Muslim Man Meets Christ

A friend e-mailed me this link for all those it may interest. I have not researched it thoroughly, though I have found it inspiring. I hope perhaps we can all pray likewise for the Muslim community and that more experiences like this can be realized. Click on above heading to be directed to link.

http://www.cbn.com/media/player/index.aspx?s=/vod/AL32v1_WS

Confidence Health Center Haiti ---Report from K. Toews

A quick update here...

Life is busy but rewarding. The clinic is running well and there is a huge variety of problems coming in. Everything from cancer to high blood pressure problems to guy who got their face smashed in by someone who threw a big rock in his face. We can work with mangled faces, with high blood pressure etc but cancer is something we refer them out to another Hospital. We got our official stamp now so we can write up official referrals.  J  Locals here love official looking stamps!

Our day starts at about 8:30. The gate opens and the people flood in and start filling up the benches. Then Ozias has a brief talk with the people. He says something like... “ Welcome to everyone to the Confidence in God Health Center. God has answered our prayers of the past and He has provided this for this area.  Some of you are here for the first time and we will do what we can for you. We are starting off small but we hope to grow larger. We need many things in this area, ultrasound, x ray, etc. And we will grow into that as God opens the way. We hope to have a BIG hospital here someday. We ask you all  to help us pray for this.”  And then he opens with a prayer for guidance and help for the day.  I cringe abit when he talks about the big hospital and the x ray machines etc, but hey.... I appreciate his faith and who knows what God can/will do yet!

We are seeing anywheres between 30-60 patients a day. We are trying to educate these people about hydration and nutrition and how that medicines are not always the answer for everything. The hi-light of the last few weeks was that two nurses from Kansas spent most of a week with us. They were Todd Schmidt and Shannon Unruh. They gave a much needed hand during a busy week. People here often think that IV injections are the ultimate and that they will surely fix all. We have a couple cots now but are still not really set up with IV poles etc for these situations. Yesterday we took a lady down the mountain who was very sick, she was elderly, has heart problems etc. I thought she would die on the way but she made it.

We are needing water, and electricity at the clinic yet, and there is a shelter still needed to be built for the patients to sit under while they wait for their visit, So if anyone wants to come work for a week or two.... give me a call and we’ll see what we can work out. Nothing goes fast here and supplies are hard to get, but we work and advance at a pace that we can handle. We and the Oriani locals thank all of you who have played a part in this so far, with work, with cash. Even just knowing that we have friends who are supporting us in thought and prayer helps more than you can imagine!

Our vehicle made it out of customs ok and we are driving it now. YAY!!!  Its a 2000 model Ford but we think it will do the job for awhile.

Personally... we are doing well. Our kids have been out of school for about a month now. We are looking and asking for a teacher, and trust that something will work out soon. The boys are into horse riding now and have bought Anthonys old horses. The weather is warming up slightly and all is good. Rainy season hasn’t started yet, so we are enjoying dry days where the wash drys in a few hours. I know the locals need rain bad and our cistern is getting low... but I don’t look forward to the slime and mud! Clinton Holdemans from Iowa are coming to this town as missionarys, so that will be good. That is much needed for this area too. The new church here has alot of new believers and members, and there are another 22 ready to start Bible doctrine classes.

Keep praying for us and for the work here. Sometimes we feel emotionally and physically exhausted. But its all good!  J We love it.

Keith and Candace Toews and family

www.confidencehealthcenter.com

Lasstic Canyon Progress in Haiti 2011

 

Friday morning, January 14, found four of us workers flying into Port au Prince. Neil and Susie Toews picked us up, having arrived earlier to get the house and housekeeping all set up for our crew. The following day, Saturday evening, saw Kevin Bronson and two more workers arrive at “our” house. One of our ministers, Brutus, has rented his nice big house to our crew for the duration of the project.   They moved into their shed and camped while we lived in luxury. The goal of GNFI  this year is to get water from the canyon right down to the village of Fond Parisien.

 Each morning breakfast is served at 6:30am and the men try to head up the canyon by 7:00am. A five gallon jug of water, a cooler chest with snacks and a large chunk of ice for the water cooler heads up with them. Sometimes if there is leftover breakfast, bread, or fruit, that gets sent up as well portioned out in small bags for the little ones along the way who come running when they see the white man coming. It's very satisfying to have a  pocket full of suckers to hand out during the day to all the children along the way, as well.
    Most of the men go all the way up the canyon to where GNFI's containers are sitting. Close there is where the dam for this project is being built. A track hoe from CAT in Port has been rented for the construction of the dam and diverting of the stream. GNFI hires many native Haitians to help with the project. Some of them have trucks and haul sand for making cement, some haul bags of cement powder or rebar up to the canyon, and lots work with their hands at the site. A cook is hired to cook the noonday meal of rice and beans for all the workers. We provide the cook with the rice, vegetables, and seasonings so she can cook. It is GNFI's responsibility to provide one meal a day for the workers they hire. Some days into the project it was realized that the worker men needed a little more nourishment so chicken was added to the broth for added energy.

 

 

A few men spent several days working in the sand pit, digging sand and loading trucks for cementing up in the canyon. A backhoe was rented from CSI to help with the digging and loading. Almost every day there were errands to run, or supplies to get from Port, or someone coming in on the plane or going home, so that took a man full time.
    Going up the canyon is a beautiful drive, although dusty at this time of the  year. The rock and gravel is very white, so it makes dark things light, and riding up on the four-wheeler or back of the machine, (pickup) which is the only way up, you get very dusty. Part of the way is a fairly good road, although quite rocky. Some of the way is the riverbed itself, part of the way there is no water, and some places you need to ford the stream.
    Up at the containers the men and some children are waiting to hand in their numbers. If you have a number to hand in at the beginning of the day, you will get paid for the day's work. The numbers are handed in and recorded, then at the end of the day if you are there, you may get your number again to hand in the next morning. One day it was discovered that rebar was being stolen and slid over the bank to a hiding place down below. No one wanted to admit to the wrong, so the men were told that someone wouldn't have work the next day. It came out who it was, and because of it the men who stole did not get paid for the next days work. Honesty is not taught among themselves, and stealing doesn't matter unless you are caught. That is a challenge to keep everything under lock and key and to know who you can trust.
    Some men are dragging rebar down the trail to the dam. A ladder has been laid across the stream so the white men don't have to get themselves wet crossing. Some of the younger men or boys are tying rebar together for the dam proper. Two cement mixers are employed and about six to eight men are working at each mixer, and four girls or women are hauling water up from the creek for the cement. One little girl said she was five years old, and she carried a full five gallon bucket on her head up the steep slope all day long for the cement mixer.

 

Up the trail close to the penstock, where the canal will go, some men are hired with their cement block machine, building blocks for the canal wall. Some of the pad for the canal  floor is already poured, and more will be done as time progresses.
    Some days go good with almost no trouble, while other days are ones worth learning patience on. One day, things were really going good and it was time to head home for supper. Locking up the containers and jumping on the four-wheeler and into the machine the men headed out. They knew a truck with cement bags should be coming soon. It was already dark, and as they came around a corner on the steep hill, here it was, tipped on it's side. The driver also thought it was going good, so instead of staying in first gear where it was going good, he wanted to make it better by shifting into second. Well, the truck powered out, and started to roll back. No one wants to roll backwards on a mountain road with curves in the dark, so the driver cranked his wheel hard so he would back into the mountain, thus laying his truck on its side when the one wheel went up the slope. The truck effectively blocked the road, with all our workers on the far side. One man jumped out the passengers door just before the truck laid on that side, luckily escaping death. One of our young black brothers, who works with us, and is a trustworthy, faithful young man, was in the truck as well, and escaped with only a few bruises and scratches. Prayer is a very real thing in this country and we do not take it for granted. We understand its meaning in a much more personal way when we are far from home, and we know our loved ones are praying for us.
    So now to get to work instead of going home for dinner. All this cement, some still in bags and some spilled must now be cleaned up and hauled to the containers before the truck can be pulled upright once more, and the road cleared so the workers can head for  home. Then the track hoe is walked up the road to the truck and used to help right the truck. The truck is pulled out of the way, and communication is finally had with the men down in the valley at the town. The ones back home are praying, and some of the men have headed up to find out why the others are not coming in or responding on the 2-way radios. Messages are sent so those waiting can relax that nothing tragic has transpired.

 

 

Back at the house dinner is waiting. Half the men's laundry has been sent through the spinner-washer, hung on the line to dry in the sun, and is now folded neatly on a bench in the living room. The other half of the men will get their laundry done tomorrow. With up to sixteen of us all eating in the house and needing laundry done, its a good days job each day. With the men helping with some of the household chores, such as hauling five gallon jugs of water, carrying out garbage, washing dishes, fueling the generator, and in general keeping the cooks happy, these are good days, filled with many precious memories.
    Some days there were only two of us women in the house, other days there were five. We all seemed to know what our jobs were, and we helped each other with the other's work as well. Some days we walked to the market for fresh vegetables and maybe a few other little items. Each day we had something to clean, always the floors could use sweeping or washing. Some days we walked up to “the Hilton” to clean the boys rooms. Up the hill a short ways, GNFI rented a shed with three rooms from our deacon Enock where we set up cots for 6 to 8 men to sleep. Each morning when the day was so fresh, our devotions were a special blessing with each man's inspiration, and then a song sung altogether.
    One last memory worthy of mention is the day we left. Because of the potential danger of riots, the minister Brutus and his son Jeftha came with us to the airport, just for safety sake, and to have some black Haitian people along to understand what is going on. Half way to the airport, Fre Brutus was singing, and suddenly we were all singing along, “...but I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I've committed unto Him against that day...” It felt like the Lord was with us and our hearts were united.

 

Mike and Maxine Schartner

The Seed

A successful business man was growing old and   knew it was time to choose a successor to take over the business.

Instead of choosing one of his Directors or his   children, he decided to do something different. He called all the young executives in his company together.

He said, "It is time for me to step down and choose the next CEO. I have decided to choose one of you. "The young executives were Shocked, but the boss continued. "I am going to give each one of you a SEED today - one very special SEED. I want you to plant the seed, water it, and come back here one year from today with   what you have grown from the seed I have given you. I will then judge the plants that you bring, and the one I choose will be   the next CEO."

One man, named Jim, was there that day and he, like the others, received a seed. He went home and excitedly, told his wife the   story. She helped him get a pot, soil and compost and he planted   the seed. Everyday, he would water it and watch to see if it had grown. After about three weeks, some of the other executives began to talk about their seeds and the plants that were beginning to grow.

Jim kept checking his seed, but nothing ever grew.

Three weeks, four weeks, five weeks went by, still nothing.

By now, others were talking about their plants, but Jim didn't have a plant and he felt like a failure.

Six months went by -- still nothing in Jim's pot. He just knew he had killed his seed. Everyone else had trees and tall plants, but he had nothing. Jim didn't say anything to his colleagues, however, he just kept watering and fertilizing the soil - He so wanted the seed to grow.

A year finally went by and all the young executives of the company brought their plants to the CEO for inspection.

Jim told his wife that he wasn't going to take an empty pot. But she asked him to be honest about what happened. Jim felt sick to his stomach, it was going to be the most embarrassing moment of his life, but he knew his wife was right. He took his empty pot   to the board room. When Jim arrived, he was amazed at the variety   of plants grown by the other executives. They were beautiful -- in all shapes and sizes. Jim put his empty pot on the floor and many of his colleagues laughed, a few felt sorry for him!

When the CEO arrived, he surveyed the room and greeted his young   executives.

Jim just tried to hide in the back. "My, what great plants, trees and flowers you have grown," said the CEO. "Today one of you will be appointed the next CEO!"

All of a sudden, the CEO spotted Jim at the back of the room with his empty pot. He ordered the Financial Director to bring him to the front. Jim was terrified. He thought, "The CEO knows I'm a failure! Maybe he will have me fired!"

When Jim got to the front, the CEO asked him what had happened to his seed - Jim told him the story.

The CEO asked everyone to sit down except Jim. He looked at Jim, and then announced to the young executives, "Behold your next Chief Executive Officer!

His name is Jim!" Jim couldn't believe it. Jim couldn't even grow his seed.

"How could he be the new CEO?" the others said.

Then the CEO said, "One year ago today, I gave everyone in this   room a seed. I told you to take the seed, plant it, water it,   and bring it back to me today. But I gave you all boiled seeds; they were dead - it was not possible for them to grow.

All of you, except Jim, have brought me trees and plants and flowers. When you found that the seed would not grow, you substituted another seed for the one I gave you. Jim was the only one with the courage and honesty to bring me a pot with my seed in it. Therefore, he is the one who will be the new Chief Executive Officer!"

* If you plant honesty, you will reap trust

* If you plant goodness, you will reap friends

* If you plant humility, you will reap greatness

* If you plant perseverance, you will reap contentment

* If you plant consideration, you will reap perspective

* If you plant hard work, you will reap success

* If you   plant forgiveness, you will reap reconciliation

So, be careful what you plant now; it will determine what you will reap later

GNFI Reports on Lasstic Canyon Haiti Project 2011

By Kevin Bronson

 

Sunday, 01-16-11
Sunday dawned just like normal, and we had a leisurely breakfast and off to church. They have mostly returned their church to normal after CDR left. The SS portion of the service was quite a bit than last year, we actually divide up into classes and had a pretty good discussion, with a lesson on Controlling the Tongue. The sermon was by Fwe Wildo on XYZ. Fwe Samuel, a professional interpreter, interpreted for us, and it was the best interpreting I had ever experienced. We were able to follow the thoughts very well. At the end of the service, we again had to stand and introduce ourselves, and Fwe Brutus (our landlord) gave us a hearty welcome and asked the congregation to give us their full support.
After a doctrine dinner, we had planned to go to the orphanage, but a steady stream of visitors kept us home. We had a delegation from the water committee, the local version of the MUA called UEMA, and various well wishers and job seekers. The guys did some clean up and arranging of stuff; it’s pretty amazing what you can do when you give a houseful of fellows a bunch of extension cords, power strips, and cheaters. Later, a group of us sang for awhile. Dave and Kale are feeling better (they got sick on the way to Haiti), but now Neil is going downhill. None of them went to church, and they have all been napping quite a bit.
Monday, 01-17-11
We didn’t have enough stuff arranged to really work in the canyon, and Neil is still not feeling well. We have instituted a 2 person policy, which is that nobody goes anywhere by themselves. I took David up to the canyon to run dozer, and Steve accompanied him. I drove the backhoe back to the new CSI HQ in Blanc Washe, and Darren came with me. We had a neat time returning by Top Top. Neil and Mike went to town to try to finish business, and Kale and Dave took the rental pickup back and rode home with Neil, so we were all pretty scattered. Unfortunately, the guys in town did not nearly get all their stuff done, so it will mean more time yet to get things going. Two loads of sand were delivered today.
Tuesday, 01-18-11
We restricted Neil to quarters today to try to get him well. We are of the opinion that getting him back to 100% in the near future is better than having him at 50% today. We took a little concrete up the canyon, and started a group prepping the sump base for concrete. David continued with the dozer clearing out a spot for the dam. Right now we are hopeful that we have enough bedrock that we can anchor the dam well. By mid afternoon, the sump was ready to pour, so we threw all our energies into getting concrete on the ground. It was chaotic at first getting everyone into the grove, but we soon had an assembly line going with about 20 hired laborers. They transport all goods by 5 gallon bucket, so the water up from the river, the gravel into the mixer, and the finished product to the sump are all carried by bucket. We have wheel barrows, but the ground in this area is too rough, and they can do better by bucket. Due to a calculation mistake by yours truly, we ran out of concrete before we ran out of hole to put it in, so we didn’t quite finish, but it feels real good to have concrete going down. Two yards placed, about 500 left to go! At the end of the day we had reached the rate of almost 2 yards per hour, based on the cycle times from the last two batches. Steve says we have several places to improve. Our goal is to get to 15 yards per mixer per day in the near future.
Wednesday, 01-19-11
We headed up the hill about on schedule, with Fwe. Brutus trailing along behind with supplies, a cement mixer, and fuel. Neil headed into town to complete materials purchases, and David and I rode along to the CSI compound to retrieve Raymond’s level, and hired a (motor)cycle home. Along the way we experienced a flat, which the driver fixed by clamping the tube in his mouth, and tightly tying the place with a piece of string, and running out of gas, after which he bought about ½ a gallon. Upon our return, we took grade shots along the canal path.
The rest of the group started forming the canal floor, and we started a crew digging out the location for the dam. It was the first day of real work with the hired locals, who have been eagerly anticipating the start up. It was very rewarding to stand at the container entrance and hand out shovel, and see the big grins when each one received his: They were hired! We instituted a time card system for our workers; only time will tell if it will work, but we needed a better system than we had last year. None of our ordered materials arrived today, so we were not able to put all our energies to full use, and we sent the workers home by lunch time.
Raymonds and their hired man Kevens arrived back from the west end about supper time, and we had a good reunion time. I did bookwork in the evening while most of the rest played scrabble. The moon has been very bright the last few nights – those who have never seen a tropical full moon have really missed something.
Thursday, 01-20-11
We brought a small amount of concrete and steel up ourselves today to get started. Everyone turned up with their time cards, and we put them to work finishing the pouring of the sump foundation and started pouring the canal base. Eric Johnson arrived mid morning and took over the concrete placing, which is a big relief. Mike and Davis started working on the drill, only to find out after some effort that the starter was fried! Mike admits that it was getting hard to start last year. Steve and I drove near enough to the DR border that we could get a good cell signal, and we spent a considerable time talking to parts guys at Ingersol Rand, and two Cummins parts places in the DR, as well as the dealer we purchased it from in Kentucky. We are getting a lot of conflicting stories, but they are all looking for another starter for us. The steel arrived and was dropped off at the edge of the main road. David took the dozer out and skidded it in.
Today was the first day we had the cook on duty. She cooks up a white rice over a fire in a very large schoudze (Dutch oven style pot), and in a separate pot makes a little broth with chicken bouillon, garlic, onions, peppers, etc, and pours just enough over each bowl of rice to give it a little color and flavor. Last year we all ate our lunch from her daily; this year with the cholera in the country we are reluctant to do so. She cooks with water straight from the river, and washes her dishes in the same.
The flow in the river is noticeably greater than last year. The water is reaching up to and even past the village of La Washe before it all sinks away. This is at least a mile farther than we have seen it before.
A couple of the guys helped me do some stream flow testing this afternoon, and we came up with 47 CFS! In August 2009 it was about 20 CFS, and last year after the quake I measured 35 CFS. This is going to make our diversion channel more difficult to dig and maintain, and is making the access road a challenge to keep open as well, but long term more water is going to be much better.
Friday, 01-21-11
The crew went up the canyon again, and I headed into PAP to do a little business and pick up the “next in”, Jerome Isaac from Crooked Creek, AB. Everything was uneventful, and we were headed home early afternoon. One of Jerome’s first tasks will be to build a security cage for the back of the truck, so we stopped at CSI to look at the one they build recently. While we were there, James told us the backhoe was available, so I drove slowly with flashers on and Jerome followed me back to HQ.
The guys came down about as we arrived with reports that still no sand has arrived, and we are a little perplexed what the deal is. Truckers are promising sand, but so far they have not come through. As of now, we are stopped with concrete pouring until we figure out what is happening.
This evening we hired a local restaurant to provide a supper of rice, roasted goat, black bean sauce, meat broth, pasta salad, and beets. Twa Bein.
Saturday, 01-22-11
Neil and Raymond made investigations yesterday eve about the sand problem. It seems that with all the rebuilding demand in PAP the local sand pits have been cleaned out of ready sand. All of the quarrying here is hand dug, and the resulting product hand shoveled onto trucks, and the demand is exceeding what the diggers can produce. We decided to take the backhoe to a local pit and dig our own. We did this, and we able to get about 24 yds up the hill and the truck loaded again for next week. We also got a truck of manufactured block to deliver. He powered out on the steep hill in, so we partially unloaded him, and then they shuttled him back and forth to finish. It took most of the day to get the block on site.
Since we had little work we could do, most of the crew hired a local brother with his taxi van to go sightseeing. They were gone most f the day, and reported that a good time was had by all. While we were waiting for the block guys, Jerome and I had a chance to do a little hiking in our canyon, and we went back much farther than I had been before. We saw some neat areas, including the Lastic Falls from above. Deep in the canyon I found what I believe to be a virgin mahogany log of about 32” in diameter X 28’ long. I’m trying to figure out a way to get that out to a furniture maker and have it turned into new front doors for my house!
We’ve got the house pretty much up to speed. The electrical equipment I had bought to automate the water system got left in my pickup at home, but it’s coming on “next in”. Our water system has been connected to several nearby houses, so we’re having trouble keeping our tank full. We haven’t wired in any water heating equipment either, but that needs to happen soon. We’ve got some problems with rats, and so far they are eating our bait without getting caught. Most rooms have a resident gecko, which helps with insect control, and they make a neat chirping type sound. Mine lives behind some shelves on the wall beside my bed. We’re also fighting tiny little sugar ants that stream up and down the walls and swarm everything that has any sweetness to it. All in all, we’ve got a pretty comfortable HQ here – we could have done much worse, and the Love & Peace Motel is just down the road, so anybody wants to visit, just drop in!
FP, Haiti
 id up to the canyon to run dozer, and Steve accompanied him. I drove the backhoe back to the new CSI HQ in Blanc Washe, and Darren came with me. We had a neat time returning by Top Top. Neil and Mike went to town to try to finish business, and Kale and Dave took the rental pickup back and rode home with Neil, so we were all pretty scattered. Unfortunately, the guys in town did not nearly get all their stuff done, so it will mean more time yet to get things going. Two loads of sand were delivered today.
Tuesday, 01-18-11
We restricted Neil to quarters today to try to get him well. We are of the opinion that getting him back to 100% in the near future is better than having him at 50% today. We took a little concrete up the canyon, and started a group prepping the sump base for concrete. David continued with the dozer clearing out a spot for the dam. Right now we are hopeful that we have enough bedrock that we can anchor the dam well. By mid afternoon, the sump was ready to pour, so we threw all our energies into getting concrete on the ground. It was chaotic at first getting everyone into the grove, but we soon had an assembly line going with about 20 hired laborers. They transport all goods by 5 gallon bucket, so the water up from the river, the gravel into the mixer, and the finished product to the sump are all carried by bucket. We have wheel barrows, but the ground in this area is too rough, and they can do better by bucket. Due to a calculation mistake by yours truly, we ran out of concrete before we ran out of hole to put it in, so we didn’t quite finish, but it feels real good to have concrete going down. Two yards placed, about 500 left to go! At the end of the day we had reached the rate of almost 2 yards per hour, based on the cycle times from the last two batches. Steve says we have several places to improve. Our goal is to get to 15 yards per mixer per day in the near future.
Wednesday, 01-19-11
We headed up the hill about on schedule, with Fwe. Brutus trailing along behind with supplies, a cement mixer, and fuel. Neil headed into town to complete materials purchases, and David and I rode along to the CSI compound to retrieve Raymond’s level, and hired a (motor)cycle home. Along the way we experienced a flat, which the driver fixed by clamping the tube in his mouth, and tightly tying the place with a piece of string, and running out of gas, after which he bought about ½ a gallon. Upon our return, we took grade shots along the canal path.
The rest of the group started forming the canal floor, and we started a crew digging out the location for the dam. It was the first day of real work with the hired locals, who have been eagerly anticipating the start up. It was very rewarding to stand at the container entrance and hand out shovel, and see the big grins when each one received his: They were hired! We instituted a time card system for our workers; only time will tell if it will work, but we needed a better system than we had last year. None of our ordered materials arrived today, so we were not able to put all our energies to full use, and we sent the workers home by lunch time.
Raymonds and their hired man Kevens arrived back from the west end about supper time, and we had a good reunion time. I did bookwork in the evening while most of the rest played scrabble. The moon has been very bright the last few nights – those who have never seen a tropical full moon have really missed something.
Thursday, 01-20-11
We brought a small amount of concrete and steel up ourselves today to get started. Everyone turned up with their time cards, and we put them to work finishing the pouring of the sump foundation and started pouring the canal base. Eric Johnson arrived mid morning and took over the concrete placing, which is a big relief. Mike and Davis started working on the drill, only to find out after some effort that the starter was fried! Mike admits that it was getting hard to start last year. Steve and I drove near enough to the DR border that we could get a good cell signal, and we spent a considerable time talking to parts guys at Ingersol Rand, and two Cummins parts places in the DR, as well as the dealer we purchased it from in Kentucky. We are getting a lot of conflicting stories, but they are all looking for another starter for us. The steel arrived and was dropped off at the edge of the main road. David took the dozer out and skidded it in.
Today was the first day we had the cook on duty. She cooks up a white rice over a fire in a very large schoudze (Dutch oven style pot), and in a separate pot makes a little broth with chicken bouillon, garlic, onions, peppers, etc, and pours just enough over each bowl of rice to give it a little color and flavor. Last year we all ate our lunch from her daily; this year with the cholera in the country we are reluctant to do so. She cooks with water straight from the river, and washes her dishes in the same.
The flow in the river is noticeably greater than last year. The water is reaching up to and even past the village of La Washe before it all sinks away. This is at least a mile farther than we have seen it before.
A couple of the guys helped me do some stream flow testing this afternoon, and we came up with 47 CFS! In August 2009 it was about 20 CFS, and last year after the quake I measured 35 CFS. This is going to make our diversion channel more difficult to dig and maintain, and is making the access road a challenge to keep open as well, but long term more water is going to be much better.
Friday, 01-21-11
The crew went up the canyon again, and I headed into PAP to do a little business and pick up the “next in”, Jerome Isaac from Crooked Creek, AB. Everything was uneventful, and we were headed home early afternoon. One of Jerome’s first tasks will be to build a security cage for the back of the truck, so we stopped at CSI to look at the one they build recently. While we were there, James told us the backhoe was available, so I drove slowly with flashers on and Jerome followed me back to HQ.
The guys came down about as we arrived with reports that still no sand has arrived, and we are a little perplexed what the deal is. Truckers are promising sand, but so far they have not come through. As of now, we are stopped with concrete pouring until we figure out what is happening.
This evening we hired a local restaurant to provide a supper of rice, roasted goat, black bean sauce, meat broth, pasta salad, and beets. Twa Bein.
Saturday, 01-22-11
Neil and Raymond made investigations yesterday eve about the sand problem. It seems that with all the rebuilding demand in PAP the local sand pits have been cleaned out of ready sand. All of the quarrying here is hand dug, and the resulting product hand shoveled onto trucks, and the demand is exceeding what the diggers can produce. We decided to take the backhoe to a local pit and dig our own. We did this, and we able to get about 24 yds up the hill and the truck loaded again for next week. We also got a truck of manufactured block to deliver. He powered out on the steep hill in, so we partially unloaded him, and then they shuttled him back and forth to finish. It took most of the day to get the block on site.
Since we had little work we could do, most of the crew hired a local brother with his taxi van to go sightseeing. They were gone most f the day, and reported that a good time was had by all. While we were waiting for the block guys, Jerome and I had a chance to do a little hiking in our canyon, and we went back much farther than I had been before. We saw some neat areas, including the Lastic Falls from above. Deep in the canyon I found what I believe to be a virgin mahogany log of about 32” in diameter X 28’ long. I’m trying to figure out a way to get that out to a furniture maker and have it turned into new front doors for my house!
We’ve got the house pretty much up to speed. The electrical equipment I had bought to automate the water system got left in my pickup at home, but it’s coming on “next in”. Our water system has been connected to several nearby houses, so we’re having trouble keeping our tank full. We haven’t wired in any water heating equipment either, but that needs to happen soon. We’ve got some problems with rats, and so far they are eating our bait without getting caught. Most rooms have a resident gecko, which helps with insect control, and they make a neat chirping type sound. Mine lives behind some shelves on the wall beside my bed. We’re also fighting tiny little sugar ants that stream up and down the walls and swarm everything that has any sweetness to it. All in all, we’ve got a pretty comfortable HQ here – we could have done much worse, and the Love & Peace Motel is just down the road, so anybody wants to visit, just drop in!
FP, Haiti
-- 

Keith Toews Reports on Oriani Clinic in Haiti

My computer was out of commission for awhile so I apologize for all the delayed emails and updates.

Life has been extremely busy here. Just everything from cooking, to getting supplies, to just everyday living takes so much longer here than in Canada, and nothing progresses as fast as we anticipate. But we ARE moved (basically) into our house now. We still cook out in the storage room in the other building, but at least we are not all sleeping in there yet too. We don’t have lights or running water yet, but paling water from the cistern for baths and washing dishes etc has become part of the children’s  day. As we look at our renovated 850 sq ft house we hardly know what we will do with all this space! It looks huge!!!  Our boys all sleep in the upstairs/loft area. We have enough room between the loft and the outbuildings to easily host anybody who wants to come visit. We welcome and look forward to that!!! That means you guys just down the mountain at CPS, and CSI, and the orphanage staff too! Please just not all the same day just yet. J

DEATH struck our Oriani community Thursday evening. I have told you all of the awfulness of the mountain roads here before, right? Well,  I was awakened at midnight by some Haitian friends at our bedroom window. Fre’ Jantzi was agitated and told me he heard his wife was in an accident on the road about an hour down the mountain and wondered if I could take him down to find out what happened, where she is etc. Of course! So we went down the mountain with a few local men to see what we could find out. On the way down we met large truck with a bunch of men sitting on the edge of the box. We stopped them to ask them what they had seen or knew and they told us to look in the back of the truck. We climbed up and jumped down into the box only to realize that the floor was covered in blood and dead people. We went on down to the scene of the accident and found out that Jantzi’s wife and about 60 others had all been riding on the top of a truck loaded with huge cabbage bags (200lbs each). They were taking them to a market area to sell them the next day when the overloaded truck began to sway over some ruts, and in a single lane area with a cliff on one side and a 12 ft vertical drop on the other.... it tipped over the edge and rolled completely over and was sitting in the river back on it’s wheels.  As of this writing we know of 13 dead and 21 still in various hospitals. All from our local neighbourhood. Mostly mothers going to markets the next morning, and teenagers heading back to the city for school. 

I spent the night driving our friends all over Port au Prince while they frantically checked various hospitals for news of their loved ones. By morning we had rounded up 6 young ladies that were freshly released from the hospitals and we took them back home to Oriani, 3 hours away. The Oriani community was out in force to greet us as we came back. They were eager for news. Some women sobbed as they heard the dreaded news of a daughter being dead, others got watery eyes and quivering chins of joy as they saw their loved one alive.  These people don’t show emotions like this easily, but this was a traumatic enough of a night that I even saw men who broke down and quietly wept. Today was a sad quiet day in the whole village as people buried their dead and stood around quietly talking, eager for news from any vehicle that rolled into town.

The sorrow and sadness of these people’s lives, and yet how they find security in God, just alternately breaks and warms our hearts.  For example... a couple weeks ago in church we had a time of sharing and people gave prayer requests etc. Request was made for prayers for many who were sick and were not able to come to church, others of other troubles. After the time of sharing problems they sang the song... “What A Day Glorious Day That Will Be” (a Creole version of the English song). And I tell you!!!!.... That song was sung at top volume with the depth of feeling and emotion that the writer intended it to have! “ when he takes me by the hand, then we will walk thru promised land, what a day... glorious day, that will be!” I was too moved to be able to sing-I just listened and was blessed by hearing them. These people have so much to teach me.

We have to also tell you that this weekend will be a special one. Special for our Oriani church because they will be having baptism for 19 more new Christians, and special for us that one of them will be our 16 yr old son Zack. He was born again awhile ago but thinks it’s pretty neat to now receive baptism in this little Haitian church. There is also going to be baptism in a new location close to us as well, a place called Savann Mouto. There will be baptism for 14 or 15 there on Sunday too. My Uncle Russ Toews’ are missionaries for that area.  The Holy Spirit is moving among the people and convicting them of their sin, they are becoming born again and both in Oriani and Savan Mouto there are dozens new ones who are asking to have Bible/doctrine classes yet. We feel especially the Oriani congregation needs some additional support and another missionary placed here asap (our children hope that whoever comes will have children too J ), because Anthony and Darla are no longer here, but we commit that to God to plant that conviction in the right hearts. God is very near and has been holding us many times here in the last 2 months. We have had our times of discouragement with our house delays, with the language barrier, and slowness in getting the clinic building finished and open etc. But things are coming along nicely considering everything, and we are generally courageous and happy to be here where God has lead us to serve and work. Tonight when the children said their night time prayers, Chase prayed “thank you God for all the awesome stuff that we have, and help my friends back in Ontario to not miss me too much” (He hardly has any toys or anything to play with so I think his comment of “all the awesome stuff” was in comparison to some of our neighbours.)

Nurse Kim is already working from home and by making house calls with some of the pregnant mothers in the area, and as it “grows” it will be a enjoyable, rewarding work. J  We hope to be operating out of the new clinic within a week. We hope to be able to get some authorization documents by Wednesday. If there is any young lady who is interested in teaching our children so that Charlene Johnson (our current teacher) can be freed up to be a translator in the clinic, please let us know. Our vehicle from Miami still isn’t shipped yet, so that is a concern to us. But as I look at the vehicle market here and the prices of new and used ones... We somehow will just have to try to wait it out. To buy a stripped down Isuzu pickup in Haiti with the small diesel engine is 33,000 US Dollars now. And with cloth seats and larger 3 litre engine it’s 40,000.  Toyota is more yet.  We are thankful to Liaison Committee for their support in loaning us one of their pickups to use for now.

We ask prayers for...

·         The teenage girl whose mom and dad died awhile ago and has been raising her younger 4  bros and sisters on her own... and who now has one less sister due to the truck accident.

·         The clinic that it can open quickly, efficiently, and effectively, and also that we will have enough understanding in this endeavour.

·         That there will be the right people to fill the needed places here.

·         That we will remain safe from accident and sickness

Love to you all, Keith

Keith & Candace Toews

Trevor, Zack, Cam, Chase, Christina

Remedy For Empty Religion

...The first World War was essentially a war between Germany and France, with other nations coming to the defense of France for fear of the aggressive ambitions of Germany. When Germany was finally pushed back behind its own borders, France determined to set up a line of defense to prevent such an invasion from ever happening again. The result was the Maginot Line, a formidable line of fortification along the border between France and Germany.

One young French army officer, Charles de Gaulle, tried to warn his su­periors in the army and in the government that this would not be enough. He told them that they were preparing for the last war and that, when the enemy came the next time, he would not come in the way they were expect­ing. He wrote of how a modern army would have to be highly mobile, ready to face an aggressor at any time, any place. His superiors thought him a troublesome young fool, considering themselves to be dwelling in safety be­hind the Maginot Line. But in 1939 the German Panzer divisions came sweeping through Holland and Belgium, completely bypassing the Maginot Line, and swiftly made themselves the masters of France.

Are the Conference decisions in some measure our Maginot Line? They are a record of how the church has faced and overcome challenges to the faith in the past. Have we perhaps become complacent, believing that we are dwelling in safety behind the protection of these decisions? But the enemy is attacking today in ways that were hardly dreamed of in the past. Can we protect our beloved church from these attacks by continually erect­ing new fortifications?

There is no room for complacency in this battle. There is no security to be found solely in a scrupulous obedience to the Conference decisions of the past, even though we believe those decisions to have the blessing of the Holy Spirit. Much more is needed to be victorious in this battle. Self-denial, cross-bearing, and a vibrant, living faith are required in the heart of every person who calls himself or herself a believer.

Remedy for Empty Religion

Adult & Youth Sunday School Lessons

Volume 47 . No. 2

Good News Foundation International Update and Prayer Request for Dec.21

Dear Sponsors, Supporters and Friends,

 

Here is an overdue update on what has been going on at GNFI. We have been very busy preparing for the return to our projects, the Lastic Canyon water project in Haiti and the Agua de Vida orphanage in Mexico. Many hours and lots of travel have been spent with the logistics and planning. The Lord has blessed us with the necessary funds to finish the Lastic Canyon project. This is a miracle in how the monies came in when it was least expected! When we stand back and stay out of God's way, he supplies our every need! We are still in need of funds for the Agua de Vida orphanage in Mexico. If the Lord speaks to your heart for these dear children we would be very thankful to you! We are currently open for new projects, if you know of a need that may fit GNFI, please let us know. In October, Kevin Bronson and Denver Eides made a trip to Ethiopia to visit a site where locals capture steam to get a small supply of water. The steam comes from underground in a funnel that could be harnessed for clean drinking water. While they were there they did some research and tested some of their ideas. They were able to get a lot more water with just a quick, somewhat crude system, instead of using tree branches thrown over these steaming areas, like the locals have done for a very long time. This seems to be have good potential for a future water project. In the dry season, people walk up to 8 miles for water! We will also be researching more orphanages in Baja Mexico, there are 84 orphanages in Baja alone!

 

Gearing up for the Lastic Canyon is going on now, so all volunteers from earlier this year that want to volunteer again for early 2011, please contact Roger Jantz at rvjantz@gmail.com, 209-631-5205 or 209-965-4290 as soon as possible.

 

As the year 2010 comes to a close we would like to thank all who entrusted their money to GNFI. This humbles us that you trusted us to use your money wisely. This money will be used to alleviate suffering, hunger and give clean drinking water as God directs. If anyone feels to share a gift before the end of the year, remember we are a tax deductible foundation!

 

Usually we don't talk to much about ourselves, but we feel we should share a little about the GNFI treasurer, Reg Bronson. Reg works hard for us, putting in many hours and doing a great job with his honesty and conservatism. Those of you that know him, already know that he has MS, a disease that can be slow, but unrelenting, and makes life more difficult and puts limits on your life. We would like to put out a prayer request for Reg, as he will be going to the Tucson Medical Center this Tuesday, the 21st, for a procedure that may help alleviate the symptoms. The fervent prayer of a believer is a powerful event! Thank you for your consideration of Reg.

 

GNFI is now 1 year old, and what a year it was! A year of much learning, blessings, miracles, support, growth.... and the Haiti earthquake! As we look back, all we see is God! As we look forward all we see is God! He will be our All in All and together with God and our faithful supporters, we will have direction for the future. Have a Blessed Christmas and a profitable New Year!

 

The GNFI Board

 

Reg Bronson

Roger Jantz

Jim Victor

Grant Schmidt

Daniel Jantz, John Monroe, Bob Jantz

Iraqi Muslims Persecuting Iraqi Christians

Christian Persecution in Iraqi and the Middle East Finally is getting Front Page
New York Times had a front page article on the persecution of Iraqis Christian minority. Many Iraqi Christians are packing their bags and leaving with the shirts on their back to start life anew elsewhere. It is not like these small Chrisitan's are posing such a threat to the Muslim majority. Apparently there are hints that the government are turning a blind eye to their plight. As Christians we pray for those that are persecuted and also for those that persecute. I hope in the end Muslims the world over can witness the power of forgivness and love borne from hearts where God's love dwells. If a Muslim would ever read this article I would encourage him to find out if there is not a cry in his heart. If there is I would encourage him to pick up a Bible with a prayerful heart and see what it says. If you believe Jesus is a prophet start with his writings and see what his message really was.

Bible Fired Revival: An article by Jonathon Goforth

I was sent this in a e-mail and it seemed quite "heart-provoking". Does it challenge you? I am afraid I fall quite short of the mark! JLT

We wish to affirm, too, that we can entertain no hope of a mighty,
globe-encircling Holy Spirit revival without there being first a back to
the Bible movement. The Author of the Bible is being greatly dishonoured
these days by the doubt cast upon His Word. It must, indeed, be a cause
of intense grief to Him that the Book which alone testifies of the Lord
Jesus should be so lightly esteemed by man. Unless the Bible is to us in
very truth the Word of God, our prayers can be naught but sheer mockery.
There never has been a revival except where there have been Christian
men and women thoroughly believing in and wholeheartedly pleading the
promises of God.
The Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God, is the only weapon
which has ever been mightily used in revival. Where it has been given
for what it claims to be, the Word of God has always been like a sharp,
two edged sword, like fire, and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in
pieces. ..
During my student days in Toronto my one weapon, in the jails and slums,
was the Bible. In China I have often given from thirty-five to forty
addresses in a week, practically all of them being simply Bible
rehearsals. In fact, I think I can safely say that, during the forty-one
years that I have been on the foreign field, I have never once addressed
a Chinese audience without an open Bible in my hand, from which I could
say, “Thus saith the Lord!” I have always taken it for granted that the
simple preaching of the Word would bring men to Christ. It has never
failed me yet. My Chinese pastor, one of the most consecrated men I have
ever met, was saved from a life of shame and vice by the first Gospel
address which he ever heard me give.
My deepest regret, on reaching threescore years and ten, is that I have
not devoted more time to the study of the Bible. Still, in less than
nineteen years I have gone through the New Testament in Chinese
fifty-five times. That prince of Bible teachers, Dr. Campbell Morgan,
has declared that he would not attempt to teach any book in the Bible
unless he had first read it over at least fifty times. Some years ago, I
understand, a gentleman attended the English Keswick and was so fired
with a zeal for the Bible that in three years he read it through twelve
times. One would imagine, of course, that he belonged to the leisured
class. On the contrary, however, he began his day’s work at the
Motherwell steel plant at 5:30 a. m.
The Bible was not so neglected a Book when the great revivals of 1857-59
swept over the United States and Great Britain. Neither was it so
neglected in Moody’s time. During the late Manchu dynasty, scholars were
expected to know the classics of their sages off by heart. How do the
scholars of so-called Christian lands measure up to that standard as
regards the “World’s Great Classic”? It is nothing short of pathetic how
so many, who come professedly to represent the Lord Jesus Christ in
China, know so little of His Word. Thirty years ago the missionary ideal
was to know the Bible so well that one would not have to carry around a
concordance. Is the indifference to the Bible today on the part of so
many missionaries due to the fact, perhaps, that they have discovered
some better means with which to meet the needs of a sin sick world?
Finally, the call to revival must be a call to exalt Jesus Christ in our
hearts as King of kings and Lord of lords. He is like an Everest peak,
rising from the level plain. There must be room only for Him, if we
would have Him dwell with us at all. Every idol must be smashed; every
darling Isaac laid on the altar; every urge of self denied. Then, and
then only, can we expect the larger fields to open before us. ..
Was there ever such an incomparable opportunity for Christian leaders to
get rid of their ecclesiastical idols and bring themselves into heart
contact with the unsearchable riches of Christ as at the Missionary
Conference in Edinburgh in 1910? There has been no Church gathering in
modern times around which such expectations have centred. Missionary
leaders had come from all parts of the world. It was the confident hope
of many that a new era in missions had dawned. The subject for the last
day was -- “The Home Base.” It provoked visions of endless
possibilities. The home churches, empowered by a mighty Holy Ghost
Revival, would send out men fitted as were Paul and Barnabas. With their
enormous resources in men and means the world would be evangelized in a
generation.
Alas! it was only a dream. Never have I experienced such keen pain and
disappointment as I did that day. Of the many who addressed that great
missionary gathering, not more than three emphasized God the Holy Spirit
as the one essential factor in world evangelization. Listening to the
addresses that day, one could not but conclude that the giving of the
Gospel to lost mankind was largely a matter of better organization,
better equipment, more men and women. Symptoms, indeed, were not lacking
that a few more sparks might have precipitated an explosion. But no, the
dethronement of the idol of ecclesiastical self-sufficiency was
apparently too great a price to pay.
But, brethren, the Spirit of God is with us still. Pentecost is yet
within our grasp. If revival is being withheld from us it is because
some idol remains still enthroned; because we still insist in placing
our reliance in human schemes; because we still refuse to face the
unchangeable truth that “it is not by might, but BY MY SPIRIT.”

- Jonathon Goforth