February 2019 Prayer Letter
Haiti in a State of Chaos
Prayer is desperately needed for our beloved Haiti! What started on February 7th as street demonstrations against the government for gas shortages and exaggerated prices, inflation and serious currency devaluation, food and water scarcity, etc., has reached a new level in just one week. Presently, streets are blocked with burning tires, and schools and businesses (including pharmacies) are closed. Also, open markets and bakeries that provide daily bread and foods are all closed down. In some areas hospitals have been forced to close their doors because there is no fuel with which to function. The situation is serious! Please pray with us for relief!.
The people are asking the president to step down because they blame him for much of what is happening. The Christian community is rallying believers to hold prayer meetings and seek God’s face for relief in this situation.
Praise God for Accomplished Projects
God so marvelously protected our January plans that in spite of impending dangers all programs and projects were accomplished! Even I (Sarah) was able to leave before chaos broke loose!
Construction team – under the direction of Pastor Tim Marcengill and supervisor Festus Stroud from Oakdale Baptist Church, Townville, South Carolina arrived safely and completed one week of construction on the new lunchroom project for Hosanna Schools. These dear folks were a blessing to the ministry and we thank God for them.
Medical team – under the direction of Dr. Patrick Hawley, Grand Blanc, Michigan, and nurse practitioner Renata DosSantos, Rocky River, Ohio, accompanied by Haitian Dr. Sem Victorin of Jacmel conducted clinics in 5 rural areas and performed far beyond our expectations. These three professionals consulted and dispensed meds to over 905 patients in five days, working 10 hour days to accomplish this amazing feat. They served with courage and excellence. Patients were thrilled to have access to quality free clinics in these rural areas.
Dental team – Dr. Michael Gusar, Boston, MA, with his assistant, Naisha Varela, and RN Germaine Gilbert from Greenville, South Carolina, performed much needed dentistry. This team was amazing for two reasons. (1) The amount of work they accomplished and (2) work done under near-primitive conditions! They saw 61 patients, did 136 fillings, and performed 33 extractions. This clinic was an enormous blessing to the poor because even reasonable dental care is cost prohibitive for them. The team received much praise and thanks from communities, both near and far.
Our Annual Ladies Retreat
One hundred seventy-five ladies filled the cabins, the guest house, and overflowed onto the floor of the all-purpose building. The theme this year was “Redeeming the time… .” (Ephesians 5:16) Wonderful lessons and challenges were presented by the retreat director, Mrs. Andrea Pisarcik, Mrs. Bonite Affriany, Haitian director of a large orphanage in Jacmel, and guest speaker Mrs. Lois McNair, Foley, Alabama, women’s speaker and vocalist. Many topics were addressed to encourage godly ways of redeeming time in a challenging third-world culture.
God is Faithfully Shining Pastor Dieupie’s Light
This is a story you will not want to miss. In my next prayer letter, I will share an amazing story of how God’s faithfulness took Pastor Dieupie’s Gospel light and shined it directly into the eyes of his opponents!! PTL
With thanks to you and gratitude to God for you,
Tom and Sarah Bennett
