Praises and Prayers Amidst Our Problems
Dear brothers and sisters,
Happy new year in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ!
Saying the year of 2021 was a very difficult year for Haiti is an understatement. When we thought the gangs had too much power, it was just the beginning. Now they let people know where they are. They showed off their machine guns. They terrorize their own neighbors. They kidnap, ransom, and kill by busloads. Things have moved very fast from bad to worse after the assassination of the president in his own home. We are going deeper and deeper in a social, political, and economic abyss with no end in view. The increase in the price of diesel fuel (more than 100% of what it was), kerosene, and gas makes things even more complicated for the people. Unless God intervenes the situation of the people will be unbearable.
The year was also very difficult for Living Water. The social, political, and economic context contributes greatly to our trouble. The orphanage construction supplies were stolen on several occasions. I got terribly sick between January and February. There were failed plots to kidnap and kill me. There was a terrible accident with our short yellow bus, but God spared everyone, including the bus. The blue bus was used by gang members to block the road with the teachers and staff and other employees onboard. The threat to kidnap the bus and employees heightened so much that we had to stop going to Highland the last week of school before Christmas break. We are still deciding what we will do next week when school resumes. I am still in the midst of a lawsuit, but the law is on our side. We are striving hard so that the law has the last say despite the current maneuver of the adverse party. The persecution of the ministry was evident, and Satan has used all kinds of people to stop or even discourage us.
Would you believe that despite all those issues, God is still in the business of moving mountains for Living Water Christian Mission? Would you believe that God is still using Living Water to positively impact people’s lives? Yes!!! People continue to surrender their lives to Christ, we had one baptism yesterday (January 1st). The Word is preached and taught in pulpits, on social media, and on the radio station. People’s faith is growing. Sick people get their much-needed care. Students (high school, vocational, and seminary) continue to learn and perform very well, while they are also developing their leadership skills to serve and to lead. We give all the glory and honor unto Our God!
We praise God for the visit of Brian Sevits and Todd Beaverson back in March 2021. They did see more than they were willing to see, but they have also seen God’s intervention in our favor. We praise God for the new souls who have come to Him, for the consistency and the success of the radio ministry, for the success of our students in government exams, for the success of our ministry to the teenagers. We praise God for His provisions for the ministry. We have been greatly encouraged by the way God has supplied our needs. Praise be to Our God!
It might sound paradoxical for me to say that this might be the most encouraging year for me, when one takes into consideration the things that my teammates and I had to face this year. However, I was greatly encouraged by your prayers, by your financial contributions, and by your kind words through written messages and phone calls. It was you who have made it possible for (1) the construction of the orphanage to move forward, (2) the purchase of the much-needed generators to run all the campuses, (3) the purchase of solar energy equipment to supply power at Highland and the radio station, (4) the progress on the wall of the church and school property at White Mountain, (5) the construction of the third floor of the school at Highland (John and Helen Meyer Christian School), (6) the purchase of the equipment for the livestreaming ministry (Facebook/YouTube), (7) the payment of the college fees for my children, (8) the progress made toward the proper establishment of the farm, (9) the payment on time of the monthly salaries of all the employees, which was a big accomplishment, (10) the realization of the Summer Camp for which the kids and their families were so grateful, (11) the feeding of the school children, and more. God and you all made it possible for us to realize that we are not alone in this. Consequently, in the midst of our problems, we felt so encouraged by your kindness, your caring attitude, and your generosity. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you so much! May God shower HIS blessings on you all who have kept us in the fight. Thanks for making Living Water Christian Mission a very important institution for the community.
Thanks to every one of you who has given your time on top of the many other ways that you have contributed to the progress of Living Water Christian Mission. Thanks to every member of the Board of Directors, who have made big sacrifices to keep this ministry going. Living Water Christian Mission and I are indebted to all of you. May God continue to bless you for our sake!
The year 2022 has not started on the right foot. The Prime Minister almost got himself killed here (Gonaives) last Saturday. However, with God, we can still make plans for the year 2022. We will resume working in a couple of weeks on the school building of Fred Green Elementary and High School. We received a donation of 15,000 with no strings attached. We have decided here to put it towards the construction of the school. Feel free to give toward the construction of the school. Classes will begin, by the grace of God, next fall. We will also launch the Seamstress School. We will work on establishing the staff of the University; work on its catalog of classes; and hope to start the construction as well. We hope to have the orphanage in operation before June. I pray there will not be too many political upheavals. Please pray for us and our country. We will continue to do the same for you and your country too.
Happy New Year to all of you,
Salonique Adolphe and Team