March 2020 Prayer Letter
Crisis Upon Crisis
What more can happen to our beloved Haiti? Having not even recovered from the last crisis, and schools only opened in early December to now close again because of the Corona virus! We’re not sure what the overall picture will look like. Even if churches and schools are closed, Haitians don’t live indoors. They go out daily for their food. All their marketing is done in crowded open-air markets, streets are filled with elbow-to-elbow people, and common transportation is side-by-side motorcycles! They have no medical supplies (ventilators) for assistance of any kind for a Corona victim. We look to God for His intervention so that Haiti will survive this second crisis. Once again, prayer is their only solution!! And all of you, our co-laborers, can join us in prayer for God’s mercy and compassion on this suffering people!!
Tom and I returned to the US on the 18th of March. Upon our arrival in Miami, we noticed that there were no coronavirus checks on incoming passengers. When I asked about it, I was told that there didn’t seem to be any threats coming in from Haiti. The very next day it was learned that there were two individuals that had died from the virus. This news promptly made American Airlines halt all incoming flights from Haiti. How gracious God was to us in getting us home before the news was made known to American Airlines. PTL!!
Medical clinic – a Wonderful Success
We praise God for allowing us to minister to almost 1100 patients in sister churches in five rural areas! The Lord graciously supplied meds to treat patients with high blood pressure, diabetes, epidemic scabies, numerous infections, malnutrition, and worms, along with so many common aches and pains. Our team was excellent, with Drs. Patrick Hawley and Sem Victorin, aided by ReeAnn Slager (NP), Andrew Slager (RN), Teresa Dehmel (RN), Germaine Gilbert (RN), Esther Victorin (pharmacist), and assistants Gail Drake, Sandee Shoemaker, and Kathrine Kuptz. We gave out darling handmade dresses to little girls, and boxer shorts and a matchbox car to little boys sent to us by two churches: Atkinson Baptist Church in Atkinson, North Carolina, and Sonrise Church in Howell, Michigan. The Gospel was shared in each area with invitations to accept Christ as well as to visit the church.
Annual Ladies Retreat
This year’s retreat was probably appreciated more than ever before because of the country’s stress on families and relationships. Dr. Yolle spent a lot of time developing topics for women to live godly as individuals, wives, and mothers. Marjorie Cadet (Pastor Salomon’s wife) encouraged the women to use godly wisdom combined with common sense in handling the family’s finances. There were many questions following each session. Our camp was packed out with 198 ladies this year. Half of them slept on the cement floor in the all-purpose building without one complaining word!! We are so blessed to minister to spiritually hungry souls!! Thank you Lord!!
Computer Lab
Craig Dehmel and Joe Kuptz were joined by Tom Bennett in building the desks for the new computer lab. This labor of love is deeply appreciated by Hosanna High School. We are certainly trusting the Lord for the day that this computer lab can be used by the students.
“I thank my God upon every remembrance of you…”
Philippians 1:3a
With deep thanks to God for you,
Tom and Sarah Bennett
