November 2013 trip report

This month we have the joy of reporting to you about a very successful trip last month.  We have just returned from a 9 day trip to Haiti and the only word to really describe the trip is “successful”.

     This trip included new elements for us.  This was the first time we took a team to serve with us.  It was a combination trip between New Life Church of Venice, FL, Evangelistic World Outreach (EWO) of Haiti, and Haiti Care Mission.  It was a great joy to combine the strengths of each of these ministries.

      As you remember from last month, the purpose of the trip was to build a roof for a church, complete office tasks for EWO and to distribute HCM items to the children.  It is very exciting to tell you that all of those purposes were accomplished and MORE. 

     When we arrived on Saturday, the men on the team headed directly to the mountain area of Lake Mirogaine where they spent 5 days.  The first day they participated in a Bible school graduation ceremony for the EWO Bible students.  This was a significant  time as new pastors were being commissioned to go out in their home land and share the Gospel.  The next day, they had the honor of ministering at the church services at a church in Arnoux. 

    Bright and early on Monday morning, they headed to Caiman to begin the construction on the roof.  The initial thought was that the project would take about 3 days to complete, but the men worked very hard and completed the roof in just two days.  This left them with extra time, so they spent one day constructing a roof for a chicken house for the church in Arnoux.  The chicken house will house approximately 1000 chickens and will help produce an income for the church.

     When they arrived back in Port au Prince, we did not hesitate to give them some more odd jobs at the EWO compound and they completed each of them with excellence.  These men really gave 100% in serving.  We are very proud of all that they accomplished.  They truly proved to be the hands and feet of Christ in their work and in the love that they shared with their Haitian coworkers and new friends.

    While the men were out in the countryside, the ladies (both big and small) stayed in Port au Prince.  One of the tasks we completed was office work at the EWO headquarters.  The team was able to assemble 6300 Bible booklets for their chapel program, create visual aids for the teachers and help with organizing supplies at the EWO headquarters.  It was a privilege to be able to complete simple tasks that will enhance the learning of the students and ease some of the work load for the EWO staff.

     Another major portion of the trip was dedicated to doing the work of Haiti Care Mission.  While in Haiti, the ladies had three opportunities to minister to the children and distribute gifts of love.  We visited three schools and met with over 900 students.   In all, HCM supplied over 1500 items for the children.

     At each school, we sang with the kids, shared a Bible lesson with them and gave them a gift to remember how much Jesus loves them.  The students were very grateful and in each class one student came to the front to offer a prayer over us and express their thanks.  It was touching to think about the fact that we went to Haiti to bless them and they were very eager to bless us.  One little girl even went out to the vendor on the street during her recess  and purchased candy sticks to bring to us.  It was extraordinary to see the gratitude that they showed and the love they gave back to us.

     In addition to gifts of backpacks, shorts, cars and dresses, we also distributed hundreds of salvation bracelets.  A salvation bracelet is a witnessing tool that can be used to share the Gospel with a simple illustration of colors.  When we talked to the children about their unsaved friends, they were excited to have a tool that they could use to share the Gospel with their friends.   While we gave the bracelets to the students, I(Lynn) received a revelation of what is going to happen as each one of those students shared with the Gospel with their friends. I can only imagine how many new Christians are getting their names written in the book of life through those bracelets and message they carry.  It was a powerful moment for me.

     We feel very blessed to have had this opportunity to share the Gospel and share the love of Jesus with these precious students, but we know that none of it could have been done without you.  You are the hands and feet of Christ as you make these items and give financially into this ministry.  You may have not been on the ground in Haiti but you were there with us through the many sacrifices you have made.  In essence, you were on this team as well.

     As one of the team members stated, “There is only one word to describe this trip...successful.”  It was  a very successful trip in the number of things that were accomplished but most of all because of the way God used this team to bring His love to Haiti.  We are very grateful for this team and we are very grateful to be able to serve in the country we love….Haiti.  

· Praise the Lord for a successful trip for Haiti Care Mission and our team.  There was a great deal accomplished for His glory.

· Praise the Lord for His provision as items kept coming in up to the day of the trip.   He provided many items in perfect God timing.

· Praise the Father for His divine connections and new relationships.  It is amazing to see how He weaves His children together.

· Please pray for the  people of Haiti.  As Americans gear up for the season of buying and giving gifts, remember the Haitian families that struggle to get by each day.  May they recognize and rely on Jesus as their source.

· Please pray with us for growth in the seeds that were planted during this trip.  We had many opportunities to share the Gospel and teach the Haitian children how to share the Gospel.  Pray that God’s word will go forth and change lives through the people we were able to minister to. For Him be the glory.

     Thank you to each of you that have given deeply into Haiti Care Mission and into this trip, in particular.  Some gave with finances, some gave with materials, and some gave through prayer.  Each of these is of unexplainable worth, but we can testify to the power of those prayers.  The prayers of the faithful pulled us through some difficult circumstances on this trip.  From the bottom our hearts, we say “Thank you” for giving, for creating and for praying.  We appreciate all of you.

 

 

 

 

 

To view a full album of photos from the trip, visit our Dropbox account at  https://www.dropbox.com/sh/bk3r7itdtrdjp8o/FTdKYn9MKX

 

 

Blessings and Merry Christmas,

Lynn and Lance Anderson, Mission Directors Haiti Care Mission

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fall updates and Prayer requests

   It is “Back to School” time for most parts of the United States.  Some states have an earlier start than others but, regardless, most students in the U.S. will be back in the classrooms very shortly.  Similarly, it will soon be  “Back to School” time in Haiti as well.  This year, the children of Haiti will return to school in the month of October. 

     Back to school in Haiti is similar to in the United States.  Parents have to find supplies, uniforms, and clean shoes for their children.  They do not have extensive lists like we have here, but there are certain things that the schools require.

     One of the most important things that students need for school is a good backpack.  Last year, we had a tremendous response to our requests for backpacks for Haiti.  This year, we are asking once again for sewing groups and churches to help us supply backpacks for the children of Haiti. 

     We are looking specifically for drawstring backpacks.  These backpacks are not large and bulky, but rather they lay flat and are easy to transport.  We have had several groups make them in the past and they have indicated that they are not an extremely difficult project.  A pattern for drawstring backpacks can be found through an internet search. 

     If you are not capable of sewing backpacks, there is another way you can help.  This time of year is a perfect time to find backpacks on sale in your local stores.  Last week, we found them at Walgreens for just under four dollars for a pack of two.  This is a very practical and easy way you can help the children of Haiti with us.

      If you produce or purchase any backpacks, you can mail them to us at the address listed on the bottom of this newsletter.  We will be taking the backpacks to Haiti in November when we travel there next. 

     Thank you to all of the churches and groups that  collected flip flops for HCM.  Even though flip flops cannot be worn to school, these shoes  are helpful for children.  Currently, we have a nice supply of flip flops but we will always be looking for more.  We look forward to using these shoes as tools to share the love of Jesus.  It is really hard to imagine how we can use something so simple and easily accessible to us in the United States to minister to the needs of  His children.

     On a personal note, we would like to thank everyone who lifted us up in prayer last month.  We have had a very successful start to our school year.  We have felt the power of your prayers.

     Please join us in praying for the children of Haiti to have a great start to their school year as well. We are thankful for all of you that will take the challenge and join us in praying, sewing or purchasing backpacks for the children.  Together, we can make a difference in God’s kingdom by sharing the love of Jesus to the children of Haiti.

Prayer Requests and Praises

 

· Praise the Lord for a calm storm season so far.  There have been no major storms and we are praying God continues to hold His hand of protection over the island.

· Praise the Father for new connections for Haiti Care.  Even when we are not expecting it, He brings people into our path.

· Please pray for Lynn’s Grandma.  She is experiencing some health challenges. Pray for peace to surround her and the love of God to fill her heart.

· Please pray for continued increase in the areas of sewing groups and partners.  We are looking forward to seeing this ministry grow as God directs.

Thank you for your continued prayer support. We believe in the power of prayer and we appreciate each prayer warrior for this ministry.

 

Living victoriously in Christ, Lynn and Lance

Summer mission work

     The summer work at Haiti Care Mission is a time of organizing and preparing.  Since a lot of sewing groups take time off in the summer, this is a good time for us to get caught up on inventory and spend time preparing items.  We need to arrange everything we have so we know what we will be taking on the upcoming trips, what we need more of, and what items are being sent out with missions teams.

     One item we are arranging for is footwear.  Since our last newsletter, we have had a very big response to the need for flip flops.  We have several groups that have made  commitments to provide shoes for the children of Haiti.  We are currently expecting over 300 pair of flip flops to arrive in time for our next trip.  We are very excited about the number of shoes that have been committed and look forward to bringing them to the children. 

     Since there has been a great interest in providing shoes, we have decided to keep this as an ongoing project of HCM.   A simple pair of shoes is very helpful in preventing disease, and when used in correlation with the Gospel message, they can be used to change a life for Christ.  We love how God can take a seemingly simple item and allow us to use it as a tool for Him. (Please remember to send only new, unused flip flops and understand that light weight flip flops are best due to packing and shipping concerns.)

     Another exciting activity of the summer is when we meet new sewing groups.  One group is the result of our daughter, Grace, and her enthusiasm for Haiti.  When we returned from our last trip, she gave a presentation to her class about life in Haiti and what we do when we travel there.  Her teacher was really touched by the presentation and she decided to start a sewing school for the other teachers.  As their project, they will be making dresses for the mission.  We are very excited to see how God took the words of a 2nd grader and propelled an adult into action.  We are very proud of our girls and it is truly an honor to have them on our ministry team. 

     In addition, we are taking some time this summer to make memories with our girls.  We are really enjoying our time off of school and schedules.  We are using our time to laugh, play and appreciate each other.

   Thank you for your ongoing support of Haiti Care Mission and our family. We appreciate each of you.

Jesus said, “The King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to the least of one of these My brethren, you did it to me.’”  Matthew25:40 NKJV

Prayer requests and praises

· Praise the Lord for a great response to the call for flip flops.  We have several groups committed to providing footwear for our next trip. 

· Praise the Lord for the partner ministries that bring the items to Haiti and distribute them for us. 

· Please pray with us for the people of Haiti.  They live a life with many hardships and challenges.  Please pray for them to know the joy of the Lord as their strength.

· Please pray for the Lord to direct and lead us in every way.  We know that God’s plans for Haiti Care Mission  are perfect and we desire to follow His plans.

Thank you for your continual prayers and support.  We appreciate all of you and your commitment to serving the children of Haiti.

Living victoriously in Christ, Lynn and Lance Anderson, Mission Directors, Haiti Care Mission

 

Spring Trip to Haiti

Over the past seven days, the Anderson family and Haiti Care Mission have been hard at work in Haiti.  We were very excited to get back on the ground and spend time sharing the love of Jesus with the children. 

     There are so many stories to tell about the trip that we have  decided to write about it for the next two newsletters.  For this edition, we will share some stories from our stay with our first missionary host.

     We started our trip with a few concerns about the large amount of items we were bringing in.  We took a total of 16 bags into the country.  Our main concerns were logistics and customs.  But as God always does, He took care of everything.  We had no problems with either.  We had favor at both airports, (US and Haiti) and our travel was seamless.

     Our first stop was at a small church in Tabarre.  The pastor of this church is a friend of our host, Pastor Lamartine.  As we arrived at the church, the children began to filter in.  We taught a Bible lesson and explained the meaning of the salvation bracelets.  We then distributed dresses, salvation bracelets, and candy.  After we had finished, the pastor noticed that many more children had arrived.  So many new children had arrived, that the pastor asked that we start over and tell the Bible story again so all the children could hear the message.

     When we had finished, the pastor told us, through tears in his eyes, that no one had ever come to his church to do anything like this before.  He was very grateful. He told us, “The lesson you taught them today and what you did for them today will never be forgotten by these children.”   It was very humbling to hear his words of gratitude.  We feel blessed to have opportunities like this.

     The next day, we took a longer drive to Mirebalais.  When we arrived at the church, the building was already filling up with girls from the village.  Once again, we shared a Bible story with the children and distributed items to every child.  The ladies of the church were very excited that we had dresses that fit them as well and several ladies were thrilled to receive diapers for their babies. 

     On Sunday morning, we traveled to a church in Fond Parisien. Lance shared the Gospel message to the church.  After service, we were able to distribute items to the children and not one child went home empty handed. We are always fascinated with how God plans for our trips.  We do our best to make predictions about the number of items to take to each location, but God has it perfectly coordinated.  He knows the exact number of items needed and how many children will be present.  He is the best planner of all.

    The final stop of Sunday was to Fond Dieu, on the border of the Dominican Republic.  Once again, we were impressed with the way God worked it all out.  This small church is in a very poor village, which the pastor had built through Food for the Poor.  Every child in the church and most of the mothers were able to receive a new dress or diapers.  The boys received a toy.  One mom and daughter were so excited to receive the dresses that they went to change and came back to show us.  They were very grateful.

    The first half of the trip was very busy. We were excited to be able to travel to some new locations, as well as return to some of the places we visited last April.  We feel honored to be able to share the Gospel with the children of Haiti and place an item of love in their hands.  Thank you for linking arms with us and supplying us with the resources to do this work.

 

If you would like to view pictures from the Haiti trip:
click here to view photo album
Thank you for your ongoing support and prayers.
Living victoriously in Christ,
Lynn and Lance Anderson, Mission Directors

April Updates and Prayer requests

    This month has been a very busy month for us in building more new partnerships.  God has opened doors for us with local partnerships and around the US.  It has been a real pleasure to meet with new sewing groups and new churches. 

    We greatly appreciate all of these new partnerships and look forward to the fruit that will be produced as we link arms.  One of the best aspects of ministry for us is that we get to build relationships with our groups in the US, as well as build relationships in the field. It is a wonderful cross of cultures and diversity.

     This month, we had the distinct pleasure of meeting one of our out of state sewing group coordinators, Dee Knight.  Dee wanted to spend time learning more about the ministry and how her group can be positive contributors to Haiti Care Mission. It was a day full of vision sharing and organizing.  We had a wonderful time learning about her group and how they are working to help us.  If the way God connected us together is any indication of the great things that will come from this partnership, then we are expecting big things from this group.  This group is from Asheville, North Carolina and would love to meet anyone from the area that is interested in joining them.  We would be happy to pass on their information if you are in that area.

     We also had the honor of  speaking at a ladies group in town where the younger ladies of the church are learning to sew from the experienced ladies. It was encouraging to see the cross generational ministry of this group.  There were 3 generations represented and the greatest part was that they all share the same dedication to helping others.  The girls in Haiti will be blessed through the fruit of these women.  They plan to make 100 dresses for us and we are honored to bring those into Haiti on their behalf.

     Later in the month, we had the privilege to share at another local church and the response was great.  They have committed to supplying us with 100 pair of flip flops before our next trip.  We are always encouraged when we see people link arms with us. 

     We are grateful for all of you who have spread the word and shared our work with others.  Most of the connections we are making are through personal testimonies of our support team.  Thank you to each of you who are helping us to share this ministry.

     In addition to sharing with churches and groups this month, we are in the final stages of preparations for our spring trip to Haiti.  We will leave on April 18th and will be in country for 7 days.  We will be bringing approximately 1000 items with us and will be sharing the Gospel at several places.  We are looking forward to being back on the ground in Haiti and sharing the love of Jesus with the children. 

   Please pray for us as we prepare for the trip and as we go.  Your prayers are very important to us. Thank you for your continued support.

 

Prayer requests and Praises

 

· Please pray for our trip to Haiti in April.  We will do extensive traveling and ministry while we are in country. Pray for favor, safety and divine appointments.

· Please pray for all of our new sewing groups.  Pray for wisdom, patience and joy as they serve.  May they be blessed while being a blessing.

· Praise God for open doors and new opportunities to share HCM this month.  We have been richly blessed through these new partnerships.

· Praise the Lord for a wonderful supply of items for the children.  These items are the tools we use for sharing the Gospel.

      We know the power of prayer and are grateful for every prayer that is lifted up on our behalf.  Please let us know how we can be praying for you. 

Like good stewards of the manifold grace of God, serve one another with whatever gift each of you has received.

1 Peter 4:10 (NRSV)

 

 

 

 

March update and prayer requests

      “Ask and you shall receive” is not just a cute saying.  It is a Word from the Bible.  In the Gospels of Matthew, Mark and John, Jesus tells us that when we ask for things in His name, we will receive them and our joy will be complete.  He is a generous giver and He longs to fill the desires of our hearts.   He wants to make our lives full of joy.

      As we met with the Haiti Care Mission Advisory Board this month, we reported on the incredible works that God has done for the mission in the past year and told them our goals for  2013.  One of the goals we told the Board about is our desire to increase the number of sewing groups who are working on producing items for the children.  This is one of our top priorities for this year and we began seeking God to send more laborers to work with us.

     We are strong believers in God’s ability to answer prayer and we love to brag on Him when he does, so it is with great joy that we can report that seven new sewing groups have started sewing for Haiti Care in the last two months.

     These groups have found us from a variety of means.  Some found us on the internet (yes, God even uses Facebook) and some found  us through friends, but whichever way it was, we know that God had His hands in it. 

     We are so excited to see how God is going to use these new groups.  One lady tells me that her group of ladies said, “Though we are small and many are not able to do much due to poor vision, we want to do something even if it is not a lot”.  We are expecting that God will pour His blessings on each of these ladies and do great things through the works of their hands.

     The increase in the number of sewing groups is not something we want so we can report more numbers.  We desire more sewing groups so ultimately we can bless more children in Haiti.  Our purpose is to use these gifts of love to touch lives for Christ.  Every item we receive is a tool that we can use to share His love and teach the Gospel to these precious children.

     We are very excited about the growth that Haiti Care Mission is experiencing and we look forward to seeing more growth throughout the year.  If you know someone who would like to help HCM by sewing or starting a sewing group, please send them our way.  We would be glad to talk to them and help them get started.  The more items we produce, the more children we can  bless.    

     Thank you for your help in spreading the word about Haiti Care Mission.  We appreciate your support.

 

Prayer requests and Praises

· Please pray for the Lord to continue opening doors for more opportunities to share with churches and individuals about Haiti Care Mission

· Please pray for the people of Haiti.  As they approach the season of Easter, we pray they will be open to hearing the Gospel of Jesus Christ and receiving new life in Him.

· Pray for the people of Haiti that God would calm the fears from the recent earthquake.

· Praise God for His direction in this ministry.  He is always opening doors to new opportunities for us.

· Praise the Lord for new helping hands that are interested in joining Haiti Care Mission. 

   

   We know the power of prayer and are grateful for every prayer that is lifted up on our behalf.  Please let us know how we can be praying for you.

 

February Update

CHRISTMAS BLESSINGS

    As we ended the year of 2012, one of our goals was to move as many items as we could from our office into the  hands of Haitian children.  Well, we were able to accomplish this goal through some really neat opportunities.

      One opportunity was through another local mission which has many outreaches in Haiti.  Shepherd’s Lambs, Inc. is a mission run by Audry Volz, a wonderful lady from Englewood, FL.  They have several churches and orphanages in Haiti.  At Christmas time each year, they try to provide a gift for each child in their care and programs.  Then a team travels to Haiti to host several parties during which they give the children a gift.

     Through our relationship with the director of this mission, we were able to partner with them to provide several hundred toys and dresses for the children. It is a privilege to have this relationship with Shepherd’s Lambs, where we can add our efforts with hers to reach more children.

God opened this door for us and we are grateful.  When we talked to Audry this week, she told of how excited the children were to receive their toys and dresses and what a blessing it was to share the love of Jesus with them.

     The second Christmas blessing that Haiti Care Mission was involved in this past Christmas was in the mountains near Les Cayes.  Earlier in the year, we were able to send  over 100 sleeping mats from our Michigan sewing groups to a missionary serving a remote area of Haiti. One day near Christmas, this missionary and his family took the sleeping mats to a local school and distributed them as a Christmas gift in the name of Jesus.  He reports that the mats were very well received and greatly appreciated by the children.  This missionary and the children expressed their deepest thanks to the sewing groups and donors.

     Sharing the love of Jesus is the cornerstone of this ministry, so when we receive opportunities to see that happen we rejoice.  We know God orchestrated both of these opportunities and He is the one directing the mission.  To Him, we are forever grateful.  We are also very grateful for all of the sewing groups who made these items, all of the toy makers that crafted the gifts, and all the donors who helped provide the shipping costs.  Through the efforts of many laborers, many children of Haiti are understanding and experiencing the love of Jesus.

     This year, we expect to see more and more opportunities like this and many children coming to know Jesus.  Thank you for your support.

 

 

Prayer requests and Praises

· Please pray for the Lord to continue to lead and direct this ministry. 

· Please pray for comfort for all those in Haiti serving in ministry.  It is not an easy place to live or serve, but we know God supplies all their needs and strengthens them.

· Praise God for all of the opportunities He gives us to share the Gospel both with sewing groups and with the children of Haiti.

· Praise the Lord for His protection, direction and  provision for this mission.

· Praise the Lord for a great visit from our dear friend, Tom Brumbley, who is a wonderful host to us when we are in Haiti.

 

Thank you for your prayers and support.  We know the importance of prayer and we appreciate your prayer covering over our family and this ministry.

 Pictures from the sleeping mat distribution and toy/dress distribution.

 

 

 

 

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

Haiti Care Mission, Directors