Year End Update

Happy New Year! We pray this year has been as exciting for you as it has been for us. We have so many things to be thankful for as we reflect on what He has done through Empowering Haitian Moms ministry. December was the anniversary of Stacie moving to Haiti & our 1 year anniversary for the feeding program. That’s where we want to start with praising God in our year end letter!

I will give thanks to you, Yahweh, among the nations I will sing praises to your name. 2 Samuel 22:50

Dec 24, 2012 was the day the Lord led us to begin a feeding program in Bo Lise, a small hilltop in Montrouis. The goal was to help the 3 moms & 15 children that we had been helping since 2011 and had school sponsorships for. Everyone knows it is harder to learn anything on an empty stomach & since the children didn’t have a lunch break at school we knew most of them were not eating much more than a pack of crackers until dinner time. With that in mind the Lord prompted us to serve lunch 3 days a week to help the children’s minds grow as well as their bodies. Being servants of Jesus we know that “man shall not live on bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God” Matthew 4:4, so we saw this kind of poverty as the open door to the gospel, to help them grow more in love with Christ, the Savior. This year on Christmas day we fed 150 people the “Freedom Food” which is pumpkin soup. When the Haitian people were enslaved they were not allowed to eat pumpkin so it fit that we should celebrate the birth of the One who set us free with a meal that represented freedom.


Commit your deeds to Yahweh, and your plans shall succeed. Proverbs 16:3



1st Community Toilet!

God knows the plans we make for our own lives but we are here to tell you His ways are better & His thoughts are higher! While we thought it was just a way to help our 3 moms & serve food to 15 kids, God had HIS way on that hilltop. Recapping 2013, we are OVERWHELMED with His goodness and want to inform you that every day on that hill God places an average of 150 people who are being filled with His Word & receiving nutrients to their physical bodies as well. That’s 150 lives impacted & an average of 1,800 meals a MONTH because of supporters like you.  

Every family received 5 gallons of clean water

In addition, God has done so much more in Haiti this year such as; 17 children were healed of parasites, babies were born healthy to moms who are continually being educated about post & prenatal care & reminded that God has the utmost confidence in them to raise HIS children. Teams came to teach, encourage & strengthen while relationships formed around the families in Bo Lise and our school sponsorship tripled in numbers. We began an English class, rented transition homes, improved homes with roofs, toilets and bunk beds but most importantly because Jesus being our #1 focus, we began investing in the woman with job training, skills and micro loans that allow them to become self-sufficient, depending on God as the provider and no one else!

Fritznel and Stacie were married in April surrounded by friends and family from both Haiti & America & are still awaiting Fritznel’s residency approval. A few board members came to Haiti this year while the others are making their plans for visiting in 2014 with many more projects, teams & medical clinics forming. If you’d like to know more about these trips please email us at empoweringhaitianmoms@gmail.com and we’ll let you know how to get involved and come be a part of the exciting adventure.

Thank you so much!

We just want to take this time to thank every person who supported Empowering Haitian Moms this year. Every thought and prayer counted and we can testify to God hearing and answering! We are ending the year 2013 by celebrating the birth of new chapters in EHM and especially the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

In His Love,

Fritznel & Stacie Ulysse

A Full Tank Of Gas

Fritznel VERY happy to drive it home
from customs!

I am ecstatic! Over flowing with joy! Blessed! Thankful and praising God for the testimony I get to share with you about our truck project. As most of you have read in previous blogs we needed a vehicle for Empowering Haitian Moms for many reasons. I was amazed that God brought one to us as a gift only 12 days after being in American to raise $7,000 for it. We got our home rent free when I moved here so I DID expect God to do the same for us with wheels! He loves to give GOOD gifts!
So the process behind getting the truck here has been a learning experience that I would love to do again. I am sure it has been difficult for some and it wasn't exactly easy but I felt God's grace through it all. As you read further know that God is the PROVIDER.. not for me only but for you too. I am not any more special and I want to show you that God can do ANYTHING He wants!



 
Here are the amazing things GOD did for EHM with our truck...


Millie HAPPY with her
"machine"!

• He gifted EHM a 9 seated SUV that I drove 22 hours to FL for $439.00
• Before I left St Louis we called Monarch Shipping Co. in FL. and asked them how much it would cost and they said $1,500 to get the truck ON TO the boat... when I got there it was only $900
• The day after it arrived in Haiti, Fritznel was able to get there with our contact and removed everything from the truck! Nothing missing... nothing broken~ just like we prayed! The customs didn't look through anything we had and we emptied it ourselves. The peanut butter was a little warm and the marshmallows.. well they'll be melted down anyway!
• Paper work took us 7 business days to complete and receive the truck
• The director said we needed to pay $4,675 but our contact got him down to $2,500!!
• After plates, insurance and paying our contact our TOTAL for our new ministry tank is $3,212 on the Haitian side. Total of $4,551 for our new wheels!!

Everything piled into our living
 room from the truck

I have to admit that the past 2 months while waiting for this truck to come here has been stressful for me since we didn't reach our goal of $7,000 but God had prepared the way for His name to be glorified in other ways!


Even the rooster loves the truck!
(His reflection is a threat!)

The best part: Our contact said, "You serve some God... I've never seen anyone leave with a full tank of gas!"

We are so blessed and appreciative of everyone who has prayed for us and has been any part of

getting this vehicle here to Haiti. Our teams will be comfortable and we are arriving to our ministry safer thanks to you! :-) We would absolutely do this again!

P31

If 80% of Haitians live off LESS  than $2 a day
and 60% live on LESS  than $1 a day
and 70% of people have "typical" jobs...
I'd like to know HOW do they do it?

I have lived in Haiti long enough to know that I could not do it, much less have as much joy and NOT complain every second that I was awake.

The women in our community have been in our Bible and business classes for approximately 7-9 months now and we NEVER hear them complain about their situations. Yes, they do occasionally let me know when there is absolutely NO food left in their homes, when they are being forced out by landlords for over due rent, and when their children are sick but I do not see that as a complaint. Our families do not beg for money and they will not ask you for "one dollar" when you come to visit. They have more dignity than that and know that God is the one who provides.

The objective in this ministry has been to build a depot to make a central hub for these women to work from our own community so that they could care for their children and have a safe profitable business. We have high expectations for what the depot can do to help the surrounding area and be able to reach more people for Christ.

Jesus said, "Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Will he not first sit down and estimate the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it? For if he lays the foundation and is not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule him, saying, 'This fellow began to build and was not able to finish.'".Luke 14:28

The depot will be a great thing... when its a thing. Right now though, we are staring poverty in the face; watching children's stomachs grow with parasites, hair turn yellow and the women not know where to turn for help. The local missionary clinic is only $1.19  to be seen by a doctor and get medicine to help but yet these families aren't able to go.

EHM wants families to be healthy but we learned we were going about it all wrong. Asking for monthly sponsors for the moms is  a great thing and DOES help families! We set a sponsorship goal at $130 a month and had much success until we realized it wasn't helping long term! When the food didn't last or the money ran out... they were no better than they were before the gift. And they were looking to us (people in general) for that next hand out and provision. So, when we had a woman want to give 12 months worth we were ready to make a change. We proposed to her the plan... invest $100 into a business and $30 into food, which was a sack of rice and whatever else they could barter for. IT WAS A GOD IDEA! She joyfully agreed and we were on our way to make a difference. With 6 months up front we made our list, did interviews and invested into 6 new jobs. The women work the "market days" which are 2-3 days a week selling the items of their choice. Instead of spending their entire day's income on food they were able to go home to 55 lbs of rice and get ahead for the 1st time in a long time! 3 other days of the week are our program which happen to be the opposite days of the market and the last day is Sunday, the Lord's Day!



Edeline selling shoes

"She sets about her work vigorously; her arms are strong for her tasks." Proverbs 31:17

It is working out perfectly. Each mom has told us how much it has helped and how OVER JOYED they are to be able to work!  We have our next list of moms eager to begin working whenever the Lord provides and we know He will!


Milene selling containers

We are still waiting for God to move on the Depot idea since we know it was His idea too, but we know His timing is perfect! We are teaching sewing, crocheting and each team comes with a new trade for the women so that they learn how to work with

their hands which could lead to more job opportunities.

"Give her the reward she has earned, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate" Proverbs 31:31

Assefie selling fried food

An ending note... with Biblical classes we teach to tithe and give back to the Kingdom. Each family is encouraged to give to their home church and back into EHM. They give weekly to the feeding program to be a part of serving each other and the new families that show up every week! They are a part of this ministry as much as we and you are! New outreaches will begin with cooking, serving and preaching the gospel to the poor in the streets as a team beginning in Nov 2013!

"She opens her arms to the poor and extends her hands to the needy." Proverbs 31:20

Thank you for being a part of the moving of God in Haiti!

Need a ride?

On July 13th I traveled to the USA with the goal of purchasing, driving and shipping a vehicle to Haiti.  As a ministry we desperately need a vehicle for many reasons:

• Tap Taps are public transportation and not safe. Up to 30 people on the back of a pick up truck with a driver who most likely does not have a real license and probably did not read the drivers manual
• Motorcycles are plan B form of transportation in Haiti. You can see up to 4 people on each moto and the doctors say taking care of injured people from moto accidents is 90% of their day
• Our ministry is 15 miles and takes us 45-60 minutes each way via tap taps

  

  And they will still stop to get more people!

• Our teams (like you soon) need safe and reliable modes of transportation
• Only one-fourth of births are attended by a skilled health professional. If women get to deliver in a hospital they have to leave within 24 hours and some ride tap tap's home!

A vehicle to this ministry means we can serve our community in better ways such as:

• Taking truck loads of sick and injured to the missionary clinics in surrounding areas
• Getting babies born in clean environments in time for their arrival and then back home!
• Providing SAFE and sanitary transportation for American teams and the on site missionaries

With all that being said we are excited to inform you that July 24th (11th day in America) in St Louis, Missouri a couple from Destiny church GIFTED EHM their 9 seater SUV! Praise the Lord for his provision and love!

With the help of some friends we were able to pack this truck FULL of supplies that have been donated including hundreds of gallons of Gatorade, 300 pounds of MEDICAL peanut butter, gallons of hand sanitizer, school supplies for the "Next Generation" and many more items that friends like you have given. We need this vehicle ASAP!

As of right now this is how we need your partnership in PRAYER:

• Thank the Lord for this family who gave and that they are BLESSED in it
• The Monarch Shipping Company is down a boat which leaves them with only ONE going to and from Haiti and Florida. We need to pray that they get their one from the coast guard and are able to get one that they have been trying to rent to make things faster
• They have quoted us 6-8 weeks which puts us now at 4-6
• We have a team coming Sept 19th who will need this vehicle to get to and from the ministry and give out the school supplies for school which starts on Oct 1st
• The peanut butter is going to help many of the mal-nutritioned families in our community and we don't want it going bad!



300 lbs Medical Peanut Butter

• Pray that Angels protect our vehicle from getting raided and stolen from

We have been quoted $3,000 at the customs yard which we have raised $176 of. That puts us at still needing $2,842! We have a deadline of 3 weeks from now because we are believing that the truck will NOT be detained 4-6 more!

We have made many easy ways to make tax deductible donations: "Truck" in the memo
PayPal: Empoweringhaitianmoms@gmail.com
Website: Empoweringhaitianmoms.org and click the "DONATE" button
and our
P.O. Box 4142
Chesterfield MO 63006

Will you join with us in this project and help us help Haiti!


Shout Louder...

"As Jesus and his disciples and a large crowd were leaving Jericho, Bartimaeus the son of Timaeus, a blind beggar, was sitting by the road. When he heard that it was Jesus the Nazarene, he began to shout, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" Many scolded him to get him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, "Son of David, have mercy on me!" -Mark 10:46-48

If anyone or anything is discouraging you to stop calling to The Lord.... Shout all the more...I dare you. There are many obstacles in life that can make us want to just STOP, GIVE UP and just be OK with the way things are but the Word encourages us to cry to God and be the "persistent widow".

Jesus stopped and said, "Call him." So they called the blind man and said to him, "Have courage! Get up! He is calling you." -Mark 10:49

When distractions and discouragement are telling you to be quiet ... don't STOP.. because here, HE stopped. He was busy leaving the city, surrounded by a large crowd but heard His hurting child crying out. I find it interesting that Jesus didn't just call him to himself but He told the people who were discouraging to get him... Are there people in your life that Jesus wants to use your weakness to show people His strength?! Or are you being that person?

"He threw off his cloak, jumped up, and came to Jesus." Mark 10:50

Ahhhh... Yes... A blind man throws off his cloak, jumps up and I bet he HURRIED himself to get to the one he believed could heal him. I want to be just like this!!

Ding dong.. The door bell rings. Are we sitting in self pitty because of our circumstances or are we jumping up to be with Jesus who is able to do all things?

Then Jesus said to him, "What do you want me to do for you?" The blind man replied, "Rabbi, let me see again." -Mark 10:51

 

Jesus had to have known what Bartimaeus needed and wanted, but wanted to hear him ask. Just like you and me, God knows every little thing but wants us to ASK! I think  it is just so our faith can be strengthened. When I ask for a certain things and God answers the prayer, He gets the glory and my faith increases!

The grand finale!! Jesus said to him, "Go, your faith has healed you." Immediately he regained his sight and followed him on the road. -Mark 10:52

Jesus didn't have to wait, think, ask anyone else, or pray about it... He said "Go, your faith has healed you." God is eager to heal and IMMEDIATELY the man was able to see.

God is waiting for you to ask for things to happen in your life. He is ready to make changes that are needed to strengthen your relationship with Him. This man didn't ask, receive and forget about the One who heals... He followed Jesus. Jesus doesn't want to be a telephone operator who gives the right answer or direction, then is hung up on and forgotten. He does things to restore us to Him and build relationship with us. So next time you ask for help, healing or answers remember to believe, receive and follow Jesus even closer! Don't forget him. So right now.. ask again. Believe Big and draw closer to the Savior who is eager to heal!

Then Jesus said to him, "'If you are able?' All things are possible for the one who believes." Immediately the father of the boy cried out and said, "I believe; help my unbelief!" -Mark 9:23-24

Let FAITH arise!!

1 John 15:14. "This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. 15And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him.

This is how I want to encourage you to live. TRUSTING that God knows everything we NEED and want before we even ask for it excites me! Knowing that we have a GOOD Father who WANTS to help us~ Not because we NEED certain things but because He is just...that... good.   I want to help faith arise tonight. This scripture sums up this blog... its a CONFIDENCE that we have IN God... when we ask for HIS will in our lives... He hears us. Now, I know there is a timing issue which is where He gets to work on patience and all the other fruits of the Spirit but knowing that our God LISTENS and HEARS us... gosh.

How about taking a moment and enjoying the peace and rest that comes with that kind of knowledge. KNOWING He hears me and doesn't just tune me out for asking a question or a request of some sort. I know that living in Haiti, I have learned to tune out the noise but God, my Daddy, doesn't tune me out; in fact... he KNOWS what I am going to ask for before I even ask. So with that being said I would like to introduce you to the newest addition of Empowering Haitian Moms.... BIG RED!

This 2001 Ford Expedition has been gifted to EHM this past week when GOD asked someone to give! I clearly wasn't going around asking for cars... I planned to work for it but God placed it on a families heart to GIVE.

Most of you know that we have been praying for a vehicle for quite some time now and that is why I decided to make a trip to America. Our goal was $7,000 For His glory, His service and His mission.

Now to ship it to Haiti, I am going to drive it to Florida, put it on a ship and send it on its way. The tricky part is... when it gets to Haiti, we have to get it out of customs. $7,000 is still my goal since this is a bigger and newer vehicle than I EXPECTED (Thank you Jesus) and it will cost more for customs. BUT I am excited to see what God does! My past 7 months of living in Haiti full time are a walking testimony to God's faithfulness and DESIRE to bless His children..

This blog is not about what we have but what GOD IS DOING. He is the great "I Am" and is in control of all things which is why we give Him ALL THE GLORY. I want to encourage everyone reading this to continue to be faithful to Him, be obedient and run the race. God is listening, hearing and excited to pour out His love!
2 Corinthians 9:8
And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.

PLEASE pray for us to raise the remaining balance so that Big Red doesn't sit in the customs yard! :-) We have raised $1,400 so far and ARE believing God will hit the mark! THANK God that the Haitian people will now be getting more health care, medical attention at a faster rate, safer transportation for us and teams and God will be exalted through it all! No need to ask for those things... its already in motion! Thank YOU for being a HUGE part of this journey and I KNOW that you are feeling God's love and HOPE for your circumstances right now!

Please let us know how to be praying for you so that we can join along side you!

do or die...



A 2 hour walk up a mountain to meet
her family!

Marlen Simeon is my friend, my adopted god mother and mom-inspiration. Marlen is a mother of 5 and we had our first bonding moment (with NO language) at the hospital holding her baby girl down on a table to be treated by other "white" people. Sheeze had gotten a 3rd degree burn on her leg and needed more care than I was able to do. I was Sheeze's first "white" person (and maybe Marlen's too) so needless to say, she was terrified. Amazingly that didn't keep her from me which had to be God.

Marlen works hard, sacrifices much and loves deeply. If you have visited or heard me talk about Haiti you would know her as "Faulto's Mama". Her 6 year old was my first friend in the community and...wait, before I write a book, I am not writing a

 blog to tell you about Marlen, but to glorify my God for her life!



Pierre, her husband is a mason by trade and an amazing husband and father by grace. They have been together for over 18 years, 5 kids and many hard times. Pierre got a job in the Dominican Republic which is very common but it kept him there for 10 years off and on... more on! Well Marlen, at some point, learned to depend on God for all things.

 

This past week Fritznel was at the feeding program and they were testifying about how God provides. Marlen shared a bit of her testimony....

"I was in a room with my children when it started to rain. The floor was flooding so I put ALL our belongings and my children on the 1 bed that we had in our 1 room apartment. I just kept praying that God would help us and in walk a man from the neighborhood. He says to me 'I have $50 and I'll give it to you in exchange for sex'... I said 'no' because I knew God would provide a way to live.  I cried myself to sleep but sang in worship first. The next day, not even 24 hours later someone had brought me $250 that my husband had made at work. God had provided! We began to build a home!"

She cried as she shared this story with the women and my husband. Some of you are in shock...sad, confused, in dis-belief. In Haiti, its do or die. Be committed or not. Trusting in God, staring fear in the face and your life being a walking testimony brings Glory to the name of Jesus. Men propositioning you for services is a way you could get by, but when your heart is fixed on the Lord you don't depend on any one by Him!

Pierre loving on his wife of 18 years!

In January 2012 I had the humbling privilege of leading Marlen back to the Lord and watching her re-commit her life to Him. I don't know what happened in the middle of these times but I know that now He is her Friend, Father and Hope again! Pierre, Marlen and their children have opened their home to EHM and are our ministry site for all the things the Lord has us doing. Our feeding program is growing, our chickens are safe in their Pierre-made coupe, and our classroom is over flowing with families! We meet there and share God's love with the whole community from their front porch. They ask for NOTHING in return! They serve faithfully and make me my favorite food when they can just because they love to be a  blessing! They sleep 7 people in 2 rooms, on 3 "beds", have no electric, water access, or a toilet but they have more joy than anyone I know in their circumstances!

 

What is it that God wants you to remember about your life that can GLORIFY His name? Testify to HIS faithfulness today, tomorrow and always!

 

PLEASE pray for this family that they will continue to be a light in the darkness and always proclaiming God's LOVE for His children!

 
 
 
 

Welcome to....

"Welcome to Haiti" is one of my favorite sayings when people come to visit us. I prep them on their way to the house from the airport. Cold water, minimul electric, animals everywhere and crazy drivers are a few of the things that you will have to adjust to when you come to Empowering Haitian Moms. Now... all I keep thinking is "Welcome to America". I have to admit that when I was in the airport in Haiti, I was so nervous to come back. There were a lot of mixed emotions since I was leaving Fritznel and all the moms that have become my family. I really didn't know what to expect on this trip to the place I no longer consider "home". I had an interesting first week of reminders.

I arrived in North Carolina around 3 am after delays and having to drive with Sara to their home in Fayeteville, so needless to say the 7 am wake up was difficult! Riding in the car that late was very different but one of my first "Welcome to America" moments was the scalding hot shower and the fact that I didn't have to wash my clothes in there with me"! When I see little things on the floor I instantly want to scream and think it is a bug! Eating at an "all you can eat" buffets and not waiting to hitch hike on tap taps was an adjustment too! Oh and wearing a fleece sweat shirt and to stop from shivering in the air conditioning took some work!

I had a few appointments in Suffolk, VA so 5 days later I took a train for the 1st time....did you know the first steam engine train dates back to Jan 1804 and I am here to tell you that this was my most amazing "Welcome to America" moment.
On my train ride I had a cafe, a bathroom, air conditioning, electrical outlets and free wifi all in and within maybe 30 steps from my seat. I will have you know that in Haiti there are NO cafe's anywhere, rarely a bathroom (especially with flushing toilets and a sink to wash my hands in), hardly anyone has full time electric and wifi is like GOLD! It hit me that a 4 hour ride on a vehicle that dates back 200+ years ago, I experienced more amenities that I have access to in the country I now call home. It is so amazing how God changed my heart and with all that I don't have... I miss home. I miss my rooster who thinks he should crow every 30 minutes, my water tank leaking, the electric being too weak to charge my phone and my freezing cold showers. I miss the simplicity of life and being content with my life in Haiti.

Dont get me wrong... I am loving America and all its "Good stuff". I am loving Starbucks, wal mart and chick fil a. Driving my car around and being able to relax on the road without constant fear of wrecking nor do I have to hitch hike! I have realised that I need to be in prayer more for "home". That the people don't need to be "American-ised" at all but they can live better than they do now, free from poverty with a little help. I am realising more and more that God MADE me an American and with that comes blessings too. I am able to travel, say, believe, and be free anytime, place and anywhere! I can work (or not and still survive) in America and be better off more than anyone in the families in our ministry.

I realise more and more that I need to pray for America to be truly the land of the Free. Free from "stuff", free from "things" and free to live. It is so easy to get back into the "American" life style where you go go go and you're in a hurry to wait! You need more, want more and have more. I want everything fast and easy and it hasn't been my lifestyle for 7 months! I need to be free from America!

I encourage you to come to Haiti, shed a few things, sacrifice for a week and see what God does in your life. See how you can become "free" and then go home and say "Welcome to America" with a changed heart.

Praying for God's will to be done.

The train bathroom!

"Yes" and "Amen"

 

Fritznel teaching moms about God's promises!

For every one of God's promises are "Yes" in him; therefore also through him the "Amen" is spoken, to the glory we give to God. 2 Corinthians 1:20

We have been teaching an 8 week series on "Identity, who are you in Christ" and this week was "Righteous". God inspired the Word in 1 John 3:7 that says "Little children, let no one deceive you. The one who practices righteousness is righteous , just as Jesus is righteous.
We taught the story of Noah and how God looked all through the Earth and found only Noah as "a godly man; he was blameless among his contemporaries." Genesis 6:9. In the world we live in it is impossible to live without sin but because of the blood of Jesus we are able to be called "righteous". So, with the help of the Holy Spirit and the gift of repentance we can be like Noah. Ashley brought a craft that the moms and the children got to do which was building the arch with the animals and the rainbow. It is amazing that still to this day God has kept His promise of not flooding the Earth and that every promise in the Bible can not be broken. If you have ever been in Haiti during raining season you would know that some days it feels like that promise is on the brink of being broken.

The children putting the arch together

Knowing that Jesus' Word is truth and it CAN NOT be broken is important in the life of anyone, especially a Haitian. Here, it is crucial to trust and depend on the One Living God for everything you need. 80% of Haitians live under the poverty line and 54% live in abject poverty. The average per capita income in Haiti is $480 a year, compared to $33,550 in the United States.

 

A and C helping Clifford

Encouraging these moms (and you) to stay in the Word, hear, listen & obey is a vital part of life.

The gift of faith is evident in life here and being confident in who God is. When you struggle to feed your family every day, be healed from sickness and need your baby to live through the night all you can do is pray and trust that God's word will not return void. I have witnessed these mothers go from homeless to having a place to lay their heads, jobless on their way to self sufficiency and sick children being healed of MANY sicknesses.

The moms loved the activity too

Provision, Protection, Healer, Rock, Savior, Father and Friend.

Psalm 18:30 "The one true God acts in a faithful manner; the Lord's promise is reliable he is a shield to all who take shelter in him."

$28 a month



This isn't going to be the best-written blog but I am asking for your prayers, need you to read through and then stop to ask God for His provision and THANK Him for his protection over a friend of mine.

 

Psalm 107:28 "They cried out to the Lord in their distress; he delivered them from their troubles."

 

Our dear friend Erik needs your prayers tonight and through out the week. Erik is the father of  3 boys, our newest baby girl Erika and a great husband to our mom Jetride. The average taxi driver can make $7 a week which is how this family makes due. That is $28 a month! Well, today Erik was driving approximately 60 mph and hit a woman on the street. No matter the reason, it is automatically his fault.



Erik did not have the chance to swerve or stop when this woman stepped out without looking and she is in serious condition. The woman was denied hospital care at 3 hospitals because they said that they couldn't give her the best medical attention so his brother Pierre took her 2 hours away to Port Au Prince. Part of the deal here is that a family member of the driver SHOULD go with the victum to insure she gets proper care and do all they can to make sure she...doesn't die. Punishment for this is very severe. Right now Erik has to pay for every single thing that she needs and the family will put a lot of pressure on him to take care of it. If they need to spend equivalent to $.17 (yes cents) he has to pay it. IF she dies, Erik will have to pay half of the bills. Medical and Funeral. If he does not pay the family can retaliate, put him in prison or practice voodoo against him. This is a critial time for this family.

We are crying out for prayer.



In Haiti, there is one hospital bed for every 10,000 inhabitants. There are only about eight doctors and 10 nurses for every 100,000 inhabitants.

 



You can see all the people waiting too

When we heard of the accident, we all prayed and then the entire community rallied together. They jumped on tap tap's and moto's (yes more motos) and went to see him at the nearest hospital while we (the missionaries) called our friend with a truck and waited 30 minutes for him to arrive since Fritznel and I knew it would take over an hour to drive and 30 minutes walking to get to the main hospital that Erik NEEDED to go to. As we approached the 1st hospital we saw Erik being carried out because they couldn't give him proper attention either. Fast forward hours later, after many cold water bags acting as compresses to get the swelling down and we finally got the medical attention that they needed. Erik has a broken wrist, a concussion and a lot of road rash while his brother has a swollen eye and many open road rash as well. Ashley, Cierra and I were able to stay with the men since we were actually being "nurses" to them so we had plenty of time to pray! The hospital situation here is just like the statistics say. Too many patients and not nearly enough personal! It took 30 minutes before they even realized that these men were there. Every person is in the same room with a couple dividers to block off "rooms". 

 

Setting Erik's broken wrist in a cast

2 people died in the very room we were in while we were there. They changed the sheets and moved the next person in 20 minutes later. 

 

 The swelling in Erik's eye went down some, they set his arm in a cast and cleaned both the men's wounds. The doctor's hooked him to an IV because he was "weak" and wanted to do an x-ray of his wrist for $7.14 so he is on his way to recovery but still hurting pretty bad. His sisters wanted to lay him down and let him sleep but we protested and Erik had to stay awake! Having the concussion, I knew he could NOT sleep even though he kept telling me he was tired. There are many different cultural differences but because I am an aggressive woman, (and his child's god mother) ~~ I get my way! ha. 

 

James 1:2-3 "Consider it nothing but joy when you fall into all sorts of trials because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance."

We need your prayers tonight and the rest of the week as the people involved need some healing, comfort, peace and God's love. Please pray for the woman who was injured and her family. This is definitely un-timely for Erik as his baby girl turned 1 week old today and his oldest boy is graduating kindergarten this Sunday. Erik can not work because of his wrist and is going to need a lot of TLC. Please remember this family as we walk through this time together and pull together as a community. Erik and his family are Christians and believe that God knows all and is in control of all things! 

 

Thank you for praying for our friends and we will continue with updates!

 

Eyes on the prize

Operation Vehicle has commenced! On July 13th I will be flying to America with my eyes set on the prize... the prize being transportation for EHM. Let me explain WHY we need this!



This is completely normal!

Our feeding program and ministry site is located at the home of a family empowered by this ministry who lives 15 miles from our home. This ride takes 45-60 minutes each way because from home we take local transportation called "tap taps". The most common form of public transportation in Haiti is the use of brightly painted pickup trucks as taxis called "tap-taps". They are named this because when a passenger needs to be let off they use their coin money to tap the side of the vehicle and the driver usually stops. Most tap-taps are fairly priced in a city but the catch to the price is that the driver will often fill a truck to maximum capacity, which is nearly 20-30 people. Standing, sitting on top and hanging onto the back are a normal way to get around when you do not have a personal vehicle.
In our community when someone is injured or sick they have to go 30 minutes with many others in a tap tap to the clinic. Most children don't see doctors until they are severely injured or sick due to the cost of the ride and the time it takes to get there.



The local hospital with our newborn!

Pregnant women pray they can deliver in a safe and clean hospital (1 hour away) but most of the time end up with the neighbors helping deliver in their yards at home. Only one-fourth of births are attended by a skilled health professional. If they get to deliver in a hospital they have to leave within 24 hours and some ride tap tap's home! YIKES! With my home being so close to the hospital here, I am looking forward to picking up our moms and getting them home quickly and safely!

A vehicle to this ministry means we can serve our community in better ways such as:

• Taking truck loads of sick and injured to the missionary clinics in surrounding areas
• Getting babies born in clean environments in time for their arrival and then back home!
• Providing SAFE and sanitary transportation for American teams and the on site missionaries

And they will still stop to get more people!

Please be praying for EHM as we try to raise $8,000. That cost includes purchasing, packing, driving to FL, shipping it on a boat then paying for customs! We are so excited to see what truck or SUV God has for us!! If you know of anyone selling or donating please contact us at: empoweringhaitianmoms@gmail.com!

GOD BLESS!

The Freedom Fighters

"Jesus answered him, "It is written, 'You are to worship the Lord your God and serve only him'." Luke 4:8

I am so happy to introduce to you our music class. This week a couple singing groups held a concert at our church which made Fritznel miss singing with a group. Fritznel has been a maestro at church for years and can assemble any group of men to harmonize! He also knows how to play guitar and piano really well. So Fritznel got inspired! The next day when we went to our feeding program we picked out all of our older children and told them all to come to our house the following day. When we asked "Who wants to be in a singing group?" Every child raised their hand and expressed a desire to learn guitar. We don't have a keyboard yet!

Isn't is amazing that we were all created to worship?

  

Welcome to Music Class

The 12 children came over at 10 am and filed in with the biggest smiles on their faces~ anxious to learn. Fritznel started with teaching the scale.. "do-ra-mi-fa-so-la-ti-do"...go ahead and sing along. You sound great! (I am pretty sure it will be stuck in your head all day as it was mine that day.) The children did great at paying attention and trying their hardest but to be honest it was the roughest hour and Fritznel had his work cut out for him. Thankfully patience is one of his strongest suits.

After the scale and "la la la la la la la's" Fritznel picked up his guitar and started to sing, "This is the air I breathe". The children got silent and watched with awe. The presence of the Lord was welcomed in and gave supernatural sound to those kids. I don't know how to explain it other than the Holy Spirit. When he taught them the words they sang along and sounded like a room full of angels.

Psalms 146:2 "I will praise the Lord as long as I live! I will sing praises to my God as long as I exist!"

 

The children getting ready for their 1st music class

The next music class will be this week and I will take some video so you can see and hear how they are. I love their eagerness to learn so that they can glorify God with their gifts. These children are a blessing to our lives and we want them to know how much God LOVES their voices lifted to Him.

"Worship the Lord with joy! Enter His presence with joyful singing!" Psalms 100:2 

Stay tuned for a CD! We're expecting big things out of this choir! Please leave your ideas for a group name! I am thinking "Freedom Fighters". :-) 

It's a girl!

We FINALLY have a baby & it's a GIRL! Many friends who have came to visit this year have met Jetride! And I'll explain why I say FINALLY! 

 When I arrived in December I found out my dear friend was pregnant and she said she was due in May! I began to speak out "Its a girl!!!" Jetride has 3 little boys already so it was time for some estrogen! Her husband is Erik, Pierre's brother~ is great dad & husband but between the two of them there are 7 grandsons and 1 grand daughter!! 

 

When Team Remain in the Vine came in June they brought with them baby blessings and TONS of pink! A first aid kit, clothes, diapers (cloth and disposal), wipes and a baby bed with a mosquito net! We had a baby shower for her (probably her 1st ever) and blessed her with all these PINK items and more! I was really crossing my fingers for a girl after this!
 

Jetride and many newborn diapers!

Lets skip to ahead! Erik told me she was in the hospital with high blood pressure and we discussed today how she NEEDED to have this baby! Remember~ she told me she was due in May. Due to improper equipment this is hard to actually say~ but she had been dealing with pre-eclampsia for
2 months! 

So since God is in control of ALL things.. This is how it happened.. All abnormal for a day here...

We left the feeding program early (not normal)

Got a driver to take us to the market (not normal)

Decided last minute to go to the hospital 1st! (led by the Spirit)

Walked in to the hospital

Heard screaming and found grandma

1 min later heard a baby crying!!

1 min later... Met the newest addition to Empowering Haitian Moms! 

Born at 1:40 pm on June 28th! 

Mommy and baby are great! I have been calling the baby Erika since December since her daddy's name is Erik so we'll see what her name is later this week! Please stay tuned for updates! She is GORGEOUS and latched on with no problems! Yea for FREE milk!

If you'd like to send a blessing to help with laundry soap and clean water please send to
 PayPal at empoweringhaitianmoms@gmail.com

REJOICE with us today! NEW LIFE! 

The Next Generation!

Scroll over the picture and learn a little about these children who ARE the CHOSEN Next Generation! You may send a tax deductible donation to EHM @ P.O. Box 4142 Chesterfield MO 63006 or send to PayPal @ Empoweringhaitianmoms@gmail.com

All year you will receive updates, photos and invitations to come visit these children in EHM!!

$300 covers tuition, books and 1 uniform

$350 covers the above along with black shoes and an extra uniform

You may also upgrade for them to learn English Additional $80 for the year!

 

I'm coming to America.. prayer topics

Well it's official that I have booked my flight to America. There will be a party in the USA on July 13th but I will probably be asleep through it!

It will be 7. 5 months since I was on American soil and I am looking forward to the refreshing I know will come but dreading leaving my husband and families here. I absolutely know that this is where I am called to be so it's hard to leave LIFE and where my heart is.

Sure I crave chick fil-a, coffee shops and Walmart but not enough to want to leave here!

I will be speaking at a few churches in NC and VA and really looking forward to testifying to what God has DONE!!  I am also looking forward to spending time with the Remain in the Vine team from Suffolk, Virgina but they said they have air conditioning so I think I might need a sweater!!

 

I have a few things I'd like you to ask you to be praying with me about. 

Please be praying for me as I travel away from my husband for the 1st time. Fritznel will be running this side of operations and continuing with the Bible, English and Music class so he'll need a covering of prayer for doing it alone! (And missing me so much!)

EHM is planning to purchase a truck (or receive a donated one) to pack and ship to Haiti. Our ministry is expanding and because of God's goodness we have teams coming often enough that we need wheels!  We have been renting trucks (not very dependable) and drivers and now feel like that is what God is directing us to focus on right now. Please join us in prayer on this and let us know if anyone you know is selling or giving one away!! 

In other exciting news we have Ashley Crowe, our "Next Generation Coordinator" working hard and has been able to triple our numbers of kids for school next year! Pictures, names, ages and grades are ready and available for you to view and choose at followinghimtohaiti@blogspot.com! Standard: $300 for tuition, books and uniform and a premium: $350 to get another uniform made and much needed black shoes for the child! 

Well it's late and lacking electric lately so I'll keep you all a few prayer requests now! God is growing our numbers at the feeding program, starting businesses and digging Gospel roots deeper with His children. Please contact us if you'd like to know how you can help or if you'd like us to come share at a coffee meeting, small group or church event in July! Visiting North Carolina, Virginia, Pittsburgh and St. Louis.

Secretary and friend Deena Tucker did this board at school
to collect needed supplies for all the children last year!
What can YOU do?

Thank you for praying!! 

See you soon! 

The Word in Action

Empower: (v) To give or delegate power or authority to OR

(v) give qualities or abilities to.

While looking through pictures I found one that shows the heart of Empowering Haitian Moms. My heart for this ministry agrees with God's heart that no one needs a hand out and to be enabled but to be empowered by the Word.

Proverbs 10:4 "The one who is lazy becomes poor, but the one who works diligently becomes wealthy."



Fritznel & Brooke teaching the Word of God

Fritznel and I are here to empower women to have a way of depending on God for everything they need and teaching/training them to be GOOD/HONEST entrepreneurs so that they do not have to depend on foreign aid. There is no welfare program here, no city office that will give you food stamps and no place to hold a card board sign. Its a life or death situation here. No one is going to drop money in your guitar case if you're playing in the streets. Rise above or die.

Ecclesiastes 2:11 "All these achievements and possessions are ultimately profitless- like chasing the wind! There is nothing gained form them on earth."

 

We can feed them, clothe them and love them all day and in the end... its a vapor in the wind. Ok so what is the REAL point to this ministry?  Die rich and not receive the Kingdom?

Psalms 119:105 "Your word is a lamp to walk by, and a light to illumine my path."

Equipping these families; Mothers, Fathers and their children with the Word of God is the WHOLE point. Truth, Light, Redemption, The Cross and the POWER of the blood.

We are just using poverty as the open door for the gospel!

I had the privilege to watch God's Word take action in my dear friend Madam Tite's life while the team was here. On Thursday evening during recap/devotion time Madam Tite told the team that she had not been baptized yet. Completely lead by the Spirit since Pam had just asked me if she could teach Tite and Assefie about baptism. So after spending time in the Word and explaining the WHY we get baptized she said she WANTED it.

 

So the next day we went down to the beach, prayed and Madam Tite gave the outward expression of her love for Christ and her love for his Word by being baptized. This truly is a privilege for me. To have walked by Tite for 2 years and seen her LOVE for God and then witness her obedience makes it all worth it.

 

1 Corinthians 12:13 "For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body."

 

Please pray for Tite, her ministry to the people in her new community and pray for all the moms to see the WHY we are here.
Not to fill them with anything but the LOVE and TRUTH of the cross.

Please come visit us in Montrouis, Haiti and be a part of what God is doing. You wont regret it!






 

The Feet

John 13:14 "If I then, your LORD and Teacher, have washed your feet, you too ought to wash one another's feet.

Why would Jesus ever wash our feet?

Think about Bible times, here in Haiti your feet are the dirtiest part of your body too. You walk all day long and a lot of people don't wear shoes at all and if they do they are sandals. The Virginia team wanted to do a spa party but incorporate Jesus washing His friend's feet to show them the love of Christ. Serving is a gift here that I think everyone is walking it but we could all use a little more understanding of what JESUS was trying to say.

So on Friday night when the team had gotten to know the woman, they all came over after the feeding program. We set up, put on worship music and brought the women in for their pampering party. Pam, or as we call her "Granny Pam" taught the lesson and how He came to serve each one of us and how he wants us to serve one another while all the team sat at their feet and scrubbed away. No one is too great or not great enough for the King of kings to serve so we should all be walking in this gift. It took a lot of humility to wash the disciples feet after walking all day long and being the savior of course... but I think there was a lot of humility to let Him wash theirs. As it was for the Haitian women to let the American women wash theirs. It is definitely out of the norm!

Washing and painting the women's feet

There are so many times that I am humbled by being served by the women in my ministry and feel like I am not worthy of any of it. These women sacrifice everything in their lives to make ends meet and help their families survive and yet find my favorite food, come wash my clothes and just want to bless me for being their friend. I have been blessed my whole life with more than I need or want and yet still have a hard time serving someone when I am tired, cranky or just don't feel like it. Even worse when they treat me poorly. Jesus made such a great example of how to serve by doing this foot washing.

No matter the dirt,  the sin, the person, or the past ... each child on Earth is His and He has the same purpose for them all. To walk in His truth and His light... and we, as Christian's are to be the feet that carry that GOOD NEWS to everyone we meet. The next day we held an outreach at an orphanage. The women cooked, taught and had the older kids lead the games and soccer match . A new perspective was brought to light when they all saw that someone, right down the road, had life so much harder than them. They got to serve the dirtier more less fortunate and saw people through Christ's eyes that day.

Ephesians 6:15 BBE says, "Be ready with the good news of peace as shoes on your feet;"

That tells me that as often as I put on shoes (and when I don't have them on too) I should have the good news READY to share. I have to be PREPARED to share it. If I want to share supper with you but don't prepare it... its not going to be any good. Be ready to serve one another and ready to serve as Christ served, sacrificially and humbly.

 

(Check out EHM's friend Chris Surber at Cypress Chapel Christian Church for more humility, teachings and how he is coming to serve by bringing the Word of peace in September with his wife Christina. Also look him up at http://www.chrissurber.com/)

 

I encourage you tonight to remember to walk in humility and serve someone who you normally wouldn't think to serve.

Jesus washed Judas' feet too.

A gift from God

I am running a flash back special today and going to tell you about an inspiration for EHM. Empowering Haitian Moms is brought to you in part by God's gift in the form of a Mom... my Mom. Growing up I watched her care for so many children that were not really hers. She had difficulty conceiving my brother and I but still dreamt of having many kids of her own even though it looked impossible. She solved that problem 21 years ago by marrying a man with 5. When I was 8, we added to our family and I watched her love and care for them like she had given birth to them herself. She also cared for many children who had difficult home lives and never missed the opportunity to love!

 

She found a way to make her dream come true and be an amazing example to me.

 

Trying to warm up Carmallie who was cold
from swimming at the beach! 

Fast forward to being here in Haiti and watching moms give their children away and my heart breaking for the lack of hope. These women here have a dream and hope for their lives, children and future... it just doesn't LOOK possible. I feel called to share with them the hope of Christ and anything is possible... it just might look differently than you imagined.

 

 Moms in Haiti are like GOLD, as they should be.

"She is far more precious than rubies" Proverbs 31:10

My mom has come to Haiti every spring for the past 3 years to support me and falls more and more in love with the women she is inspiring and the country she has grown to know. Every time I reconnect with people here they always ask how my mom is doing~ they have a real tangible relationship with her because she brings hope to the hopeless through showing Christ's love and her testimony.

 

My mom doesn't just hold babies though.. she is too gifted to do ONLY that. This last April when she arrived she packed her work boots! Her love for animals has driven me a little crazy in 29 years but it came in handy here! My in-laws bought me a  ROOSTER as a wedding gift and I was ready to just tie the thing to the roof and call it a day but my mom wouldn't have it. She, still in her pajamas, went right to what she does best; found 2x4's in my yard, rallied up the men, put them to work and built a chicken coupe!!

 

I am so much like her I had to
get my hands dirty too!

"Listen, my child, to the instruction from your father, and do not forsake the teachings from your mother." Proverbs 1:8

 

My mom has inspired me to care for the children who don't have to be mine by birth. God has shown me in my patience with getting married and wanting children that he can still answer the cry of my heart with wanting to be a mom. That he has. I have the privilege of teaching children but most of all encouraging and empowering their moms to look for hope and cling to God's promises.

 

 Isaiah 54:1 says "Sing, O barren woman, you who never bore a child; burst into song, shout for joy, you who were never in labor; because more are the children of the barren woman than of her who has a husband."

 

God is so good to give us the gift of the women we call "Mom". Go ahead and call your mom and let her know that you love her. .... I love you mom!