May 2012 Update

We just returned from a trip to Jacmel, Haiti with the entire Colee Family (Chip, Christy, Chris and Caroline) plus Mary Conley Teel.  It was such a blessing to be able to share all that God is doing in Jacmel with the Colees.  Tommy and Joy are doing great, and they continue to make great strides in reaching out to Haitians and other missionaries in the area.  It is easy to see how God is using them to build relationships with mission teams, pastors, and the children.

While we were there, Stuart Davidson arrived with a mission team from the church he pastors in Daphne, AL.  It was good seeing Stuart and meeting the team members from Eastern Shores Baptist Church.  Stuart preached Sunday morning at Pastor Paul's church.

Stuart's team also met up with Patrick O'Connor at the Atlanta airport.  A lot of you remember Patrick from being the Children's intern at FBC, Montgomery for the past two years.  Patrick approached me in July of 2011 with the idea of him possibly spending some time in Jacmel this summer.  It is no surprise that we were praying for someone to serve as the first Children's Hope intern in Jacmel.  He continued to pray, and he kept in touch with us and in December he felt sure God was calling him.  He will serve as our first intern and will be in Jacmel until the end of July.  His primary responsibilities will be to coordinate activities between the children and mission teams and to mentor the children.  He plans to conduct a very simple version of our Bible Drill helping the children to become familiar with books of the Bible and key verses.  Please pray for Patrick as he serves this summer.  You can follow his blog at http://www.followingthejourney.wordpress.com/.

On this past trip, we spent time with the kids at Children's Hope and visited with another orphanage where we were served Haitian spaghetti.  We delivered supplies to a midwife clinic, checked out rural life in Cayes Jacmel, attended Pastor Paul's church and attended Church on the Beach.

Charley has been very busy getting everything in place to pour slabs for all the buildings at Children's Hope which is scheduled to begin next week.  Martie continues to do well after surgery and is helping Charley with all the details stateside.  She will have a second hip replacement in August/September but will spend around a month with Charley in Haiti prior to that.

Psalm 37:4 says "Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart."  Andy and I can testify to this promise.  Several years ago, God placed a burden for fatherless children on our hearts.  Now, God is allowing us to see our desire to serve orphans come to fruition.  God is providing for every need of the 20 orphans in Jacmel and so much beyond that.  We are so grateful that God allows us to be part of His work and we thank all of you for partnering with us.  God reminds us every day that He is at work all around Children's Hope whether it is a smile on the face of a child or a $25,000 anonymous gift from an Alabama church!!!  We are blessed beyond measure!

I am attaching a lot of pics of this last trip, so please enjoy them.

Mary Conley with children at Hands and Feet Orphanage

Christy with child from Hands and Feet

Chris with children from Hands and Feet

Our children watching the French version of Lion King

Our kids singing at Pastor Paul's church.  They sang two songs in English and then one in Haitian Creole.  We were all beaming with pride! 

Lovenson going about as high as he can!

Chip and his new buddy, Edith

Stuart checking out Nicole's name tag

The Colees with new "extended family"

Patrick with Lovely, Elida, Nathalie, and Geralda

Christy and Chip

Caroline and Wilemson

Fedline (newest child at Children's Hope)

Casimir with Chip

Sarah (on the right) receiving supplies collected by 6th grade SS class at FBC, Montgomery.
On the left is a Haitian student who will take the midwifery exam in September in CA

Beth, Mary Conley, Davidson and Caroline at CapLamandou

Chris with Lovenson 

Drum Roll Please!

As you know, we kicked off our Phase II Campaign on March 11, 2012 to begin construction on six houses and a director's house in Jacmel, Haiti.  As of the end of last week, we've received a little over $130,000 with commitments of $90,000 more.   While we are short on our goal, we know that where God guides, He provides.  A special thanks to Celia and Troy Teel for raising funds for Shelby's House!   Shelby passed away from cancer when she was just a teenager, so CH is honored to name the first girls house after her.  Shelby's House will provide a safe haven for many vulnerable orphans in the years to come.

Another house will be built in honor of Cole Ellis called Cole's House.  Again, CH is deeply humbled to play a part in honoring Cole and the extraordinary young man that he was!  We look forward to telling all the boys that live in this house over the coming years about Cole and his love for Jesus and others.  You will be learning more about Cole's House in the next couple of weeks.  However, if you want to contribute now, please send your donation to: First Baptist Church,  Children's Hope Fund, 305 South Perry Street, Montgomery, AL 36104.  Please include a note that your gift is intended for Cole's House and make your check payable to: Children's Hope Fund.

Charley Elgin returned to Jacmel last Saturday and hit the ground running.  A team from Atlanta is with him this week, and they broke ground for Phase II today.  Wow, we are beyond excited and grateful!

Both tractors worked today after a frustrating Monday, and the weather cooperated as well.  Thank you Charley and Martie for using your skills and gifts for Kingdom work.  Also, thanks to the Atlanta team for being there - I believe this is their second trip!  By the way, Martie is still in Montgomery recovering splendidly from a hip replacement.  Her long awaited day will be May 16 when she returns to the doctor for follow-up and hopefully, released from care.

Tommy flew to Tampa today to reunite with Joy.  They should have another granddaughter born by tomorrow - Aria Catherine!  John and Jeanette Bush are at the Alabama House hosting and taking care of the day to day tasks for Children's Hope.  A big thank you to them for filling in for the Schwindlings.

Atlanta team hard at work!

Ground breaking for Shelby's House

Both tractors working - preparing site for Director's House

Just a Few Details!

If you ever think God is not concerned about details then I have a story for you.  God called Children's Hope from Montgomery, AL to purchase land in Jacmel, Haiti which included a tractor and backhoe.  The tractor and the backhoe seemed like a bonus but neither worked.  God called Martie and Charley Elgin from Waveland, MS to build the orphanage in Jacmel.  The Elgins knew Kim from Atlanta that came on a mission trip to Jacmel and brought a Delta mechanic who could "fix" anything which meant he was able to repair the tractor and backhoe!  Guys who belong to a ministry out of California borrowed the tractor and backhoe and rescued homes in a tent city in Jacmel that were being flooded!  What an opportunity to share with these tent dwellers about the love of Jesus!  Wow, isn't it great being a child of God and a member of the Body!  What a privilege it is that God uses His children to help each other.  As Jay Wolf says "we need Jesus and we need each other."  God supplied just the right person/people at just the right time.  We or should I say, Charley, had been waiting for months to get the tractor and backhoe working.  We are so grateful to everyone who God used to bring Him glory in this story.

Joe and Kim repairing parts

Putting it to the test!

Flooded village.

Working to save the homes

A big thanks to high school senior, Hannah Schaffner, who chose to receive donations for Children's Hope for her graduation tea rather than gifts!!!  Hannah asked friends to give a financial gift that would benefit the kids in Haiti.  I just love this idea!  Most Americans have so much "stuff" that our homes are overflowing so just adding to the pile seems pointless.  Using special events and occasions to benefit the "least of these" is a creative way to live out God's desire for His children to be a blessing!  

In fact, someone recently suggested that individuals make a donation to Children's Hope in honor of a mom on Mother's Day instead of purchasing a gift.  Another great idea!  Of course it doesn't have to be Children's Hope - it could be the Caring Center, Sav-A-Life or whatever is special to a mom.  The point is to use our earthly resources for Kingdom purposes!

Hannah, third from left with friends who attended her graduation tea.

I know many of you are praying for Trent and Heather Beck as they are in Sofia, Bulgaria to bring Sellenn Rose home.  They have her now and are completing more requirements such as acquiring her passport, doctor appt. , in order to bring her home soon.  As you can imagine they have faced many challenges these past couple of days.  Sellenn is five yrs. old and all of a sudden everything about her life has changed from her bed to smells to food plus trying to figure out if she can trust her "parents."  Mix in the fact that she speaks no English and you probably get a small glimpse of these past few days.  Advice during these days in country usually is just to survive them and know things will begin to settle down some when you get home.  Please continue to lift them up in prayer.  I know they are very exhausted in every way and are running on adrenalin.  They still have the very looong trip home ahead of them.  I am so thankful for Trent and Heather's obedience to God's call.  No, it is not easy and they are sacrificing so much!  They would both tell us that Sellenn Rose is worth it.  What a reflection of God's love for us - He also says that we are worth all of His sacrifice and suffering and that "by His wounds we were healed."

Heather with Sellenn Rose

Sellenn Rose's first McD's!

Trent with Sellenn Rose

Tommy with Fedline (Tommy let Fedline and Christine "do" his hair!

 A new little girl was brought to Children's Hope, Jacmel about two weeks ago by Social Services.  All I know is that her name is Fedline and she was physically abused by her stepmother.  Tommy has been trying to get more information.  She is very shy and quiet but seems like she has warmed up to Tommy according to the picture above.

Church members working together!

 Tommy reported that from a three day revival at Pastor Paul's church, 150 folks came to know the Lord!!!  Wow, please pray for Pastor Paul and the other church leaders as they follow up with them and begin to disciple them.  A team from FBC Decatur is in Jacmel this week.  They spent some time working on Pastor Paul's church.  Tommy announced Sunday in church that the team needed many church members to show up to help with the new floor.  Well, 40 members showed up and worked 12 hour days.  In the picture above you will see how they set up a relay system in order to bring in material for the floor.  We are blessed beyond measure just to be part of what God is doing.  Praising Him for allowing CH to even exist!

April 2012 Updates!

Trent and Heather Beck first met their daughter, Sellenn Rose, in November 2011 in an orphanage in Bulgaria.  They were able to spend several days with her but due to Bulgarian adoption law, they had to leave her behind with plans to return to Bulgaria in 3 - 4 months to bring her home.  They have been waiting with much anticipation for this second trip to Bulgaria and they will leave this Friday, April 20th and get Sellenn Rose on April 22nd!  They are excited beyond words, because they will finally bring home this precious child that God chose just for them.  They have been praying for her, her caregivers, bonding and attachment issues, the language barrier, and on and on, but they know that without a doubt that God has called them to adopt Sellenn Rose.  They will be her family regardless of issues and challenges they may face.  Sellenn Rose will go from being a family of one to being part of a family that includes not only parents but grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and a church family.  Once again, it reminds me of how God adopted me into His family.  Please be praying for the Becks as they make this trip and all of the changes they face and that Sellenn Rose would feel a sense of trust and security with them.

Trent and Heather with Sellenn Rose in Bulgaria, Nov. 2011

 As many of you know Charley Elgin returned to Montgomery to be with Martie during her hip replacement surgery and recovery.  Charley has an extraordinary friend in California, John Turnbull.  He emailed Charley without being aware of Martie's surgery and said he was "homesick for Haiti" and when could he come back.  Charley saw this as God's provision for him to be home with Martie but yet the work on Children's Hope in Jacmel could continue.  John agreed to go to Jacmel a few days before Charley left for the States to get up to speed on what needed to be done.  He agreed to stay around a month in Charley's absence.  He has done a tremendous job and we are so grateful to him and our Lord for providing just the right person at just the right time.  John also found time to complete a request of mine in building the puppet theater above.  This will provide a fun way for mission to teams to share Bible stories with the kids and hopefully, the kids will be putting on stories for other kids in Jacmel.  Thanks John for being alert to the Holy Spirit's prompting and being obedient.  You are a blessing!

 Tommy returned to Jacmel last Friday after being in Decatur and Montgomery for a week.  Joy is in Florida waiting on their second grandchild to be born.  In January of this year, Joy and Tommy started a tradition with the kids.  Whenever one of the children have a birthday, they celebrate by eating cupcakes.
Tommy made these cupcakes for Lovenson and Elida's special day.  Thanks Tommy for all the many hats you wear with Children's Hope!

Partnerships!!!

Decatur FBC has been very active in Jacmel through the State Bd. of Mission from the beginning.  They have sent several teams to Jacmel and plan to send others.    In order to get their children's dept. involved with Children's Hope they decided to have a pajama party where the Decatur kids could "adopt" a child from the orphanage in Jacmel.  They printed large pictures of the children with their names, DOBs and story.  The Decatur kids were encouraged to love and pray for this new "sibling" as if he/she were living in their home.

The second phase of getting their children involved included raising money for Project Build-A-Bed for Children's Hope.  Children age 2 through 6th grade made items to sell to the Decatur church family.  Preschoolers made hand print pillowcases and 1 -6 graders made blankets.

The third phase of Project Build-A-Bed was their Haitian Marketplace where the kids sold the pillowcases and blankets.  The kids also had market booths where they did crafts and projects that were all related to Haiti.

We are so grateful to FBC Decatur for partnering with us as we serve in Haiti.  Also, thanks for getting your children involved in learning about the needs of orphaned children and then leading them to help meet those needs!  It is such a privilege to be part of God's Family!

Pajama Party

Choosing a child to adopt!

Pajama Party

Choosing Christine to be her "child"

Preschooler making pillowcase

5th and 6th grade boys making blankets

Making a special blanket

Time to shop!

Setting up the Market

Pillowcases for Sale

1st grader chose this blanket for his mom.

Let the shopping begin - Haitian Marketplace