March 1 updates, prayer requests and praises

Here we are at the beginning of a new month. I seriously thought I would be blogging all month but then life happened and I ran out of time. This month has been as crazy as the last and as busy as possible. We have been blessed in so many ways this month and so many things have happened. I will give you some updates and try to get you caught up.

Since the earthquake, Agape Flights has been one busy place to work. The statistics are staggering. We have send over 130 flights to Haiti, delivered over 350,000 pounds of supplies, reunited 37 orphans to their "forever" families, and transported over 25 medical personnel. The details of how all these things were made possible is easy to tell.... God did it!!! Every single flight and detail was in God's hands. We have learned over and over since the earthquake that God will supply every need and fill every void. He is leading us and directing our every step. We are doing our best to listen and follow.

Lance had an opportunity to visit Haiti this month. Early in the month, he was called on by Agape to do a logisitics study in Haiti. We needed to know how we were doing in meeting the needs of the missionaries and how we could improve. With the vast amount of supplies we were dropping on the missionaries, we needed to be sure we were helping them and not hindering them with the large shipments and numerous flights. It was a great trip and Lance got to spend time with several missionaries out in the field. What an experience to see our work from their perspective?! It was a very productive trip.

This month, all three girls headed up north to Green Bay for a week. It was really hard to leave Agape but I found that my cell phone did not stay quiet long. Through the dispatch center and my cell phone, I ended up scheduling flights and passengers from the road. I was happy to stay busy with work while enjoying a very nice visit with my family. The girls loved being in snow again and spent as much time as possible outside. They loved seeing Gramma and Grampa as well as their cousins and aunts and uncles. It was a wonderful trip.

We also experience a very scary situation this month in our work at Agape. Twenty-four hours after we send 2 orphan escorts to Haiti to pick up 6 children and head home, we found them in serious danger. The adults were falsely accused of trying to steal the children and were detained by the Haitian police for 9 hours. The children were taken away from them later that night and sent to a tent camp for older orphans. They had no bottles, no wipes, diapers of only one size and no adult to watch over them. The adults were able to visit them during the day but could not stay with them through the night. Three days later, after several meetings between Haitian and US officials, the adults were able to regain custody of the children. The biggest fear hit when they returned to the tent where the children were last seen and they were gone. The officials of the tent orphanage moved the children to a new orphanage 2 hours away. Some reports state that the Haitian officials planned to move the children, separate them and lose them in the Social services system but the Lord intervened and destroyed that plan. Praise the Lord that the next day a plane became available to pick up the group and bring them to the US. All 6 children are now safe at home with their new families. It was very difficult to feel helpless when the situation was in the works, but what an absolute honor to watch the Lord take this desperate situation and turn it around?! Once again, He thwarted Satan's attempt to destroy families and cause chaos. God is good all the time.....all the time, God is good.

So there is a brief update on what has been happening here. Thank you for your faithful prayers and support. We appreciate all of you more than we can ever express.

Prayer requests and Praises

Prayer requests

• Please pray for the hurting people of Haiti. In this time of desperate need, we pray the Lord will meet their needs and touch their hearts.
• Please pray for the release of 2 sea containers in Haiti. They each contain 45,000 pounds of supplies. They are currently being held in customs. Please pray that they are released quickly and into the hands of the missionaries.
• Pray for Lynn's familyl. Cancer is a rough road but we are navigating it the best we can. Please pray for God's peace and healing.
• Please pray for the staff members, volunteers, donors and pilots who are involved in the relief efforts. We need God-given strength and understanding to complete all that needs to be done.

Praises

• Praise the Lord we have reached a settlement with the insurance company on the King Air. Now we can begin the process of acquiring a new permanent plane.
• God has been working in big ways at Agape. Praise Him for every staff member, volunteer, donor and pilot who has been involved. He created each of us for "such a time as this". And He deserves all the honor for orchestrating each person and each life into His perfect position and timing.
• Praise the Father for the safe return of the 6 orphans and their escorts who were falsely accused in Haiti. God was in control of their release and their travels to the USA. Satan tried again but God overcame. Yeah, God!!!

This following verse has really touched us this month. He is our help and our shield and we pray you will allow Him to be your help as well.

We wait in hope for the LORD; he is our help and our shield.
In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name.
May your unfailing love rest upon us, O LORD, even as we put our hope in you.

Psalm 33:20-22

Have a great March!

Living victoriously in Christ, Lance, Lynn, Grace and Hope