Hello Dear friends,

It is the holiday season and we will take a mission break to talk about how we are living this period as missionaries in Haiti. It is quite strange for me to live a warm holiday season, without snow and without any Christmas decorations, I did not bring mine for lack of space in my luggage, priorities were required, and we can not go to Port-au-Prince to buy some due to the political tension in the country but despite this, there are some families who will go to see their family in Port-au-Prince during the two weeks Christmas break.

It is therefore very nice to write to you while listening to White Christmas at the same time. I must admit that I have never missed my children so much but on the other hand to wake up with the sun shining almost every day makes me appreciate the temperature of the Caribbean in December with its warm and soft caressing wind helps. Believe it or not the nights are cool, I need a blanket at night, the morning is even cooler, never I would have thought I would live this in Haiti, I like the cold, but I’m getting use to the heat, I sometimes forget to open the fan, it is true that it is the winter season here.

For the Christmas time me and Peter we will spend 2 days by the sea to live a little time ALONE both outside the community unless the tensions in the country prevent us, it will do us lots of good and this is necessary. Please do not be of those who think that the missionaries are not entitled to breaks, because this is for the health of our couple and ultimately the mission in Haiti wins, I think our supporters understand this and thanks to all of you for your support in 2018.

In our life in Haiti and all that it entails in sacrifice, the Lord takes very good care of us. In the preceding article, I told you about my situation regarding the washing of my clothes. This leads me to talk about three gifts that the Lord gave me for Christmas. I finally got a washing machine, it is very old, I have to control it and be present during each cycles, fill it with water with a hose and moreover I can only do one load every three days for lack of electricity but for me this thing is a pure wonder, it’s Super, Super, believe me SUPER !!!!

My other gift is a beautiful little dog with a crippled foot, I would have liked having a dog in Haiti, but I can not take care of it due to my absences at certain times and my occupations. This little lame dog comes to see me, lies down near me and in front of my office door, he wants my caresses, follows me; considered a wild dog I find him docile and he learns to obey me, it’s as if he was mine but I do not have the responsibility, he comes and goes freely, I give him my chicken legs bones and biscuits. I know that it belongs to someone in the village who leaves him free and cares little because it is almost always on the site of the community, I want to believe that one day it will be a divine meeting with its owner, the Lord weaves this kind of situation and I see it as one of His wink … a story to follow.

The third gift comes from the fact that I have no Christmas decoration, the Lord has planned in front of my room, in front of my window to my surprise a natural Christmas tree, a point-scintilla, it is now filled with big red flowers. When I saw his flowers for the first time, I said, “Wow Lord, you are surprising,” and moreover where I go to pray, there is a small tree with red flowers and all around it other flowers that make me think of Christmas bells, it’s really beautiful. It’s a Christmas with natural decorations sent from heaven. I feel overwhelmed by his attentions and his love, I even cried.

PICTURES OF MY DIVINE GIFTS.

My point-scintilla, called in Haiti, Christmas tree, it is very big, you only see part of it.

The little dog named Coconut

My superb washing machine, named Alleluia, Alleluia. Note the drain hose. Many young Haitian boys ask me how it works. They are really interested in the mechanism, girls are just passing curiously. (For those interested, I wrote a story at the end of this blog that glorifies the Lord regarding this machine.

Nicer in picture than in real life, I assure you, you barely see the bumps. Everyone says in heart Alleluia; Alleluia MJ is blessed.

Little Christmas bells flowers

A closer view. They spread easily.

For those who read my December newsletter they are the mom and the sick little boy at the clinic.

The two little sisters I walked with.

In January I will talk about the mission and future projects. You can also read our news letter from Nov. 18 and Dec. 18 which talk a little bit about it.

Merry Christmas and happy new year 2019, may the Lord guide you in all His projects and that He strengthens you and gives you the perseverance to accomplish his work in your life for His glory.

With affection,

Marie-Josée

THE MIRACLE OF THE WASHING MACHINE

This machine comes from Canada and was transported to Haiti. When it arrived all dented, the control buttons were also all broken, we asked for the price for new parts in Canada and we were told that all the buttons had to be changed, it was out of order and the price $ 300, the price was more expensive than the machine. That’s when I had to learn to wash my clothes by hand and beg and beg the Lord to do something, I found it very difficult, we bend in half, if we are standing, it’s hot and we get tired, the Haitian women sit on the ground to do it, I on a chair, we rub and the cloths wear and lose there color, it is twisted, rinsed and twisted again, during all this we get the water in a buckets that are not easy to carry, it takes time ect… I am assured that the Lord wanted me to go through this, so I begged Him. Meanwhile in Canada, Richard meets a woman and tells her the story of the washing machine. She listens and tells him that her husband is an owner of a household appliance store and who offers him the parts for free for the mission. Alleluia for the machine !!! it gives glory to God, I cried again for his love and tenderness towards me. He is really my Father and he hears our prayers. To you glory, thank you Father.

Until the next time

Marie-Jo