Opinion page editor's view: They are hope of Haiti - Utica, NY - The Observer-Dispatch

Opinion page editor's view: They are hope of Haiti - Utica, NY - The Observer-Dispatch

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God Speaks to my Heart..Jacmel, Haiti

A few months ago my husband who would rather not fly signed up to go to Haiti and be part of a work team from my daughter's chuch. They planned to start building the first of eight homes for Haitian Children's Home. The land had aready been purchased largley due to the generousity of Crosspointe Church in Cary,NC. Plans were being made, dates were set, paper work begun and then the trip fell throught. There would be no building on the land yet, the funds were not there to begin.
Had they gone on this trip, my husband (Gwenn's dad) and Ken Mangine (Nick's dad) would have been in Haiti for the earth quake. I am not saying that they could not have been useful there but I do believe that God knew that Bev and I would need our husbands around when we got the news "Earthquake!" Our emotional mother and grandmother hearts were glad to not being without our husbands during this difficult week.
That aside I feel like the Lord was showing me that in spite of funding the building did begin this week. It began with obeidence from all of the Joy in Hope staff. Caring for the widows and orphans, feeding the hungry, praying with the wounded, brining a cool drink to a dry and thirsty land. Working in unity for the common good.
And the building site,the land that was to have mortar and stone buildings,well now itwill house a 250 bed clinic to provide healing to a wounded community.
God did begin to build on the land just on time. Right when he set it in the hearts of men to do it,but He wanted to set the corner stone. The capstone. He is building both phyically, emotionally and spiritually. Unless the Lord builds a house he who labors, labors in vain.
With thanksgiving to the Rock of our foundaiton.

Thank you Jabez

I sit here in the quiet at nearly 3 AM. The wall clock softly chimes out to remind me that I really should be going to sleep. I have had this thought swimming around in my head all day.
When my dauther Gwenn first became aquainted with Danny and Leanne Pye founders of Haitian Chilren's Home she liked them but fell in love with their son Jabez. He was just a little bitty baby but he had something special about him that drew her in. Danny and Leann had brought this precious baby into their home because his mother had died in childbirth. He had some severe problems related to his birth. He never spoke words, walked or even stood us. But his smile made up for what he lacked elsewhere. Jabez only lived a few short years but his impact is now felt throughout the world.
See what I was thinking was that Jabez really was the one who turned Gwenn's heart to Haiti. When she and Nick decided to move to Haiti their church, Crosspointe in Cary was amazing support. In fact, in one week they raised like $422,000 to purchase land in Jacmel.And because they purchansed the land there are officals from Canada who want to seet up a 250 bed clinic on the land to serve victims of the earthquake.
Because of the money that has come in to Joy in Hope, thousands of people are being feed. All of it comes down to this: obedience. Danny, Leann, Gwenn, Nick, the church, the Canadians and yes Jabez. His short life touched the world. And as I see even now that hope is rising out of the rubble and I want to say thank you Jabez because though we have never met, you have changed my life.

Haiti and Mr. Rogers

I flipped from CNN this morning who was reporting the same tragic stories over and over about life and death in PortAuPrince, Haiti. I wanted more information. Just not that information. Today my grandchildren are being evacuated. As I went through the channels I paused. Mr. Roger's Neighborhood was on. I long for the quiet and comfort of his land of make believe. His soothing voices that tells us that it ok to cry and every one is special. Thanks Fred for a little bit of quiet.

Jesus in the Garden

As I lay in my sleepless bed this morning my phone rang. It was Gwenn only the connection did not go through. I lie there with my mother's mind racing ahead with it's mother's imagations. In my mind I could hear Gwenn's voice sobbing "Mommy, I can't do this!" Just as this was was playing out in my mind I turned over in bed in my darkened room. The living room door was slighty ajar casting a light on my bedroom wall. This light created a perfect cross. It stopped me quick and brought me back to a night 2000 years ago. Jesus in the garden crying out to His Father "Father take this cup from me." But it was the Father's will to allow this to happen. Jesus could have choosen not to go to the cross but He did not. He choose to obey and to be in the Father's will even though it meant he would suffer.
Gwenn had a choice not to go to Haiti but she choose to obey. Even though it means she will suffer.
God does not take this cup from his children at times. Sometimes it is His will for His children to pay the price so that others may be saved.
Gwenn and Nick could be drinking down their first cup of coffee and watching this story unfold on CNN. Instead they are drinking the cup that God has choosen for them.
Thank you Jesus for the cross.

Earthquake in Haiti and in my heart.

Do I wish that my family was not in Haiti? No, not really. Is that bad? Do I wish I were in Haiti? I think so. Is that wrong?
Gwenn once told me when we were speaking about safety issues in Haiti that "I am safer inside the will of God in Haiti than outside the will of God anywhere else." So as the parent of a missionary I sit glued to facebook and CNN and watch the developing story. God protected my heart allowed my daughter to still have Internet service so I could get information. I fell so badly for those who wait..and wait..and wait to know if their families survived.
So my daughter has gathered with the local body of Christ in Haiti and they are laying out in a field under the stars on bed sheets.They are praying and singing. That much I know. But I also imagine in my mind the mosquitoes and the soft crying of some of the frightened children. I am happy that my daughter is there to comfort them.
I don't know what is going to happen tomorrow. I do know that God was there in the quaking of the earth and He will still be there in the rising of the sun. Our God is an awesome God who gives us songs in the night. Songs of peace, songs of courage, songs of comfort and songs of His undying love for His children.
38For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,[a] neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Parent of A Missionary

Today, as I sit here on New Year's Day I am reflecting on the things that I am thanful for in 2009. There are many things. But something that comes to mind right this moment is that I am thankful for Bev, for Karen and for Robin. Bev is my daughter Gwenn's mother in law. Karen and Robin I have not met in person but only here in cyber space. These woman share my heart. They sit in their living rooms and wonder about theirmissionary children.They wait for the little sound on the computer alerting them that they have a Skype phone call coming in. I wonder is like me they are thinking things like "I know people must be tired of hearing it but I have to talk about my family on the mission field." Like me I am guessing that they get frustrated with the people they meet in our country who complain about things that we now know know are just not that important. Like me they surf the web for the best airfare and start to plan their next trip before the plane hits the tarmack on this American soil. They think about malaria, aids, parasites, violence, dirty water,lack of medical provisions. And when we begin to think that no one really understands...we remember..we remember that we are not alone in this journey. There are thousnds of us who know the pain,sorrow and joy and humility and yes,pride, of being the parents of missionaries. We are bonded together and I am thankful. Thankful for those who truly understand.