October 28, 2002
Dear Partner in God's Ministry,
"If you are planting for a year, you plant grains. If you are planting for a decade, you plant trees. If you are planting for a generation, you plant people."
On, September 2, 2002, the school in Bayonnais opened all of its doors from kindergarten through 13th grade. That first day was certainly not a working or teaching day, but it was instead a band walking‑marching day. It was at some point very fascinating to many when they heard and saw, on a market day, over a thousand people mixed with students, parents and others which nobody knew where they came from were marching and singing together “Stand up, Stand up for Jesus." The students were playing though. I tell you it was noisy. After about three hours of marching in a hot sun, everybody was exhausted and went home for the next day, Tuesday the 3rd of September. Once again let me thank each one of you that has sent all the musical instruments for the school and church. They are being used for good.
Since the third of September, every single student has been at work in two sessions with 650 students in the morning and 262 in the evening. 7:30‑12:45 and 12:45 to 5:45 from Monday through Friday with a faculty staff of 55. 11th and 13th graders even meet on Saturdays. We are praying and working for bigger and greater success this year and again. He is always able; He can make it happen just to reverse the course of our history. By the way, did you know that 2 of our 12th grade students were placed in the top ten? We are in the country, far away from the luxury things. God is really doing something special. Again, I know that this past year some of you gave funds to buy rice, pinto beans and cooking oil for the school. I would encourage you to keep doing so if you could for this year. We have a total of 912 students. We are also praying that the Lord will open doors for the students not to be sitting under mango trees‑ winds‑ hot sun‑mud, dirt and rain any more.
About three weeks ago, Louicius Louis with a family of 7 members and Imene with six children turned their lives over to the Lord from Voodoo. Praise the Lord. For some reason, a lot of people have died in Bayonnais since September. 10 people were buried in Bayonnais on the 13th of September. We could not function that day. The next day, a young woman died after a birth of two children. Lots of school children got really sick and many have been dead. What is going on? Well one thing I can say. Wherever technology is weak or absent, superstition and poverty are really strong.
Please pray for us in Haiti for:
1. Samuel at medical school‑ safety in Port‑Au‑Prince
2. Good health for people in Bayonnais God always has a way to help those who can't help themselves.
3. Safety for Actionnel and his family members.
4. Wisdom and physical strength for Actionnel.
5. Haitian government to have fear for the Lord.
6. Marguerite Alphonce, a new convert, who has been having a hard time with evil spirits. She is one of our new students in 7th grade.
We know that there are no colleges for them to go after 13th grade, but we are doing our part and God will take care of the rest. That's right, let us plant for a generation.
In His holy name,
Actionnel Fleurisma