Dear Friends,
It is so good to see how God responds to the many needs in Haiti. Sometimes I am a little apprehensive about how everything is going to get done. The last day of May was one of those times. Each month during the years of feeding the children in our school ministry we have seen God provide the necessary funds to pay for that food. It’s a monthly budget of almost $15,000 and much of that is received through general giving. But on the last day of May we were short for our June feeding by over $6000. Pastor Diogene had earlier told me we would be feeding the entire month. I called him again on May 30th . He said “Oh no, many of the final days of school will be short for testing, so we will be feeding only about 60% of the month.” God again had supplied just the right amount for what He knew would be the need. Again my apprehension was unfounded. You’d think I’d learn. God is always faithful – He never falls short!
That’s also the case with the 17 year old girl with kidney stone problems. God is using you to help provide the finances to help bring her to the states for the needed surgery. Thank you so much!! We are currently waiting for a VISA in order for Smailine and her mother to travel to the states. We sent a letter to the US Embassy in Haiti to indicate our commitment to provide the necessary funding for their travel and medical needs. Please pray with us that this process will proceed in a very timely manner. Smailine continues to endure a lot of pain, which we believe can be quickly taken care of here through laser surgery.
Samuel is a thirteen year old orphanage boy whom I often hire to be our gate guard while we’re in Haiti. This is a gate to enter our premises through which people come and go all day long. Samuel calls himself Saint Pierre (Peter), the keeper of the gate. Samuel keeps busy. His English has really improved so we also use him to interpret for us. Samuel will sometimes come to me and say, “My father, Bernie, I love you very, very, very much,” and then…… “I so very much need a CD player.” Isn’t that just the way we often are with God? We’ll pray and let Him know of our love for Him and in the next sentence express our wants. I wonder what God thinks of our requests.
On our last trip Samuel told me about his family. His father has had many women and has not supported Samuel’s family. So his mother, unable to care for him, took him to the orphanage. Samuel does have a younger brother and a younger sister who live with their mother. Last summer Pastor Diogene took Samuel to Port-au-Prince to visit his family for two weeks. Pastor, together with his godfather and an uncle, gave him a total of $40 Haitian ($5 US) to help pay for food while Samuel visited his family. However, when Samuel arrived he learned his brother had no shoes. Samuel immediately took his money and gave it to his mother so his brother could have shoes to go to school and church.
Samuel has a very generous heart. When I give him something he is always looking to see with whom he can share it. He is very thankful for the opportunity to be at the orphanage and have an education in addition to his meals every day. Samuel tells me that he prays for me and his sponsors every day.
Thank you for your prayers for Samuel and all of his orphanage brothers and sisters. This is a particularly tense time for them as they wait for their year-end school exam results. The exam determines whether or not they will move on to the next grade in school. A common prayer request from the kids is for their intelligence and ability to do well in school.
We appreciate each of you and your prayer and financial support for this ministry.
Serving the Lord together,
Bernie & Sheryl Bovenkamp
Comments are closed