Where do I fit?

“So, Lord, where do I fit?” That was my simple prayer to the Lord as Jean and I headed off to Haiti.  

Why would I ask that question?  Here is why.   My wife, Jean and two of my three daughters and their husbands have become immersed in ministry to Haiti, specifically at the Village Merci’ de Dieu, in Haiti. Together they are involved with sewing classes, educational development of children, Bible school, arranging English classes, providing food for needy children, occupational training, and just hugging on kids in general.

But Alan Axtell?  Let’s see…sewing?  Nope, that’s not me!  Educational and occupational training! Already covered by my girls and their husbands!  Teaching vacation Bible school to young children Maybe when I was 30!  Just hugging on kids?  Maybe a little, but I’m really not the hugging type.  

“So, Lord, where do I fit?!? Just show me, and I will do exactly when you want me to do.”

We arrived Saturday evening and after a great night’s sleep, we headed to church.  I had already heard great reports about God moving in the Village and I was looking forward to spending time at the Sunday morning worship service.  And I was not disappointed!  There was a new vibrancy in the church. People were singing their hearts out with frequent hallelujahs and smiles everywhere.  And, although I did not understand what Pastor Clifford was saying, I could tell he had a genuine passion for the Lord.  

Pastor Clifford and his family live very close to the village.  When he heard the Village no longer had a pastor, he felt God’s leading to make himself available should the Village leadership council so choose. As God would have it, the council placed him in the role of interim pastor.  Pastor Clifford asked for no financial support.  He simply felt blessed to serve.

Now…fast forward a few days after the Sunday worship service.  Dr. John and two other men (with the blessing of the Village leadership) decided to meet with Pastor Clifford to hear his heart and to ask him a simple question, “What are your top three needs?”  

After their interview I quickly cornered Dr. John and the others with him. What they told me revealed volumes about this man of God.  Pastor Clifford’s top three needs were church related needs and nothing about his financial needs.  With that, I was convinced that God wanted me to raise the needed support for this man of God and his family!

“So Lord, where do I fit?” God’s answer was as clear as anything He has ever asked me to do.  As soon as I returned home, I began sharing with close friends about Pastor Clifford’s heart and his financial needs.  God moved mightily in the hearts of several men (including me!) and within two weeks of returning home, Pastor Clifford had his support for the year.  Praise God.  But there is more…

At the most recent board meeting of Mercy International the Board selected two other Haitian pastors to be supported as God provides the funds.  Pastor Wilford and his wife will minister in the newly developing village in Deye Mon and Pastor Etienne will receive a long deserved increase in his financial support.  I am happy to report that through the efforts of the Board, Mercy International has received cash and pledges covering all but $400 per month to support all three pastors!  If you would like to support any part of the remaining need, simply mark your check, “Pastoral Support”.  I cannot begin to express how excited I am about having God ordained, Haitian pastors and their wives serving the people that all of us love so dearly.

“So, where do you fit?”  Just ask, and He will let you know.

“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2:10

#MercideDieu #Pastor

Karensky’s Life or Death Battle

I met Karensky three years ago at the orphanage. I will never forget it. Despite the pain in his eyes and his apparent discomfort, he smiled. He reached his arms around Dr. Leininger and squeezed as hard as he could. Dr. Leininger then asked how he was feeling and inspected his bulging stomach. My heart sank as I saw his sweet smile disappear.

Karensky has a life threatening disease called Hirchsprung’s Disease, which leads to chronic constipation. It is completely treatable, and if he had been born in the United States, it would have been treated a very long time ago.

Even though Karensky looks like he is about 8 years old, he is actually 14. Because of his condition, he is malnourished and underdeveloped. Karensky has been awaiting surgery for many years. Previous attempts to bring him to the States for treatment have been blocked. Sadly, time for Karensky is running out. Without intervention, his disease will become fatal.

In March, through God’s amazing timing and provision, Dr. Leininger found a doctor willing to do the surgery in Haiti. This was an absolute answer to prayer. In faith that God will provide, Mercy International has made arrangements to move forward with the surgery on Thursday, April 14th.

Lord willing, Karensky will finally find relief from the pain he has experienced everyday since he can remember. With your donations and God’s hand over his surgery, Karensky will soon be on his way to recovery.

We still need to raise $6,000 to cover the cost of healing this sweet boy’s body. Any amount helps! God has provided one donor already who will match any donation up to a total of $1000. Please consider donating to Mercyintl.org and join us in prayer. Be sure to make a note on your donation “Surgery for Karensky”.

#donations #HirchsprungsDisease #Karensky #surgery

Beating The Odds

Please let me introduce you to a very rare individual in Haiti…  Richard Chery.  He is a poor, non-urban male who has graduated high school, attended a vocational training program, gotten an apprenticeship and, recently begun a university program to study mechanical engineering.

Just how rare is he?  To put this into perspective for you, the overall high school attendance rate in Haiti is 19.6%.  Among boys, that number drops to 18%.  Among the poorest Haitians that number drops to 2.5%.  Once we consider that he has completed post-secondary training and has been accepted into one of the few Haitian universities, the numbers are so low that the government statistics actually list them as 0.0%.

I have known Richard for the last four years.  I met him on my second visit to Haiti.  He was living in the Mercy village with his family of 9 or 10 siblings.  His father is an artisan who crafts souvenirs out of stone to help provide for his family.

To say that Richard has grown up in very difficult circumstances is an understatement.  After the earthquake, he and his family lived in a makeshift hovel in a tent city for almost two years.  By the time I met him, Richard had graduated high school and was hoping that he could learn to become an auto-mechanic, but he did not have any money for additional schooling.

Our family decided to sponsor Richard and help him enroll in a vocational training program.  Richard struggled at first with some of the classes.  For those of us who grew up with a relatively good education system, we learn skills that we aren’t even aware that we have—such as how to think abstractly and solve complex problems by breaking them down.

In Haiti, this isn’t the case.  Yet, Richard never gave up.  He worked hard and successfully graduated from his vocational program in mid-December.  I’ve never seen him so proud of an accomplishment.

Here are some of Richard’s own words:

“For many years I’ve worked and studied hard in my school, even though sometimes the times were hard and I’ve known difficult and sad times but I continued and hope until I graduate in high school.  It was my first step and after my dream was to become an engineer in mechanic.  I know it was difficult and almost impossible because my dad had too much responsibility and I tried for many times to enroll but still fails until Dr. John came in Haiti and I met Nathan Stricker, a friend Dr. John gave me as a sponsor. I still remember this night when I met him and the first word of Dr. John about him, I cried too much!!  These men were as the savior, sorry but that’s true!!! Through them and Mercy International I found all I wanted: joy, hope, success…quickly I started learning mechanic with their help and for many years I’ve studied hard until I also graduate. I’ve been apprenticing and gain some practical experience I feel very happy, my dreams become true or almost.  I want to fix cars everyday, it’s my passion. The bigger surprise is that I was able to get into university and I’ve been provided with tuition help.  University is the last step, the most important. Now I realize that there are going to be costs that I was not aware… transportations, books, tests, food, and other expenses.  I want so much to go and finish.  Will you please help me?”

Like all of us, there are times that Richard has stumbled.  But, every time Richard has faced adversity, I have seen him get up, face up to his problems and work harder to keep going.  All of his hard work has paid off.  He was able to pass the entrance exams and was accepted into a university-level mechanical engineering program.

Through all of this, Richard has remained very humble.  He does not like to be in the limelight.  Even as I asked him to share some of his own story, he expressed that it is hard for him to talk about his life and the challenges that he has faced.  Richard gives the glory and honor to God for helping him get to where he is today.

He wants to attend the university program, but like university programs even here in the US, there are unanticipated costs additional to his tuition and fees.  Richard has no transportation of his own, so in order to get to and from university, he has to use buses and taxis.  In each of his classes, the teachers frequently require books to be purchased.  Exams have fees and require him to have acceptable clothing in order to sit for them.  Aside from that, Richard does not eat very well.  He needs nutritious meals in order to help him concentrate and learn.

The university program is a 4-year program.  While his tuition is covered, each month, Richard needs about $130 US for all of the above expenses.

Please prayerfully consider whether you might be called to sponsor Richard for $20 or $25 a month.  With your help, Richard can defy the odds that are so stacked up against him.

Note: Haiti educational statistics retrieved from http://www.childinfo.org/files/LAC_Haiti.pdf

#education #scholarships