Henry Schaefer - Off to Haiti

I want to see Haiti.  I want to see this school that I have been hearing so much about over the past decade.  I want to see if I can help, if we as a congregation can help.

I think we can.  People who I trust and admire tell me we can.  It seems possible to me that a network of 40 schools throughout the mountains of the rural Haitian countryside, led by folks within the Haiti Education Foundation, could thrive if assisted by partners from the US.  We’ve signed up to be one of those partners and what we’re attempting to do is to bring the Allison school suitable drinking water using techniques and equipment that has been proven successful in this part of the world.  If we can do this, we should.      

I want to see this for myself and I am very excited about the opportunity to travel, work, study, pray and take a leap of faith with Molly, Craig, Lori, Andy, Alec, Travis and all the members of our church. 

Henry Schaefer

Off to Haiti!

Off to Haiti!  On January 17, 2013 Molly Bullington, Craig Favor, Travis Smith, Lori Earles, Henry Schaefer and Alec and Andy Travers are traveling to Haiti as part of our congregation’s year-long effort to help install a water supply system for the Allison School in the small village of Larevoir.

The Allison School (or St Thimothee’s as it is known in Haiti) is a collection of small buildings in the hills just north of the coast in the southwest part of the country. The school is very basic.  They are mere concrete buildings with open air windows and doors.  The school has no power, no lights, very limited school supplies and no fresh water.  Nonetheless, a staff of 17 serves over 425 primary school children 5 days a week for a six hour school day.   

The Allison School is one of 40 schools managed by the Haiti Education Foundation (HEF).  Our congregation’s connection to HEF and the school goes back over 20 years.  Over the years members from our church have visited the Allison School to help foster its development, but primarily our support has been financial.  Recently RCPC has begun to inject a larger, more regular presence to the school.  Last year Andy Travers and Rob Crittenden (who also serves on the HEF board) visited and begun to develop a plan to bring a fresh water system to the Allison school.  

       

In September 2012 Travis and Andy attended training in Arkansas with the organization entitled Solar Under the Sun.  Solar Under the Sun is a mission ministry that trains groups to develop and install solar power energy systems in communities like Haiti.   Installing and securing such a system is the first step in the process of providing fresh water for the school, which we hope to do later in 2013.  

Once a power source is in place, we will begin the process of trying to get water to the school site where it can be filtered and suitable for human use.  This too will be a part of our January trip.

In early summer our church will send another group to Haiti with the hope that they will be able to bring water to the school.  The team includes Susan and Rief Kessler, Sharon Stinnette and Andy Corbin.   Pre-travel training and preparation is already underway.  Susan, Rief, Sharon and Andy C are attending a Living Waters workshop in the spring to help them prepare for their trip.  You will be hearing more about their trip in the months ahead.    

There are many ways for members of RCPC to get involved with this extraordinary mission opportunity.  Most importantly we need your prayers of support.  You also may want to consider going on one of these trips or to supporting the effort financially.  To get more information about the January trip or the overall mission to Haiti please feel free to contact to any member of our group.  We will be serving the Fellowship dinner on January 9th, 2013.  We welcome your questions, suggestions, comments and well-wishes.   

Merry Christmas!

Read: Matthew 2: 19-23

Key verse: “Then Joseph got up and took the child and his mother, and went to the land of Israel. …And after being warned in a dream, he went away to the district of Galilee.” Matthew 2: 21, 22b

Safe at last, the Holy family returned to Israel, settling in the town of Nazareth in the district of Galilee. There Joseph and Mary would fulfill their responsibility to God, raising God’s son. Scripture tells us little about these formative years, but we can imagine the parents’ wonder at the events that occurred at his birth, and the magnitude of their responsibility. Luke tells us that “Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature, and in divine and human favor.” (Luke 2:52)  This implies they did their job well.

Prayer: Lord God, may we endeavor to bring up our children in homes that honor you. Help us to be examples of Christian living, providing our children the strength that comes from a close relationship with you. Amen

GOD SAVES THE CHILD

Read Matthew 2:12 - 3:18

Key verse: Now after they had left, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you; for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.”  Matthew 2:13

Herod’s plot was foiled when the wise men were warned in a dream to ignore his request; they took another route back to their home, leaving King Herod in a frenzy, determined to find the baby who threatened his power. Joseph was also warned to flee from the king’s wrath, and followed the instructions he was given in a dream, escaping to Egypt until the danger was past.

Herod’s vengeance brought death to all the innocent children two years old and under, in and around Bethlehem in an effort to eliminate the new king.  This is the tragic side of the Christmas story.

But the Christ child was saved.

Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, our hearts ache for innocent lives that are lost – in Biblical times and today. We pray for your love to comfort those who suffer and we pray for the day peace will reign. Amen.