28. January 2010 by admin.

Thursday, 1/28/10

Oops…..I never got around to sending an update on Monday….so very sorry.  Things got a bit crazy around here with calls and meetings and it just never got done.

The updates I sent were pretty complete due to the phone conversations and texts George and I exchanged.  One thing they did share was about their taxi ride from the airport to Carrefour.   Traffic became quite heavy and congested at times.  At one point, Jim noticed a uniformed soldier beside the cab who walked beside for a bit, stood still beside it when traffic stopped and even ran beside for a bit till traffic finally cleared and got going.  Oh, and the cab ride cost $80 (U.S.) for an approximately 10 mile trip!!!

Their travels did not take them past or to places where they saw the sights of the bodies being piled but they did saw the smells were especially horrible.

On Tuesday and Wednesday George had meetings here at home and we are excited about some things in the works.  As these things get finalized we will be sharing them with you.  He was also on the phone a lot and even got some things done in the office.  (Personal request from ME, George’s wife.  PLEASE pray for an extra measure of wisdom and strength for George as he has so much going on right now….THANKS)

We received word on Tuesday that a C-130 had become available to MFI and the pallets were to be on a flight arriving in Haiti at 7 AM on Wednesday.  George spoke with Pastor Beril on Tuesday to give him the news so he could have the truck and workers ready to be at the airport.  We have not heard back from him so we hope that means he was able to get the things without any trouble.

I’ve had the privilege of talking to so many people on the phone and in person over the past 16 days.  So many have offered help both monetarily and with actual ‘goods’ and believe me, we will be needing much money to help our people and fields affected by the earthquake.  I want to assure you that whether we receive money or ‘goods’ for the earthquake relief, we will do everything within our power to use it for that.  In order for this to happen we will keep all monetary donations in our account here in Florida and will be dispersed to Pastor Beril as we are notified of definite needs.  The same goes for shipping of ‘things’.  That will not happen until we know for sure that cargo ships are getting into Haiti and the shipments are getting cleared through customs.

We do not have any dates for when we will be ready to take teams in but we are working on it.  Please be patient with us……we want to do it right. 

I have uploaded a photo album on Snapfish that chronicles the trip.  Here’s the link  http://www1.snapfish.com/thumbnailshare/AlbumID=2109749017/a=2197878/

Thank you so much for all your prayers and words of encouragement…..so greatly appreciated.

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26. January 2010 by admin.

Monday, 1/25/10

Praise the Lord with me….George and Jim arrived in Fort Peirce this afternoon at 4:30!!  Thank you so much for the many of you who have been praying.

The supplies sent from SC have been delayed a bit due to a blown engine on the MFI plane.  They were hoping to have it fixed late today.  They are also hoping for a C130 to come available to use to fly in larger amounts of cargo.  They expect the pallets to be in Haiti by the end of the week and the group of Pastors in Carrefour have a plan for the disbursement to the folks in the community.  PLEASE pray for MFI and their staff.  This is a huge undertaking for them and they are meeting the needs of so very many people.  Pray also for the Hendricks MotorSports team who are flying 2 planes in and out of Haiti each day and have committed to do it at least thru the end of this month.

Louise did not come to the states as we were originally told.  She is doing OK and I think she feels the need to be there at this time, ministering and meeting needs beside her husband.

There is so much to share and I will be posting pictures on Facebook but they will both take place tomorrow, after I have time to sort out everything.

Please continue to pray for Haiti.  The needs are so great.  Please pray also for wisdom for Pastor Beril and the Haitian board as they determine where we start 1^st to rebuild what was lost so the Gospel can continue to be proclaimed.

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23. January 2010 by admin.

Saturday, 1/23/10 (3:00 PM)

Another day in which we have so very much to be thankful for AND so very much to be in prayer about.  Here’s what I know –

Around 7:15 this morning George was able to get a call through to me.  They had a good nights rest and were in their room at OMS around 6:45 when the building began to shake, yes another aftershock.  They immediately went outside and things were OK.  OMS is using the water from the pool to somehow be used for showers.  They are not able to serve meals so Jim and George dined last night on MRE’s that MFI had available before they left Fort Pierce.  George and Jim stocked up on protein bars before leaving so they have them for food.  Since the wall surrounding OMS crumbled, Wikny bought roofing tin and installed it into a make-shift security wall.  George said the rooms appear to be full with Haitians and an aid team who he believes are from Mexico.  Thankfully Wikny had a room for George and Jim.

George said there seems to be such desperation in the people as they try to rebuild their lives.  He said that as they drove thru PAP to Carrefour yesterday they’d go by buildings that were still standing and then right beside there would be nothing but ruins from buildings that collapsed.  Some buildings still stood but they could see right inside because some of the walls were gone.

The plan for today was for Pastor Beril to pick them up and go to Grace Center to see how things were there and in the process see much more of the devastation in Carrefour and PAP.

George called again at 9:00 AM while they were meeting with Pastor Beril.  This is extremely important…..Pastor Beril said to please NOT send food to him (beans, rice, etc).  He said it would be so much better for people wanting to help with this to send money which we will get to him.  He has sources and can buy it there and have it much quicker and cheaper than what it costs Grace Mission to ship the food that is sent here to us in FL.  Other things that are needed – Tents (dome and cabin style), awnings (the pop-up kind used at trade shows), Examination tables for people to lay on when being examined (I suggested portable massage tables I’ve seen at Costco and Sams because they fold and are portable….what do you medical people who read this think….would that work?), clothes (PLEASE be careful what you send….nothing stained or torn and remember this is Haiti so warm climate clothing is needed), and medical supplies.  I am attaching a detailed supply list we got from CSI and was approved by Dr Martsolf on our board.  If any of you reading this on Facebook, the Grace Mission to Haiti website or Grace Mission blog want the list, please send me you e-mail address and I’ll get it to you.

For our friends at Pine Grove in Bowmansville, the Christmas boxes arrived and Pastor Beril had planned to take them out to Doriol this week but, of course, that won’t happen.

At 12:45 PM George called from Grace Center.  In an earlier e-mail I had shared information I’d been give that one of the balconies had sheared off but PTL that was incorrect.  George said there are cracks in some of the interior walls but it seems sound.  We will need to get an engineer in to check its structural integrity but it looks good and the wall surrounding the compound still stands even though there are other buildings in the area that have collapsed.

George said Grace Center looks amazing.  Since he was there last all the tile has been laid on the floors, bars and glass in the windows, railing around the balcony, plumbing in and waiting for the fixtures and he said the classroom is beautiful.  I can’t help but think that God KNOWS this center is to be used for His glory and preserved it.  To God be ALL the glory.

This is what he found out about our pastors and ministries.  This is not a complete list but what is known right now.

·       NO loss of life of any of our pastors! 

·       Riviere Froid church/school and Bertin Clinic are OK

·       GODE church/school is destroyed as was the house that we have stayed in during our visits there. (Many of you may remember that Gode is up in the mountains and the only way in is to walk or ride the ‘horses’ in….oh how I LOVE those rides!!!  But all worth it when we get there and see our children and adults who go to school and worship there)

·       Churches that have been destroyed – Cote de Fer, LaVal, Bereau, Gode, and Montoban

·       Churches that have damage – Carrefour, Flon, Bois Pin

·       A number of churches are OK but the pastors homes have been destroyed

·       LOTS of damage at the Carrefour school and Bible Institute.  Pastor Beril said they will probably NOT be able to use it.

The 22 pallets from SC are scheduled to arrive on Monday.  Pastor Beril, George and Jim met with a group of ministers from the Carrefour area, this morning.  They have a secure location in Carrefour to take the pallets and to distribute from.  This is a real answer to prayer.  Originally they talked about taking everything to Grace Center to store and then take it to Carrefour but Grace Center is in a different ‘district’ than Carrefour so there could have been problems getting it all the way through PAP and to Carrefour. 

I do apologize for how long this is but I wanted to give you all the news I had so you are up to date.

Keep PRAYING……

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22. January 2010 by admin.

Friday, 1/22/10 (2:20 PM)

“Great is Thy faithfulness, Great is Thy faithfulness, morning by morning new mercies I see.  All I have needed Thy Hand has provided.  Great is Thy Faithfulness, Lord unto me”  This is one of my all-time favorite hymns and I am so very thankful for the Lord’s faithfulness through horrible situations such as the earthquakes in Haiti.  Through good and bad, joy and sorrow – my God never sleeps, nor slumbers and is ALWAYS faithful.

George called my at 10:40 from the Bahamas where they stopped to refuel.  At 12:52 I got a text that said, “In Haiti.  So far, so good.”  And just a few minutes ago, around 1:30, he called to give me a message to get to one of our board member.  He called from his AT&T cell phone and it was like he was just down the road….PTL.

He said they were in a taxi heading to meet Pastor Beril somewhere in Carrefour.  I was shocked when he said taxi and he said when they came out of the airport there were some taxis, just like always! 

George said that traffic is horrible (truthfully, traffic in Haiti is horrible even without earthquakes) and things that they are seeing are pretty bad.

I have to correct something I wrote yesterday (1/21/10).  I said that a plane from Pittsburgh was flying down today with Adony possibly along planning on bringing Louise back to Pitts with him.  That was true when I wrote it but things changed overnight. 

If I understand it correctly this is what is going on.  Dave O’Leary, a GMTH board member, is working with the Univ of Pittsburgh Medical Center to arrange for a team of Drs and nurses to fly down to Haiti to set up 1 or 2 medical clinics in the Carrefour area.  Dave has been in contact with Pastor Beril about where these could be set up.  (Thankfully the Voila phones seem to continue working) 

At 1:04 PM Dave sent me the following e-mail - I just spoke with Beril.  He says that everything is set up for a clinic at a Grace Mission School in River Froid(sp?) which is very close to Carrefour.  Local Police to provide security and Beril is able to handle transportation from the Airport.  He is now talking to Ted Steinhauer of Crisis Response International regarding a second clinic site.  We may hear back on this in a few hours.  We think that there are a few people who would like a plane ride back to PIT.  There is one or two folks from DSI who also want to go down and will stay to help with the DSI clean water program in conjuntion with the CDC.  I was extremely excited when I read this because I would think that means that the church/school at Riviere Froid is stable enough for a medical clinic and I was very concerned about this place because of how close to a ravine it sits.  THANK YOU LORD!!!

Still no word on any of our many pastors/teachers/students or how their ‘properties’ fared.

George also texted that they have reservations with MFI for Monday, including Louise if she hasn’t gotten out before then.

I want to, once again, express my heartfelt thanks for ALL the e-mails, phone calls and facebook postings with encouraging words and promises of prayers.  Oh how I wish I could respond to each and every one, but I cannot.  Keep praying and I’ll keep posting as we get info.

Friday, 1/22/10 (9:30 AM)

And they’re off, at least we think they are.  George called just as they were ready to board and Jim ‘tweeted’ a video of them getting settled on the plane. 

The 22 pallets from SC are not on this flight and we are not sure when they will be sent down.  PRAY for a C130 to become available which will be able to handle lots more cargo weight.

PRAY dear friends that they will have a safe trip into PAP and for God to open doors that only He can and for George and Jim to be sensitive to HIS leading.  Our plans are not necessarily HIS plans.

I’ll report more as we receive updates but just wanted you all to know this ASAP.

And for you NASCAR fans……George and Jim are on 1 of the 2 Hendricks MotorSports jets that they have loaned to MFI for the relief effort…….AMAZING.

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22. January 2010 by admin.

Greetings friends –

And the answer is “NO, George and Jim did not make it on a plane to Haiti today.”  Remember, God’s timing is perfect and we rest in that.  We headed up to MFI around 7:15 AM after a stop at CVS for a few last minute things.  Arrived around 8:30 and dropped Geo and Jim off at the hangar while Joanie and I went to park.  We had just started to walk to the hangar when George called me and said “Jim can’t find his passport!”  We came to the realization that after George made copies of their passports this AM, Jim’s never made it off the copier.  (Now these are 2 very seasoned travelers - 1) George should have taken the passport off the printer and 2) Jim should have checked for his passport before leaving…..and yet I have a feeling this may somehow come out to be Joanie and my fault for not asking before we left!!)  Joanie and I drove back to West Palm, got the passport and headed back to MFI.  At one point George called and said that there was a flight leaving in a little bit and they had a seat for him so he might go and wait for Jim in Haiti.  Thankfully, after talking about it they decided it would be best for them to stick together.

MFI is 99% sure that they will make it on tomorrow’s flight so the guys decided to stay up there for the night.  The 22 pallets from SC were weighed and came in at over 17,000 pounds.  PLEASE PRAY that the pallets can be sent on the same flight as George and Jim.  PRAY also for a C130 airplane to be available because it can take so much more cargo than MFI’s normal plane.

No direct word from Haiti today but we did receive word from Pittsburgh that there is an organization there that is flying into Haiti and bringing orphans out the past few days and are planning to do the same tomorrow.  Adony has reported that his mom is having difficulty breathing, so he is trying to arrange to fly down on tomorrows flight.  They are praying that Pastor Beril can get Louise to the airport so she can fly back to Pittsburgh with Adony.  If this will work out, and George and Jim fly in tomorrow, then, Lord willing, they would be able to connect with Pastor Beril.

Friends….please pray….so many details have to be worked out and the timing right…..and….and….and BUT my God knows and His will be done.

VERY IMPORTANT – George has his cell phone with him so he can communicate with me, but it is very expensive to make and accept international calls.   Because of this DO NOT call George’s cell while he is in Haiti.  If you have any questions, please call the office at 561-791-7686.  If I’m not in the office the phone will be forwarded to our home.

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21. January 2010 by admin.

Greetings PRAYING friends –

Well, it has been 8 days since the 7.0 earthquake and this morning a 6.1  hit about 35 miles northwest of Port-au-Prince.  The only news we have had today is the following message I received from Adony -

Good morning Nancy.  Let me update you as my family woke up to a 6.1 aftershock this morning.  Ossemine called, still pleased and grateful that someone else added minutes to the family’s phones, and reassured me that they’re fine as they sleep outside.  Dad pulled out that tent you told me about to refuge the family in it.  I asked him about funeral ceremonies conducted, he said it is difficult as Haitian authorities (I wonder where they’ve been) forbid individual burials.  Otherwise they have to be done symbolically as all recovered bodies are being buried in mass graves.  My mom and my sister, both suffering from chronic sinusitis, are in great need of nose masks.  For now, they pray and they wait.

Many of you have been asking me about the school and Project Child children you sponsor at Riviere Froid.  We have had no word about them but promise to let you know when we do.

Praise the Lord for the 53’ tractor trailer filled with pallets of food, medical supplies, toiletries and linens that arrived at MFI (Missionary Flights International) in Fort Peirce this afternoon from the Barefoot Community Church, North Myrtle Beach, SC.  Jim Evans, Barefoots CARE pastor and former director of GMTH along with Clay Nesmith, LEAD pastor at Barefoot set things in motion as soon as they heard word of the earthquake and people from far and wide got involved donating items, money and time.  These items have been designated for Carrefour where Pastor Beril lives.

Now some of you may be wondering how will the things get to him.  That’s the part we don’t have a definite answer for and that’s where we ask you to PRAY.  (I forgot to mention that Jim and his wife Joan – who was my roommate at Lancaster Bible College and long-time friend – flew into Ft Lauderdale today and are staying with us till next Wednesday.)  Tomorrow morning we will be driving up to MFI. George and Jim will have backpack and passport in hand ready to fly stand-by.  Jim has brought with him letters from a SC senator and a US congressman asking ‘any assistance necessary’ be given to them to accomplish their mission of getting the supplies to Carrefour.  PRAY, dear friends, PRAY, and then PRAY some more that they will get on a plane tomorrow, safely arrive in Haiti and be given the escort needed to get them into Carrefour. 

This trip into Haiti will also help George to assess things to get an idea of future work and medical teams that will definitely be needed.  Bob Good, president of our GMTH board of directors asked George if I’m okay with him going.  Honestly, I really am.  When we married 33+ years ago we knew we were called to full-time Christian service and open to wherever the Lord led.  That has included Guam and Kosrae in the South Pacific, the Adirondacks in NY, the suburbs of Philadelphia and now south Florida and ministry in Haiti.  Am I concerned…..of course, but I know the True and Living God who is control of this whole situation and I rest in Him and His wisdom.

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19. January 2010 by admin.

From Nancy - Tuesday, 1/19/10

PRAISE THE LORD, PASTOR BERIL TALKED WITH GEORGE!!!!!!!

I just got off the phone with George after he talked to Pastor Beril.  Here is a summary of what he had to say-

The situation in Haiti is REALLY bad.  Nothing is open….banks….stores….transportation.  ¾ of Carrefour is destroyed.  They will not go into buildings for fear of its structural safety.  This devastation does not compare to ANYTHING Haiti has experienced in the past.  He is having an extremely difficult time reaching many folks who minister under Grace Mission to Haiti because when Digicel cell phones came in, they offered free phones and many people gave up their Voila cell phones.  Unfortunately, the Digicel system is practically non-existent right now.  Thankfully, Pastor Beril has a Voila phone so he was able to call George, although he said he’s been trying to since Thursday.

Dear friends, please PRAY.  PRAY for continued safety for Pastor Beril and his family.  PRAY for all those we love who faithfully minister the Gospel to be safe, and even during these horrific days to still see opportunities to share Christ.  PRAY for wisdom for George as he seeks avenues to get help to Pastor Beril as soon as possible.  PRAY for MFI (Missionary Flights International) as they make at least 4 trips to Haiti a day instead of their usual 3 times a week.  This side of heaven, you may not see the results of your prayers, but some day in heaven you will.  THANK YOU for caring.

Our board President also asked if I would re-send an appeal I sent out on an earlier e-mail.  Please prayerfully consider what part you may play is this need.

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19. January 2010 by admin.

Nancy writes:

Greetings PRAYING friends –

Just a few things to share with you this evening.  All this information came from my conversation with Pastor Beril’s son Adony, who lives in Pittsburgh.

As I shared the other day, I was able to put time on 2 of Beril’s phones and 1 of Ossmine’s at a local Haitian market here in West Palm.  Adony said he had a wonderful, long conversation with his sister Ossmine.  She was excited and told him that when she checked her phone at one time, all of a sudden there was all these minutes available.  She told Adony it must be some sort of humanitarian aid to the quake victims.  Adony laughed and told her it was ‘Nancy Aid’!!!! 

Adony told me the following –

·         Pastor Beril still has some water available from the cistern in his back yard.  Food is dwindling but some local ‘markets’ have some supplies and of course the black market is jacking up prices.

·         Pastor Beril’s church is OK but the 3^rd floor children’s church area was damaged and some walls are cracked.

·         He has been busy performing funerals.

·         The church in Cote de Fer was destroyed.  This is much cause for concern because Cote de Fer is not that far from Gode’, Doriol, Cupidon, Lubin, and Laval.  We had no idea the earthquake had reached THIS far out from Carrefour.

·         Also,  one of the churches on La Gonave (the island) was heavily damaged but Adony did not know which one.

PRAY, dear friends, PRAY as you never have for the hundreds of thousands of desperate Haitians.

The earthquake has had an overwhelming affect on Grace Mission churches.  The people in our church communities have been hit hard.  We will be responding quickly and will be looking to long-term recovery as we address their needs.  The needs in the Grace Mission communities will be considerable. While the large relief agencies may be able to help with some of the human needs, they do not usually fund church and school reconstruction nor are they in this for the long-term recovery.

We have established the GMTH Earthquake Recovery Fund and are requesting donations from our supporters.   Donations can be made to GMTH with the notation ERF and sent to Grace Mission to Haiti, PO Box 211025, Royal Palm Beach, FL 33421 or through JustGive here or on our website,  www.gracemissionpage.org.  

Click the link below.

We would also appreciate any appeals for this fund that can be made in your local churches.

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17. January 2010 by admin.

We just received word that the guesthouse we normally use lost it’s security wall, but seems to be okay otherwise.  Security would be an issue if we were to stay there, but perhaps by the time we will have teams going in, it might be repaired.

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17. January 2010 by admin.

What a difference 24 hours make. The Martsolfs as well as Pastor Butch Lee and the other 14 from the construction team are back home safe and sound.  George just talked with Brother Butch and he had planned to take it a bit easy today but they have been called and interviewed by newpapers, TV and radio stations. Brother Butch did share that they have lots of stories to tell and George and I can’t wait to hear them!   Through this terrible tragedy doors are being opened to share the Gospel and tell people about the work of GMTH.

We still have not heard anything from Pastor Beril but we do know he and his family are safe.  I spoke with Adony, Pastor Beril’s son who lives in Pittsburgh, and he gave me the cell numbers for Pastor Beril’s and Osmine’s cell phones and I was able to go to a local Haitian market this AM to add minutes to the phones for whenever they become usable and charged.

While at the market I had the opportunity to speak with the owner who grew up in Cape Haitian (northern Haiti).  He told me that he heard that Leogane (lay-o-gone) was severely damaged and we have a church and school not far from there in Flon so that is cause for great concern.

Please continue to pray for the following –

·         Food, water and medical supplies to be able to be dispersed to all those who need it.

·         Word from Pastor Beril about our people in the damaged areas, especially Carrefour, Riviere Froid and Flon.

·         Word about the physical damage to our churches, schools and medical/dental clinic.

I do want to share a huge PRAISE THE LORD with you.  Our church here in FL has a Haitian Church we sponsor in Belle Glade, a community about 40 miles west of West Palm.  Their pastor is Pastor Saintil and he has been here in the US for 4 years and has been working the entire time to get his wife and children here in FL to join him.  Numerous times it seemed things were moving forward and then more Haitian ‘red tape’ would happen.  I sent a post out on Facebook on Wednesday to see if any of my friends from church had heard how his family was and was overjoyed when my friend Connie responded “After 4 years of separation,  his family arrived in the US on Tues!!!! and are safe with him now.  God is right on time!”  That’s right, his family arrived here in FL from Haiti on Tuesday before the earthquake hit!!!

The earthquake has had an overwhelming affect on Grace Mission churches.  The people in our church communities have been hit hard.  We will be responding quickly and will be looking to long-term recovery as we address their needs.  The needs in the Grace Mission communities will be considerable. While the large relief agencies may be able to help with some of the human needs, they do not usually fund church and school reconstruction nor are they in this for the long-term recovery.

We have established the GMTH Earthquake Recovery Fund and are requesting donations from our supporters.   Donations can be made to GMTH with the notation ERF and sent to Grace Mission to Haiti, PO Box 211025, Royal Palm Beach, FL 33421 or through JustGive here or on our website,  www.gracemissionpage.org.  

Click the link below.

We would also appreciate any appeals for this fund that can be made in your local churches.

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