Merry Christmas and Happy New Year
We want to take this time to wish our many friends and family a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. This is the first time since our marriage in 1987 that I did not get a Christmas card sent out, but our hearts and minds were with you all as we celebrated the birth of our Lord and Savior here in warm Haiti. Our prayer is that you have had a memorable time with family and friends, and as 2006 wanes and a New Year comes into view, may His presence in your life become sweeter, and His peace, joy, love and direction guide you as we face uncertain times ahead. He is greater than anything or any problem we may face. Praise Him for His faithfulness. Thanks to all who sent us cards with Christmas and New Year wishes. They meant so much to us while we are away from our families. Since mail has been slow over the holidays, we'll be enjoying Christmas cards for the next few weeks as they come to us.

Sak Pase: What’s Been Happening with Us??
In December we helped host the last team for 2006. Jan of course was very involved with helping Ron plan for the construction of the roofs of 3 schools out on an island, which is about a 2 1/2 hour boat ride from the wharf in Les Cayes. The girls and I helped Linnea get the sheets, pillows, and water jugs around for the team. Tess and Alisha were active helping Linnea gather all the supplies needed to build the school benches, which is a job for ladies who come down on the work teams. It is a busy week for all as we prepare for a team to arrive. Arrival days are on Fridays and the team heads to the job early Saturday morning. This team was from Bluffton and they brought some new faces and several veterans. Tess accompanied the team this time, since there were 2 younger ladies on the team. She had a wonderful experience.

A few days before this team arrived, when enjoyed the company of Chad and Pam Huber from Francesville Church. It was wonderful to fellowship with them and show them our "corner" of the world. They have felt led of the Lord to pursue working in Haiti. They are trusting the Lord to lead and to guide.

Chad and Pam enjoying some Haitian food with us!

After the team left, we returned to trying to get things settled in our home, and the continuation of our porch project. We were thankful to get the porch floor poured one afternoon, and the roof put on one Saturday. The area has really made a nice addition to our home, and we are enjoying it immensely. It is so much cooler than in our "concrete house". We enjoy eating our meals out here too. The iron work for the security around the porch has begun, but it will take several weeks until completed.

The "almost" finished porch project

  The girls and I worked a couple of afternoons wallpapering one wall of the kitchen. It was badly needed, as about every seam of the old paper was peeling up. A team member from Bluffton stayed an extra week and was able to spend a day here building a counter top for us to put in the kitchen. It will be a wonderful addition.
  Creole Lessons are once again a part of our daily routine. We’ve worked through some of the exercises we’ve learned at PILAT, and we are back into our Creole textbook with our regular teacher. Jan’s been working hard memorizing words from daily lessons and words he wants to know. It is a slow learning process with encouraging and discouraging moments!
  The weather is becoming very nice, especially in the morning and evenings. We still use the fans in the house during the day, but the humidity seems to be gone and with the breeze, we often feel pleasant.
  Christmas Eve was spent with fellow missionary families, with the reading of the Christmas story, and Christmas carols with a guitar. Of course there were plenty of “sweets” to go along, and even hot spiced apple cider. No snow though! Christmas day began early as we headed to the Simone Orphanage to deliver blankets made by ladies from the Valpo Church, and school supplies donated from a dear Sister in Francesville. The children were thrilled to get a gift, since in Haiti gift giving at Christmas is not a common thing. Occasionally a load of canned turkey comes on a sea container. In the past some of this food has been shared with the children at the orphanage. The head ladies asked for some to help make their day special. We were thankful that there were extra cans in storage to give them. The children then sang us some carols in Creole and English. It was a wonderful way to remember the true meaning of what Christ did for us. We then had some family time and met again with other missionaries for a dinner with all the fixings!

The Children at Simone Orphange, thankful for a few new things.

Derek enjoys displaying gifts from his grandma

Singing and Praying before the Christmas dinner with Fellow Missionaries

What’s Ahead?
We are soon into the team season. Jan 5^th brings a team from Ohio and Illinois. Linnea Shick felt led to stay home for several weeks to help with her mother who is recovering from back surgery. Pray for us as we work without her, preparing for and taking care of the 2 teams who will come. It also looks like we will be unloading 2 sea containers, which is always a big job! At home, we will continue with the school routine and daily life. I am very glad for our house help. Sometimes I wonder how I do it in the states without them. .

In closing, again we thank each of you who remember us in your prayers. We truly miss our families and our church family, but we are thankful for the fellowship that the team season brings. We continue to ask for prayer as we learn to live in a culture where people think very differently. Much wisdom is needed daily as we meet and greet and have dealings with the Haitian people. Humility and love are the keys. Christ’s example will never be out of date. What an awesome, powerful God we serve!!

Be still, and know that I am God(Psalms 46:10)