December updates from Thriving Villages

Hi all,

Some important news to share with you:

Generous Support in December

We recently received donations to purchase 6 motorcycles for the APPAS field health workers in Pestel!!   We anticipate that this will significantly improve the efficiency of the health workers, enabling them to reach the children along the main roads much faster so that the workers can spend more time walking into the mountain villages (to visit the hardest-to-reach children).   This financial gift, from two different families who prefer to remain anonymous, is on top of the recent $5000 raised through the successful benefit concert.  Be assured:  God is working powerfully among us!!  

Request for Emergency Assistance in Pestel after Hurricane Sandy

I received this note below from Sister Fidelis.  She indicates that there was a tremendous amount of loss in Pestel after Hurricane Sandy blasted through.  Nelson also has received notes through email from his friends indicating that the food stores are very low for many and starvation is increasing.  On these emergency issues Thriving Villages works with the fantastic Haitian organization in Pestel, KPA (Christians Progress Together).  I cannot speak highly enough of these people who volunteer their time, meet monthly, to benefit their villages.  This group was started by Sister Fidelis and is an enduring testimony to her confidence in the Haitian people, her leadership and foresight into sustainable community development.    So while it is with sadness that I pass this along, be assured that the good people of Pestel pull together in times like these.  Still, they can use our help:

From Sister Fidelis

We need a lot of help to even give a hand up to the neediest after Sandy. We know of 40 homes in our area (1st and 2nd section) which no longer exist or are completely uninhabitable. These are just the worst ones. I know of one man who is practically living on the ground with his family of 8. Children ages 4 - 18, all but one are girls. He and his wife are both sick, etc.
The elderly tell us that this is the worst storm they have ever seen. Crops were destroyed. What they have left, they are eating now, but will have nothing to replant, so then we'll see real hunger. Many animals were killed by falling trees.

Jo and I are collecting money to replace roofs. The families and their comunities are responsible for constructing the walls with their wood and bamboo, earth and lime covering. We are trying to provide nails and corrugated tin, anywhere from $100-$300 per house depending on size and the extent of the damage.

We have also started a black bean planting project to help them replace this staple. We had enough money to have KPA choose 15 families in each community, and they will be handing on what they received, Heifer-style.

We figure we need at least $12,000 just to serve the neediest with their homes. We prioritized individual cases, and people know that whether they receive aid or not will depend on the money we able to collect while we are home for Christmas and immediately after.

If anyone wants to contribute, they can send checks to Sisters of St. Francis Advancement Office, 6832 Convent Blvd., Sylvania, Ohio 43560, made out to Sisters of St. Francis with Sandy Relief in the memo. 
Bless you.  Fidelis

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President, Thriving Villages International

Thriving Villages website:  www.thrivingvillages.org

Thriving Villages blog:  http://thrivingvillages.blogspot.com/

Facebook:  www.facebook.com/ThrivingVillages

I do not doubt that the modern Western church badly needs a lot of things, one of them being more confidence that God is working powerfully among us and wants us to do more than we have been willing to do in his service.   John G. Stackhouse

Nelson on his way home from hospital!!

'nuff said!!

Ben

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President, Thriving Villages International

Thriving Villages website:  www.thrivingvillages.org

Thriving Villages blog:  http://thrivingvillages.blogspot.com/

Facebook:  www.facebook.com/ThrivingVillages

I do not doubt that the modern Western church badly needs a lot of things, one of them being more confidence that God is working powerfully among us and wants us to do more than we have been willing to do in his service.   John G. Stackhouse

Benefit Concert for Thriving Villages: A fantastic evening that raised $5000!!!

Hi everyone,

The benefit concert & silent auction (photographs) last evening was a wonderfully attended event, and it obviously resulted in an outpouring of generosity for the people of Pestel.   We are so incredibly grateful.

The artists used their skills and talents, their joy and passion, and gave us an evening of beauty so that we might, in turn, open up and generously give to others.  

For me this was such a powerful reminder that we all have the ability to participate in sharing God's love with others when we use our abilities and our resources to bring light and life to those around us, and to those in need.  

Let us take a moment to Thank God for the skillful and joyful performances of Professors Kerry Harker-Roth and Randy Zwally.  They had the idea of "An Evening of Hope and Joy Through Music" to benefit the people of Pestel.  The string music was simply captivating and Joyful!  Their willingness made this evening possible.  Their music infused in us a joyfulness that clearly caused a response of generosity.

Let us Thank God for also blessing the work of Steve Miller's hands who provided the photographs for the silent auction.  His photos will now hang in offices and in homes.  They can serve as a reminder of the evening, a prompt to pray for the people of Pestel, and as a conversation piece to visitors.  Steve has been with me to Haiti twice and he's eager to go back.

Let us also Thank God for all who attended last night and showed their support for the artists who have worked hard to prepare for this event.  The musicians practiced, practiced, practiced.  The photographer has spent hours taking the photographs and preparing them.  All these professionals were rewarded by those who came out last evening.

And Thank God for all those who made the evening hospital and friendly.  The people at our church who did the behind-the-scenes work, folks at Messiah College and local churches who promoted the evening in advance...

Do you see how God's goodness poured out through so many lives culminated in a special evening that, in turn, resulted in a response of love to those in need?

Now tell me:  isn't that awesome!!!  

God's love pours out in so many ways.  We would do well to take a pause from our busy-ness to Thank Him for His goodness to us.  And for working in our hearts to share His goodness with others in need.

Ben

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President, Thriving Villages International

Thriving Villages website:  www.thrivingvillages.org

Thriving Villages blog:  http://thrivingvillages.blogspot.com/

Facebook:  www.facebook.com/ThrivingVillages

I do not doubt that the modern Western church badly needs a lot of things, one of them being more confidence that God is working powerfully among us and wants us to do more than we have been willing to do in his service.   John G. Stackhouse

Nelson update: Waiting in the hospital for the blood level to come back in range

While Nelson is still in the hospital (Day 18) he's doing really well. He's received a number of visitors and cards, which has been a nice boost to his morale.  Although this has been a long process and we are all eager for him to come home, he is still very cheerful.  His appetite has returned and the nurses are happily accommodating his requests for second (and sometimes third) helpings of his meals.  We are conveniently located in the hall next to the cafeteria!  Last night Nelson also feasted on some homemade Haitian food that a friend brought in!

3 days this week, Nelson has had a nurse from Haiti.  We have been so grateful that God has provided so abundantly for Nelson.  It makes a huge difference for him to be able to communicate with her in Creole!!! 

We learned today that he was given Vitamin K just before his 2nd surgery, and that's essentially an antidote to the blood thinner.  That was a very good thing to do.  The Vitamin K is still lingering in his body, slowing the normal effect of the coumadin.    It looks like he'll be in the hospital over the weekend at this point.  

We had hoped he could make it to the benefit concert on Sunday evening (6:30pm...Slate Hill Mennonite Church!  :)   

Ben

--

President, Thriving Villages International

Thriving Villages website:  www.thrivingvillages.org

Thriving Villages blog:  http://thrivingvillages.blogspot.com/

Facebook:  www.facebook.com/ThrivingVillages

I do not doubt that the modern Western church badly needs a lot of things, one of them being more confidence that God is working powerfully among us and wants us to do more than we have been willing to do in his service.   John G. Stackhouse

Nelson: Doing great!

Nelson is feeling great and is back to his normal smiley self! Here are some photos of him talking to his mom (in Haiti) via Skype.