Church visits...and reaching the 18 year mark!

Sunday we went to visit a new church for us. A second pastor, who's church we pass along the way, heard we were going by and asked us to stop in for a few minutes to give greetings and drop off some Konsey books.

We arrived a bit later than planned as road work on Route National One, which runs from Cap Haitian to Port-au-Prince, occurs even on a Sunday.

 So we waited in an area where local lumber is placed beside the road to sell.

We made it to the Plaisance church in time for the call for visitors to stand up and be recognized.

After giving greetings we enjoyed special music from three different groups, the last group singing during offering.

Then the pastor took Cory and JeanPierre to see the construction where the church is being expanded, following which he encouraged us to take to the road so that we could arrive in time for the next service.

Boxes of Konsey books were left for the congregation.

We continued south until we arrived at the small church.

The Puilboreau, Grde Rivier Plaisanse, church stands on one side of the road and the parsonage the other. After greetings we enjoyed the service.

After service we looked over the property and then crossed the road to wait with the preacher for a bit of lunch.

He does not yet live in the parsonage as it has only been built in the last year or so.


Unfortunately, with the widening of the road, they do not yet know if the building will stand..or if the church side will lose more land.

With the exact lay of the road yet to be decided..they dare not plant trees to stop the continued erosion of the land.


After sharing some boiled plantain and yams with a chicken in sauce we headed home for Jean Pierre to work with the children's club.


Yesterday, we reviewed the district list of the northern churches.

Some of the names change now and then and some churches tend to go by the area or town more than the name.

We believe that we only have one more established church to visit, and a couple 'stations' and then we will not be 'first time visitors' again in the district until new churches are established.




Eighteen years ago we moved to LaGonave, with Eli.

This year we celebrated with Anna.


Think every area of our lives have changed: family, friends, this country, our ministry, our hopes and dreams, our faith, our scars...so many memories stir up a huge range of feelings.


One thing remains unchanged..our God, Lord, Savior, and Father.

While we don't understand many things about this life and every year may add questions...yet we trust Him.

He remains our Comfort in pain, our Leader in confusion, our Hope in waiting, our source of Love and Peace.

To Him any honor, glory, or praise sent our way during these years in Haiti, be to Him.

Bord de Mer Church

Confession..we remain embarrassed and clueless why it took us so many years to visit the Bord de Mer Wesleyan Church.

 Cory visited years ago when it was still being built and planted some acai and date palms.

But reviewing our church list last week we decided to go as our visit was years over-due and it is close by, just about 30 minutes down the road.

Anna didn't feel well over the weekend but went with us even with a slight temperature and head ache.

We enjoyed worshiping with the church folks and did a quick visit of their school.

Over 300 students attend this small school!

The sign on the outside school wall tells the children "not to learn for the test but for life"...good advice.

We totally forgot Haitian Father's Day until hearing the announcement in church on Sunday.

We celebrated Eli during the weekend as well so had some special foods like mulberry pie, taco soup, and hot fudge cake.

Today we joined Cory and the guys and visited the three garden plots across the river.

After seeing them we left the guys to work on weeding the third garden while we returned home.

Yesterday Cory handed out over 30 chaya cuttings and handouts to the large crowd waiting to see the clinic doctors.

I spoke to the group before he arrived and they listened and asked good health questions. Not every group says 'thank you' but this one did.

Cory came late due to the ambulance having trouble starting, the driver needed to borrow some tools and a gallon of gas.

Then a cow was found wandering and grazing weeds in the campus gardens so it was caught and tied up and Cory talked to the owner, who happened to be sitting across the road from the person in charge of loose cow problems.  (This person keeps lost livestock until the owner comes and pays any fines/damages that are due. We didn't ask for any damage fee since no real damage was done).

 It is reported that the offending person has let his cows damage many gardens, sometimes letting cows roam for weeks. His story was that someone untied the cow. There is always a "story" about a kid that improperly tied the animal or someone else that caused the problem.

Today only about 10 adults were waiting at clinic but another good listening group.

Easter Weekend

Friday morning we joined our church for a service of singing and the reading of the Lord's 7 sayings from the cross plus "5 minute" reflections on each quote.

Saturday morning Cory and I walked up to Gener's garden to check on the fruit trees.

Along the walk we met Brother Benjamin from our church who insisted on accompanying us up the mountain.

Two young cows tied in the garden negated Gener's telling Cory that no cows were allowed. Pictures taken and the trees checked. With the amount of gazing that had happened it was surprising that only two or three were cut off by animals and will probably recover.

I cooked some while Anna worked hard with a toothpick making very pretty Easter eggs.

Later in the day Jean Pierre asked if he and two of his daughters could join us for the missionary Sunrise service at the International school instead of meeting us at the Haitian church we planned to visit afterwards.

A quick phone call to one of the organizers confirmed that they could come and had us boiling up more eggs to bring for the breakfast which followed the service.

With the time not changing we didn't actually get to see the sun rise as it was already up as we crested the last mountain to drop into the valley, but pretty anyway.

Following a meaningful English service, tasty breakfast, and good fellowship with missionary friends we loaded back into the truck.

We figured we'd be a bit late but decided to visit the Camp Louise church even though we'd not been able to talk to the pastor about service times.

We waited to enter the church as they moved some folks to make room for us.

The pastor preached to a packed out church and was already well into his sermon.

He did introduce us before the last song, prayer and benediction.

We greeted folks and were presently surprised to see Konsey books in the hands of some of the adults as well as children.


Even with a short trip to the beach near the church we made it back home in time to greet a few of the Fauche members as church on campus had just released.

This morning, Anna headed down for volleyball practice only to learn that while the students didn't think school would be starting today some of the teachers did...so no practice and because the students did not come, no school for campus..other than Anna.

Strong sunshine and no recent rains means that Cory and the guys will be spending more and more time watering trees while we pray for rain.

The local corn, beans, and peanut gardens are starting well but need rain soon.

LaGonave and other parts of Haiti also badly need rain.

Youth Service

Yesterday we sat outside church and enjoyed the young people’s special church service that finished up a week of revival services. 

The church decorations of palm leaves, paper streamers and flowers brightened up the area and every one dressed up for the occasion. 

We not only sat outside because the church was very crowded but because the music, while good, was very loud.

The normal service contained some special music and a special guest speaker who’s sermon condensed into the equation "Read + meditate + apply [the Word] = success".

After the sermon the second part of the service started with 4-5 groups singing special music and then a special offering. 

Generally they let folks know what the offering will be used for but not this time. 

We think it will go into the general fund for youth activities.

This week could be critical in keeping Haiti calm throughout the presidential transition...please continue to pray for peace.

A small reflection:

Without a war on caterpillars there would be no hope for crocus and amaryllis flowers in the weeks to come (our crocus bloom after good rain any time of year).

So a few times a day, I began to hunt for the black, insecticide resistant, eating machines on my lilies by the walk.

In a few days I found no more...battle one done!

Then they returned and battle two started...and just when I thought I had won again, Cory pointed out a lily not along the path but standing alone amongst other flowers being consumed by caterpillars.

Once again I attacked and this time looked around for the other lilies near the stairs and front table...the battle front covered more locations than I had originally thought.

Isn’t that like life?

 We focus on one problem area or attitude and just when we’re feeling good about controlling the consuming bad ‘bugs’ in our life the Lord points out another area, or two or three that need work!

Thankfully He fights with us and for us.

He will give us strength and wisdom and help in the battle if we ask. 

And if we remain faithful, someday the flowers will bloom.


[Since I wrote this blog in the morning. This afternoon,  I weeded some by Cory's plant/tree nursery only to find on a clump of huge, waist-high spider lilies a whole new group of caterpillars. I will not be able to reach most of these therefore they win at this site...sigh.]

Port Margot Church visit

Cooler nights this weekend with over 3 inches of rain on Friday night helped us to sleep better, and the plants and trees are already looking healthier.

The riverbed that dried to nothing in spots this summer again carries water for washing, bathing, and watering animals.

Studies, office work, and house work occupied our time on Saturday.

We had talked about taking our visitors to the beach, but due to the heavy rains decided to postpone.

Sunday we went to church down the road to Port Margot where we enjoyed hearing Pastor Wes preach after he, Susie and Met. Alert [their Creole teacher] sing special music.

Always interesting when you know both languages to hear someone talk using a translator. We heard two different messages on Sunday, that overlapped maybe 60%. Both were good.

We also enjoyed two choirs singing, seeing two babies dedicated, and best of all 21 people who will be baptized next week in the Port Margot church.

I plan to have Cory blog this week about the new garden land purchased in the name of the church this week. This will be a good location for some of Cory's 700 peach palms still waiting for planting.

Anna's schooling is settling down into a routine and this week she will add two hours of French tutoring. We decided that I'm slowing her up so for now I'll focus on Rosetta Stone.

Presidential Elections should occur on Sunday. Elections in Haiti tend to stir up protests and violence so praying for peace.

Back Home

Now for a couple of weeks of 'normal' routine'.......unless the long-awaited adoption referral came which would likely mean a fast trip to Port-au-Prince to the Embassy.

Our school year continues to feel very chopped up and piece-meal but by today's count, only 30 school days remain in our year. If the two-week bonding trip occurs before we leave mid-June for the USA, we will have just enough time to finish up school.

After a week of driving and translating Cory's looking forward to garden / planting time.

After teams, we collect the clothes they leave behind and give them to different pastors, churches or the clinic to share. I sent down a few medical supplies as well as towels and sheets to the clinic as well.

Spring cleaning time right! Working our way through Eli's stuff so that he can send some items back out with Aunt Lori in April after their visit.

We enjoyed visiting Cite Chauvel and seeing the progress on the church yesterday.

Today: school, office, Cory did a garden visit, two loads of laundry, a bit of cleaning and cooking.  

Cory also spent way to much time dealing with a mother goat and her babies that were found eating in the garden by the clinic near newly planted peach palms. The same family's goats caused damage several times in the past (and much damage to neighborhood gardens) so they have been warned many times. After much discussion they paid the fee Cory required but one of the baby goats apparently escaped form the shed they were locked in. The owners wanted payment for the baby goat but the sun had set so the local official was called and he said to look for it in the morning.

Team Sunday. Visit to Pisgah Wesleyan Church

 Sunday:  Today we had a time change and had mixed reports whether we (Haiti) would actually change.

 They did and we were late for church.  

[Not really as they were just starting announcements when we pulled in and we made it to church following the children's church part in time for praise and offering. Kris]

We went to a remote area across the river and over quite rocky roads to get there.  

We did our puppet presentation of Daniel & the lions den, for children’s church. 

There were approx. 200 children squeezed into the room.  

After presenting the puppet skit, we all went in adult church where they had chairs set up for us in the center isle.  

We were called up front to be introduced by Dr. Kris.  

Anna, Dr. Kris, and Cory translated the service for each of us. 

They did play a couple of songs in English.  

The church was overflowing with people and it was a very good service.  

Then back over the rocky roads and through the river.

Breakfast was, hard boiled eggs, casava bread, oatmeal and Haitian hot chocolate.

Lunch was rice and chicken casserole, banana bread, etc. with peanut pie for desert. 

Supper will be chicken pot pie, rice with red sauce, tomatoes,  etc.  

Everything has been very good so far.

 Lots of jams, sauces, breads and Haitian peanut butter.

Right now there are Haitian ladies singing in the gazebo, it is beautiful!

This afternoon some of the Team went to Kids Club, about 200 kids. 

 Lots of energy!  All had a great time.

The weather has been great.  The Lord has been blessing our VBS.

 Each time we have had more kids.  We usually do one puppet skit at two different places. 

 Each time we hand out scriptures to the kids and of course stickers to the kids. 

The youth pastor goes over the lesson several times and they repeat the scriptures a lot.  

We also have fun singing action songs (Father Abraham, Head & Shoulders Knees & Toes) And other songs they know.

Praise the Lord for He is Good to US!

(written tonight by Cathy Bentley)

Looking back and forward..

A week containing lots of looking back and remembering.

Nice looking cow but......

September 11: My maternal Grandfather's birthday [he would have been 99], the 8th anniversary of his heavenly home going, the memories of 9-11 and the biggest one for Cory, Eli and I was moving to LaGonave 16 years ago. Anna celebrated with us even though it was before her time.

September 13: Remembering my maternal Grandmother's heavenly home going two years ago.

Tomorrow September 15th: My Dad's birthday as well as my folks anniversary!

she likes to eat and damage bread fruit trees. 

Reviewing lessons learned with Dr. Bob and Marcia about missions, living in Haiti, life. We continue to enjoy their visit while they work on their Creole.

They tried boiled and salted oil palm fruits, bread nuts and avocado smoothies this week.

If all goes according to plan 'A' the mission driver will arrive from Port-au-Prince on Friday so that they can get an early start on the road, Saturday morning.

The above cow damaged about 8 of the small breadfruit trees in the garden that Cory uses for cuttings for the nursery, snapping one off totally!

Her owner after much talk about the 'accident' (and multiple past livestock offenses, this time it appears someone chased the very tame cow to force it through the garden fencerow) did send money to pay for the broken tree as Cory requested.

Excited to learn about 4 adoption referrals that occurred last week while we continue to pray for movement for the families in the different stages of the process.

Visited the Nazareth Wesleyan Church this morning with our guests.

After service one of the leaders came to talk to me about a young girl.

The church took up a special offering to get her  some medical testing which occurred last week.

She's 12 years old and has a heart condition as they preformed an ECHO cardiogram.

Still waiting for the test results and to learn about treatment options.

Please pray..not sure how to spell it but her name sounds like Edling.

 This week: school, working on the book, Cory to Cap Haitian on Tuesday for cargo and shopping, he will bring Dr. Bob and Marcia to Milo to visit the Citidel and palace while he shops and pick them up later.

Women's Week.

A few hundred women share campus with us this week as they attend the northern women's district conference.

Yesterday we invited the ladies on either the national or district committees over for a time of fellowship. Five ladies joined us for cookies, bananas and passion fruit juice.

Sorry, I forgot to take pictures. One of the ladies we know from our time on LaGonave. Nice to hear her say how she sees the Lord using us in the north after being upset when we left LaGonave.

She also reported that in her village up in the mountains of LaGonave they have a fruiting star fruit tree that Cory had sent up years ago! YES.

With the tree producing fruit the people will have a local source of seeds for additional trees. If they could produce enough fruit they would be able to find a market for the starfruit on LaGonave.

One of their prayer requests is that the Fauche church can be completed so that more ladies can come next year [the current meeting place of the church will be a dorm that can house visitors.]

Yesterday morning for breakfast we shared a couple buckets of bananas and a large bowl of jackfruit. Anna and Cory prepared the jackfruit Tuesday night.

 The ladies shared with us a nice piece of fresh beef at the start of conference.

Before the ladies leave they will be give the chance to take a jackfruit seed if they wish and if they know of a goat free area to plant it.

Tuesday after supper Cory drove to Limbée to pick up the ladies coming from LaGonave and Port-au-Prince.

Surprisingly with a current gasoline shortage we've enjoyed government electricity more than normal this week. With church services continuing late into the night and starting before 5 a.m. the additional power is greatly appreciated.

During conferences Cory helps to keep the guests supplied with water and electricity in addition to sharing fruit.

Eli and Anna are adjusting to our new school subjects. While not much different than last years the start of a year gives them a chance to start new habits and develop new skills.

Sunday with the Team

As of Saturday my Christmas decorations now rest again in boxes, up under the roof.

The reason we celebrate Christmas late is so we can celebrate with family!

This year makes 16 years in a row of visits in the winter and one year they also came in November.

Thanks Dad for missing all those Superbowl games for family time and memories!

This morning a Pastor called us before 7 a.m. to confirm we planned to visit his church this morning.

After breakfast we loaded up in the truck and headed West to visit the Galilee church.

Arriving a bit early we passed the church a bit to turn around the truck at the base of the mountain which worried the Pastor who called to make sure we did not pass the church on accident.

Thankfully they saved a few benches for us as the small church filled up during Sunday school.

 Due to a building project service occurred under tarps in a temporary shelter.

The praise music swelled majestically with one man up front helping the children enthusiastically clap and worship.

A few cups of water pouring down his back from the wind blown roof tarp did not cause him to miss one beat.


The message consisted on remembering that God is faithful, our eternal friend who will carry the burdens of our lives when we give them to Him and remember His promises during the hard times.

Dad liked the super music, full church and short but meaningful sermon.

Mom thought the service was both inspiring and convicting.

Anna: Enjoyed watching the man sing so enthusiastically [he's pictured in the men's singing group on the far left].

He works with the children, Haiti's future leaders.

Returning home we enjoyed a  tastily lunch of leftovers, a bit of rest and then everyone but Eli headed to a village down the river to see if they could locate a dental team who fly in with our team.


Pastor Emmanuel also made the journey today visiting his church for the first time since his surgery last year.

The team finished up their work on Friday but we walked around the Catholic campus and then returned home.

Will fellowship and rest up for next week's events.

New Week..New Conference

This week the women from the northern district of the Wesleyan Church of Haiti will met on campus.

Sunday's Special Music

I personally do not know how they do it. Most will sleep on thin mats on the floor of classrooms, the few hours they have to sleep.

They were singing well past 10 p.m. last night and singing before the sun rose over the mountains.

Main meetings will start today with additional women arriving from around the district.

We enjoyed the Sunday service that closed the District's Leadership Conference. Good singing, good message and good fellowship.


In three weeks we will heading to the airport to fly north to the USA.

 Eli and Anna study hard each day to complete the last 4 weeks of school in the next 14 days.

The dragon fruit arbor project continues with the curing of the first pillar and the second pillar poured yesterday.

Lemon grass divided up to share starts and the ladies can enjoy some tea.