End of the Year Newsletter: June 2017

Bonjou and Greetings in Christ!

It is July and our school year has ended. There is irrepressible sunshine in our souls. We have seen so much growth and so much victory in these past ten months. We are excited to continue the adventure in September!

 May and June were extremely busy. Rachelle spent two weeks in New Hampshire and was blessed to attend her brother’s wedding. In her absence, Petit Goave hosted a week-long revival that blessed the whole town, including our Family, Beverly, and Nicole.  

After Rachelle returned there was one full week of uninterrupted school. The final week of May began a series of visitors. Jaimie and Philip Bolt from Virginia blessed us with their company and encouragement. At school Mr. Philip led Recreation and Ms. Jaimie began Abraham, our malnourished student, on his feeding regimen. We visited the homes of three students the Bolts partner with, presenting each with birthday gifts to a neighborhood audience. At first grade K’s home, a circle of on-lookers listened to us sing “Jesus Loves the Little Children” in three languages, after which Beverly and Rose told them of Jesus’ love: an impromptu evangelism opportunity! Another afternoon we took the three out to lunch at the beach. Everyone was delighted to watch the children eat chicken and plantain then splash in the water. Rachelle and Nicole got their clothes drenched playing in the water, too.

Ms. Jaimie with some friends from Second Grade

There were many tears when the Bolts left, sent off in the customary manner of much singing and dancing at Friday afternoon church. However, the same day they departed, Beverly’s grandson Douglas arrived. He began his stay in Haiti drenched in sweat. After a rest he threw himself into work: washing dishes, lifting weights and exercising with the house guys, organizing and aiding at school.

The first week of June was exam week at school. Students sat to take exams in the heat, second grade sweating steadily on the second floor. One morning we made accordion fans, and every so often Madame Rachelle filled a cup with water and “baptized” the class in relief efforts.

On June 10, Beverly, Nicole, and Douglas drove into Port au Prince to collect the San Antonio River of Life team, Beverly’s home church. Rachelle stayed in town to do a Saturday Vacation Bible School program with Donna Edwinson and June Schulte from her home town. Along with two translators the ladies put on a splendid program for kindergarten, first, and second grade. The teachers and students enjoyed themselves immensely, singing and dancing to VBS songs, making tambourines, hearing about God’s great love for us, and playing water games!

To perfectly finish the program, each person received a heavily loaded plate of rice and beans and chicken. There was so much food that parents were invited inside to eat. Madame Rose was delighted!

 

June, Stevenson, and Donna at Saturday VBS

Donna and June left for Port au Prince, the house was prepared, and that evening the Texas Team arrived: Brian, Cheyenne, Danielle, Julie, Russell, David, Nico and Randy, along with the Port au Prince Team of translators: Touttoute, Ricardo, Gardy, Benson and Joanne. On Monday Sam and Abby joined us from Alabama. The house was overflowing with laughter, sweat, luggage, and love.

Monday to Friday the Team walked to school and did VBS: Bible story, crafts, dance, games, and music. Russell, Julie, David, and Touttoute introduced the children to puppets to tell of Moses and the Ten Commandments. They were a huge hit! Cheyenne, Danielle, and Benson helped the children make crafts to remember God’s special craftsmanship. Gabby, Nicole, Abby, Sam, and Joanne jumped and danced through the morning heat teaching a dance routine to accompany the worship song “10,000 Reasons” which Nico, Randy, and Gardy taught the painstakingly children through the week. (Some of the children continued to pronounce “worship” as “beship.”) Douglas and Ricardo burned up the kids’ energy in games, teaching them new ways to play and reinforcing lessons of good sportsmanship.

School was packed with people, heat, and delight.

On Friday, students had final rehearsals for the afternoon performance of “10,000 Reasons” in front of their parents. We all gathered for church where the Team blessed all the teachers with words of appreciation. There was singing and thanksgiving.

At 12:30 the gate was opened and parents and guardians stood in the blazing sun to watch and record their children. Second grade stood on the steps and the other four grades formed lines in the courtyard. Every student had a ribbon baton and sang with all their might. The singing shook the street, carried on in joyful praise!

After ten minutes everyone hurried back inside, dripping sweat (June in Haiti is HOT!) Students returned to their classrooms for final words from the teacher and to receive report cards. Then there were goodbyes and school was finished!

River of Life, TX Team 

On Sunday our Port au Prince Team returned to PAP to attend summer school. Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday were spent in community activity. Beverly and Rachelle took separate groups to visit students’ homes, shop in the market, and distribute rice and beans and Gospel tracts the Team had purchased. Some of the group trekked the mountain to Madame Alice’s home where she danced with joy to greet them. We visited Herold, our afternoon custodian, who was amazed he merited such value as a home visit and gift of food. We sang and danced “10,000 Reasons” once again with Tchialensky and Angee, looked through Salouben’s English homework, and handed sacks of rice and beans through the car window when there was still food leftover!

After days of sharing, growing, instant love, and new friends, the Team departed on Thursday.

Beverly, Rachelle, Nicole, Abby, and Sam returned to a quiet house. We organized, cleaned, and packed. Abby and Sam were an immense blessing in their labor and emotional support, which we will remember as we view their artwork of Scripture on the wall.

Sam, Abby, and Beverly in front of Isaiah 37:30

We left Ti Goave together on June 26.

So much has happened! We have watched students who once never smiled, who withdrew from embraces, break out in smiles and laughter, come forward for rib-squeezing hugs, and say with joy, “I love you and Jesus loves you!”

We have seen a significant decrease in misbehavior, a major rise in compassion and team work. We have seen pride and confidence bloom and heard English spoken more and more! We have felt the love each and every day through all the trials and victories.

On June 27, Beverly and Nicole returned to San Antonio. Rachelle returned to New Hampshire. We are joyous to see our loved ones and share news of this year, but very sad to be away from our Haiti family and students.

We are also concerned for the welfare of our students and their families. We pray for their physical and emotional needs. We mourn for Angelo.

On Sunday, June 25, Angelo Denot, a second-grade student, drowned while swimming. We received the news the night before departure, gathered with our family in Port au Prince. After the tears of shock and horror, we praised God, thanking Him for taking Angelo home. Every student in our school is taught and shown the love of Jesus. We have all confidence Angelo accepted this love and knew God as his personal Father and Savior. Angelo will be sorely missed: his sweet smile, the way he leaned in to accept hugs, the labor he spent on assignments, working carefully and deliberately to completion; his inspirational joy despite a tenuous life, oft empty belly, and mistreatment.

Angelo was a delight to teach and to love. We are so grateful we knew him. Now, we mourn his loss but rejoice at his home in Heaven. And we remember afresh the importance of loving all children in our charge with abandon.

Angelo at his desk in Second Grade, May 2017

We pray also for our teachers. We pray funds would continue to come in so their salaries can be paid, along with the rent for the school building. Now, we also pray provision for Beverly and Rachelle personally. Beverly will be facing surgery for her husband. She is working part-time jobs to fill time and save funds.

Rachelle is working at her church in NH and networking. Starting now she will be fully dependent on partnership, funds provided by the body of Christ. As always, we have many needs.

Now, we need emotional strength for the transition from Haiti to the U.S. We are also transitioning ministry partners; previously we have been a satellite school from Christian Light School in Port au Prince, but we have just been accepted as part of Christian Light Ministries. Please be patient with us as we transition to CLM and learn how to receive funding.

There is much to learn and much to do. The school officially has 153 students on file, from the new three-year old class to the upcoming third grade! We need a third grade Haitian and foreign teacher for French and English curriculum. We need another classroom. God will provide, but following after Him by faith is nonetheless intimidating.

We are thankful beyond measure to serve in Ti Goave, working and sweating and loving abundantly for Jesus. We are so hopeful for the future. Our hearts desire to return, to continue working with these children next year.

Thank you so much for your constant prayer, attention, and generosity. We look forward to sharing news of the upcoming school year but need your help to get there.

With love and blessings,

“Madame Beverly” Beverly Burton

“Madame Rachelle” Rachel Collins