Bon jou (good morning in Creole), or Bon swa (good afternoon in Creole)
What a week this has been !! We started a program recently of replacing many of the tents in the tent city next to our church. Many of them have been there over a year and are in really bad shape. We asked John, the main tent city leader, to make a list of the worst tents, and especially those with women and small children. Last Tuesday morning we started by setting up a tent for a lady with two kids who's tent had been completely destroyed in a bad storm and she was living next door in another family's tent. We erected two tents that day and Wednesday morning went to set up a third. As the team was installing the first tent, I was standing off to the side talking (through my interpreter) to Carmel, one of the ladies there we've become friends with. We've talked with her many times over the last four months - and even a little bit last year. During my conversation, I explained to her that the reason we were there was because Jesus loved her. Tears welled up in her eyes and told me she'd been thinking about Jesus for a while but didn't "know Him yet" (as she put it). I asked if she would like to know Jesus right now and glanced at my interpreter to make sure he was following. When I turned back to Carmel she had dropped to her knees in the dirt and begun to cry. My interpreter and I looked at each other again and then we both knelt down beside her and led her to Jesus. What a great experience for her (and for me !). As we all stood back up Carmel was beaming from ear to ear. Eventually we went back to work, but just fifteen minutes later another man came up to me and simply said he wanted to know Jesus also and could we pray for him too ! We again knelt down in the dirt right where we stood (in the midst of ten other people - both team members and tent city dwellers) and led him to the Lord in the midst of the chaos ! What a day !!!!!!!!!!! Later, as I reflected on the experience, I realized how easy it is to bring people closer to God by simply showing them His love. We look for opportunities to help the Haitians in compassion relief (like we were doing last year after the earthquake and continue to do this year), but we are also looking for places to be involved long term, where we can develop relationships and show them God's love over time. It's "harvest time" in Haiti - sixteen months after the earthquake, with the cholera and the horrible living conditions in the midst of so much devastation. Seeds of God's love were planted in the lives of millions of Haitian people as the world came to their aid and those seeds are "growing" quickly. Hopefully, as we work with the Haitians to improve their living conditions, we will also be part of the "harvest of souls" for many years to come.
The new church building is coming along great. Yesterday the team finished the roof and we are now closing in the siding on the ends. If all goes well, we could be worshipping in the new building in two or three more weeks. No doors or windows yet (we still have to order those), but who needs them ?! We worship now in a "shed" with tarps for sides !!
So much more to share - even from just this past week ! But we'll save that for next time !
Love to all
Mark
This is Carmel. A new sister in the Lord as well as a wonderful friend !! Carmel's husband was killed in the earthquake. 
On my right is Jackie, one of our translators, and on the left is Junior - a new brother in the Lord who gave his heart to Jesus while we were setting up his replacement tent in the tent city next to our church. 
Praying for Keke and her children. We just completed setting up a new tent for her family. 
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