La Gonave Trip Pics

Boat ride to La Gonave.

This pic reminds me of when Jesus took a donkey ride.
This is Josiah and Papa Shamma.
Josiah's first donkey ride ever.

Josiah Posing

There he is again.

Smiling Faces and look - Dora is in Haiti.

Market

Market - everything looks so yummy.

Anse-a-Galets - the town where Shamma's family lives on LaGonave.

Boat Making

One church where Papa Shamma pastors.

Baptism on Dec 31, 2010.

Up close and personal.

Shamma, Rocky, and Bruce

Kevin preaching - Rocky translating

Ladies listening to teaching at the church.

How cute!

Such excitement.

Sunrise - coming back to the mainland.

Tap tap (taxi) ride home.

Jensky - Our 13 Month Old Burn Patient

The date on these pictures is wrong - they were just taken two or three days ago. 

Please continue to pray for Jensky and his family. God is healing him. PTL!

I think he may be smiling!

It seems taking care of him is truly exercise, but isn't he worth it.

That man is papa - he really seems to care for his little boy.

Bruns Bunch Broadcast - January 2011

It is the end of the first month of 2011. My, how time flies....

Our year started off in full swing with a team from Guatemala here to serve. They were a team of 22 (way more than our normal size team). Guatemalans, or at least this group, are full of energy, they love the Lord, and love the people. This was evident in their daily actions. We did find the language barrier a bit challenging at times, but most could speak some English. This team helped paint a church that was damaged in the earthquake a year ago. They painted at the school inTiTanyen (our village). They also helped build temporary shelters with the North Carolina Baptist Men's Group that is staying here on our property. This group was here from Jan 4-11th and loads of fun.

On the 14th of January we welcomed a team from Virginia. This was a team of 9 members. This team helped build an addition on the generator house to shelter the fuel tanks from the weather. This was the part of the generator house that was badly damaged in the earthquake and since it was in need of repair, we took the opportunity to expand this building. This team also helped unload a 40 ft. container packed to the ceiling with supplies for Haiti. This team departed on January 23rd - thanks for the encouragement and words of wisdom.

We were blessed to have two (and sometimes three to five) friends join us here in Haiti from Dec. 30th through Jan. 19th. Kevin had the privilege of going to an island here in Haiti for the New Year's Eve/Day weekend with Bruce. They met the father of a Haitian friend there. This gentlemen is a pastor out on the island and led the church plant of three churches there on La Gonave. We are in prayer as to why the Lord has opened this door for ministry and how He would like us to minister to this group of people. The areas of interest are evangelism, discipleship, schools, and medical.

Bruce's wife, DeeAnn, and their daughter, Emilyann, joined us from the 30th - 19th. DeeAnn brought much needed supplies to Haiti in order to switch home school curriculum for Josiah. DeeAnn is a trained educator and she worked with Josiah and Emilyann in adjusting to the new curriculum as well as clarify some thoughts on how to teach Josiah best. This proved to be a huge blessing and schooling has resumed with Susan at the helm and is going well. DeeAnn must have left Haiti a few pounds lighter - we think Susan talked her ear off while she was here. Thanks Dee for a listening ear.

The two other friends that joined us for a long weekend were Carrie and her daughter Charis. When they came, we weren't sure what mission they might be on for the Lord. They were a huge encouragement to the Bruns' girls while the men went to La Gonave. Carrie, Charis, DeeAnn, Emilyann, and the Bruns' girls had the blessing of ministering in a local orphanage with Cody Whittaker (howcantheyhear.org). Making bracelets with twenty children can be difficult if you don't have enough hands to help. PTL - He provided. We had a blast. Later in the month we were able to go back with some coloring supplies and gifts. 

Kevin continues to minister through Bible Study every Thursday in Arcahaie. The young man we work with, Israel, continues to seek the Lord in looking for work to provide for his basic needs (shelter, food, and clothing). He has asked us to purchase him a moto (motorcycle) so he can be a taxi driver in his village. We told him we would pray for him in this area. A moto in Haiti is about $1000 US dollars. We will watch and see what the Lord will do. Israel was hit by a passing vehicle the other day and although he has no serious injuries, he is still sore - please pray for him.

The children's program that we are a part of every Saturday, continues to meet. It is exciting to hear the children answer questions about the bible. This is an area that is not fluent in the bible and their excitement is refreshing. This is also one of the areas where the Jesus Film was shown when NWF was here in December. Thanks NWF for your willingness to come and be a part of the Lord's work here in Haiti. We are seeing more of an adult interest in the children's program. The adults gather out in back of where the children meet each week and listen. Pray that the message goes out clearly and that lives will be changed for the greater of the Kingdom!

Clinic has been busy this month. One of our diabetic patients had developed an infection in her foot. The Lord finally softened her husband's heart and he allowed her to go to the local hospital. She just had two toes removed this week at a hospital in Port-au-Prince. We praise the Lord that it was not worse and that she heals well. We have also been treating a 13 month old boy, Jensky. He was malnourished when he came to us with his burn. He crawled to and tumbled a pot of hot food/cereal onto himself. Jensky

To Finish off our first month of this new year, we are installing two new 100kw generators.  We moved out our two 40kw's outside and are currently providing everyone's power with those until we get the new ones hooked up.  We are drilling holes for fuel lines, hanging conduit from ceilings, and building forms to poor a new roof.  pray we get this all finished with no hang-ups later on.

Well, that has been our crazy first 2011 month here in Haiti. There is much more, but we have already kept you long enough. God bless and have a great year!

A Look Back & A Look Forward

A small look at our past year and Future outlook.  

January 12, 2010 4:53 p.m.  We experienced an earthquake.  This brought on a transition into working with several ministry organizations that involved us reaching out to the Haitian people where we could not on our own.  This is still continuing and we have had the challenge of becoming landlords so that they can continue to reach out to the people.  

October 22, 2010,  News that a cholera epidemic just broke out in Haiti and was claiming lives.  The UN and the Country Health officials making preparations so the disease does not spread into Port-au-Prince.  We sent a team home early.  Prayed about what we should do. Thought about returning to America until it was over. Come to find out cholera will never leave.  Educated ourselves on cholera.  Watched it spread into Port-au-Prince.  Susan assisted SP with nursing care in cholera clinics.  Susan assisted a mission in Cazale in their cholera clinic.

November  3, 2010,  Prepared for major hurricane heading for Haiti.  made sure our campus was secure in the event that the hurricane came our way.  Prayed. November 4-5 hurricane Tomas begins its move into Haiti, but God turns it enough to miss Haiti.  Small amount of rain and some wind.  Nothing bad.  PTL.

November 28, 2010, Presidential elections.  Certain streets became off limits.  No vehicles allowed to drive in PAP.  Some polling stations shut down due to corruption.  Riots begin to break out across PAP the following day.  Airport closes for a week.  Cannot enter PAP all roads closed.  Roads closed in Arcahaie NW of here.  Pray God's protection for Haiti.

Those are the four major events this year.

Here is what God did this year.  

Due to the earthquake, He allowed us to meet and help other Christian organization to reach out to the people of Haiti where we could not. This also opened the doors to share the Gospel with ones that were ready to hear it.

Allowed us to return to America for a great visit with friends and family.

Open the door for our friend Israel to start a children's program in Arcahaie.  Allowed Susan and I to help with this program and is allowing us to continue to help.

Since May 2010 we had approx. 18 teams come to join us in ministry here in Haiti. We ministered alongside these team, helped organize their projects, assisted with their transition into and out of Haiti, and enjoyed fellowship with them.

In May we began language training again. This took place 2 days a week (most weeks) with our children and Pastor Etienne. This continues and is a priority in our ministry.

Susan went back to Eastern Kentucky in July for gallbladder surgery and all went well - PTL!

Opening doors to a possible medical mission program. Still not sure on the details but doors and windows seem to be opening in the area of medical missions.

Kevin began a Thursday afternoon Bible study in Arcahaie in August. God is allowing this to continue.  He also has led a group here in TiTanyen to accompany Kevin every Thursday.  The car is packed with Kevin and eight Haitians traveling to and from Bible Study.

God has allowed Susan to stretch her medical skills in helping with earthquake victims, burn and wound care patients, and going out to the cholera clinics.

God has gifted her to help with keeping the books here for the mission.

He helps her to home school the children and keep up with the day to day activities at home.

We have watched our children grow in the Lord and seek him out for their help and strength.

Jessi (our then 11 year old) was unsure of her salvation - so she prayed to except Jesus as her Lord and Savior - PTL!

He has enabled Susan to learn some of the language, and continues to help Kevin learn the language.

Allowed us the privilege of spreading the Gospel to the people.

Through relief donations build twenty two homes in TiTanyen.

Almost 20 some wells have been put in around the tent city located near Bon Repo.

Received 3 (we think) containers packed full of supplies for distribution here in Haiti. Unpack, sorted, and distributed supplies as needed for both relief efforts and survival efforts here in Haiti.

What we plan for the Future.

We hope to get into the community of Arcahaie more.  Get to know the people and build relationships with them.

Continue to develop our language skills.

Get a discipleship class started in one of the local church that we preach at in Arcahaie.

Help this pastor (Pastor David) develop programs in his church to better reach out and meet the needs of those in his community.

Continue to help Israel with the children's program.  

Continue to lead Thursday afternoon Bible study.

Reach out to the people through medical missions.

Continue to assist the GO staff with compound operations.

Flourish (survive) during another year in Haiti.

All that was mentioned above was not done alone as an individual or as an individual family. We here at the Global Outreach Haiti compound work together with other missionary families, on a daily basis, to serve the Lord here in Haiti. Thank you team and God bless!

A Note From The Whittaker Family - Missionaries to Haiti

Susana’s tumors are back…and worse than before

January 20, 2011

Our hearts ache without limit right now.  Words fail me.  Her tumors are back.  It’s very very bad.  She has them everywhere, including one on her brain.  We’re losing our little girl.  Without any further treatment, she has about a few months to live.  Her body will soon begin deteriorating and will cause a lot of pain.  The treatment options that we are presented with are few and are experimental all throughout.

Our conversation with the oncologist today had phrases like “quality of life” and “pain medication” interspersed throughout.  This is really happening.  I cannot even think straight.

Yet at the same time, the grace of God is mysteriously with us.  We have wept like crazy, but at the same time know that we can let her go be with Jesus.  He is the prize for which we chase hard after every day…and it seems like Susana will be the one who gets there first.  This will only make our longing for the Kingdom to come all the more.

Please pray for us as we have some important decisions that need to be made very soon.  This is the hardest thing that we have ever been faced with.  We need the Lord’s peace, comfort, strength, grace, and wisdom.  He is still who we cling to.  He is still who we love.  I don’t understand why, but I know that He is good and that He has reason for everything He does.  I also know that death is not the victor to those who hope in Christ.  It is just the beginning, the entry point into eternal glory.  And it seems like the Lord is calling Susana through that entry point.  We will rejoice with her, and we will weep.  That’s the way it will be.  Right now though, I’m just weeping.

Happy New Year

Happy New Year to each of you. I pray you have a blessed new year and that each of us grows closer to the Lord during this year. God bless.