All Around
When my kids were middle school aged we got a Christian version of Guitar Hero. It was GREAT fun for us! Through that game we learned the Israel Houghton song, All Around: "All around, all around, everywhere I look your love is all around." Just thinking of the song makes me feel happy. This song opened my eyes to ... opening my eyes! God's love truly is manifest all around us, but we have to actually look and take notice. It's really special when I see His love through one of His children. My prayer is that His love will be manifest through me to others and they too will SEE His love is all around.
The countdown is on! 6 days until we pack the container! We're so grateful to each of you who have donated food and funds to make this happen. Would you please pray with us for all the details to work smoothly so this container can get underway? Thank you!
Did you attend a church service this morning? What a blessing to see our friends in Haiti put their all into serving the Lord each day. Sunday is a day of celebration and praise for all the Lord has done for us! "Let everything that has breath praise the Lord! Praise the Lord!" - Psalm 150:6
Hermana is a MOHI graduate who just finished her first year of nursing school. We are super proud of the effort she has put forth to come this far! This summer she will spend her time assisting in the medical clinic at MOHI. What a great way to put into practice what she has learned. She will continue learning through this experience and will be a blessing to her community. Way to go, Hermana!!!
The medical and dental clinics at MOHI continue to be a blessing to our students and community throughout the summertime.
I don't know what would happen to these little ones if MOHI didn't exist - but MOHI DOES exist. Thank you, Jesus! I'm so grateful for each life that is touched, every pain that is eased, every tummy that is filled because the Lord is using you and me to make a difference in the lives of real people in a really difficult place. Thank you for being a part of MOHI!
Below are some of the children we've welcomed into the Baby Feeding Program this past week. We always want to keep in mind the way that Jesus worked when He walked the earth physically. He said He did what He saw His Father do. May our actions line up!!! These children are each a part of a family that is struggling. Together you, me, and our staff in Haiti are helping to ease their hardships of providing food for their babies.
People, as well as their communities, are so diverse and oh so interesting. The MOHI campus in St. Etienne is situated on a mountain peak. Many of the country folks involved in the school and church there have to walk up and down steep mountains to get to the campus, and they do so without complaint. People are regularly seen running down mountainsides with the grace of a gazelle. Few people have electricity. Often times entire families can be seen working in a mountainside garden as the sun rises, having already been there for hours. Late nights are unusual. The community is very tightknit with a sense of accountability and responsibility to one another. Few adults are literate, but education is a high priority for the community. No matter whose child you are, if you get in trouble you will be corrected by a nearby adult. The children are truly raised by an entire village.
As we venture into the Dominican Republic, I want to introduce you to our new base there in the city of Luperòn. There are a few things you may be able to tell from the picture below...
Luperòn is a lovely, clean, quaint, coastal city with a safe harbor for boats in the Bay of Luperòn. There are rarely any blackouts and it has a rural, country feel to it. During our recent visit, I spent one day in my room not feeling well. My room overlooked the main road and I had the opportunity to see the many different modes of transportation that are common on the roads there. Cars and trucks of all shapes and sizes, ATVs, motorcycles, 3-wheeler "rickshaw" types of vehicles with a variety of backs, donkeys, and horses are all normal on these roads.
As I shared with you previously, we enjoyed visiting a government dock with a new friend. José introduced us to some local fishermen who were just coming in with their catch. We purchased the smaller ones and Pastor Lex cleaned them up for dinner. I wanted everyone to see that my husband has some culinary skills, too!
Through the generosity of MOHI supporters, we were able to assist a local church in paying their rent while we were there. The rented building is in rough shape, though, and it is our hope that together we can help obtain a more practical and safe (from the weather!) location for them. I'll share more details with you as a plan comes together so you can help out, too.
Lex and I are so looking forward to welcoming many of you to Luperòn in the coming months and years. Reach out to me at renee@mohintl.org and let us know of your interest and schedule!
