Hello Everyone,

Saturday night we had a city wide flood in St. Marc. This flood was different than the others as it flooded the whole city. Normally either the north or the south end gets hit, but this included both.

At our campus the water level broke a new record in depth. Today is the third morning since the flood and we still see water. We have about 4 to 6 inches of mud through out the campus. Three of our resident staff homes were flooded with more than ankle deep water, leaving about 1’ inch of mud behind.

We want to thank all of you who have helped us purchase and ship the two Case Skid Loaders with Backhoe attachments. They have been a strong testimony to the city at large! The next morning, Sunday, we were able to use them to open a blockage under a main bridge, allowing the water to flow under the bridge once more. As the water subsided and the 3 foot of mud removed using these skid loaders, we were able to reopen the main road allowing national traffic to pass through the city once more. I guess you could say that those little tractors literarily made a national impact!

In the city the water flowed over 1/3 of the bridges. Many houses were flooded within the city. There continues to be a lot of need. Need for fuel for the skid loader is a constant challenge as we run a tight budget. In addition the province experienced some flood and road erosion as well. In the countryside there were reports of three dead, more than 50 homes destroyed and over 500 animals were swept away in the flood water. The animal loss is a very serious concern as Haiti is already suffering from large losses of animals from last years flood. The cost of food is at an all time high. Haiti is experience a new level of hunger!

 

VOODOO STILL GONE!

You may remember last week I spoke of how people were casting out their voodoo. I am excited to let you know that after a visit to the village the voodoo artifacts remain gone and Bibles remain in place! WOW! Let me explained a little more in detail how this occurred.

 

FOOD DISTRIBUTION! 

A church from West Palm Beach, FL, heard of the practical need for food from a CNN report and sent $4,000 USD. Another church in Lancaster, PA decided to focus on raising money for the hungry through a Vacation Bible School (VBS); they raised $2,000 USD. Then our Discipleship Training School (DTS) while touring in Granbury, TX, let the need be known and raised $4,000 USD. With the $10,000 USD we were able to purchase food for 330 families to eat for a week.

Each family received 40lbs of rice, 15lbs of beans, cooking oil, 5 packs of spaghetti, and 6 to 8 cans of tomato sauce with sardines (A favorite). With a team of pastors I went to the most desolate areas where the economic and environmental problems had choked the people. Handing out cards, we wrote the name and number of people in the family, explaining what day we would be returning to give them assistance. Over 2,300 people benefited from this gift of love!

It averaged $4.35 USD per person to give food for one week or $30.30 USD per family! Yet since distributing this food the price has already dramatically risen. I do not see how so many of the poorest of Haiti make it? The same amount of food we gave two weeks ago now would cost $35 per family.

 

HOW DID THE DISTRO WORK?

Accompanied by the National Police for added security and crowd control, the food was distributed after a challenge was given with testimony of the greatness of our God. Everyone who had received a card during our earlier visit received their sack of over 50lbs of food. From the three villages that received food over 100 plus people accepted Christ! Some physically demonstrated their acts of repentance by removing their voodoo articles. Others were fearful and asked for help while encouraging us to return and establish a church or Bible study for them.

We would like to continue to invade the outer countryside of St. Marc with this two handed presentation of God’s love and answer for Haiti; food in one hand, a Bible in the other. It seems that this is a ripe season to encourage abandonment of voodoo and the past ways and embrace a loving God. Could you help? Could you tell others about this program, encouraging them to get involved?

Any financial assistance you give directed to “Food that Saves Lives” will go to help us locate and give food, a Bible, and a challenge to accept the love God has shown through His son, Jesus Christ. With the rising cost of food in Haiti it is hard to say how much the same portion of food will cost tomorrow, but be assured Youth With A Mission will seek the best prices to get the best and most food to the most needy!  

Information is listed below on how you can make a contribution. Thank you and may God Bless you as you bless the hungry!

 

Terry W. Snow

National Director

YWAM Haiti

 

Please make all contributions payable to YWAM Haiti and include a note designating how you would like your gift to be used; for example “Food that Saves Lives”. You may mail your gift to:

 

YWAM Haiti

PO Box 236

Akron, PA 17501

 

THANK YOU!