June 2013 Newsletter

  

As June is quickly approaching, Nicole & I are busy preparing for our Haiti trip. We will be in Haiti, June 11-25. Many exciting things are planned on this trip. We will be helping out at several medical clinics, feeding programs & our beloved pig & goat adoption program. A special day is planned for Dourvey Haiti, with a guest speaker all the way from Conklin, NY, presenting a Gospel message.
We will also be spending time at the Living Christ Orphanage. We have some great activities planned for the children. Also some repair work will be done & an assessment of future projects that will need to be done. We have some plans of perhaps bringing a team of a few construction minded individuals next year to do some larger projects.
Mark 16:15 says "And then he told them go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone"
Please keep us in your prayers as we travel, that God will be glorified by our work in Northern Haiti
Steven P. Sager
President
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UPDATE ON MIGURLIN
Migurlin is a young child who was badly burned in a household cooking accident. Julienne was able to get him transported to a burn unit in the Dominican Republic. Some great healing has already taken place. Over the course of the next year, he will be wearing a clear medicated mask that helps with the healing to prevent deep scaring.  He will continue treatment on a outpatient basis at the burn unit.
Proverbs 19:17 says "If you help the poor you are lending to the Lord and he will repay you"
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DOURVEY HAITI FEEDING PROGRAM
On any given Sunday, around 125 people receive a meal through our feeding program. This meal is fed after the church service. With the opportunity of receiving some food, church attendance has risen. We are excited to report that last month, 5 people who had not previously been attending church, had accepted Christ as their Savior at the church/feeding program. These 5 people are now being discipled to through the pastor. What a joyous time in being a part of this ministry. I am in awe, the way that our Lord can use each & everyone of us.
Deuteronomy 15:4 says "There should be no poor among you for the Lord your God will greatly bless you in the land he is giving you as a special possession"
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A SERVING HEART
Many of you know Julienne, who is a full time missionary in Haiti, who you may not know is Deb Eklund. Deb is co-founder of A Serving Heart ministries, the mission that we work alongside of. Deb was instrumental in helping us get our ministry off the ground. Deb is always the one I run to with a crazy idea or question. She always knows how to encourage us & has the experience we need when it comes to making things happen. Deb works behind the scenes, providing Julienne the support & prayers that she needs.
You Have A Choice Ministries is forever thankful to Deb & Julienne for the support needed to keep our ministry running full steam ahead.
Deb & Julienne, thank you for all the dedicated efforts you do in Northern Haiti.
Romans 8:28 says "And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purposes for them"

You Have A Choice Minitries

Bois De Lance Haiti

As we move forward in the new year, We are getting ready to help an additional community in Northern Haiti.  This community is Bois De Lance Haiti.  This is a very poor area where people farm & do what they can to survive.  There is building that is being built that is the church as well as the school.  The pastor of this Baptist Church is Pastor Cadet.  A very loving & caring man.  The church/school is building in progress, when they have the funds, they buy a few more blocks.  The building does not yet have a roof or a floor.  One of our fellow ministries has donated some tarps that are currently being used as their roof.  Around 80 children are attending the school.  There currently is not any type of lunch provided.  Many of these children are going days without any form of nourishment.    Most of the teachers are all volunteers, not receiving any money for the teaching of these children.

As you can see, there are many needs in Bois De Lance.  There are many logistical things that need to be worked out.  We are asking for prayer as we decide where to begin. Please pray for wisdom for our board in making decisions that glorify God & do his will in this community.

Thanksgiving - Mind on Haiti

Turkey is in the oven, Watching Macy's Thanksgiving Parade.  Watching this parade, I wonder how much money is spent on this all. It does bother me to some degree.  Perhaps it is because I know first hand of people in Northern Haiti that are suffering from malnutrition.  Can someone who does have enough funds to buy a cup or two of rice for the family understand how we waste away so much money on entertainment.  Things we spend money on just for ha ha's.  I guess they can not understand anymore than us understanding what its like to have zero and the kids are hungry.  What would you do in that situation?  Can you comprehend what its like to be hungry.  Not talking skipping lunch, but to be truly hungry.  Going Days with out food.  Watching your children go days with out food.

I am sure on this day, we will all overindulge.  Than when we are almost sick because we ate so much, its time for desert.  God has blessed us greatly in this country.  I do not mean to take this away from us.  Just asking that you give some thought to those without Today. Take a moment to pray for these Haitian people.

For $150, we have been providing for about 240 individual meals for children each month.  Not gourmet meals, however they are nutritious meals consisting of rice, beans and whatever is available on that given week.  We have decided to expand this to a second day of the week to include adults as well.  My point is that, for not a great deal of money, we can help the people of Northern Haiti.

One Hundred percent of all donated funds, go directly to help.  All administration expenses are paid by a private individual for us.  Not many organizations can claim that.  If you donated $20, that entire $20 would be used to buy food.

On this day, Count your many blessings.  Thank our Lord for the many things that make our life easier.  Thank God that you are able to help someone else.  Remember, You Have A Choice.

Happy Thanksgiving to you all from You Have A Choice Ministries

Pastor Noel - Haiti

This is a article that was in the Lincoln County News last year.  I thought I would  share this piece about This wonderful man of God.  We are pleased to help the work that Pastor Noel has started.



Haitian Pastor Apollon Noël has a special relationship with many people in Maine. His work and collaboration with local churches on behalf of Haiti's people was celebrated with a gathering at the Broken Acres Pavilion in Jefferson July 8.

During his 10 day visit to the Maine this month, Noel stayed with long-time supporters of his work, Terry and Lee Johnston in Jefferson.

Noël has been ministering as the founder and pastor of L'Eglise Baptiste (Baptist School) of Terrier Rouge, Haiti for 52 years. His dream to provide a good education to the children in his country, one of the poorest and least developed countries in the world, is supported by "His Hands Support Ministries" founded in Maine in 2003. 

Terry Johnston has been traveling to Haiti for several years each January to work with Pastor Noël on many important programs including the child and family sponsorship program. Along with Jeanne Bryant and members of The First Baptist Church of Jefferson, The Lincoln County Assembly of God, the South Somerville Baptist Church, and the Spruce Head Community Church, local Lincoln County residents support hundreds of the students with sponsorships.

Haiti has no free public educational system. Private church schools provide the only education, and often the only nutrition, to the heavily populated island. The illiteracy rate in Haiti is estimated at 68 percent.

Noël said education is seen as the doorway to a better life for everyone and is highly valued by the Haitians. In L'Eglise Baptiste, there are often 100 students in a classroom, with graduates still continuing on to higher education. The students work joyously to gain every bit of knowledge they can glean from " this precious gift," as Noël said.

In recent years, Haiti has struggled with problems ranging from near-constant political upheaval, health crises, an annual barrage of hurricanes, and in January 2010, the worst earthquake in the region in more than 200 years. Lincoln County volunteers have been working tirelessly to help in the wake of this monumental disaster, which also caused a Cholera epidemic resulting from the loss of sanitation and electricity in the capital of Port-Au-Prince and areas nearby.

Noël, with two assistant pastors and the dedicated help of his wife, Marie, has made it his mission to educate, protect and feed the children of Terrier Rouge. Terry Johnston assists by gathering information on children and families, then returning to Maine to seek sponsors. Tuition is $70 per year for each student, which covers teacher salaries, student uniforms, and one daily meal.

Books are not included in this stipend, so many share one book and often have to wait to have a book from which to work. With less than half of Noël's students receiving these scholarships, fees are stretched to allow others to attend.

No child is turned away for lack of sponsorship. One hundred percent of the sponsorship payment goes directly to the children's needs. None of it is used to cover any administrative expenses of the program here in the US, Noël said. 

Pastor Noël has 1220 children who attend his church school, which is divided into three sections. For the youngest, "The Center of Protection" provides a half-day of education for children ages 3-5.

The second part of the school is just called L'ecole (which means "the school" in French), which is comparable to an American elementary school. The newest part of the school is the middle and high school sections.

Many of the children in the secondary school are older than the typical middle or high school age student in the United States.

Students receive a hot meal at the end of their school day. Feeding the children is, by itself, a full-time job. Pastor Noël personally meets the boats, which arrive weekly, to pick up rice, beans and corn, the staple diet that helps to feed the children.

His wife, Marie, concerned that Friday to Monday often meant no dinner, began a program called Saturday Feeding on her own, which now serves children and families on that day. She cooks for 200 or more each Saturday. On Sunday, a meal comes with the Church Service. 

The United Nations, through UNICEF, donates some food each week, with the rest purchased by the parish. When school is out there is no guarantee that the children will receive even this one simple meal, and the UNICEF donations cease for that period. When asked how they manage with such a shortage of sponsors and food, Noël said, "We trust that God will provide, and his loving kindness sees us through." 

Noël said he appreciates the kindness and friendships of his Maine family of churches, and enjoys his visits here to meet the people who are helping to care for his large flock.

"My youngest daughter begins college in Florida," he said, "She will be a doctor for the little ones. I can see her safe at her new school before I return home."

He is delighted with the new President of Haiti. "The streets erupted in joy when Martelly won the election," Noël said. "He has a good heart." 

Living in a country where one in eight children will never see their fifth year, Noël remains optimistic saying, "God looks down with love on all his children, and takes care of them." With a broad smile and a gesture, he included all the people who have gathered to celebrate his visit in Jefferson, as one family. 

"People here are very blessed, and they bless us also with their generous hearts every year," Noël said. "There is no vanity in these Maine people. They follow the example of the Lord Jesus, and are His hands and feet for Haiti."

The impact of the earthquake on Terrier Rouge has been enormous. Although they felt only small tremors in the area, Pastor Noël said, "We lost several students who were in the capital and everyone lost someone. Many children came here to the Orphanage because there is no family left but God's.

Many children are taken to the orphanage simply because their families cannot afford to keep them well and safe anymore. These children also are taught at the schools. Ten other churches in Terrier Rouge have schools and all look to the indefatigable Noël for fatherly advice and encouragement.

William Chouloute, a Haitian seminary student at Faith School of Theology in Charleston, is spending his summer break working on the Johnston farm in Jefferson. He served as interpreter for the French speaking Pastor Noël on Friday. He brought along his guitar and his love of gospel songs and songs of Faith to share with the gathering. 

If you would like to help, please visit  www.youhaveachoiceministries.org