Challenges!

What an adventure for Joy and Tommy as well as Andy. I will try to recap some of it. Tommy and Joy met with a couple from Pastor Paul's church Wednesday night with Mel and P. Francky (translator). We had been told that the couple would work at the AL House (AH) in exchange for room and board and that the husband was fluent in English. It turns out that the husband is not fluent in English and they have their own home. They will work there during the day helping with cleaning, cooking, grounds, etc.

On Thursday morning, the Schwindlings along with Mel and P. Francky arrived in Port au Prince (PaP) at 8:00 am . This is no small feat since it takes about four hours to travel over the mtns. from Jacmel to PAp! Joy said that there were armed guards in the stores with guns ready. I know they purchased mattresses - not sure what else. Joy and Tommy were able to catch the charter flight with Andy back to Jacmel since he arrived in Haiti that day.

Andy has been working diligently with "Rob" who works for Jerry O'Leary (Canadian landowner). Andy is so impressed with him. Rob introduced Andy to the mayor and other key folks in Jacmel. They worked on the land transfer, getting insurance for the truck and the motorcycle registered. Andy's response to all of this was "it is a different world!"

Friday night was the first night in the AH. They have electricity but not hot water. The gas was hooked up today, but there is no propane gas to be found in Jacmel! Maybe next week. The big deal about gas is the stove is gas, so they have been eating a lot of PB&Js and meals at the hotel.

Internet is scheduled for, you guessed it, next week.

Joy and Tommy seem to be doing really well. They look forward to joining in with Pastor Paul and his congregation in the morning as Andy has been asked to preach! Please commit to praying for the Schwindlings daily, because they are counting on it.

Schwindlings arrive in Jacmel!

A large crowd gathered yesterday at FBC around 4:30 to send the Schwindlings off to Jacmel, Haiti. Folks shared encouragement and prayers for them. They finally drove off from FBC at 5:30 headed to spend the night in B'ham for an early morning flight today. I received a voicemail from Joy around 3:20 saying they were in Jacmel and were safe. We should have more information tomorrow and I will pass it on. Andy will be traveling to Jacmel on Thursday of this week, so please keep him in your prayers. He will return on Tuesday of next week. I will leave on Monday with Juli Bethea and two other teachers from Eastwood along with Charley Elgin.

Jay praying with Tommy and Joy as we all made a prayer circle.

Brian, Tommy, Joy, Jay, and Mel Johnson (St. Bd of Mission)

Land!!!

I know you have been waiting patiently to hear about the land for the children's permanent home, but we wanted to make sure that it was a done deal before we reported on it. I am happy to say that Children's Hope now owns about four acres of fenced in land in Jacmel, Haiti along with a truck, motorcycle, tractor, two wells, two small mobile homes, and five shipping containers. One container is set up as a kitchen, two are set up as bathrooms with showers (one for girls and one for boys) and two are or will be set up for the children to sleep in. While shipping containers are not my idea for raising children, they will do for temporary housing. We will probably need to move them out of the rental home by October. As Andy pointed out they will have indoor plumbing and hot showers (two things they may never have experienced before). They could stay in these until we are able to get their permanent homes built.

The cost of the land is $200,000. However, with volunteer hours, all of the work that has already been done to the land (wells, clearing, fence, sewage, etc.) plus vehicles and other possessions and materials, we are getting about $700,000 worth for $200,000. Andy and Jay spent hours on the phone with Jerry O'Leary over the past months and are very touched by his love for the Lord . We have given Mr. O'Leary a downpayment and Andy will travel to Jacmel next week to meet with Mr. O'Leary's representative to finalize some loose ends. If you sense the Lord leading you to give financially to the purchase of the land, there are yellow Children's Hope envelopes on the round table outside our sanctuary. If you would like more information about giving, please let us know.

I don't think the cows are ours?!

It is a wonderful piece of flat land located close to the airstrip