Dear Friends and Family,
On behalf of the entire country of Haiti, we praise God and thank you for your commitment to the Lord’s work here in Canaan, as you are preparing the next generation of children who will be raised-up serving God and changing the face of our country.
We are so blessed by your generosity to provide materials, countless hours of labor and daily coverings of prayer. We are encouraged daily here as we know that the Lord has created a committed, global family that calls Canaan home and is dedicated to the spiritual growth of the Lord’s children that He has stewarded to us for a time.
There are so many praise reports and news updates that we are thrilled to share with you:
1. 30 Canaanites traveled to the US for A.C.E. Convention this year. We had multiple ribbon-winning finalists, were featured on the local news and the Lord provided for Sister Gladys to be professionally trained in Tennessee.
2. As a result of this training, Canaan hosted a all-expense paid training seminar with 36 people from 11 new schools that will be started in Haiti, thanks to John and Melody Kirkland of A.C.E. The training in the U.S. and subsequent training of new leaders in Haiti will change communities and cities, as we raise-up more and more young people every year in knowledge of the Lord and a best-of-class educational experience.
3. We would like to offer a most special thanks to the incredible generosity of Cross International for the transportation and support during Convention, and the loving and selfless hosts throughout Missouri and Minnesota. Your servants’ hearts are renewed examples to us of how to be godly hosts and serve with joy.
4. Canaan hosted 5 U.S. missionaries this summer, along with our beloved long-term missionary nurse, Elsie Kornelsen from Canada. The team started a Central Haiti Malnutrition Clinic for children under the age of five, using a medicinal peanut butter that is produced in Haiti, identical to the treatment plan that Doctors Without Borders uses in Africa. To date, over 100 children have been treated, prayed over weekly, received small Gospel Bibles in Kreyol and we are witnessing life change in many our of community families. Thanks to the 300+ supporters, donors and praying saints who made this clinic possible through their sacrifices.
5. On Thursday, July 24th, Canaan will once again have clean spring water from our well. For the last few years, we have had to truck in water weekly from the canal and then filter it for drinking. The Nix family, whose son, Will, was here for the malnutrition clinic, provided for the CEO of LifeSource Engineering to visit Canaan and completely overhaul the reverse osmosis filtration system. This is a huge answered prayer and blessing to our Canaan family and visiting missionaries.
6. If you have visited Canaan, you know that our driveway road is in desperate need of repair. After years of rainy season washouts and hard bedrock, we have witnessed our road worsen more and more and cause the deterioration of our vehicles. On July 18th, after months of prayer, diligent letter writing and office visits, the international company responsible for repaving National One Highway began to aggressively repair Canaan’s road in a single day. Pastor Henri sat down with the lead engineer, offered for them to store their vehicles, tractors and guardpost on Canaan’s grounds and before there was even time to ask, the engineer offered to repair the road. Within 30 minutes, the road was being graded and smoothed. We can now actually shift into 2nd gear while driving on the road! Along with this blessing, we must be good stewards to maintain it. In order for the newly repaired road not to washout again, we must create a gutter system to divert the rainwater. Canaan will provided all the tools and labor, but are in need of $5,000.00 USD in order to purchase the needed concrete and sand for the gutters. Thank you in advance for helping us preserve and maintain these blessings from the Lord.
7. During the summer, we were able to put a new coat of paint on the main school building (a Caribbean blue base with a sky blue border and white ceilings. The exterior is a beautiful peach color. And we completely reclaimed an older building and yard, creating a playground and area for our new French School. The walls are covered with Goofy, Donald Duck, Tom and Jerry, Mickey Mouse and Bugs Bunny – the kids love it! The exterior is green and the interior is a nice, bright yellow with red trim.
8. Thanks to multiple contributors in the U.S., Canaan now also has an extended cab Nissan pick-up truck that has been great for fuel saving trips to Port Au Prince’s airport and markets.
9. We have great news about our students at Canaan. Erve is already in the U.S. and will be enrolling in his first year of college in Indiana. And three of the older boys were enrolled in A.C.E. training to be facilitators in the schools. Lastly, one of the older boys was trained in the malnutrition clinic and has a heart to continue serving the community and those children which are starving.
10. We have many missionaries and medical missionaries coming this summer and are so excited for their arrival. Steve Mossburg is bringing a large group at the end of July and then we have another group of teens coming in August. The Lord provides and provides such good things to us.
11. We are in need of missionaries for 3-6 months, longer if you desire, to come and be trained in the A.C.E. program’s curriculum. These people would live at Canaan and work with the children in the school, helping them to reason, read and learn, while encouraging them to push forward in their education and relationship with Jesus.
12. Finally, please be thinking and praying about a grandmother and grandfather to come to Canaan and make it their home for a season. We are praying to find a couple who desires to come and be grandparents to the children of Canaan – they are children who need much love, one-on-one time and mentoring friendships.
We would like to share the following story with you:
A man once set out to the change the world and when he found he couldn't, he decided to change his country. He couldn't change his country, so he thought maybe he could change his city. That, also, was too large, but he thought maybe he could change his neighborhood. Even that was too daunting. He decided to start just with himself. And in changing himself, then the change began in his neighborhood. Then his neighbors changed and they changed the city. The city began changing the region and the region changed the country. The man realized that to change the world, he must first change himself.
Friends, this is what is happening and will continue to happen in Canaan and Haiti, thanks to your commitment to our country and young people. You have changed many individuals that are now going out to change communities, which will, in time, change the face of Haiti, for our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
We praise God for the great report we can send out. He provides in such big ways and is always present in the minutest of details. Thank you for sharing in our excitement and goals for the future as we continue building and growing.
Your grateful friends and partners in the Lord’s work. Most sincerely,
Sister Gladys Mecklembourg and Pastor Henri Gaetjens
Canaan Christian School and Community
Augier, Montrouis – Haiti
Canaan1949@yahoo.com
Post a Comment