Author: GMSM

You can only praise God from whom all blessings flow. Bill and Joe finished up the benches today and they promised I could be in the group picture. After all, I did help in this project it’s just I was doing floaters between George and these two. What fantastic men these are. They love as love should love.

George and I, after all the work we put into the trusses, finally got one up and in place today. These things are beasts. They have to be to carry the load of the mission house. This will surly be a nice place. I think these 10 heavy trusses kicked our butts. The prep work that went into each one was intense.

Tomorrow is the last day for this trip and we plan to work only a half day. Our plan is to try and get two more trusses set. This project has not seen the last of me. I am sure to be back to try and help TEM get this behind them so they can carry on with the new facility. I love working closely with the Haitian bosses. Everyone doing his part for the one goal of kingdom expansion. Amen.

Done deal, we are finished with this part of the mission. We made one last trip up the mountain to tie up a few last minute things, set one more truss and say adios to our friends. One of our interpreters father-in-law got murdered yesterday. Some sort of a robbery gone wrong I think.

Once down the mountain we stopped by Harry’s church to check out some damage that happened last night due to a storm to the place where the church meets. A meager structure but fits the need at this point. A church in St. Charles, Missouri is building a new church for the congregation but so far all they have done is build the foundation and that has been finished for some time now. Do not even know what the hold up is. There seems to be continuous bummers here but the Haitians are so resilient they somehow keep bouncing back. The needs are endless, just find one and stick to it. That is why GMSM has decided to champion Harry’s house. This pastor has enough to worry about without thinking about where his family will sleep. We need every one’s help, we will also continue to help Sister Fani and her son Cado. We fly back from the real world to fantasy land tomorrow. It will be good to see Kim and the chica’s.

Kenny is in the midst of a 12 day mission to Haiti.  Please click on our blog link in the menu to see the reports and photos.

Praise God from whom all blessings flow. Today was one that rivals all the best. Harry and I went up to Crochu ( coo-she ) to visit Sister Fani and her son Cado. What a blessing it was to make this trip. A much needed trip to visit a place where the Lord has placed my heart. Harry and a little boy named Ramon and I hiked up the ravine to make the pilgrimage to the village on top of the mountain. This is where the dear Pastor Fani lived and preached. As most know he passed away late last year.

We were going up to visit the family and check on the house that GMSM funded to build. The process has been slow for reasons I am not sure. That part has been out of our hands. But construction has started and from what I can tell the structure looks very good. I love the way the Haitians build. It was so good to visit Madam Fani and Cado. She prepared a nice meal and we talked about her family, the church and needs that the family has.

Cado starts school in October so GMSM set him up for the year. It only cost $100.00 U.S. dollars to pay for books, tuition and uniforms. This family has blessed me so much and has shown me things that you don’t see in most Christians. All may not agree but no one has been in the footsteps of this family the way I have.

Paul does say in Romans 3: 23 that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. It was such a sad feeling going up the mountain towards the pastor’s old house. All the trails he used to blaze have grown over so much that we actually had a tough time getting through. When we reached the old house, it to was grown over and falling in. Things in the areas were always so vibrant and clean. The path that leads from the old house to the church was almost not passable. I guess it is time to move on with the passing of a season.

On our way back down we went the long, main trail. The valleys are beautiful. This is a tough trek even for me. I am in good shape but I am also getting a little older. Such a bummer that time waits for know one. Not even me.

Kenny/GMSM

The days are starting to mesh together like they always do down here. You can see the heat and long hours starting to wear on some of the faces of the guys. It’s hard on me to. We continued to do prep work for the trusses and build desk. Bill worked hard on the four wheeler with not much luck getting it mobile. The hope was that he would have it running so I could drive it up the mountain to visit the village up there a.k.a. Jerusalem II. Tomorrow Harry and I will hike up and back. It will make for a long and tiring day. Today I got behind the welder and started welding some of the c-channels for the roof trusses. I am expanding my territory. It was another good day and now I need a good night’s sleep. The work goes on as life in Haiti does, one day at a time. Praise God from whom all blessings flow.

Kenny/GMSM

It is so amazing how when people are of one accord working for a common goal things really do get done. Maybe that is why the institutional church struggles to find its way. Everybody moving in separate directions and not really sure where they are going. Why are things so clear when I am in a place that the world thinks is unclean and hopeless. Praise God from whom all blessings flow, the Lord gave us a great day. We finished the trusses, built six school desks and pre cut all the wood for six more desks. After tomorrow we will only lack eight more desks. There is still much work to be done on the mission house before we start setting trusses. The concrete bosses are moving a little slow, but that’s just the way it is. I think things are moving along quiet nicely if you ask me and the team is working together very well. Don’t get me wrong, it was a very physical day and I am almost spent. Haiti is a physical place anyway. We must press on to the finish line.

Kenny/GMSM

Another great day in Z’Orange. All the work is starting to come together. Joe Hutchinson and Bill Chambliss from Wright Baptist, FWB arrived last night to join in the effort in the village. They will primarily build the desks for the new school. We had a new Haitian boss and his helper come up today to help with the welding and they did a great job. It really helped George out and allowed me to float between the trusses and the desks. After tomorrow we should be able to start standing the trusses up. I will probably come back in November to continue the work. The plan is to come up by myself with a crew to hopefully finish the trusses and the metal roof installation. So please as you read this blog, pray and consider joining me. I need a handful of dedicated, hearty, adventurous men and women who are led by the Lord to go and serve in Haiti for a week. Please stay tuned to the website for details and cost as we organize this trip. Above all please pray that God will allow you to go. We should have a good day again tomorrow. I do need a good night’s sleep. That is becoming crucial. Praise God from whom all blessings flow.

Kenny/GMSM

Praise God from whom all blessings flow! Today was a fantastic day, at least from my perspective. I actually completed the trifecta that we set out to accomplish on the web site for this trip. The work at Z’ Orange will continue as always. But today I was able to get up to Peligre to see the new work that we are looking into. Also, Harry and JoJo took me to Harry’s property to show me the wall around the property that is almost complete.

Today started out as a free for all with everyone heading off in different directions. That was cool with me. I took the opportunity to venture out on my own and take full advantage of a chance that I may not have again on this trip. I contacted Pastor Harry and he hooked me up with JoJo the driver dude who has become a very good friend. We all took off to Peligre at the nudging of the Holy Spirit. I truly feel that this is something God is leading me to. Harry was excited to go because we have talked about it for a while. It was so cool to see how it all worked out. The drive was beautiful. It was about two hours plus from Port au Prince and was way up in the mountains. When we arrived in the town I was amazed at the hydro electric damn that was there. This was built in the 1950’s and was a prime power source for Port au Prince even with it being so far away. This is a very small village to hold such a monster of concrete marvel.

As we pulled into the village I had no idea of where to start looking for Matt and Fede. Matt is the guy I met 4 or 5 months ago from the States who is helping with some of the building projects at the orphanage. Fede and his wife Darlie are the young couple that runs the orphanage. We got out of the car and asked a couple of locals where we might find Fede and this old lady came up and said I am Madam Fede, he is my son and I can take you to him. WOW! Was that a God thing or not? Here we are two plus hours from anything familiar and we find our dude right off the bat. We spent a lot of time talking with both men about the work, vision and mission of the organization. I was very satisfied with what we talked about and about what came out of these young men. It was very refreshing and Harry was also very encouraged.

We will get more info about this new work that we pray God will give us discernment about and post it on the sight. We’ll pray about how He might allow us to be a part of it. Once we left the village we headed back down the mountain and went out to Harry’s property. He almost has the walls of his home complete and I am extremely burdened to help him build this house. I pray that people will hear this plea and help GMSM take a vital role in making this a reality. Harry is truly a servant of all servants, he spends so much time not only shepherding his flock in his church but also shepherding the people in his community. He, at the very least deserves a safe, stable place for his family to live in.

Today was one of the best days I have had in Haiti. Only a few other times could rival it! Next best will be if I can get up to Sister Fani’s house. I am done and exhausted, what a blessed day! Joe and Bill arrived this afternoon so I think the whip will be cracking for the rest of the week.

Kenny/GMSM

Another day in the valley with a lot of work to do and not a lot of time to complete it. This not unusual as things change by the minute. We all understand that it is God’s timing and certainly not ours, PTL. George and I continued to work on the trusses. I never knew the difficulty of welding. One thing I am starting to understand is that I need a crash course in block laying and general concrete work. That would be so helpful in Mexico also. Maybe a crash course in welding too. That seems to be the natural choice of construction in both countries. The reward of our labor far exceeds the effort that we put forth. The Haitian meals they serve us at lunch are incredible. Tomorrow is Sunday and I hope to put together a trip up to Peligre to visit my friend Matt and to check out the new work that I feel so led to be a part of. We will see. Praise God from whom all blessings flow.

Kenny

GMSM

What a day. This is the kind of day that is certainly in store for all who plan on spending time in Haiti. We spent all day in Port au Prince running errands for Chuck. It always completely wipes me out. I would rather be doing hard labor out in the field. I am less tired from a physical day of work versus the craziness of the city. And what would a day in the city be without vehicle trouble. Continue reading “Take Heart!”