My Father's House is two houses (soon to be four) full of orphan and abandoned children. Some of our children have lost both parents. Some have lost one parent and the remaining parent couldn't care for them, and so the parent just walks away leaving the child to fend for itself. Some were found abandoned & brought to us. Some were deposited at our door. We will turn none away. One little girl was brought to us by her mother. The mother said she had two children, one had died of malnutrition and she didn't want this one to die as well. "Would we take her?"Of course we took the little one. We have received starving, dirty, uneducated orphans from 'failed' orphanages. God has provided a place for them with us.
I was in Haiti for the earthquake and then went back two weeks later. We are now preparing to return. My ticket is bought. My heart is full of anticipation.
On my most recent visit, while the brother who went with me conducted a bit of a medical clinic for the children, Pastor Predestin took me aside. We had been relating to the hundred plus kids running around us, holding the smallest ones and feeding a damaged little boy. Our hearts were full of God's love and concern for His children, and with the enormity of the stewardship He has entrusted to us. Predestin, (a Haitian who oversees this work, pastors three churches and pastors pastors in an association of churches), said to me, "You know, if it were not for My Father's House, most of these children would be dead." I was stunned. He wasn't referring to the earthquake. He meant that their life before the quake would have been brief. Hunger, abuse, disease and/or neglect would have killed them. They would have been sold or enslaved, or they would have starved to death. Many of our children did not eat everyday before they came to us. Pastor Predestin is a very positive and optimistic man of God. For him to speak in that way brought home to me the seriousness, the reality of the children's plight.
Of course, in many ways, things are now worse than before. On the positive side; there is a lot of food being brought into the country. Some of it is being distributed to those who need it. Government agencies, large relief organizations and military units from the US and the UN are reaching out to the injured, displaced and hungry. Praise God they're here. The problem is that the need is so great and long term help is difficult to provide. Where once there were twenty thousand orphans in the Port Au Prince area, there are now fifty thousand. There are an additional hundred thousand 'unattached' children made homeless by the quake and freed from their indentured slavery. They have no one to care for them, (their families gave them into domestic slavery in the first place,) and are living in the streets and alleyways. The need is, at times, overwhelming.
BUT GOD is not overwhelmed, nor is He surprised by the situation. We have been able, by the grace of God, to provide food and water every day for our children and staff. Our houses are sound, though the children, like many in Haiti, do not want to sleep indoors. The Lord had provided Predestin with a friend who owns a water truck. After the quake he brought us water. Then finding he could no longer park his truck in the street he requested to be allowed to park in our courtyard at night. We give him security and he gives us water. Praise God for His provision! We have been visited by Doctors from three different ministries and we been enabled to get money to Predestin for the purchase of food, etc. The generosity of God's people has been astounding and abundant.
GOOD NEWS: We have rented two new houses in Port Au Prince for orphan care. We hope to outfit and open the houses, as My Father's House III and IV, by the end of February. We are receiving new children every day. We have started holding school at My Father's House II and in the small undamaged classroom at the school. The church building, where classes were held, is quake damaged and unusable. It is very important that the children continue their education.
We have also begun food distribution to widows in the neighborhoods surrounding My Father's Houses. This is a very important part of God's work through us and results in thanksgiving being lifted to His Name.
Please pray our children and widows. Please pray for our staff. Some have lost loved ones and homes. Please pray for our upcoming trip and our service to the children and staff. Pray for Pastor Predestin, his wife Marie and their daughter Evangeline. They have very much to do in Christ.
