An ironic thing just happened.

I posted a picture of Job's house on Facebook and put the information for anyone wanting to donate funds to help them rebuild their house.

As soon as it posted a post from one of my high school classmates popped up of her new house they are building in the states. A very nice house at that.

So I see Job's family's shack...and then Sally Smith's 3000 square foot dreamy cape cod.

Sometimes I have to shake my head and wonder why God has allowed such a gap between the rich and poor in the world.

Don't get me wrong...I am happy for those who are blessed with material possessions and money...so please don't take this as a plea for donations or as preaching to people as to what they should and shouldn't be doing with their money. This post really isn't about that.

I am starting to think this post might land me in a heap of trouble...

I am not a bible scholar or a preacher, nor have I even been to bible college. It just doesn't make sense in my head. It doesn't make sense so I ask God, "Why?"

When I read the bible verse written specifically on the poor the answer I get is, "What are you doing about it? I blessed you with material possessions, an education, and opportunities. What are you doing with the blessings I gave you?"

Luke 3:11 (NCV)

"John answered, If you have two shirts, share with the person who does not have one. If you have food, share that also."

Proverbs 19:17 (NCV)

"Being kind to the poor is like lending to the Lord;

he will reward you for what you have done."

See previous post for information in helping Jobs family rebuild their house.

Donations can be sent to:

Licking Valley Church of Christ
1578 Dayton Rd
Newark, OH 43055
Put "Invest Hope- house project" in the memo

Opportunity for Investment

Those of you that have read this blog for the past few years might remember Job. The little boy in Peredo whose family's house burnt down almost 2 years ago. His school clothes and books burned up in the fire so we were looking for someone to help replace them. Several people wanted to help but the first responder won ;)

Job's mother is in Invest Hope's microloan program and is struggling to make her small loan payments. So a couple months ago I visited them in the house they are now living in to talk to her about things.

Their living conditions are bad. I know, I know...lots of people don't have acceptable living conditions in Haiti. But this is bad.

Even for Haiti.

Not to hit you with a big sob story to pull at your heart strings...but this family is living in conditions not fit for a dog. Job has an older brother who is about 10 years old and he has been sick with pneumonia numerous times since they built this shack. It leaks in multiple places when it rains and does not keep mice and other critters out.

Job's mother in front of their current house

We contacted a couple large humanitarian organizations here in Haiti, but because Job's family aren't earthquake victims, they can not help them at this time.

So we are seeing what one small organization (Invest Hope) can do to help Job and his family.

That being said...hint hint...we are SMALL. And we need your help. 

Invest Hope is designed on the principle of helping Haitians help themselves. Teaching them responsibility and self-respect. We also are a Christian organization wants to help out our brothers and sisters in Christ when they are in need.

That being said we are raising money to begin working on their house. They own the piece of land and the father and extended family are going to work on building the house. We would like to hire a Haitian lay contractor to be in charge of the project. We will buy materails and transport them to the site. They live at the top of a mountain so the familiy will be responsible for rallying help to get the supplies to the top (this will be no easy task!) and providing labor for building the house. The contractor will oversee the project on a daily basis to make sure it is being built correctly. Job's father was a mason worker before his tools burnt up in the fire, so he will be a great help to building his own house.

(Invest Hope Board members Jw and Mark visit Job's house in December)

The goal to raise for this project is $1500. If you are interested in donating or have questions about this project, please email me at ginnyandrews@hotmail.com/

Help us to help this family get back on their feet. They were victims of a house fire who where both parents had jobs and the children were in school. They were struggling but making do.

We have a chance to invest in this family and encourage them and help provide them with the basic need of shelter.

Will you invest in Job's family?

Here are some more pictures of Odessa and I at His Home for Children working with the special needs kids on therapy.

Odessa was on Spring break and I took her with me to go play with the kids outside while I worked inside. She surprised me though...she wanted to see what was going on inside. It was a great earning opportunity for Odessa because she has never really been around handicapped children. 

 At first she was a little stand-offish.

But in no time this tone deaf mother-daughter duo was singing to the kids...

...but they didn't seem to mind :)

One great example

About a month ago I transported a sick child to the states.

While we were there I think we met an angel.

Have you ever met someone who instantly you felt was on a higher spiritual plane than you? Well that was Dave. I got a message that nurse was picking us up at the airport and that his name was Dave and he would be wearing blue scrubs. That was it. Sure enough when we came out of customs, there he was.

Normal looking, middle aged guy in scrubs.

We went out to the parking area and got in his car. It was a late (late) model something like a Toyota Corolla (it was dark outside).

We get in and I notice that the drivers side door handle has fallen off and is replaced with a pair of pliers to open the door. Totally looked like something my dad would do.

He started chatting with me which was difficult to hear from the back seat as the muffler was...well I don't think there was one anymore.

I quickly found out that Dave was an ordinary man who God was using to do extraordinary things.

He told me that he owned an apartment complex and several years ao he asked God to use it how he wanted. Bascially gave it to the Lord. Today, some of the apartments are used for a Christian residential drug rehab program. It is a ministry he runs in his spare time and has other Christian men that serve with him.

He also has started a church on the beach. South Beach. I thought...nice-a ministry to vacationers and those who live on the beach! But no...he seeks out the homeless, addicts and needy. He told me a story of a demon possessed man he met there and how he stood up to the demon using the name of the Lord. Now now...don't close your browser. I haven't lost my mind. And I don't believe this man has either.

He took us to his family's home and there were other people there eating dinner. He introduced me to a lady and I asked how they were related and she said they weren't. That her and her husbnad were homeless living on the streets of Miami and Dave was helping them get on their feet and living in a small rental house beside his house. I about fell over. Not only were they living rent free next door...they were eating dinner and helping themselves to drinks in the fridge.

The little boy I was transporting, was starting to get sicker so we took him to Miami Children's Hospital and were there all night. Dave, who had picked us up at the airport AFTER his 12 hour shift, stayed all night in the ER with us and then drove us back to the airport at 6am.

Then about 3 am he started witnessing to the nurse who was assigned to us. He did it in a very tactful way and invited her to church on the beach. He pulled cards out of his pocket and wrote his phone number on it for her. She said she would try to come to church one Sunday.

This guy seriously made me rethink on what level am I serving God. God asks us for everything.

Our lives. Our homes. Our spare time. The food in our kitchens. Our vehicles. Our energy.

I wish you could meet Dave.

I wish you could take a ride in his car with pliers for door handles and discuss modern day demons over the muffler.

I wish you could walk through his house and see the example of how he loves his neighbor as himself.

I don't know if Dave is an angel. But he is one of the best Christian examples of servanthood I have ever seen.

What would people say about your example?

Mission Job Opportunities

I have mixed feelings about moving back to Jacmel in June.

One the one hand I will be out of crowded Port au Prince and back serving the rural poor of Haiti.

But on the other hand I am leaving the families I have been working with for medical visas with Angel Missions Haiti. Leaving a mission who really operates with a servant, sacrificial heart. It will not be easy to leave the family of Angel Missions. It is so nice to leave a job on good terms and with everyone supportive of the other's ministry. Invest Hope will gladly continue to partner with Angel Missions.

Angel Missions Haiti has two job openings here in Haiti.

The first is the current job I have now:

Medical Visa Director Job Description

Angel Missions Haiti (AMH) is a Christian non-profit mission whose headquarters is in Port au Prince, Haiti.

AMH is currently looking for a Registered Nurse or a Licensed Practical Nurse for the position of Medical Visa Director.

Anticipated Personal Characteristics:

·         Christian belief system

·         Able to work independently in an environment which can be stressful at times

·         Ability to manage a small Haitian staff

·         Must have good interpersonal skills, as you will work closely with families of very ill children

·         Computer skills preferred, but can train

·         Able to collaborate with other missions and organizations in Haiti

·         Organizational skills

Compensation:

·         Room and some board provided in Port au Prince, Haiti

·         Emergency evacuation insurance

·         Reimbursement for transportation in country

This position requires the applicant to raise their own support for salary.

If you would like more information please contact me, or feel free to submit your resume to me:

Vanessa Carpenter at Angelmissions@hotmail.com

The other job is a new position as a preschool teacher in a newly started mission school out in the country. 

Preschool Teacher Job Description

Angel Missions Haiti (AMH) is a Christian non-profit mission whose headquarters is in Port au Prince, Haiti.

AMH has an exciting opportunity for service in a Christian mission at their mission site in Jolivert, Haiti. We are currently seeking an individual to help start and teach at our preschool in the village of Jolivert, south of Port de Paix. This remote village does not yet have a school and this is a great opportunity to provide Christian education to the Haitian children who live there.   

The school with be taught in English and Haitian Creole.

The first school year will begin in Fall, 2012 with one preschool class. There will be a Haitian teacher and aide in the class.

Anticipated Personal Characteristics:

·         Christian belief system

·         Able to work in a remote environment

·         Good organizational skills

·         Experience working with pre-school age children

Compensation:

·         Room and some board provided.

·         Emergency evacuation insurance provided.

This position requires the applicant to raise their own support for salary.

If you would like more information please contact me, or feel free to submit your resume to me:

Vanessa Carpenter at Angelmissions@hotmail.com

Free books!

I saw a post on Facebook today about a free ebook offer. Thought it was way too good to be true but the person who posted confirmed it and soo tried it and it worked!

You can get "Crazy Love" ,"Forgotten God" and "Erasing Hell" free on Kindle and a variety of other ereader programs.

Go to http://www.dccebooks.com/ or click on the titles above to go directly there.

I don't know how long the offer is good for. Maybe just today...so hurry!

Happy Easter!

 Andrerose is a 36 year old woman, who, with the help of her extended family, started selling goods in front of her house some months ago. The little market is going well but she needed more money to buy start up materials. She came to us at Invest Hope and asked to borrow money to buy a sack of sugar. This is coffee season in Haiti and Haitians drink their coffee SWEEEEEET! With her neighbors selling coffee beans, Andrerose sees the business opportunity in selling sugar to the people who pass buy with their newly bought coffee beans. We at Invest Hope get soooo excited when we see this type of business thinking. Anderose did not finish school and the little education she did have did not teach her business principles such as this. We tried to get her to borrow more money for other start up at her mini-market. She refused-saying she did not want to be embarrassed if she couldn't repay. We encouraged her to take this small loan and when she paid it back we would loan to her again. She liked this plan and promised not to let us down!

That was in October. Anderose successfully paid back her loan in full with no late payments! She is currently on her 2nd loan cycle.

I have tried and tried to upload her picture but it is not working today...will try again later.

Please continue to pray for Invest Hope and the Haitians were are trying to help. I am finding out that "investing" in someone is a lot more involved than giving handouts. Hopefully this will be more effective in giving people the tools they need to take care of their own families.