September

“He who is gracious to a poor man lends to the Lord, and He will repay
him for his good deed.”
Proverbs 19:17

Dear Friends in Christ,

Glory to Jesus, He has given us another month to share His love with others and to minister to many people. Jesus is our Savior, and we are excited to share Him through our dear Brothers and Sisters in Haiti and Mexico.

We have been busy getting things together so that we can begin school as early as possible this year. Purchasing land and building on it will take some time, yet we hope to begin school in October. Gang violence and disruption has closed many schools in Haiti, leaving thousands of children without schools to attend. In fact, this violence has left close to 580,000 people homeless in Haiti, where 60% of the people earn less than $2 a day. This is very sad. Please pray with us that we can continue accomplishing God’s work and providing exposure to the gospel, education, Christian instruction and a meal each day for the school children and meals and a job for our teachers.

Pastor Bertho, Kaloulou and Emilio have gone out to the school a few times this month getting papers and having surveyors place markers on the corners of the land we are considering purchasing. Each trip out our prayer team has prayed for their safety and despite some difficulties along the way, we praise God for His protection over these men, as they dodge encounters with the gangs and violence.

A man named Louis who is a casec has gone to the school with the team, upon Pastor Bertho’s invitation, to moderate and allow our teams access to the school and our supplies which are being stored there. Similar to a mayor, Louis is a government official who takes charge when there is a conflict of interest in his area or zone. The people there listen to his decisions and respect him as an authority. His presence has been very helpful for us with our relationship with the church.

On one of our team’s trips, they took supplies and materials for uniforms with them. While there, a tailor, Leximy Baptiste from Mirebalais went to the school to measure children for uniforms. Nady, our school administrator, found Leximy to sew uniforms at a reasonable price. He was able to measure 150 excited children and is already busy sewing their new uniforms for this year.

After a few medical problems and having to go back into the hospital, Nady and Jeanne are once again home with their twin sons, Davidson and Daveson. We are grateful to our prayer team who lifted these precious boys up before the Lord for His healing and again our Father protected them. Infant mortality is much higher in Haiti than in the US. Although the doctors suggested blood transfusions for the babies; Nady chose not to do this and has found a medication which is working well for the boys. Please continue to keep Nady, Jeanne and their baby boys in your prayers.

Last month we mentioned that we sent gift boxes for the children who have gone on from our school into the 7th grade. They are in Mirebalais now, ready to begin school and were very happy to receive these boxes filled with personal items, some school supplies and clothes for each of them. These 4 girls and 2 boys are so excited for this opportunity to move on into 7th and 8th grades and this is thanks to you who provided for their financial needs through OSM!

We were able to send a box of more personalized items and supplies for some of our teachers and younger students as well. Sandolia, one of our kindergarten teachers received the box and will distribute these out to some of the younger students and the siblings of our schoolchildren. Receiving gifts like these are very special for these families.

Please continue to pray for little Woodsaidmie. This month OSM covered what we hope will be her last surgery. Since birth, her legs have been twisted inward, similar to an extreme case of club feet. Though she started having surgeries at an early age, she has never been able to walk and when she tries it is painful for her. In the US, her problems would have been medically cared for and she would be walking like other children by now. She has a caring doctor there overseeing her situation, yet the equipment in the hospitals in Haiti is not what we are blessed to have here. We ask God to heal her legs and allow her to walk, run and play soon. Thank you to each of you, our sponsors, who have helped provide for the medical needs and schooling for this precious young girl.

Each of our updates on Pastor Santos are often very similar to the last. The reason is he and his wife Fini remain faithful to daily and weekly minister to the needs of families and children in their area. They continue to use the Ranch of Faith as a place to bring people to be surrounded by a peaceful environment. We are grateful the Lord brought Pastor Santos and Sister Fini into our lives about 25 years ago. It has been a wonderful friendship and journey God has given us to minister with them to many beautiful people in the Nava area. Please pray with us for God’s fullest measure of strength and blessings over them and those they minister to each day.

The Lord has used you, our OSM family, to touch many lives, sharing His love and goodness. This ministry would not be possible without you, your prayers, encouragement and financial support. With so many difficult things happening around the world and even in our own country now, do not lose hope. Jesus is full of hope, the Giver of Life; He pursues us with His love and has a wonderful future ahead for His children. Now, we have the most important message ever for a lost world, our Savior reigns and He’s coming back for us! Hallelujah!

Serving our Savior with you,
Ken and Debbi