Hello everyone.

Just a quick update to let you know how things are going and to also ask you for continued prayers.

We still do not have gasoline! Great huh? Apparently the gasoline truck is stuck in Port, waiting to be totally filled up, at least that is what the current story is. Each day when we talk to the guy that works at the only station that has regular gasoline, he says that it hasn't left Port yet, well actually he keeps saying that it will come in a few days...he's been saying that since last week! So, we have no idea when the gasoline will actually arrive.

We managed to buy 5 gallons at twice the price last week, but not sure that is even available this week. We have left 4 5 gallon jugs at the gas station and he promised to fill them up before he starts pumping gas. We have a feeling that this gasoline will go so quickly, that it won't last at all. That will give us 20 gallons and will last awhile. I think we have about 4 gallons left and that will probably last us about 5 or 6 days, then we are out. Unfortunately, that is how we power our house! Our refrigerator is propane, so that is okay and our stove is propane, so we can eat! (in the dark? ha!) However, the biggest thing is fans and internet.....so just wanted to warn everyone....if we run out of gasoline, there won't be any internet, so do not get worried if you don't hear from us or get messages until we get more gasoline. I'll try to write a note when we are on our last gallon, but wanted you all to know in advance.

Please keep praying that things will get easier here and we will be able to find gasoline!

We also have another request and with the current situation, it is pretty urgent! If ANY of you know of anyone that has anything to do with solar power....solar energy, solar panels...anything along these lines, or deals with grants for solar projects, solar energy...please, please let us know. If any of you have contact with anyone in this field, we could desperately use solar power to charge the inverter to have energy! We have so much sunshine here, it is so silly to not utilize it for energy! At this time New Life can not afford to buy the solar panels that are needed. We have 8 batteries and an inverter...what we desperately need are solar panels! So....we are asking that anyone that can help with this, to please let us know...or go ahead and contact someone that you know and let us know what information you need or how we can help get this accomplished! THANK YOU in advance for anything you can do in this area. With solar panels, we wouldn't have to worry about gasoline for the generator to power the house! It would be a huge, huge blessing!

We are starting to buy beans for the bean program for the Marfranc district. It is very exciting and we will be buying over 220 marmits of beans (each marmit is about 12 cups). Wish I could tell you how many pounds that is, but I can't sorry. We have enough donations to cover this, which is really exciting. We are really praying that the program will take off and the farmers from these 6 churches will pay back the beans and it will be even bigger next year. They will buy as many beans as they can tomorrow (Wednesday) and then we will measure them out and distribute them. It is exciting to think about all the people this is helping! Thank you to everyone that has helped with this project. I'll keep you posted.

There will also be a Youth Mardi Gras camp at the end of the month. The Marfranc District will sponsor a 3 day camp, during the time of Mardi Gras to give the Christian Youth something to do besides, drink, dance and party! It is the first time that they have had the opportunity to do this in many, many years, and they are very excited about it. I still have some money left from the summer youth camp donations, so think we will be fine. Anyone interested in sending money to help with this Camp, or the summer camp can send it to NLH with a note saying it is for Youth Camp! We can use any donations that you are willing to send! Thank you to everyone that helped last year, your money is still being put to great use! Will send pictures when the camp is over so you can see their smiling faces!

We pray everyone is doing well and that you aren't too cold! We have been seeing how cold this winter is and are very happy to be back in the land of the sun! Although we think it is still cold.....I won't tell you that it is 80 in the daytime and 67 at night...you'd laugh!

We love you all and thank you for the support that you give us each and everyday...through prayers and support!

God bless you and your families!

Ke Bon Dieu beni ou.......

Steve & Joline

Hi friends,

Sorry it has been awhile since I have really done a journal entry. Our friend, Brian, (who is the webmaster for this NLH website) was kind enough to post a couple of Moore Updates on my journal page so that I didn't have to write one for a couple of weeks. Our Mission Director and friend, Pastor Fran Leeman was here for 8 days and we had a great time. It was designed to be a time for planning for this years projects, as well as a meeting or two with Pastor Plaisir and some visiting to a mountain church...it was that and a lot more. Pastor Fran gave the sermon on Sunday and he did it in Kreyol. This time he wrote his entire sermon in Kreyol and not in English first.....he had a few questions as he went along and I could answer most of them, but then there were only a couple that Vilex (Pastor Plaisir's son) had to help with. He did a great job on Sunday and it went really well, his Kreyol is really improving! It's fun to watch him learn to talk in Kreyol.

We all took a bumpy drive (45 min) then a rocky walk (45 min) to a small church in the village of Plik. Although it isn't really a village, more of a spot, no stores, or really any large grouping of houses, just houses along the path to the church. Next to the parsonage was a bakery (or I guess the oven to make bread in), we had some of the bread with coffee when we arrived. It was really good. The Pastor at Plik, is also a carpenter and he primarily makes coffins. I'm sure that is how he makes a living, since the people in his church really don't have much to give him in the way of a salary. There is very small church where the kids also go to school. The building does have a tin roof, but the rock walls are not finished, nor are the windows. There are 5 grades in the school and 3 teachers (1 of them is the Pastor). The Pastor is also going to secondary school...in Lori (where we parked the truck to walk to the village), where he is in the 8th grade, and yes, he is teaching 4th and 5th grade kids. Interesting huh? I have a lot of pictures, and I know I can't post them all....maybe over the course of time, I can sneak a few more in.

NLH is talking about starting a sister church program and we talked about what it would be like to adopt Plik as a sister church. Part of what the adopt a village would be about, would be having the US church send a team to work on the church or school.....we were wondering how we would get all of the cement and sand to Plik to do the work, plus, the cots, water, food etc., for the team to use when they stayed there. It is too far away to go back and forth each day, so the US team would need to spend a couple of nights there! What an adventure that would be huh? But what a huge, huge blessing it would be as well! Imagine!

NLH also decided this year to start a bean loaning program. A what? you say! ha! We were fortunate to have some donors interested in helping the people in the Marfranc district plant beans. After the hurricane season destroyed most/all of the crop we wondered how we could help the people in the area. The primary means of income here in the district is gardening mostly, beans and corn and yams. We thought that if we bought beans (to plant) and then had those same farmers repay the beans they borrowed with a little interest (in beans of course) then we might be able to continue to do this year after year...let them borrow and then repay what they borrowed. This helps them out because they very frequently do not have the money to buy the beans that they need to plant and should have enough beans at harvest time to repay what they borrowed plus a few more cups of beans to help us do more in the next year. It has been a rough start with us being in the states in December, when we could have bought some beans. It made it late to buy the beans and they were a little more expensive, plus harder to find. We have however, managed to buy what we need (I think) and will see what happens now with the harvest. The entire program depends on all of the farmers repaying the beans so that we can sell them at the market, collect the money and buy beans again next December. It is group pressure within each church...to collect the beans to insure the program survives. Someone asked me, what happens if they don't pay back the beans and we can't do the program again? This would make me sad, because there is a potential of them being able to get free beans for many, many years if this works. However, if it doesn't? Then 55 families have received beans and were able to feed their families for the year and possible make some money to send their kids to school...where if they didn't receive the beans they might be hungry, sick or die. So, it's a win-win situation. A best case scenario, if we can continue the program for years.....but certainly a wonderful help to so many families, even if the program doesn't work here in this valley...it has helped many, many people. So, will let you know how it goes. We are excited about the program, it is called Beans for Life (Pwa pou la vi) and everyone that is participating in it, is excited!. To read lots of details about the Bean program...check out the link on the home page of the NLH website, there is an article with pictures and it has a more detailed explanation. A huge thank you to those that donated to this program.

One thing I wanted to do in one of these first journals is show you some pictures from Robin and Rhodel's wedding! I don't think there is room this time, so will do it on one of the next ones! Maybe next week.

It's nice to be back in Marfranc, nice to be home!

Much love to you all......and may God continue to bless you all...

Ke Bon Dieu Beni Ou Tout

Joline

Good Evening!

Had a great week last week, felt like I got a lot of stuff done! Nice to have a productive week, when things feel like they are running smoothly! Believe me that doesn't always happen here, we usually have lots of glitches, however, this week went pretty good. Got the bean program finished up for the time being. All the beans were given away or money was given to buy the beans...now they plant and we wait! Will sure let you know how things are going, but it's nice to have this first part over with.

Before I forget, I'm going to include a few wedding pictures from my daughter Robin's wedding. It seems like it has been forever, but they didn't get their pictures very quickly and then when we got back after Christmas, I just kept putting it off...so here they are! Finally. Robin of course was a beautiful bride! Rhodel is very handsome, so they make a very gorgeous couple! The wedding went beautifully, lots of laughing and fun. They got married in a very, old, beautiful Catholic church in Seattle, Washington. The reception was beautiful and we had a great time. They are living in the Seattle area and doing great. It was fun to spend time with them at Christmas, even if it was super cold and snowing there the whole time, brrrrrrr. I hope you enjoy the pictures.

I also got the grand room curtains done...well as much as they are going to be done for the moment. I decided to just put a valance on them because we needed the color and to make them look finished, then later I may add a sheer, lace curtain on the bottom. Since the house is so open we get tons of air, which is a huge blessing, however, everyone can see into the house and watch everything that we do. It is kind of unnerving to sit at the diningroom table and have kids yell at you while you eat. SO......I'm thinking the sheer café curtains will be perfect. When Fran was here, he said he thought they would block the beautiful view. And, they will! However, we can push them aside and keep them open if we want to and close them if we want to. I'm thinking of maybe just putting them on the front and leaving the sides open for the time being! The pictures are of the corner of the grand room. I had enough material to be able to cover a lamp shade that sits on a table there and also a sling chair...so I feel very Martha Stewardish! ha! I also was able to get the curtains done in both of the dorm rooms! This material was sent to me by 2 wonderful women! Colette Andersen send the bulk of the material...for the grand room and one of the dorm rooms......and Laurie McCluskey send me some material to use for some boys shirts...a tons of it, and it was perfect for the other dorm room....so hope Laurie doesn’t care how I used it! It is all perfect and it was wonderful to have the material! Thanks Ladies! Both of these women will be visiting in April and be on the first team to stay at Kay Bo Rivye! How appropriate is that? OH, just so you know why these curtains are especially exciting....all of the sewing I did on these millions of curtains was done without a pedal on my sewing machine. It broke and the one we brought back with us in Jan. didn't work, so.....Steve rigged it so that my sewing machine is either off....or....on....yep! And 1 speed! ha! So, I have to pin, pin and pin everything and only do straight stitches, then stop and pin and do it again takes a ton of planning! Plus I have to remember to get my hand over to the switch in time to turn it off when I run out of material to sew together....not an easy task. After all of these curtains, I am getting better! Another pedal is on the way...let's hope it works when we get it! Just wanted you to know why these particular curtains were a bigger challenge...told you things weren't always easy here, ha!

This week, starting tonight (Mon.) there is a Youth camp at the Baptist camp next door to us! 70 young people, ages 14 - 28 are spending 2 nights at the camp during Mardi Gras. Mardi Gras celebration is huge here in Haiti...usually 2 or 3 days of drinking, dancing and wild parties....something that the Christian youth are not a part of. So, many of the churches have youth camps during those 3 days to give their youth something to do, in a Christian environment. Great idea huh? Marfranc district has not been able to do it for many years and they are all very excited about spending 3 days together. They have guest speakers coming to talk to them, and some Christian movies that we had for them to watch at night! Mostly they just love getting together and being young people....it's great! Plus we get to hear them sing, which is a huge blessing. People donated money to the Youth Camp this summer and I didn't use it all, so we were able to help them put on this camp as well. The donations that I received have been a huge, huge blessing to these kids! I wish all of you could see their happy faces. I'll tell you more about it next week and put pictures on the journal site.

Steve has been really busy this last week as well. He finished up the screens that he and Fran did for our bedroom and bathroom and also got the one up in the kitchen. He says he'll have the ones for the dorm rooms done by the time the April team arrives. He also has most of the framework for the new diningroom table done. It got sanded today and needs to be stained and the top put on. I'll have pictures of that for you next week as well.

We pray you are all having a great week! We send you all lots of love,

Joline