October 2024

Dear Friends,
From the very beginning of our ministry in Haiti, we have trusted God to guide us to make right decisions.  We have often quoted this verse from I Thessalonians 5:24, “Faithful is He who has called you, and He also will bring it to pass.”  God has shown us repeatedly that His promise is sure.  He has faithfully “brought it to pass” as we have had to navigate difficult times and had to make very difficult decisions. 
One of those decisions was whether to temporality shut down the Medical Clinic in Tricotte.  Our Haitian director, Daniel, along with the medical staff prayed and concluded that due to the insecurity of the area and the ongoing threats, it would be best to discontinue that ministry for a time.  The safety of the staff was a determining factor as we wrote about in our August newsletter.  Since then, the gang activity has intensified.
Prior to Starfish Ministries’ work in Tricotte, Tricotte was considered one of the poorest villages in all of Haiti.  But having been working there now for over 20 years, by Haitian standards Tricotte has become one of the affluent villages of the area.  Therefore, as the gangster bandits become more desperate, Tricotte becomes a natural target, and the word is that the gangs intend to kidnap for ransom members of the village.  So many of the Tricotte villagers who have other options have temporarily left the village.
And that brings us to another very difficult decision.  Is it safe to continue to operate the orphanage in the village of Tricotte?  After much prayer and discussion, Daniel along with orphanage directors. Lizette and Fresnel, have concluded that it is not safe to have these children remain in the orphanage.  With increased gang activity and kidnapping in the area and the rumors that our orphanage children would likely be targeted, the decision was made to temporarily move the 60 children out of the Tricotte orphanage for their safety as well as the orphanage staff members’ safety. 
Of course that brings an entirely new set of logistics.  But first a bit of background.  In the United States and Canada, we think of orphan children as those without parents.  In Haiti as well as most third world countries, orphans are defined as those children whose parents do not have the financial means to care for them.  Therefore, of our 60 “orphans” there are a few that we would consider true orphans but most of them come from very poor families.  If they had stayed with that family, they would have likely often been hungry and not have had the opportunity to go to school. 
Daniel, Lucner, Lizette, and Fresnel decided that the best option was to continue to support these 60 children but now back with their families.  Lizette and Fresnel are developing a plan with the parents or other family members that will take the children and provide for them and in some cases provide for the family as well.  We will provide food, clothing, hygiene supplies, school uniforms, school supplies, and school tuition and will monitor their care and education so that they do not fall behind.  The details of this are still being discussed and developed and we certainly appreciate your prayers for wisdom for our Haitian leadership as they fine tune this new necessary approach for these precious children.
Please pray for the children, that they will adjust well and be spiritually encouraged in their new churches.  Pray for the parents, as they again take on the responsibility for the wellbeing of the child.  Pray for Lizette and Fresnel as they oversee the care of these children in an entirely different environment.  And pray for Daniel as he leads Starfish Ministries in Haiti and needs daily wisdom as he makes very difficult decisions.
Thank you for your partnership with us as we navigate so many aspects of life as we serve God in Haiti.  God has given us the privilege to serve the people of the Tricotte area of Haiti from birth to the very oldest of the population.  Babies were born safely in the medical clinic, and healthcare has been provided for people of all ages. Hopefully that will continue soon.  60 children, ages four through 17, are now cared for outside the orphanage setting.  Many more children from preschool all the way through trade school and university are educated and fed through the school ministry. Daniel recently reported that 38 out of 39 ninth graders passed their official examination.  That’s unheard of in Haiti and indicates a very solid high school education. Children and adults alike are fed through the coffee and food program at the churches each Sunday morning.  Many of the poorest families in the region have received help through Food Relief. The elderly and handicapped ministry meets needs for 86 previously-forgotten people.  We are able to hold up our Haitian brothers and sisters in prayer as they go through various trials.  And through every means possible, we present the gospel of Jesus Christ, trusting in Him to meet their greatest need.
Thank you so much for your prayers and faithful support!
Serving the Lord together,
Bernie, Sheryl & Philip Bovenkamp