Answer to prayer for the Schmidts

Well, I know that I promised an explanation for some allusions I've made in the recent past, but haven't been able to get around to giving them until just now.

The Schmidts have had an answer to one of their biggest prayers.  The Haitian pastor that they are getting to know, Pastor Antoine Dieujuste (Just God) , is that answer.  As you know, they want this orphanage to eventually become a Haitian work, and not necessarily dependent on Americans for everything.  To do this, they needed to work with a good Haitian church, have a good Haitian director, and obtain good, reliable Haitian helpers.  Through some missionary friends whom they know well and have a very high opinion of, they learned of Pastor Antoine.  He was one of the first graduates from the school and seminary that the Schmidts friends helped to run, and lived only about ten miles away from them.  Mr. Schmidt contacted him, and set up a meeting with him, with the primary goal of obtaining reliable help- perhaps from the pastor's own congregation.  When he returned, he was impressed and encouraged by Pastor Dieujuste.  He thought that they would certainly be able to get helpers from him.  Well, unbeknownst to the Schmidts, Pastor Antoine started researching them, contacting the same missionaries that had referred them to him.  What he heard was good, and he became very excited about helping them.  He had already been glad to, but now he wanted to work very closely with them.  When he visited Shiloh Children's Home and had a meeting with Mr. & Mrs. Schmidt, it was becoming obvious that a deeper relationship could be developing than simply finding good matons (ladies to care for the children).  At that meeting, he suggested that the orphanage be moved closer to him- right into the same village, Pierre Payen.  Things have continued progressing, and now it looks like SCH (Shiloh Children's Home) will indeed move, and the Schmidts will teach at Pastor Dieujuste's school, and help him.  He is already providing a home to thirty children, and there are a number of other people living on the same property.
     It seems that the Lord has really brought them in contact with this pastor, and they are very like- minded.  They have the same vision and goals for helping the people of Haiti.  In order to be a registered orphanage with the Haitian government, they must have a Haitian director.  It looks like Pastor Antoine will be that director.  Needless to say, they are excited at the prospect of working with him, his family, and his church, training them to care for handicapped children, and eventually handing the orphanage over to them entirely.  Thank you for all your prayers about this, and for the Schmidts.  Please continue to pray that God will give them strength for the task he has set before them.

Home again!

Well, I'm finally home again.  The plane ride went well, and I got through security and customs just fine.  It is so good to be back.  It feels like I've been gone a year.  Everything is older and, in many cases, much bigger than when I left.  Those little eight week old pullets are now half- grown chickens, the calf is a lot bigger, and Russel seems to have about doubled his size.  I and my family are very thankful and happy that I'm home again.
     I am glad that I went to Haiti.  I saw the conditions first hand that so many people worldwide live in, and this has made me even more thankful that I live in America.  Not only because of the comforts, and ready availability of the necessities of life, but also because life here is far more stable than there.  Although we sometimes may find the multitude of laws here to be oppressive, it is a blessing to have many of them.  Like traffic laws.  While I was there I didn't see a single speed limit sign, only about four stop lights, and if people here drove the way they do there, everyone would be in jail for reckless driving.  Also, the Schmidts had difficulties planning for teams, because of the elections, and potential violence that could ensue over them.  So, an increased thankfulness for the privilege of living in America is one benefit I derived from my trip. 
     I will be staying in touch with the Schmidts, and will continue to post on here about them from time to time.  From now on though, this blog will probably be about home life- our activities, joys, sorrows, etc... 

     If you wish to support the Schmidts or sponsor one of the children* you can go to the Haiti section of the Harvest International website.  This is the ministry that they are affiliated with, and on the site you can see some more basic info about them, read Mr. and Mrs. Schmidt's testimonies, and make a donation if you wish.


Also, for more info and continuing news about the Schmidts, here is JoHannah's blog

     Thank you for all your prayers and encouragement.  Please continue to pray for the Schmidts as they serve the Lord there in Haiti.

*Note:  Betty cannot be sponsored because she is actually from a different orphanage- the Schmidts are just taking care of her for them, sort of like a foster home.  She is in the process of being adopted.

Day around the house, going home!!!!!!!

Well, the news connected to the last part of the title comes first- there is now a date fixed for my return, and my plane ticket is bought.  I'll be flying into Ft. Lauderdale on Sunday the 20th.  I'm excited to be going back to my family.  I didn't realize how much I missed them until we started talking about my returning soon.  The Lord really confirmed to us that eight weeks was as long as I should stay away Fifrom my family.  It's going to be that length of time to the day since I last saw them when I fly back in.  The Lord is good.  I am very glad that I came here, and witnessed, and to some degree, experienced, life in the poorest country in the Western hemisphere.  It has put things into perspective for me, and I've gotten to know the Schmidts, had the blessing and responsibility of caring for handicapped children, and been forced to think and act for myself a bit more than I have done in the past.  Perhaps someday I will come back.  I hope so, but don't know what the Lord has in store for me yet.

     On a different note... Mr. Schmidt was in Gonaives again today because of the container.  Today they did the "verification".  This is pulling everything out of it to make sure it's loaded with what the packing list (or whatever it's called) says that it is.  Please keep praying that they will be able to get this thing out of customs without having to pay too much money, or have too much stuff stolen out of it- especially the generator and tools.
While he was gone, Mrs. Schmidt and I fried plantains.  Here's the step-by-step process:

Fried Plantains

1.  Get your plantains.  

These are tough, green cooking bananas, with a texture and taste like a potato.  

In Haiti, this could be as simple as cutting

them off the trees right out your back door, or you could buy them 

off the side of the road.  Pastor Antoine's wife gave us ours.

2.  Peel the plantains.

Easier said than done.  They have tough skins, so you have to score them with a knife,

 and then pull them off.  After the first few you get into a sort of pattern though. 

3.  Slice.
 Slice each peeled plantain into a bowl of saltwater.  Slice at a sharp angle, apparently, the sharper the better.
I didn't really do these angled enough.

4.  Fry.
Fill a pot with several inches of peanut oil, and when it is hot enough (sizzles and kicks up a fuss  over a drop of water)
carefully, using a slotted spoon, fish the plantain slices out of the saltwater and into the oil.

5. Mash

Let them cook for about five minutes, then pull them out and mash them.

Mrs. Schmidt has a special plantain masher- two pieces wood joined by

a leathern hinge in the middle.

6.  Cook again.

Put the mashed plantains back in the pot and fry for another five minutes or so,

then pull out, place on a plate covered in paper towels,

and salt.  Enjoy!

I hope that you all enjoy reading about the little things in our lives as well as the big ones.  There should be some news soon on here about a major answer to prayer.  In a word, it appears that the Schmidts may have their Haitian director, pastor, school, helpers, and location.  More coming later...

Here is the other part of that video I mentioned... I had to get offline before it finished uploading, so that's why I'm posting it now.

These some short videos I took at the Haitian church we attended this past Lord's day.  The quality isn't the best because I was trying not to be too obvious with my camera.  The pastor is the man playing the accordion.  We are very excited to have met this gentleman, as he is very eager to help with the orphanage, and can get them the helpers they need.  More coming on this later... Thought that you all might find these videos interesting, and once more, thank you so much for all the prayers and encouraging comments.

Another day at the beach...

We spent a couple of hours today at a very nice beach with Mr. Sam.  He called Mr. Schmidt this morning and invited us.  It was a little bit difficult to access, but was worth it.  Once more, the locals seemed to think that we were some type of traveling show for their especial benefit- they hung around and watched us and asked questions the whole time we were there.  Here are some photos.

The locals made themselves right at home with us...

These children were chasing and killing crabs.  I'm not sure why, it didn't look like they were doing anything with them.

It was funny watching them throughout the day though.