May

The Lord will protect you from all evil; He
will keep your soul. The Lord will guard your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forever.
Psalms: I Chronicles 121:7-8

Dear Friends in Christ,

This month has been wonderful for us to see all that is happening with the school in Haiti. What an amazing Father we have. He has allowed us to continue ministering in a country with so many difficulties. We are
blessed to daily see His miracles, His provision, and protection over the children, teachers, and our staff!

As you see, the food is a big blessing for the children and the teachers each day. Just getting it purchased and delivered for the school has been a miracle. Some of the children were very thin and were not eating well when they began attending the school. Now, with a good, nutritious meal
each day, the children have filled out and are healthier physically and academically. We thank the Lord for His monthly provision through you (our supporters), for this important need for these precious children.

Nady took pictures of some of the older school children and included
a little more information about each one. As you read about the children
you may notice many are older, yet in lower grades. Before God allowed OSM to start the Brunette Christian School, (grades Pre-K to 6th), there was not a school close enough for many of these children to attend. With so many difficulties and trying to help provide for their families, many children in rural areas are not able to attend school. We’re so grateful to be a part of helping change that for these children! Please pray for them, their homes and families.

1. Mesiline Gedeon is 14 years old and in 6th grade. As our school currently only goes through 6th grade; this is her last year at our school. Mesiline will continue school in Mirebalais where she will be staying with an aunt. Her mom sells corn and beans at the markets on Mondays and Thursdays. Mesiline has 3 brothers and 1 sister, of which none of them are currently attending our school.

2. Met (Teacher) Amadeau Clermon is a 36-year-old father of 4. Amadeau has 3 daughters and a son ranging from 3-14 years old. He walks almost an hour each morning through rough terrain to meet Nady and ride to school to teach our 1st & 2nd graders. Amadeau is a believer and was baptized in 2009. His wife sells dry food like rice and grits in the market.

3. Dalencia Geffrard is 17 years old and in the 6th grade. Her favorite subjects are Creole and science. She is the oldest of 3 sisters and 2 brothers. Her parents are separated and she lives with her aunt. Her aunt has a garden that she grows vegetables in that she sells in the market. Dalencia lives a 45 minute walk from school. She doesn’t know where she will continue school. Although she says she is not currently a Christian, she does go to church every Sunday. We are praying for this precious soul!

4. Another 6th grader is 14 years old Pelinda Chery. Pelinda will continue school in Mirebalais next year where she plans to live with an aunt. She has 1 brother and 2 sisters. Pelinda’s parents are not believers; they are together but unmarried. Lussade prayed with Pelinda 4 years ago when she asked Jesus in to her heart, praise the Lord! She started with our school the first year we began and lives nearby the school.

5. Allonda Duverger is 16 years old and another one of our 6th graders. Her Mom lives in the Dominican Republic so Allonda lives with her Grandmother. She is a good student and her favorite subject is science. Allonda is not currently a Christian, but we pray for her.

6. Daniella Nelson is 17 years old and in the 5th grade. Her favorite subject is science, and she wants to be a nurse. Daniella is the second born of a large family of 6 brothers and 2 sisters. Her parents are no married. Daniella is not a Christian but goes to church every Sunday, as we believe the Lord is working in her life.

7. Also in 5th grade is 16 year old Relide Joseph. Relide lives with her parents who are married and are about 20 minutes from the school. Her favorite subject is science. Relide has 3 brothers and 2 sisters. All of her family are Christians.

8. Achlina Joseph is Relide’s cousin. Achlina is 14 years old and also in the 5th grade. Although she hopes to become a nurse some day, her favorite subject is Bible study. Achlina’s parents both passed away at different times when she was 7 years old. She lives with her Grandmother. The food program in the school helps her a lot because her Grandmother cannot work because she is sick with high blood pressure and heart issues. Achlina walks 45 minutes every morning to get to school.

9. Dieunel Cadet is 15 years old and is another one of our 5th graders. He wants to become a doctor, and his favorite subject is math. Dieunel has 3 sisters and 1 brother.

10. Babe Chery is 20 years old and in the 4th grade. His parents are not Christians and are not living together. Babe comes to church every Sunday.

Pastor Santos has shared that he began building a barn for the new milking machine. We are excited for him to have a more sanitary place to milk the cows and use his new machine. He and Fini minister to many young people with the dairy by providing jobs and milk and cheese to sell. His barn will have hot and cold running water to keep the barn and the machine clean. While this is happening, he is also adding a ministry room for couples and families who come to his home for spiritual and emotional mentoring. We thank the Lord that many people are being led to Christ through their ministry.

May 31st is 19 years since our lovely daughter Shelby, stepped into Heaven. She is missed deeply by our family and many friends. This month we received a beautiful testimony about Shelby from a dear friend and pastor in Mexico, Samuel Macias. It always warms our hearts to hear memories of our precious daughter! We hope it is a blessing and an encouragement to you, our family and friends, as well:

When my wife Saby and I were newly married, we were in a very small church with limited resources, we had to manage our finances wisely. For several months we cooked on a small electric stove with two grills and one of them was not working properly, but at that moment other things had to be prioritized. One day we went to the town furniture store and saw the stove Saby wanted: four grills (burners), a co-mal (griddle) in the middle, with an oven and an almond color.

The Kennedy family was part of a missionary ministry that worked alongside Pastor Santos Elias at the Methodist Church in Nava, Coah, MX. He knew that I had some knowledge of English and thought it would be a good idea
for us to work together. Thanks to this I met the Kennedy family and developed a beautiful friendship. They asked me where I was a pastor, they asked me to know my church and my home. We went to my church, and they liked it a lot. They asked me if we had any needs, to which I said no for the moment. We needed to fix the roof of the house, which was already established within the budget to be fixed. However one of Mr. Kennedy’s sons told his father that he would fix the roof of the house. The Kennedy family went to see the house and one of his daughters, Shelby, saw the kitchen. She asked Saby where she cooked because she couldn’t see the stove anywhere, to which Saby showed her the small stove with two grills. They went out with the plan to fix the roof. They took measurements, calculated the necessary materials and returned home. After fixing the roof, they invited us to dinner where they lived while doing missionary work. We talked and had dinner together, and in the end, Shelby told Saby that she wanted to give her a gift and asked if she could accept it, and Saby said yes. She took her to the kitchen and said, “This stove is for you; we need a bigger one, we only used it for a month.” Saby was crying because in addition to her gratitude for this beautiful gift, it was the stove with four grills and a comal in the middle, with an almond-colored oven.

Shelby had a big heart to share. She loved the people of Mexico and Haiti and learned the language of both countries to serve even better. She not only shared material goods with people in need but also spoke of God’s love with them. She was diagnosed with cancer in October, 2004, and on May 31, 2005, 7:15pm, at the age of 23, Shelby received her complete healing and fell asleep in the Lord.

In the journey of life, unexpected blessings often come from unexpected places. Shelby’s legacy of compassion and service reminds us of the profound impact we can have when we share God’s love with others, regardless of the circumstances.

Heavenly Father, we thank you for the unexpected blessings that touch
our lives. Grant us hearts for gratitude and generosity. Help us share your
love and comfort with others. Amen.

Unexpected acts of kindness reveal God’s love through others. Let us be channels of His compassion, spreading hope and joy wherever we go.
Pastor, Samuel Macias

Serving our Savior with you, Ken and Debbi

“I’m always so encouraged when people see Jesus in me.
Of myself, I am nothing… but with Jesus in me, His beauty will shine
through me, and radiate my life.” -Shelby Kennedy