is God placing people around me who in the mist of a battle run towards the sound of the gunfire. Through all that has happened everyone involved has served selflessly and had the interest of others as more important than their own lives and welfare. I think that is what Oswald Chambers is talking about as he encourages us to identify with Christ's interest in other people. As we continue to ponder Jesus' probable action I am realizing that many times it calls us to a place of sacrifice and suffering on the behalf of others which is what Jesus set an example for us to do. I have found that I have failed in this area so many times because I thought what was on my agenda was more important than what God wanted to do in the lives of others, therefore I followed my desires and missed identifying His interest in others. Lord help us each day to deny ourselves and follow in your light and your steps in Jesus name. We thank you for your prayers and support and are blessed to see God honoring our prayers as we work in the Kingdom together.
With love in Christ
Emory and Mary

Prayer request
Mary is doing much better with very little nausea.
Provision for medika manmba
Cholera and those effected.
Construction projects.
Government and election process
Bus to help with transportation.
With love in Christ
Emory and Mary

You can view this and previous updates at http://love4haiti.blogspot.com/

Donations : Christian Light Foundation PO Box 23881 Jacksonville Fla. 32241-3881 or online at Christianlightfoundation.com Donations for the work which we are doing should have our name on the envelope.
You can call us direct at 912-342-4411

MUCH Update Nov. 23rd

The Hope Center

Several years ago i volunteered with an organization in the Urban Core of Kansas City MO and it has forever changed my life....i was reminded today of how thankful i am of this ministry...its mission...its goals...and most importantly its heart....

i was visiting the website, i hadn't in a long time and had a minute to spare. to be honest it was a bit embarrising as i sat by myself at the marketplace right before i closed the shop practically bawling watching this video... praying no one walked in the door...it would be awkward.

The Hope Center 2010 from The Hope Center on Vimeo.

See, Ronald was one of the kids in my outreach bible study when i volunteered from fall 2003 to spring 2005. he was young and full of hope...later after i had stopped volunteering i heard of the loss in his family and to see his success story brought me to tears.

Every ministry i have ever been involved with since working with THC i have in a sense compared them to it...not in a bad way or anything...i just say this to explain they always come back to my mind...

the way they organize things, to their forms, to their guidelines, to there dedication, to their motivation, to the way they love people, their faith, their training, their leadership, their patience, their consistancy, their education, their radical heart for change...the growth that has happened can only be explained by God that is working in and through them...

i feel so honored to have ever been a part of something so beautiful...

thanks Hope Center...for all you have taught me and continue to teach me from afar....

but more importantly thank you for the way you change the world through the community in Kansas City....

LOVE LOVE LOVE

berries

i really want to live better...treat my body better...

still declaring RETE

RETE- means stop...

we are still declaring a stop to this Cholera outbreak in Haiti... it has seemed to spread and with Tomas and flooding and the already difficult conditions this is not a surprise, but again let me put voice to the power that we have in Christ Jesus....

We can command things...we are his sons and daughters and we have power to tell the angels what to do... and even more than that...so go after it...

Tell this disease, this so called outbreak to RETE!

I read this article this morning and am calling all of us to read and then SPEAK LIFE into it...

Tell these officials what will happen, declare an ending to an outbreak, an ending to Cholera, and ending to diarrhea, an ending to dirty water, an ending to bacteria spreading...

NO CHOLERA IN THE NAME OF JESUS! MESI PAPA!!!!

(if you think i am crazy that is OK...but really its a power we take all to lightly...and who would want to do an adventure with JESUS full of FAITH if it wasn't a little crazy...)

So don't hesitate...use that power in you...pray fervently and change the world with your words... YOU HAVE THAT CAPACITY IN YOU!!!

hope in the dark

i shared this on facebook...but felt it really needed to be on my blog so if its a repeat sorry, but if not enjoy my ramblings on life...

i first saw this book a year or so ago at my dear friend sarah's... (we are kindred spirits) anyway it showed up at the market place and i couldn't pass it up...its a book filled with beautiful breath taking photography that breaks your heart and then breathes life back into it over and over as you turn the pages...this is a quote from one of the pages...and the photo of the African man with wisdom would make it much more of an impact...but i just had to put it on here...so read it...think about it...and be challenged to daily be thankful for what the Lord has given us...

"we know Americans pity Africans," he told me. "But sometimes i think Africans pity Americans." "How so?" i asked him.

"Americans seem to expect that everything will be provided for them. For us," he said, "this ear of corn is a gift from God. This evening rain is a shower of mercy upon us. This healthy breath is life-giving. And, maybe tomorrow we will not have such things, but our hearts are so full from God's provision."

- excerpt from Hope in the Dark photography by Jeremy Cowart with reflections by Jena Lee

the girl effect!

be wrecked....to take action

please take a minute out of your day to look at these images....

BE WRECKED.... BE MOVED TO ACTION... CRY OUT...

GOD IS CALLING US TO BE A PART OF SOMETHING BIGGER THAN OURSELVES...

BE A WARRIOR FOR YOUR NEIGHBORS...just hours away by plane...

Haiti needs us...they REALLY need us...and in TRUTH... we NEED them.

we are ONE HUMAN FAMILY, ALL Gods children...don't turn your head... take part in the restoration, transformation and rebuilding of this beautiful nation...

look at our history...our story is wrapped up in theirs.... please don't just look... be wrecked and then act....

the heart of Gods Kingdom, humanity, dignity, grace, it cries out to me, to you, to the world...to SEE & to MOVE....

poutchino how i heart you

so i haven't wrote about the little man in awhile...but i thought i would give a brief update...

i have not seen him in what feels like forever, but really its probably just been a month... he's had it rough lately though...

lots of small seizures and a really big one, that had him in the hospital for awhile...

in fact this one made me more nervous than i can even imagine...it was 40minutes long...no little one should ever have to go through something like this...but yet he continues to be one of the most joyful and resilient kids i know as he smiles and plays several hours after the fact.

when i talked with Klay that evening after they had been in the hospital awhile... Klay said... (I'm paraphrasing) its so hard... you want them to live, but maybe they would be better with their Father in Heaven...not having to struggle to tell how they feel or where it hurts... who knows what the outcome...but God knows and Poutchino is His...that's all we can do is give it to God...

i got off the phone with him and cried....how could i be so gracious... i wanted to be selfish...poutchino couldn't go home to his Father in heaven i wanted him here...i want the option to always see him...to give him hugs...to tell him i love him... i was sure Nancy...his host mama...who i thank God for every time i think of her.... was feeling the same as me....

but nonetheless....he was OK...and survived the longest ever seizure for poutchino on record... even hours after medicines to get it to stop he was still doing the after twitches...

but i believe God has such a BIG plan for this little man full of joy and life...whoever crosses his path is changed...i will be forever changed....

i will never forget running into the building for him...the joy in my anxious heart to see him and there he is playing with his toes surrounded by fear, crying, moaning and more in the aftermath of an earthquake...he will be forever etched in my heart...

and YES its God who decides his story and journey NOT me....and if His will is for a short life...my running into a building to get him will be forever worth it....i love him...and at the same time...have to let the selfishness in me go...and give God the control...and trust that it is Good...for HE IS GOOD...he created poutchi... and the world is better because of it...

all this ramble to say... he is doing better.... here is a short VIDEO that Nancy made of him feeling a bit better...

Keep lifting him up in prayer...and the Brickell's as they take care of him here!

Declarations

So i believe more and more everyday that it really is how we use our words...that the whole...life and death is held with in our tongues.... is very true....

so with that said i feel like instead of talking about what the news says in this cnn article about the storm headed towards Haiti and Jamaica...

lets declare war over the winds and rain...lets tell it to stop...lets bring the calm...lets call the angels for back up and declare that tomas will have no effect on all the children and families in these countries... that it will be a beautiful day and no one needs to worry.

lets also continue to declare the end to a "so called" outbreak of cholera in this country of Haiti i love so much...WE love SO much!!!

thanks for joining in the battle and using our tongue for LIFE...what Jesus called us TO DO!!