Coastal Haiti Mission Newsletter
September 2021
GATHERINGS
A dear friend of mine passed away not long ago. We’d been friends since high school. We sort of “grew up” together, helping each other through the cornucopia of life experience, sharing the ups and downs, and “yeas” and “nays” of teenagery (is that a word?). We saw each other through the ensuing years of marriage, parenthood, and, eventually, the passing of our husbands.
Our friendship was a great gift.
We are not meant to walk alone. We are not made that way by our Creator. Besides our own families – parents, spouses, children, siblings, etc., we need others.
So let’s hear it for the small-group prayer and Bible studies offered by so many of our churches today.
According to a study made by national insurer Cigna, most Americans feel “lonely, left out, and not known.”
We need care, healing, encouragement, and attention. And, most importantly, we need to learn to be authentic with one another. I believe that many of us are presenting a “false self” to others for fear of rejection. (You know, If you really knew who I was, you wouldn’t like me.) I saw a large pin on one of the men in my church one time that read GOOD, AND YOU? The pat answer! Whether or not it’s true.
Although these dear ones are loved by others, they cannot feel the love because it is being directed to the false self they have portrayed while the real self is still hiding in the wings.
A small group of people meeting on a regular basis and truly committed to one another can do much to bring life, healing, and stability to one another. So many folks, Christians included, are suffering from trauma of one kind or another: a dire medical report, a rebellious child, loss of a loved one, loss of a job, divorce, or even long- ago abuse. (Or, maybe they were a long – ago abuser.) They desperately need to be loved, accepted, and cared for.
Dr. Tim Clinton, President of The American Association of Christian Counselors, says in the October issue of Charisma magazine that “Community -particularly Christian community with its devotion to prayer, confession, openness, vulnerability, service and investment in others – is more and more being understood as a bulwark against the traumatizing culture in which we live.”
And Christian communities have the benefit of spiritual help and guidance. Jesus said that wherever two or three are gathered in His Name, He would be “in the midst of them.” (Mat. 18:20)
And we have gifts from the Holy Spirit, given to build up the Body of Christ for good and profit. (1 Cor. 12:8-10)
“And walk in love – esteeming and delighting in one another-
as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us, a slain offering
and sacrifice to God [for you, so that it became] a sweet
fragrance” (Eph.5:2
Walking this way with you,
Connie
Life in the Village
Pastor Coty Writes:
Everyone in life is expecting something, either now or in the future. The kids of Cahess were expecting and looking forward to the reopening of school.
When they found out the date that school would begin, they decided to come and clean the school.
Even though some of the parents were not ready for school to open because of the cost, the kids were ready to start, days before the first day of school.
They got soap and water and proceeded to begin cleaning. They washed and rinsed the benches. Then they cleaned the classrooms.
No one forced them to this. Instead, they did this work with joy, because they love their school.
Cleaning because they love their school
The School Lunch Program
Pastor Coty Writes:
School is back, food is back.
I was a kid, I know what it means to wake-up every day and have to go to school. Some days, you don’t want to leave your bed, but you have to.
In our school, the life conditions of the kids at their homes, makes them love to be at school, every day.
For years, I have been thanking you, the supporters of this program, with the hope that someday, life would be better for our students and their families.
Truly, it’s totally the opposite of what has happened. I am so sorry to say that life is much more difficult now in Haiti.
For many of our students, coming to school each day, fulfills their biggest hope of getting something to eat for that day.
Some of the parents cannot even pay the tuition for the kids to come to school, but they know that when the food is ready, we are very pleased to serve their children.
Lunch, a BIG Incentive to come to School.
The fall term of the 2021 2022 school year began on Tuesday, September 21.
School attendance has increased this year. There will be 270 students and teachers, an increase of 42 students.
This means that at $0.50 per meal, we will need to provide $135.00 for each school day.
For a 20 school day month, we will need to provide $2,700.00
We will need additional school lunch sponsors to provide this quantity of lunches.
If you desire to help with the cost of feeding the school students and teachers, please send your donation to the address at the end of this newsletter, or if you prefer to make an “online donation,” please use our PayPal service, also at the end of this newsletter.
Food for the Needy Program
Pastor Coty Writes:
The food for the needy program is the hope for the hopeless in the village.
We know that no one can live without food and there are many people who don’t get access to food in the world.
How do these people survive?
They need the support of other people, to face life every day.
This is the reality for many people in Haiti.
Me, Pastor Coty; I happen to know some of those people, because they live in my village. With the support of others, my people can face life by receiving food.
I keep hearing thanks, thanks and thanks from them every time they receive food, but truly the ones who really need to hear their thanks, is YOU.
You do not know them personally, but God does. So again and again, I say thanks for supporting the needy people in Cahess.
Pastor Coty
Gratefully, they thank you!!!!
Dispelling the Darkness, Lighting Haitian Homes
Update
As we begin the distribution and installation of the lighting systems that you provided, we want to introduce you to the person who will be responsible for carrying out this project. His name is Monel Pierre.
Monel Pierre
It is Monel’s responsibility to select with Pastor Coty’s help, the families who will get a home lighting system. Monel will train the recipients on the safe use of the system as well as provide installation help and suggestions of how to get the best use, and maximum system lifetime.
Lighting System Distribution
This is one of the families that has received a light system.
Her name is Rose-Guerline Saintil. She is the mother of 5 kids. Her husband was working in the field when we took these pictures. Monel is demonstrating to Rose-Guerline how to use the light.
Solar Power Bank, charging in the sun.
Now, Rose-Guerline’s home will be much brighter at night.
Pastor Coty arranged a demonstration of the light in a Haitian home.
A huge improvement over a kerosene lamp, and there are no cancer causing fumes or burning flames.
PROJECT HISTORY
Because this lighting project is ongoing in time, it is our intention to keep to a minimum, information that is repetitive. Therefore, we have made a separate document, consisting of the lighting project reports, which are located in the previous CHM Newsletters. This document lists the history of the home lighting project from its beginning.
The link which will connect you to this document is shown below.
Also, this document can easily be found near the top of the Newsletter Tab on the CHM website www.coastalhaitimission.org
Hebrews 13: 16 ESV
Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.
A promise to you from the scripture
Don’t be afraid, for I am with you.
Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you.
I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.
Isaiah 41: 10
Thank you Family and Friends of Coastal Haiti Mission, for all that you do to help the people in Cahess, Haiti. You are making a huge difference for these people.
Please remember, that CHM must continue to send our monthly commitment of $800 to carry on the ongoing CHM ministry in Cahess.
If you desire to help, please send your tax deductible check to our address and tell us how you want us to use your donation:
Coastal Haiti Mission
C/O Constance Goddard
3048 Spring Fancy Lane
Indian Trail, NC 28079
Or
For tax deductible “online donations”, please use our PayPal service. Also please designate how you want us to use your donation.
May the Lord our God, who knows your heart and sees your actions, grant you great joy as you serve Him.
Connie, Esther, Pastor Coty, Carl, and Ken are very grateful for your sacrifice.
Ken Johansson CHM Newsletter Editor