Issue 11, March 2008 

Mission Month

We are glad to receive reports of mission month being observed in many of our churches during this month.  We have also heard of others that will be postponing mission month because of Easter and other activities during March.  Several churches have let us know that they will be using their Easter love offerings to assist Maria Ucanay and her children.  We know that this family will face difficult times following the death of Pastor Beder and we appreciate any help that can be given for this family.  Thanks for your help in making our membership aware of mission activities and opportunities.
 

Update on Haiti

We received a message in the last few days from Pastor Lesly Bertrand providing an update on the work in Haiti.  He had not written for several months and he explained that the reason was because he was in an automobile accident and his right hand was badly injured.

He let us know that because of two hurricanes that hit Haiti last fall, a famine has developed.  Since local crops were destroyed, most of the food for Haiti must be imported which has driven up the cost.  The cost is now prohibitive for many people in the country. 

If you Google on “Haiti mud cake” you will find articles that tell of Haitians who have resorted to eating mud cakes (cookies) to survive the famine.

After reviewing the needs with Pastor Lesly, it appears that it will cost about $10 a day to feed a family of 8.  Pastor Lesly indicates that there are 10 very needy families in the home church near Port-au-Prince.  We are making you aware of this need with the hope that we will be able to raise enough funds to provide $100 per day over the next 60 days to help feed those in need.  We will assess the need at the end of the 60 days and if the need is still great at that time, we will let you know. 

We also would like to raise $500 to provide seed for members of the churches who will be able to plant crops in the next two months when the rainy season comes.

We had $2,100 on hand in the Haiti Fund and last Friday we sent these funds to provide immediate assistance until we can raise additional funds.
 

Possible Future Need in Haiti

There is also a need for food for the 37 children who are living in the orphanage that was built several years ago with the help of the Minnesota State Mission Department.  Pastor Lesly has met with an organization in Haiti called “Food for the Poor” and he has also met with representatives of Rotary International.  These two organizations are considering providing food and school supplies for these 37 children for the next 6 months.  These organizations have not yet made a commitment to help, but we trust that they will.  If they do not, we would like to consider also helping with this need.  We will give you further information on this need as it is determined what help with be available.

If you are able to help with the immediate need of helping feed the families in need in Pastor Bertrand’s church, or providing support for the seed, please send your gift to:  LHI, Haiti Famine Relief, Box 100,000, Morrow, GA 30260. We are grateful for the outpouring of help for the famine relief in Malawi several years ago, and we trust that many will respond to this need. 
 

Trip to South America

Bill Wachtel, David and Lynne Krogh will be leaving April 5 to fly to Lima, Peru to meet with Maria Ucanay, the wife of Pastor Beder, and other church leaders to discuss the work following the death of Pastor Beder.  They will fly on to Montevideo, Uruguay for several days to meet with Mauro Apolos Gonzalez who has been in contact with us for about two years.  He has been studying the Bible and shares our beliefs.  He and others with whom he has been studying have requested baptism.  The team will return to the states on April 13.  Please pray for this team.  Additional financial help is needed to cover the approximate $2,000 per person for trip expenses.