Hot, Hot, Hot!

Well, It is really hot.  It's hot when you sweat while you're taking a bath with cold water.  Actually it isn't cold.  I miss the cold water we had in April.  I'm not sure what happened to it.

Things have been very exciting since we've been here.  The boys are adjusting to us and accepting the new authority in their lives.  It's great to see the changes in them from day to day.  I love getting hugs from the ones who use to be too shy to come to me.  Lots of work is being done.  Many old rules are being enforced and a few new rules have been put in place. 

Ron has become Dr. Ron.  He spends hours every day doctoring cuts, old wounds, new wounds and scrapes.  He works on our boys and some of the boys from outside the compound.  The boys love all of the attention. It's amazing how many little scratches and cuts they can find to put a bandaid on.

The menu is about the same as before.  There are a few meals that are new but the food supply has gone down quite a bit since April.  There are a few more crates coming.  We really need some canned meats.  Last night we had chicken and dumplings without the chicken.  That required lots of maggie (chicken boullion).  It was very tasty.  Lisha is a very good cook.  She has lots of practice feeding many people here.

We got to take the boys to the beach last week but were not able to go to the nice beach that we planned to  go to.  After a very long ride, crossing a river and a pond we had to turn around and go to another beach that wasn't as clean because the road was washed out and a big truck was stuck.  We couldn't get past.  One of the boys said,  "If we don't get to go to the beach the boys will cry in their hearts."  My heart melted.  Some of the older boys wouldn't get in the water where we went because it wasn't real clean but most of them got in and had lots of fun.  We took peanut butter sandwiches and water and the pastor and his wife stopped and bought sugar cane and bags of "cheese puffs".  All in all it was a very good day.

There is a mother and daughter here for 2 wks. to work with the girls and they have also been spending time with the boys.  There is also a young man who was here with a team in April while I was here who is staying for 3 mos.  He is a huge help in getting some projects done.  He and some of the boys who live here built a cabinet for Madame Pastor for all of her medical supplies. A couple came in today for 2 wks. who are looking at possibly working with the girls.  They are also looking at a few other places.  We are praying for Father to give them a heart for Haiti and allow them to stay here and serve.

There are a lot of battles each day that we would ask for prayer about.

One is the generator.  It seems that it is a great struggle to keep one running each night.  We are in constant prayer over that situation.

Another is the relationships between the boys.  They seem to have days when all they want to do is fight with each other.  It seems to be an every day thing to break up fights.  Some are not as bad as others but it is not good for them to fight each other.  I know brothers fight and boys will be boys but I am praying that the Lord will bring peace and love for each other into their hearts that they will not want to fight.

Finally I would ask for prayer for Pastor Andy.  He has not been feeling well and the drs. have found nothing wrong with him.  He has decided that it is a spiritual battle that only prayer can heal.  We are in agreement with that.

These requests are only a few of the many battles before us, but our Lord is in control and we know that we can conquer through Him and with prayer.  All the powers of darkness can't drown out a single Word.  He reigns!! 

Thank you for praying with us as we serve.