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| Myrtle Beach |
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| Took a very brief walking tour of Charleston on way to Hilton Head Island |
We started our journey by stopping off in Myrtle Beach for five days, the first two of which were in the high seventies after which it felt more like the weather we had left back home. The next two days we spent with John’s brother and sister-in-law on Hilton Head Island, went for a bike ride through the Sea Pines Plantation section of the island, but didn’t golf because it too wasn’t the best weather for golfing although some people were out there in windbreakers and sweaters. (And we didn’t take our clubs.) We then spent five days in Orlando, just down the road from Disneyworld and got ourselves organized for the last leg of our trip by buying the few things we still needed, the last leg being to drop off with Missionary Flights International in Fort Pierce our 7 plastic totes plus suitcases, carry-ons, computer, etc. for a total of 410 lbs. additional to the 100 lbs. that we are allowed.
On our arrival in Cap Haitien it had been our understanding that someone from the Emmaus Biblical Seminary would be there to pick us up. When no one came, John quickly made a phone call and arranged for another young Haitian man who works for the Vaudreuil OMS compound to take us to the seminary. He was there picking up mail and cargo. John rode in the back of the stake truck, along with totes and cargo, to the OMS compound and then a very, very bumpy ride to the EBS campus. He still has the bruises on his arms to prove the bumps. There is nothing like being flexible.
This time we got a bit of a kiss from the Customs & Duty people in Cap Haitien when they only charged us $80 USD for the cargo we were bringing in. Based on previous experiences John thought that it would cost us at least twice that amount.
This past week has been a busy one as we wake up, get up, clean up, launder up and fall back into bed most nights by about 8 PM. We have got the main guest house (Penny Inn) almost ready and have now to start cleaning up the smaller guest house because we will have as many as eight or nine people at one time on various occasions over the next several weeks. It’s going to be fun.
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| Waiting to be unpacked |
Our first guest arrives this Saturday, our second, Caroline Laing, next Tuesday then another 4 on Friday, and another on Saturday. The plan is for Caroline to split her time between helping us and spending time with the students at the seminary leading chapel, teaching a French tutorial, and hosting a workshop on prayer. (When we wrote this piece for our church bulletin and to b on Feb 26th there is an update on Caroline. She has been unable to come and needs to be lifted up in prayer.) We, ourselves, are going to get our feet wet in the classroom teaching two English tutorials this Friday to help out Stacey Ayars who is going to be busy attending other meetings. We will have to let you know how we make out.
The weather has been gorgeous, the days not too hot and the nights cool enough to have you wanting to find another blanket to throw over you. We have seen Pastor Vilmer from Heavenly Brightness church who tells us that everything is going great at his church and school. The church/school had received $6,000 from Dorothy’s brother’s church in Sarnia to help with the ongoing construction of a second floor on the sanctuary to house the school. They now have a block wall ready for the roof trusses when they have found enough money for the next phase of the construction. We also spoke with Pastor Bruno from Faith church and likewise he indicated that everything was going well at his church and school. And, we also had a meeting with the accountant, Evens Gabriel, who looks after the financial side of the St. Andrew’s Haiti mission, and we discussed how the money that was donated for food through the Christmas Gift Program would be shared among the schools. It was decided that two schools, New Life at Grison Garde and Heavenly Brightness at Madeline, would be the recipients this year.
As well, this week we had time to attend a prayer and devotion meeting on Wednesday late afternoon and had an opportunity to renew our friendships with a number of the other missionaries.
In our personal time, among other devotionals, we have been reading a Max Lucado book, And The Angels Were Silent. At the end of today’s reading, “Of Calluses and Compassion,” Max talked about Holman Hunt’s painting of Jesus. We know you have seen it. It’s the pic of the stone archway with ivy-covered bricks and Jesus standing before a heavy wooden door. Max pointed out something about the picture that most people don’t notice. Do YOU know what it is? No, there is not a donkey peaking around the archway. There is no doorknob on the door. It could only be opened from the inside. The simple message – God comes to your house, steps up to the door, and knocks but it is up to you to let him in.
Blessing to all.
