Dear Friends.
Starfish Ministries is truly blessed with great friends, partners and supporters. Over the past couple of months, we have received many Christmas and New Year expressions of real joy as you have encouraged us with cards and greetings. Thank you for these expressions of love and hope. Many of you let us know that you pray for this ministry on a regular basis. Thank you for those prayers. Your financial support has also been a tremendous encouragement to us. The giving for the recent four requests, Education Scholarships, Elderly, Church Coffee and Food, and Food relief has totaled over $50,000! That is meeting a lot of real needs in Haiti. Thank you very much!
And now we begin our 28th year of serving in Haiti. We launch out in 2025 with conditions in the country bad and seemingly getting worse all the time. We have endured many disasters throughout our 27 years but nothing as significant as these past few years. With gangs controlling now over 85% of the capital city of Port-au-Prince, over 750,000 Haitians have been displaced by these gangs. Many of those fleeing have to abandon their homes hoping they will be able to return once the gangs are routed out. Many find themselves without a place to call home and end up sleeping wherever they can find safe shelter, often in a church yard. Many of them struggle to find even enough food for one meal each day. I am often asked, “What does the future look like? Is there an end in sight?”
The answer to these questions is that without God there is little or no hope. But with our Heavenly Father there is hope! “He who is faithful has called us and He will bring it to pass.” I Thessalonians 5:24. I often consider Proverbs 3:5-6, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths.” Our own understanding of the situations we find ourselves enduring in Haiti are feeble. Our help must come from the Lord our God. As we acknowledge Him, getting to know Him more and more, He will direct us on the right path. So, we trust Him and pray. We invite you to pray with us as we start a new year of serving in Haiti. The need has never been greater. Here is a list of prayer requests for 2025.
- Uproot the corrupt government regime.
- Disband & disarm the gangs.
- Free & fair elections.
- Strength & wisdom for our Haitian leadership.
- Boldness in sharing the gospel.
- Safety & security for Daniel and his leadership team.
- A safe & secure delivery of food we currently have in Gonieves & need in Tricotte.
- That many will respond to the clear presentation of the gospel.
- That we would be able to reopen the medical clinic in Tricotte. The need is great!
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 have been born safely in the medical clinic, and healthcare has been provided for people of all ages. Hopefully that will continue soon. 40 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. 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! We really appreciate your response to the giving list!!
Wishing you a Blessed Year in 2025!
Serving the Lord together,
Bernie, Sheryl & Philip Bovenkamp
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