December 2006 in Haiti

Dear Friends and Partners in Kingdom work in Haiti,

It is 20 minutes to midnight in Dessalines, Haiti, almost December 2, 2006. I (Jeanne) was hoping to get a better night’s sleep than last night. However, tonight we have blessed city power, which is a double-edged sword. While the fans are running wonderfully, someone is playing a radio (wild nightclub music, drums, screaming “singers”) so loudly you would think that it is in our bedroom. Well, the music has just changed to voodoo music, (that was a sneaky thing to do) which is very boring! That will probably make some wonder, but it is true. The guy usually cannot sing and he hangs onto a note and repeats it so many times! I feel sorry for the many children who have to get up VERY early tomorrow morning for school.

We praise God that Jack and I have come through our illnesses in great shape (we lost some weight) in spite of my cough hanging on a bit. There are many illnesses in the community for it is a change of seasons: going into the dry season and winds picking up. It is even cool at night, believe it or not!

We spent our first Thanksgiving away from our blood family, celebrating with some of our other family: Gail Ennis and the Peaveys from the Ebenezer Glenn Orphanage. We had a grand meal and lots of good company and conversation.

We both work on Creole, meeting 3 times a week with Pastor Robenson, one of our Bible school students. Our Creole is getting much better, but we can be talking with someone and our minds go completely blank! We still must look perplexed in a church service. We are.

Jack went to see what was making all the noise – one of the many noises here – in one building. It was a rice mill. He said it was extremely interesting to watch how the machine worked separating the chaff from the rice. It is amazing how much work it is to get to the prize: a little kernel of rice, the thing that gives nourishment and sustenance to the people here. The people were sitting around waiting on their rice to be milled. (Hey - That’ll preach!) You never know when you turn down one of the dirt roads in Dessalines what will be in the middle of the road. Many people put large white material down, spread their rice all over it, and hope you will either drive or walk on it. That helps to loosen the chaff.

Now, it is almost 10 p.m. December 2. The voodoo drums are playing tonight along with the repeated chanting. Worse, we can hear it in two different directions and the songs are different and with the drunken, off-key yelling, it is one gigantic cacophony. To my music sensitive ears, yikes!

The Lord is giving us instructions daily to use with the family in the witch doctor’s house 9-10 yards from us. I asked the woman what her name is – Cheriselle. The other morning Fafan was screaming. Cheriselle had closed her in the little store room because Fafan runs to find her guardian angels when she is going to get a beating. Cheriselle went looking for a switch while I began to pray. She was angry. She couldn’t pull the branches she wanted from the bushes. She finally found a smaller one and doubled it. Back she came, cursing and yelling. I stood at the window and called on the name of Jesus. I guess I was louder than I thought. Cheriselle looked up at me. I put my hand over my heart and told her to be careful. Suddenly, she smiled and threw down the stick. She began to tell me what Fafan had done. Of course, I could not understand her. I just told her that God loved her. It diffused the situation. In the meantime, Jack buys cookies from her little store, and I dance with the children as they sing a song about the blancs! Every morning when there is electricity, Cheriselle plays voodoo music. This morning God told me to give her a cassette we have of Haitian Christian music. We asked our parents to send us a can opener to give to her for Christmas. Right now she is opening large cans (for her new “restaurant”) with a huge knife. Many times we see Fafan sitting there beside the table of sugar cane for sale with that huge knife (remember, she is 3). The other day she waved to Jack with the knife (thus the can opener!) and then put a rock on her head (we haven’t figured that one out yet!).

Anyway, God is helping us to get to know our neighbors. At least we provide them with lots of giggles as we try to communicate with them. Please help us pray that the only true God will be revealed to these beautiful neighbors and their souls will be saved.

Gail goes to the hospital daily to observe personnel and procedures. Jack goes to the hospital as well working in the depot, the medical supply area for the hospital and pharmacy. I work on the material that will be presented to the hospital employees and to the pastors and students.

In the Ennises’ newsletter, Gail writes, One of the biggest concerns we have is our need for physicians.  Without physicians, we don’t have patients.  Without patients, we don’t have revenue.  Without revenue it is hard to hire more physicians.  Right now we have one gynecologist and one surgeon.   We did have four Cuban doctors, but after a few months here, they up and left and went back to Cuba.  One was a pediatrician which is desperately needed here.  It is extremely difficult to operate with just two doctors and meet the demands and needs of the people.

After the first of the year we would like to start a rotation of North American physicians and nurses through our hospital.  If you would be interested in coming and working alongside of us, please let us know.  Seeing that the Dessalines Hospital is a reference and training facility, we would also like to have some in-service training seminars as well.  Your presence would be a tremendous encouragement to all of us.

We are so grateful for the gifts some of you have sent to help Dessalines hospital. Please pray that God will provide the much-needed funds. If you would like to help the hospital financially, please designate it “DRHP Operational Assistance.”

Another concern of ours is all of the children and young people who do not go to school. They just sit or stand around. Some play games all day long. Many turn to voodoo to give them something to do. Please pray that God will give us ways to minister to these precious people. Oh, they need God.

We do not know what Christmas will be like this year. It will be different, that is for sure. We miss our family. But God has shown Himself to be gracious to us and fill us with His presence. Please pray for our families as the circle is not complete this year.

We pray you will all know and practice the true meaning of Christmas. We are so blessed that God loved us so much that He sent His Son. We are so blessed that Jesus loved us so much that He died for us. We are so blessed that the Holy Spirit lives this love in and through our hearts. We are to be a blessing to the world. Share the Good News of Christmas.

We are grateful for your continued support and partnering through your giving and your prayers.

For His kingdom to fully come to Haiti and the world,

Jack and Jeanne Munos