Sandra is fitting in just fine.

Just as hard headed as Odessa!

She got a good report from surgeon at follow-up appointment today.

Keep praying for her life path...God is working!

Thank you!

Thanks to EVERYONE who came out to the benefit dinner and silent auction at Licking Valley High School.

It was a HUGE success!

$13,000 raised for a vehicle for me in Haiti!

Special thanks to Summer Conley who organized and coordinated everything. She did a fabulous job and I so appreciate it!

Also thanks to the ladies at Licking Valley Church of Christ.

I wasn't there (but Skyped in!) but I know so many more people helped and I definitely don't want to leave them out. Thank you so much.

Thanks to all the churches who showed up to support this event too. My supporting churches don't just send a check to me every month-they pray for me, send encouraging emails and participate in events. I know Heath Church and Utica Church were there in addition to Licking Valley.

Thanks so much!


Donations are still being accepted for the vehicle.

Checks can be sent to:
Licking Valley Church of Christ
1578 Dayton Rd
Newark, OH 43055
put "Ginny Andrews" in memo line.

A Chance at Childhood

Restavek.


What does that word mean to you?


Maybe you've heard of this Creole word. It comes from the French words "reste avec" which means "one who stays with".

Doesn't sound so bad does it?

Wikipedia defines Restavek like this: "a child in haiti who is sent by their parents to work for a host household as a domestic servant because the parents lack the resources required to support the child." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Restavec


You can read the whole article and if you're brave google "Restavek haiti" and read some of the horrific stories.

These are children. I know several of them. Some only 5 years old.


Last week I met one who is 6 years old. I flew out to a remote place in Haiti and brought a little girl who I later learned is one of these slave children.

Her story is hers. I don't feel right telling it on my blog to the world. I don't even know the full story but what I do know is enough to give me a sick feeling in my stomach. Briefly- I helped Medi-vac her to Port au Prince 2 Thursdays ago. She was admitted to a hospital and had surgery Wednesday. Released from the hospital yesterday.

She is recovering well at my house surrounded by Barbies, Dora videos and new Croc shoes.

Sandra is a Spunky, stong-willed, bright eyed little girl-who for the first time in her life is getting to be a little girl. She is no longer a slave child to a family-treated as property. No more carrying huge amounts of water, doing the family's laundry and not allowed to go to school.

How in the year 2011 does a country so close to the United States have child slavery?

I don't know but today there is one less.

And I got to witness it!

Thanks so much for your support of my ministry in Haiti. I can't report big numbers like some missions do. But I can tell you about Sandra and the difference we (you and I) have made in her life.

Who knows the plans the Lord has for her life.

Jeremiah 29:11

"I say this because I know what I am planning for you," says the Lord. "I have good plans for you, not plans to hurt you. I will give you hope and a good future."

"Mamba" AKA Peanut Butter

David's sister was making peanut butter today. I had never seen this so thought I would sit and watch-had no idea how long it takes to make peanut butter when 90% of it is being done by hand.

The process actually started last night when David's 2 sisters and mom sat together shelling peanuts. I just thought they were going to eat them so I didn't get a picture of that..but we've all seen that before.

This morning I woke up to a wonderful smell. Good smells are usually not the case in Port au Prince. Fabian, David's sister, was roasting the peanuts over charcoal fire that they shelled last night. It smelled awesome. I should make a candle out of that scent. Who am I kidding-I don't make candles OR peanut butter.

After they were roasted she rolled them in her hands to remove the thin husky part.
(don't know the technical term)

This process actually took a long time.

A lot longer than running to the grocery to buy peanut butter.

Then we were off walking through the neighborhood to get the peanuts blended together to make the peanut butter.
Fabian added about a cup of sugar and 4 small hot Haitian peppers to the peanuts before it was pulverized together.

Messy-but what a smell! There were several others there in line to get their peanuts churned. Some had honey and brown sugar to mix in. I bet that tastes great!

Finished product

I was curious to know what the cost of making peanut butter here was. Fabian made it to sell in the little shop the family has in front of the house.

She bought the peanuts for $10.50 US.
$0.50 for charcoal
$0.50 for sugar
$0.15 for peppers
$1.15 to pay to crush the peanuts
Total Cost: $12.80 US

This batch made 7 regular sized peanut butter jars. Not the large ones.

They will sell for $6.25 US a piece.

Multiplied by 7 is $43.75 US.

For a total profit of $30.95 US!

not bad...but a ton of work!

As you can see-peanut butter is very expensive here. At the American grocery store here in Port au Prince the price for a regular size jar of Jif is $12.00 US!