                  |
  
March 2008 Newsletter
Roseline learned about packing cargo from Don, she wants to do it all herself, never waits for volunteers and sometimes get in “over her head.” When it gets too high or too heavy she does call me for help. This is a monthly 500# of medical and food program supplies.
GOATSFrom the talk at the Community UMC in Oldsmar we were given monies for the purchase of four goats for families in Haiti. We decided to wait until after the holidays so they wouldn’t be eaten right away as a feast for the holidays. 
Now things have gotten worse rather than better in Haiti which will be explained later in this letter, but the result is that the goats are being eaten and it is more and more difficult to find one and when we do they are more expensive. Rather than the $65 we quoted before Christmas the only pregnant goat Roseline found was $115.00. 
Recipients of the first goat project of 2008 are Joanna Joseph with her children Astride 11, James 9 and Kenson 8. Joanna has provided for her children any way she can. One of the things she does in help people who are selling things along the street by “minding the store” while they are off doing other things. In Haiti they sell anything… packs of gum are broken down and sold piece by piece, a bag of sugar is divided and wrapped in individual servings by being put in paper that is twisted. This is hard work for very little money.
BIG TROUBLE IN HAITIWe had thought it an inconvenience when some of the Christmas gifts shipped in October didn’t make it off the wharf in Haiti for Christmas. Now we are only happy that there was no food in there, because those pallets are still on the wharf. At Christmas it was a dock strike. When the strike was over there was another problem that has yet to be resolved. The government of Haiti made some retroactive changes in the paperwork required on items coming into the country… that means that people who packed donated items in October were being required to back up the detail and “invoices” to get the things out of the containers. We were, fortunately able to recreate what was needed, but many have no proper records of what they put on the ship… and until all items are documented in a mixed container nothing is being released. There is also an issue with improperly trained personnel who don’t really understand what they are required to request. ADD TO THAT a dispute with the Dominican Republic that has resulted in that border being closed and you have Haiti, one-third of the Island of Hispaniola, with nothing coming across the borders or being released from the wharf. Items already on the island, including the rice we purchase there, will soon run out… making remaining supplies very expensive, but what is going to happen when everything is GONE? We need intense prayers that this gets resolved fast—massive numbers will begin to starve including those depending on our food program if our supplies aren’t release. We have a container of beans on the way down and another container on the way with 41 pallets of the food packets—please pray that these are released before any spoilage from sitting on the wharf waiting for release. Haiti has enough problems with no jobs, this is a strange situation where its own government seems to have turned on the population.
BUSY FEBRUARY
2/4- Met with Hilda & Marcia from Haiti Nursing Fnd Somewhere in there this newsletter will make it to the printer and go out in the mail, cargo will be packed as it comes in from ordering the list of needs for Haiti that Roseline brought back with her; and contributions will be processed and acknowledgements sent to donors. Other packing includes layettes from the Palm Harbor Presbyterian Church and formula, gloves and tongue depressors (used to spread the burn medication) from Dr. Fauber. Oh yes, and we will meet with Rob to discuss details for his first trip which is the 2/26 trip — he is answering my plea for volunteers to help get the headquarters back in shape to accommodate teams trips in the near future.
PreparationsOur trip to Haiti will include getting Rob acquainted with staff, measuring and putting the needs and details of the headquarters into Rob’s architectural program on his computer and surveying details of the needs to restore the headquarters.
FUTUREThere are a lot of changes in the near future of this Lord’s work and we request your prayer support in getting things back on track to properly support the purposes of the organization and restore the programs back to upholding the legacy Don worked so many years to establish. Of course a major part of this will be your prayer support for the government to open up the ports all over the country and allow food and supplies to get to the people who so desperately need them. In the meantime we need to ship as much as possible to have it in place when that break comes so we are prepared to distribute the food and help save lives… may all of these things work to the Glory of God and a full witness of His power and provision to people who are desperate for HOPE. GOD BLESS YOU—ALL!
Take a moment to sign our Guestbook. Thank you!
e-mail us:  Mission Field Worker: Roseline DeHart Newsletter Editor: Eva DeHart
|
Please e-mail me your e-mail address! I won't solicit anything but prayers on special needs and also utilize it to save my wrist, cards and 24¢ for thank you cards.e-mail us: 
Previous Newsletters