Challenges Upon Challenges
Dear brothers and sisters,
Greetings to you in His name!
Ten days ago, sitting in my office at home, I was asking many questions, maybe too many. I was discouraged. I went as far as wondering if Haiti’s situation is a lost cause. Then I decided to switch my mind off in order to do other things. I chose to check my email. I received a message from my friend Sandy Brewer, in which she was expressing her faith in me that I will persevere. Then she added, “You must.” I smiled. I shook my head. I cried. Then I managed to scribble a few lines to her in response to her message.
Surrounded by poverty, broken homes, broken hearts, unbroken chains of political instability, and unnecessary deaths of people because of lack of medical care and minimal education, I have felt that it is too much.
On top of these things, we are misunderstood by those we are doing our best to help, and being the object of so many threats. It has become burdensome. But all of these have not negated the love of God. All of these have not challenged the protection of God, because if it were not for the protection of God, many of us would be long gone, especially me. All these things have been successful in challenging God’s provision for HIS work to continue. Yet, many times, I feel the urge to run away to go to hide. Many times, I question myself. Many times, I can also hear dad Fred Green saying, “One day at a time.”
All those attacks have one objective: Getting me and my teammates out of the harvest field or chasing us away from the fishing pond where God has placed us to catch fish for HIM. Trust me, really trust me, I and my coworkers would not be able to keep doing what we are called to do without YOU! I am dead serious about that.
Your prayers, your text messages, your phone calls, and your emails (Like Sandy’s) have done wonders. Your donations alone would not be able to keep us in the field. No! But your prayers and your encouraging words do. Maybe some could say, we will just pray and will not send funds and see how you would do it. I challenge you to try it. For I know the more you pray the more God will convince you of what needs to be done.
My friends thank you!
Since the political assassination of the president, several mysterious deaths have followed. The investigation has been involved in an ever-growing maze heading nowhere. Consequently, violence of revenge seems to be cooking. Gangs have been in control in some sections of Port-au-Prince for a long time and there seems to be no authority who can stop them. Kidnapping is still going on. The new government does not inspire the trust of the people. The economy is going backward. Prices of goods are at the mercy of the business people. As a result, the purchasing power diminishes and hunger increases. UNICEF, through UN-Info, predicted that 61% of children may face malnutrition in Haiti this year. Did they know ahead of time that the political situation would worsen? One thing is sure, the situation is more and more alarming. Earthquakes and hurricanes only make the situation worse.
By now, you have heard about the devastation of the earthquake in the South. As of today afternoon, the death toll was about 1419 and those hurting are about 6900. Haiti seems to be in an unending spiral of disasters both human and natural, especially when we know Tropical Storm Grace has already been pouring water on Port-au-Prince and has started to rain here in Gonaives. What can I say? Please pray more for us.
I am very sorry to announce to you the sudden death of my teammate, friend, and confidant Pastor Abraham Pierre. He has been working for Living Water since 2008. He is a graduate of our Bible College. He has been at the position of vice-principal for close to 7 years. He is a wonderful man of God, wonderful husband, and the greatest dad his three girls (10, 5, and almost 2 years old) could have. He died of a heart attack. He had high blood pressure and was under lots of stress. His funeral was last Friday. This was the hardest funeral that I have ever had, and I do not want to have another one like that ever again. By his death, I lost a great harvester and partner in ministry. Please pray for his family. Please pray also for Ezechiel, the preacher of Marmelade. His health is not the best. The pressure of the ministry does not help his situation as well.
I also have some good news to share, I will do so in my next email.
Blessings and heartfelt thanks to you all.
Your and His,
Salonique Adolphe and Team
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“Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord Almighty.” … “The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this temple, his hands will also complete it.” (Zech 4:6, 9)