June

The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him, and rescues them. O taste and see that the Lord is good; How blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!

Psalms 34:7-8

Dear Friends in Christ,

June has gone very well for our school and teachers in Haiti. The Lord has protected the staff near Port-au-Prince also. Though travel is very limited and the gangs are still located close by, the school has been able to operate and flourish under God’s protection. It is as if the Lord has blinded the eyes of the gang members to the village and school. This is a reason to praise the Lord and give Him glory for this awesome miracle and His loving protection!

Last month we shared that Nady and Amadeau were working on taking school pictures in May and June. This project has been completed and we are happy to share some of these precious pictures with you. Though some of the children, especially the younger ones, are a little fearful of having their pictures taken, Na-dy has been working with them to teach them to relax and smile. The older children are better learning to smile and have a happy face more quickly. Sadly, many people who are into voodoo can believe that it’s very evil and dangerous to have their pictures taken. For us, it’s hard not to fall in love with these little faces as we see them mature and grow up, even becoming healthier, over the years.

With the gangs so close by, Nady began going north to a town called Hinche for supplies and food. When we opened the school, for several years, we were able to purchase food cheaper in Petionville and our staff there would take it out to the school each month. With the staff there not being able to travel out to the school safely anymore, Nady began getting food and supplies from Mirebalais, which was a good bit more expensive than it had been from Petionville. The gangs have now made that much more dangerous, so we have opted to go to Hinche. Using motorcycles, which can maneuver around dangerous areas, has made it possible to have the food delivered for the month. The new costs for transportation plus the higher costs of the food itself, coming from a much smaller town, have greatly increased our cost of providing a meal each day for the children. Although the expense has gone up, the dire need for nourishment for the children in this area has also increased greatly as parents are struggling to provide with limited resources under the destruction of the gangs to their town. We are so grateful Nady and the teachers have found a way for meals to continue happening. Haitians are very good at creating a new “normal” for themselves and adapting in much more challenging situations than we can even fathom!

Each year, Haitian schools celebrate Agriculture Day. The kindergarteners brought all the vegetables you see in these pictures to school for the celebration. The teachers teach the children about each of these vegetables, how they grow, and how to clean them for eating. They also teach them about different animals, cleaning and grooming them, and caring for their homes. Of course, the children love to have hands-on contact with the things they are learning about. The vegetables and children made colorful pictures, and they had a fun day listening and learning. I’m sure the cook was able to use some of these in the meal that day; they often make a delicious vegetable sauce for the beans and rice they serve.

Mother’s Day is celebrated a little later in Haiti than here. The teachers helped the students to each create a craft for their mothers. There is nothing like having your child make something for you and their mothers are very happy receiving these gifts. It was a beautiful and special day for them to acknowledge and celebrate their Moms!

Our students should be finishing school at the end of July. The school year there is different than here. This year we hope to have another graduation celebration for the kindergarteners and 6th-grade graduates like we did last year. This is a very big accomplishment for all of them. The idea of school of any kind is a big deal in Haiti, but especially in remote areas. Many of the parents in the village did not have this opportunity when they were growing up. If you can help with the cost of the graduation ceremony it will be about $500 for the rental of gowns and caps and a celebration meal for the families.

Another need for the school we are trying to meet is 2 large plastic cisterns. Water is always a challenge, especially up the mountain where the school is located. For now, they must haul water from the river, which is about a 45-minute hike each way. When we get the cisterns, eventually they will use gutters to collect the rainwater, which will fill the cisterns. If you can help, the cost is $500/each cistern.

Pastor Santos and Fini are staying busy with Bible studies and other outreach for the people of Nava. Their church is doing very well. This month, the Juan 3:16 Church, celebrated its 25th year anniversary. Many of you may remember OSM was blessed to build the church back in May of 2000 with several teams of volunteers from different churches. It was wonderful to be a part of that church for many years.

Each of you are so important to OSM, our family, our brothers and sisters in Haiti, and in Mexico. The past few months we have again lost a few of our prayer partners, and a few supporters because of challenges they are facing. We are so blessed many of these sponsors are still covering us and OSM with prayer! You are the ones who make possible the school, feeding program, our staff in Petionville, Pastor Santos and Sister Fini, Lety, the Dorcas House ministry and others who receive encouragement and help through OSM. We are always excited to be a part of these ministry opportunities, but we are only a part. Through the Lord Jesus, we look to you as the foundation for prayer and financial support that enables this all to happen. With the cost increases of getting to the school, and pay for our teachers and school going up, we would like to ask some of you who are not already helping financially or prayerfully to consider joining us monthly as the Lord leads you. We would also like to encourage you to share OSM with your friends and others you think may be interested in partnering with us in Mexico and Haiti. We hope that seeing these precious children and hearing of the needs they have and the opportunities being given them will bless and encourage your hearts as it does ours. We are resting in Jesus to continue to provide!

Only the power of Christ, His protection and provision allows OSM to thrive. He has directed us to where we are today and we pray His blessings and direction moving forward. Thank you so much for your prayers and support which encourages and enables us to keep going. We know and understand many of you are dealing with your own battles, either in your families or workplaces, spiritually, physically, or financially. We have heard of many health challenges and trials many of our dear friends and family are facing and we are continuously lifting each of you up in prayer! May Jesus Christ step in and bring His peace, protection, and provision over you and your families. May He be your Way Maker.

Serving our Savior with you,
Ken and Debbi