Prayers and Praises

I am in Tampa Florida at the St. Joseph hospital with my Brother Bobby.  His son, my nephew, had a massive heart attack and even was brought back to life in the ambulance.  They have called all the family in as he of course was and still is in critical conditions.  This little boy who is now 46 years old is my pride and joy.  When I was a teenager I would babysit him.  I would dress him up in a little sailor suit and cute little hat and off we would go in the stroller to downtown Versailles.  I would take him to the Five and Dime Store and everyone would say “Well he is the cutest thing”!  He had dark hair and the most beautiful eyelashes.  He still does.  He is struggling so much with his breathing now. When I went to see him in ICU he kissed my hand and said he loved me.  I pray over him every time I go back to see him.  It is so difficult for the family to see him hurting so bad.  I am so thankful he is off life support but if his breathing doesn’t get better, they said they may have to put it back on.  He has a long ways to go but I know the Lord is holding him in the palm of his Hand.  He said that He writes our names on the palm of His Hand and so I know Bobby Baker is printed on my Father’s hands.  Please keep my nephew in your prayers.  They don’t want us now to go in and see him because he gets too upset wanting to talk to us.  I feel like he is not only hurting so bad but is afraid as well.  You know I thank God for the hospital and the machines he is on.  If a Haitian had this happen he would not have any of these things to keep him alive.  Thank you Lord for all the blessings!

God means what He says…

Well folks this is the first time I have had electricity long enough to give a shout out to ya!  The water tank has a crack in it so we have had no water!! There has not been much rain so the water level is really low.  I knew things were getting bad here when I got up yesterday went to the bathroom and looked down on the floor and there was a Geico looking up at me.  We both just kind of stared at each other.  I really thought he was going to start talking and try to sell me some insurance!  At any rate, when I moved he did too and I guess he still is in my Guest Bed Room!!

As you probably know my Jody Beth was very sick in the Miami Hospital.  She is on her way back to her family tomorrow but it was a very scary situation and even thou I will not go through all the details she had some life threating bloodclots.  Once again my Lord did a miracle.  Someone emailed Jody last night and said they were going to call her Miss Kitty cause she has nine lives!

The days seem endless with people coming that need help.  To some I say yes, to others I say no.  I hope I am making wise decisions because I know I am representing Jesus.  Larry and I have felt such an oppression these past few days.  I have been reading a lot in the Old Testament and you know God got really upset and when you read his punishment to those who went to idol worshiping– it ain’t good!!  I think we hear and see horrible things on television but let me tell you there was some wicked stuff back in those days too.  We have to realize that God doesn’t play.  He means what He says.  I feel more compelled than ever to let people know that God is a jealous God.  God will not tolerate you serving another Master.  This voodoo stuff is nothing to play around with and I do not feel that most Haitians really think they are going to a bad place if they don’t serve the Lord.  I really believe they are living from day to day and whatever means they can use to get some food on the table or the rent paid they will pursue.  We must be bold in our teaching and preaching that there is a Heaven and there is a Hell and they are not going to Miami when they die!  And that’s all I got to say about that!!

Burden sharing and bearing…

Today was a very sad day as I learned that one of the Dorcus women had died.  Now I would love to say she was well with the Lord, but the truth is the voodoo priest came to her house often and before her death I heard he had been putting these special herbs on her body.  This little lady was about 70 years old.  I thought this little lady was serving the Lord.  I had visited her several times.  I had sat in her front yard and held one of her grandkids.  I was surprised  to hear about this voodoo thing.  This is the trouble with so many who have converted.  They are sincere in the beginning but when things get rough they step backwards into voodoo.  I am not judging this little lady, I just pray her heart was right. I just wished the last person she saw was someone from the church and not the voodoo priest.  I remind myself, “it is our mission to tell them about Jesus but it is up to the Holy Spirit to bring conviction and restoration”.

Handson came by today and was sharing about so many people being hungry. Many teenagers have been sent back home from school because the parents didn’t have money to send for the second semester.  Today I had a little boy with torn blue jeans come upstairs so hungry.  I had never seen him before but I knew this little fellow had not eaten for a while.  Another family that lives close to the church has had little food to eat.  They have a market business but just not enough money.  It is not for the fact that they aren’t working, it is the fact that the rice and supplies have gone up.

We need more monthly support for our nutritional program.  We feed 156 children a day and we are having trouble buying food with a food budget we can not meet. You know you plan for a certain amount but then when  the prices go up you find it is not enough.  Presendieu came today talking about his situation.  There are six in the family and he is the only one feeding them.  Handson had many people come to him this month not knowing what to do.  These are not lazy people, these are people who are working in their gardens, working in a little market–yet they are struggling to make it.

My heart breaks with each story and my body heaves with each needy face that calls to me.  I write so that you will bear the burden with me for bringing hope to these folks when there is no money left for bread. You may not be able to give but you can pray.  Prayer changes things!

^13-15Are you hurting? Pray. Do you feel great? Sing. Are you sick? Call the church leaders together to pray and anoint you with oil in the name of the Master. Believing-prayer will heal you, and Jesus will put you on your feet. And if you’ve sinned, you’ll be forgiven—healed inside and out. James 5:13-15 The Message

Building in Haiti…

<p><a href=”http://vimeo.com/19178855″>Pouring The Roof Of The Storage Depot</a> from <a href=”http://vimeo.com/user5841035″>NWHCM</a&gt; on <a href=”http://vimeo.com”>Vimeo</a&gt;.</p>

This is a video of what my Dad is working on for NWHCM. He’s been helping them build this monster building at Saint Louis as he’s one of the few men crazy enough to say he can do it! This is how they pour a ceiling in Haiti.

Singing, healing, brainstorming needs for Twa Rivye

Last night Larry went to take a bath and “no water”!  We have had no electricity for a month from the company two blocks down.  We Thank God every night for EDH (the city electricity) that comes on enough to charge our batteries.  I don’t want to complain too much because it is not that hot yet and many of the Haitians are still wearing jackets!  I have learned so much about our congregation and they have become family.  Today the little man I think looks like a little brown version of my Granddaddy Littrell was so sad.  He had just gotten word that his son was bathing in the Bassin Bleu River and he drowned.  Then one of our orphan girls who I have shared with you before about her emotional problems came to visit me today.  She was so thin, so hollow-looking in her face.  She stared mostly and didn’t smile like she used to.  Sometimes the people in Haiti just cannot handle their conditions and they literally lose their mind.  There is no place for them to go. A young man with a broken arm came by today. “ I’m so hungry,” he said.  I gave him bread and peanut butter.  Another one of our church members watches over her grandmother who is blind and is not alert. She is very old and sick but her granddaughter said “I don’t want her to die because she doesn’t know Jesus”!  Our Pastor Hanson and our worship team were invited to do a special service at the Salvation Army Church.  Our little mission church was well represented.  We had two of our singing groups participating and three-fourths of our congregation was there.  We are so blessed.

 

Today Handson and I were brainstorming about the future of Waves of Mercy. One thing he has really been praying about and we have prayed together about is to bring a Choir Director to our church.  Handson has already talked to a Choir Director who would be willing to come.  This man teaches people how to sing parts.  Every place he has been-the people just love him.  He charges $125 American a month.  Handson and I are praying that maybe a Choir in the states would partner with us and share this expense.  He said “Well Momma we could even send them a tape of us singing after we learn the songs”!  So Today, we look ahead and we talk about visions for our people at Twa Riva!  Must close for now– Larry is starting to use the bug spray and I can’t breathe!!

And sew it goes

I have told you all many times that I failed potholder sewing in 4-H.  I still keep trying to sew even though I know that it is not one of the gifts God gave me.  I have been working on this baby quilt for two weeks.  It is simple!  The pattern says even a child can do it!  I have sewn this quilt, ripped it out, sewn it again and now I am ripping it out!  It is the trim that is giving me the problem.  I have a quilt at home that a dear friend made me at the Calhoun Church we used to serve with.  Her quilt was so beautiful.  Stitches were straight and the trim was even on all four sides.  I know mine is far from perfect but then I thought well, it still is going to keep this baby warm.  Just because it isn’t perfect it still is useable.  That’s me!  I am so far from perfect, but I can still be usable by God.  I am thinking this is the body of Christ.  We all have flaws that don’t quite match up but God takes the pieces of our lives and mends them together and we become a covering of His Love.

 

Well getting back to my quilt, I am making baby layettes for the pregnant women in our area.  When someone has a baby, we take a bag of baby clothes, diapers, powder, and lotion to the newborn.  This little gift gives us a chance to invite the family to our church.  It is such a blessing to see the family come and you recognize the clothes and the quilt the baby is wrapped in!  I just pray whoever gets this quilt will wrap the baby in it with the wrong side out because it looks better than the front!!