God Is In Control

Mission to Haiti – November 28, 2010

Where does one start to describe the events of the past week.  The cholera epidemic continues unabated, but it is difficult to find out much about what is happening in this regard.  Earlier this week we heard it was over 1,400 dead and 60,000 infected, but the number of dead was thought to be too low when it was reported because of the lack of communication and infrastructure to determine what was actually happening outside major population centres.  We do know that only 12% of the Haitian population of 9.8 million received treated tap water and only 17% had access to adequate sanitiation before the earthquake.  The Centre for Disease Control in Atlanta, Georgia, was quoted as saying that even before the earthquake water safety and sanitation systems in Haiti were weak so conditions are now even more of a problem and ripe for the further spread of cholera.

The staff and students here at the Emmaus Biblical Seminary, while not immune should someone carry the cholera parasite onto the campus, have so far been very fortunate.  With the exception of the mother of the night watchman who died over two weeks ago down in the Port-au-Prince area the remainder of the staff and students have not yet been touched nor have their families.  Our water continues to be safe and everyone is taking precautions to make sure that proper sanitation is being practiced.




Street in Cap Haitien

 

The major problem now seems to be the manifestations (demonstrations) and where or when they may break out again.  Whether they are politically motivated or are a spontaneous reaction to the cholera epidemic is open to speculation.  So far this week things appear to be back to something approaching normal although there are rumours galore and we don’t know whether to leave the EBS compound or stay put.  A work team from Hamilton left a day early because they did not know what the situation was going to be like the scheduled day of departure and another team from Hamilton that was scheduled to arrive cancelled rather than find themselves trapped, unable to work and unable to leave when they planned.  One of our Haitian professors who has a heavy teaching load this semester has moved himself and his wife onto campus so that he will be able to teach his classes without the possibility of not being able to make it home or back because of roadblocks as was the case last week.  We are all praying that after the election on November 28^th things will quieten down at least until the runoff elections on January 17^th.

We attended the EBF (English Bible Fellowship) service this past Sunday and were once again reminded that God is very much in control.  It seemed like everything from our prayers of thanksgiving to the message delivered by Dr. Bill Cooper were of similar themes, and it seems the more difficult the situation the more God is with us and will protect us.  Dr. Bill cited three instances from the Old Testament where God was in control and was with those who believed and trusted in Him.  In Exodus he spoke of the Israelites who were trapped between the Red Sea and and Egyptians, and in the book of Daniel he spoke of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego who faced a fiery death because of their faith, and then later it was Daniel who was thrown into the lion’s den only to survive because of his faith. 

Two of the missionaries who attend EBF this past week found themselves in a difficult situation while travelling from Vaudreuil, very near the OMS compound, to their mission near Limbe, a distance of perhaps 15 miles.  They found themselves and their vehicle trapped between two roadblocks in the dark of night.  For over an hour they did not know whether they would be allowed to go on their way or what would happen.  All they could do was pray for God’s protection.  After what must have seemed like forever a Haitian on a motorbike came over and told the missionaries to follow him.  They did, and after a rather adverturesome trip that they would never have undertaken in daylight they found themselves safely on the road to their mission compound.  For them this was very much a case of answered prayer and they have been thanking God ever since for the stranger who lead them to safety.  For them God was very much in control.

That is very much how we feel.  We don’t worry about the situation we find ourselves in.  We know that we have many people who know us and many people we have never met praying for our safety and that of our fellow missionaries.  We know that there is little we can do beyond prayer to address the situation we find ourselves in.  We are not in danger, just surrounded by a sea of uncertainty that will calm itself given time.  No one ever said that serving in the mission field was going to be all smooth sailing.  All we can do is put our faith in God knowing he will see us through.  Psalm 32:6 says You are my hiding place; you protect me from trouble.  You surround me with songs of victory.

Lily blowing out Stacey's candles



This past week we celebrated the birthday of fellow missionary Stacey Ayars   Her husband (along with the help of their almost 2 year old, Lily) lovingly made her supper and we also shared in that feast along with Dr. Bill and Ruth Cooper who are finishing their last week of teaching.  It has been nearly a month now since they arrived.  They have purchased bus tickets for Saturday to Santiago in the Dominican Republic and from there are to fly home to Colorado.  At time of writing it is still uncertain whether the bus is going to be leaving because of the election on Sunday or may be hampered by roadblocks.  All we can do is pray.

Evangela (It means The Good News)

We are also celebrating the birth of Evangela, daughter of Pastor Vilmer & Sarah Paul.  Vilmer is the pastor of Heavenly Light Church as well as a Dean here at the Emmaus Biblical Seminary.  We had been hoping to get to Pastor Vilmer’s school prior to our departure for Canada but with all the troubles, while the school is open, very few of the children are attendingl which is understandable.  No one wants to have a child hurt or injured.

Heavenly Light School is one of the four

primary schools St. Andrew’s supports so it would be remiss not to mention the  HEARTS Christmas Gift Giving program where you can give a gift to someone at Christmas of tuition for a Haitian child or a daily meal to a child attending one of our schools, or one of the other gift selections.  Contact  Sandra Woods in the office or call Sandra at (519) 843-3565 to make a donation or to learn more about how you can be a part of this terrific way to celebrate Christmas.

Please visit our new blog site http://www.jdmhaiti.blogspot.com/.  It has taken us a while to get the site up.  We are now caught up with postings some of which you may have already read.  What you have not seen are the pictures that go along with some of the stories.  We hope to publish a little more regularly from now on. 

Please pray for peace this Sunday during the Haitian election.

Dorothy and John

Canadians Talking Turkey on American Thanksgiving

Thursday, November 25, 2010 was Thanksgiving Day across the USA.  We woke to an absolutely gorgeous day in Haiti and thought, this is the day that the Lord has made.  Let us rejoice and be glad in it.  Also came to mind several hymns about Thanksgiving; a Gaither tune, We Are So Blessed; Give Thanks With a Grateful HEART; and I Will Sing With Thanksgiving
In My Heart, a choral arrangement that our choir director at home, Joan Wilson, loves for the choir to sing on Thanksgiving Sunday. 

Julie Briggs and Hannah Perry

Thanksgiving supper was at the Vaudreuil compound with Kate, Hannah and Julie hosting.  We could say, "And Julie and Hannah poured tea from a silver teapot,"  but Julie and Hannah were busy assisting with cholera patients in a tent outside the compound's Bethesda Medical Clinic.  When there were too many patients, a guest house on the compound, the Welcome Inn, was opened for several patients, mostly children, who had to stay over night or longer.  Julie and Hannah came in after we had started to talk turkey and left shortly after we finished as they were taking shifts throughout the night to change dehydration drip bags and deal with other emergencies.

Turkey, Ham and Trimmings

We all devoured turkey, dressing, gravy and side dishes.  We hardly had room for dessert, but (Our tummies hurt just looking at the desserts - pumpkin pie, cherry pie, apple pie, pecan tarts and several varieties of cookies.) somehow we managed.

It seemed such a contradiction between the Haitians and ourselves.  While we were having a Thanksgiving dinner that would rival anything found at home not five hundred feet away there were a dozen children fighting for their lives against the cholera bacteria.  It makes you begin to rethink what is truly important in our lives and how thankful we should be for things like good health and good friends.

We are always thankful to MFI for the shopping service (groceries including turkeys, vehicle and deisel parts, and everything else under the sun) they purchase in the USA for missionaries in Haiti and then bring it all in with them when they come with mail and other cargo.

Sunrise

I, Dorothy, have been thinking about some of the other things in Haiti for which to be thankful; a beautiful house; fresh fruit; lovely sunrises and sunsets; the morning star; the mountains; the lush tropical foliage; a husband whom I love and who loves me, the thought that soon we will be going home for Christmas to see our children and grandchildren; and Skype, to name a few. 

I am also thankful for dead tarantuas, but I just can't bring myself to be thankful for ants and mosquitoes.  I know they serve a purpose on this earth and I know that God made all creatures great and small but.....I'm sure an entomologist will be able to enlighten me.

The most important thing that the McCluskey's are grateful for is for who God is and what he's done for us.  

H.E.A.R.T.S. Gift Giving Program

THIS CHRISTMAS, SHARE

THE GIFT OF HOPE

WITH THE POOREST OF

THE POOR

Give gifts in a family member or friend’s name to help Haitian children.

Your gift will help Haitian children to receive the education they desperately need to overcome the poverty endemic to their county.

Imagine your Christmas gift supplying a uniform, books, shoes, and a backpack for a Haitian child; tuition so that they might attend school for the very first time; the salary for a teacher who earns the equivalent of $60 USD per month.

Every dollar you give will have a meaningful impact on the children of Haiti attending one of the 4 schools supported by H.E.A.R.T.S. (Haitians Educated And Ready To Serve).

To donate call (519) 843-3565 and talk to Sandra Woods at St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, Fergus, Ontario, Canada.  Donations by cheque can also be mailed to Sandra at the following address:

St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church

325 St. George Street West

Fergus, ON, Canada, N1M 1J4

All Canadian donations will receive a receipt for income tax purposes.

You will receive a handmade Haitian gift card to give family members

 and your friends this Christmas

GIFT SELECTION

ð       $600 -Teacher’s salary for a school year

ð       $60 - Teacher’s salary for a month

ð       $360 - Nutritious meal for 4 students each day of the school year

ð       $90 -  Nutritious meal for 1 student each day of the school year

ð       $300 -Tuition for 4 students for the school year

ð       $75 -  Tuition for 1 student for the school year.

ð       $250 - Equip a kindergarten class for a year with learning materials

ð       $50 - Outfit a child with books, school uniform, shoes & backpack

ð       $25 - Provide a student with tuition and a nutritious meal each
                  school day for a month

In exceptional cases, where donations exceed what is needed for a particular item,

H.E.A.R.T.S. will direct funds to a similar item to help Haitian children in need.

The Best of Times - The Worst of Times

Mission to Haiti – November 21, 2010

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.”  This quote from “ATale of Two Cities” by Charles Dickens is something like what we are experiencing this week in Haiti.  Last Saturday we had the best of times as we attended the wedding of one of the professors at the Emmaus Biblical Seminary and now we are experiencing the worst of times as the cholera epidemic seems to grow each day; the violence associated with the coming election escalates; and, people react to the latest rumours linked to the spread of cholera by demonstrating to show their frustration.  To say the least these are interesting times.



Lucner and Luna Pierre

 Before talking of other things let us share with you the wedding that we attended in Cap Haitien.  It was something not unlike what you might see in any church in North America with some minor exceptions starting with the time.  The wedding was to start at 9:00 a.m. but didn’t actually start until 10:00.  Our weddings last something in the neighbourhood of 45 minutes to an hour.  This wedding went on for just under two hours.  Where we might have one soloist this wedding had two full choirs, three smaller choral groups, and the bride, once the exchanging of vows and rings had taken place, then sang a solo to her new husband.  Notwithstanding what was going on outside the church, we had a beautiful bride, a nervous groom, and a wedding that will be remembered by all who attended for many years to come including the 3 kisses the presiding minister insisted on.  The reception was held in the upper level of 4VEH, the Christian radio station operated by OMS just down the road from the Vaudreuil compound.  Announcements were made in several churches that everyone in the congregation was welcome to attend.  Our estimation of those seeking refreshment was close to 400.  We went but did not stay.

The cholera epidemic is currently driving so much of what is going on in Haiti.  The numbers of dead and infected continue to grow. Last week we were talking 500 dead and 7,000 infected; this week we are talking in excess of 1,000 dead and 17,000 infected, and these are just the reported cases.  There is little or no light at the end of the tunnel with the UN saying that upwards of 200,000 may become infected.  John was talking with a doctor who is visiting with a work team from Hamilton this week who feels that with simple rules of sanitation and hygiene such as the boiling of water and the washing of hands cholera could be avoided.  The problem remains one of how do you solve what is almost unsolvable.  Human waste runs down open gutters, and washing of hands would be perpetual because in Haiti, a very social country culturally, the shaking of hands and kissing of cheeks are what everyone does upon meeting someone. 



Church Sunday morning



What this all means in terms of deaths is something too unsettling to even contemplate.  Rumours are rampant.  Earlier this week we were told that a young man from the edge of Saccenville had died of cholera.  Today we find that it was not a young man but rather a man too young to have died, and rather than cholera he had a heart attack.  But the fear and anxiety is such that something like this serves to panic the community.  Yesterday we heard that seven children were killed when the UN fired tear gas at or nearby a school.  Today we find out that this did not happen as described. The truth is anybody’s guess, but again, it is another sign of the tension that currently exists in the community.  We are told that with the election less than two weeks away that many of the manifestations (demonstrations) rather than being spontaneous are planned by various political factions to foster fear and hatred toward the UN forces that are maintaining law and order along with the Haitian police.  And we now learn that most, if not all, candidates for President are promising that if elected they will make it a priority to get the UN out of Haiti.  While this is only my opinion, I do not think Haitians realize that if the UN leaves so would most of the aid money promised by governments to assist in the rebuilding of Haiti following the earthquake.  Rightly or wrongly government in Haiti is still seen as being among the most corrupt in the western hemisphere if not the world, and Haitians themselves have no trust in their government or its ability to deliver on its promises.  On Sunday morning the pastor was speaking out about the election and politicians and you could almost hear the hisses and boos from the congregation.

However, our oasis of calm, the seminary, is still very much in operation as most of our students are housed here during the week.  Some who live nearby commute but for the most part our student body is here, our visiting professors are here, and life goes on at least at the Emmaus Biblical Seminary.  What is somewhat eerie is the lack of traffic on the highway outside the main gate of the seminary.  Normally we hear the constant rumble of trucks, buses and tap-taps but today at the time of writing all is quiet.  As we sat doing our devotions today we remarked at the silence and how it is a bell weather of what is happening in Cap Haitien where the schools and banks are closed, and roadblocks of burning tires and abandoned cars litter the roads.  We are told that everything is to end on Thursday, a national holiday in Haiti, so perhaps the noisy traffic we are so use to will return at week’s end.  

From our These Days devotional book the highlighted verse today was, “Be prepared to endure everything with patience.”  Colossians 1:11.  This has been our unspoken motto since we arrived and continues to be so during this time of upheaval in Haiti.  Please pray for Haiti specifically this week that there will be major intervention to stem the spread of cholera, and that during this upcoming election things will stabilize and those elected will serve the people and also be governed by Christian principles.

The peace of Christ be with you.
Dorothy and John

Life Goes On While Cholera Continues to Spread

Mission to Haiti – November 14, 2011

We have been blessed.  Hurricane Tomas that had been predicted to pass within twelve miles of the Emmaus Biblical Seminary moved to the north, and rather than tracking through the most densely populated areas of Haiti skirted both peninsulas dumping all kinds of rain but leaving the island nearly untouched except for some isolated flooding.  There were not very many deaths caused by the storm, and while some roads and bridges were washed out, the mudslides that are so common in Haiti were largely absent.  When Hurricane Donna hit Haiti about five years ago more than 2,000 lives were lost, and when Hurricanes Fay, Gustav, Hanna and Ike hit two years ago close to one thousand lives were lost, but in both cases it was mudslides that were what caused the huge loss of lives.  This time given the state of the country following the earthquake the original track of Hurricane Tomas would have been catastrophic had it hit Port-au-Prince.  The tent cities would have been awash in temporary shelters, garbage and human waste, but God was merciful and the city was spared.

The cholera epidemic continues to claim victims.  This past week the international press announced that over 500 people have died and over 7,000 had been diagnosed with the parasite.  James, the night watchman here at the Seminary, returned from Port-au-Prince having buried his mother who was a victim of cholera.  He was in a highly emotional state, and was still finding it difficult to accept that he now has responsibility for his eight siblings.  He is still uncertain as to how he can look after his brothers and sisters, particularly the younger ones.  Should he bring them to Saccenville to live with him, send money to family members in Port-au-Prince to help with feeding and sheltering them, or is there another solution to addressing their needs.  None of them have ever attended school so what would a hamlet the size of Saccenville have to offer children who had grown up on the streets of Port-au-Prince.

The work team from Dallas, Texas, was finally able to leave on Monday.  They had originally planned on leaving on Saturday but because of Tomas they were delayed.  It might have been seen as a negative but turned to a positive because of the wonderful spirit of the team.  They were able to continue with the good work they had been doing.  Two of the members of this team decided to remain in Haiti rather than returning to Texas.  One is a former teacher and is helping with the teaching of English (ESL), and the other is a university student between semesters helping with maintenance around the OMS Vaudreuil compound.

Our time this past week, except that it has rained almost every day, has been largely uneventful but very busy with the usual cooking, cleaning and laundry.  We had planned but were unable to visit the Heavenly Light School on Wednesday due to heavy rains overnight making the road very treacherous.  We were looking forward to having the opportunity to see up close the children and their teachers.  In just two years this school has grown to almost 140 students and they, the Pastor and School Administrator, are still being asked if they would be willing to take more children.  The children range in age from three to eight and are adorable in their uniforms, the little girls with ribbons and beads in their hair, the little boys with smiles on their faces.  To think that St. Andrew’s now supports over 600 children in four schools is truly magnificent.  God is good to us.

With Christmas approaching we, at St. Andrew’s, have another opportunity to help these children through the HEARTS Christmas Gift Giving project.  You can outfit a child with uniform, shoes, backpack and books, or provide tuition for a year, or provide funding for a nutritious meal each school day for a child.  There are a number of different opportunities to help out these children.  This is truly a gift that keeps on giving throughout the year.  Each of our five children and John’s mother has been a recipient of a “Christmas Gift” the past two years and think it something that is truly representative of what Christmas should be.  Contact Sandra in the office should you also like to participate.  There will be a special post for the H.E.A.R.T.S. Christmas Gift Giving project.

View from our back door

Because of all the rain over the past several days, it has been overcast and the clouds have been hanging low over the mountains with only a show of the sun once in a while.  Dorothy woke one morning thinking of the old hymn, There Is Sunshine In My Soul Today, and the same morning a devotion was based on Matthew 5:16.  “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”  Jesus calls us to make known His presence in our lives to the glory of God the Father.

May He keep you in His care this week.

Dorothy and John

Hurricane Tomas and Cholera - A Deadly Mixture

Mission to Haiti – November 7, 2010

This past week we had several opportunities to sit with Dr. Bill and Ruth Cooper over a cup of coffee after breakfast or after supper and discuss many of the questions that we may never have the answer for until we arrive in heaven, and can then pigeonhole Paul or Peter or John to find out what it was they were trying to share with us.  It’s kind of neat because Dr. Bill and Ruth are so well traveled and have experienced so much having served in a number of ministries around the world that if they don’t have the answer we’re not sure we will learn the answer this side of the pearly gates.  As well, with the election in the USA this has led to some interesting conversations.  It is obvious that they do not care for the current POTUS and feel the evangelical community is not receiving the support that it should from the oval office.

We had a team arrive this past week from the Dallas, Texas area.  The team leaders are old friends, Gary & Leanne Glabe who, when we first met, were living in Indiana.  Their team is a mix of medical people (doctors, nurses, etc.) and some fixit types like Gary who is an electrician by trade.  We went to the same church as they did this past Sunday and had an opportunity to chat with some of the team members after the service.  They were all first timers with the exception of Gary and Leanne and were blown away by the enthusiasm of the congregation and the strength of their faith amidst the poverty and despair that is a part of the day-to-day existence.  Gary & Leanne brought us in some kitchen gagets that Dorothy had been wanting prior to our leaving but we just didn't have any more room.  We thank them very much for their blessing to us.

Cholera picture from internet article

We mentioned the cholera epidemic last week, and while the number of deaths and new infections has declined as rapidly as it appeared, the death toll was still over 300 with well over 4,000 known cases.  It touched one of the employees here at the Seminary as well.  James, our night watchman, is an interesting story himself because he originally traveled from Port-au-Prince to Saccenville to find out all about voodoo with a view to becoming a voodoo leader.  However, he had a change of plans when he met a local pastor shortly after arriving here, and instead was to find out all about Jesus and become a follower of Christ.  James, whose mother we understand supported her family of eight children through prostitution, died with cholera this past week in Port au Prince.  James is the oldest of the siblings and the only one with a job that pays a regular salary.  It is now up to James to find the money to bury his mother and to somehow take care of his brothers and sisters, the youngest of which is six years old.  Several of the siblings do not have the same father. This serves to remind us that not only the people who came down with cholera are the victims, but it is also the family members left behind who are victims as well, having to live a life predicated by a set of circumstances over which they have no control.



Road from Saccenville to Vaudreuil

This week we have been watching the status of HurricaneTomas that, up until today (Wednesday), was forecast to be a level one or two hurricane heading right for Haiti.  It now has been downgraded but will still dump a load of rain.  Of course, there was major concern that the tent cities in the Port area would be destroyed from the wind and rain and at this point there are not enough new tents or tarpaulins to accommodate such a situation.  Oops!!  Now this morning (Thursday) they are talking again about it returning to hurricane strength and giving Haiti a blast.  We better stay out of the weather forecasting business and report after the fact rather than before.



We had our weekly prayer service this afternoon at the Vaudreuil compound followed by a potluck.  What an adventure driving home after dark in one of the worst vehicles from that compound. The last person who drove the car had part of the steering column tied together with pieces of rope.  That has since been fixed.  There is one tail light, the speedometer doesn’t work (not that that really matters on the terribly bumpy roads), the gas gauge doesn’t work, the suspension doesn’t suspend, most of the ceiling panels are missing and the air-conditioning (open windows) was at its best allowing all the dust from the road to flow in as faster vehicles flew by.  We were pretending we were enjoying a cushioned ride in a brand new air-conditioned BMW.  Well, one can dream can’t they even in Haiti.

Thank you to those who have e-mailed us.  We so appreciate hearing from you.  God bless you all.

John and Dorothy