A Celebration of Loyalty and Love

We are delighted to pass on this invitation to any who would like to join in celebrating this remarkable woman.

I love how EMCC World Partners puts it.  "...celebrating and commissioning Marilyn into a new stage of life and ministry."  Yes!!!!

World Partners is pleased to host a celebration gathering for Marilyn McIlroy, celebrating her obedience to Jesus in the many ways she has served through World Partners for over 40 years. Please see the invite below and RSVP if you are able to join us.  We look forward to celebrating and commissioning Marilyn into a new stage of life and ministry.

Director of World Partners

In it For the Long Haul - Marilyn McIlroy

Just a link for you today.

The Long Haul Perspective - Marilyn McIlroy

This is a 4:32 minute video produced by the Evangelical Missionary Church of Canada interviewing long-haul missionary to Haiti, Marilyn McIlroy.

While we continue to pray for peace in Haiti, it's helpful to hear the voices of those who know the country and the ministry there well.  

Prayers for Haiti

In the prolonged space of chaos and uncertainty, it's hard to get regular updates about much else than the state of the Haitian nation.  

And news is not good.  

And it seems to go on and on.

So for today's posting, all I'm hoping for is to give us a few reminders and incentives to never give up praying.

Some Scriptures to Reflect On

"Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves,

for the rights of all who are destitute.

Speak up and judge fairly;

defend the rights of the poor and the needy."

Proverbs 31:8-9

"Answer me, LORD, out of the goodness of your love;

in your great mercy turn to me.

Do not hide your face from your servant;

answer me quickly, for I am in trouble.

Come near and rescue me;

deliver me because of my foes."

Psalm 69:16-18

"Do not be afraid.

Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the LORD will bring you today.

Then [enemies] you see today you will never see again.

The LORD will fight for you;

you need only to be sill."

Exodus 14:13-14

Articles and Information

Here are a few links if you want to stay up to date with what's going on.

Disclaimer:  I have not had the chance to review every article below, nor do I even have the expertise to be able to filter what's most reliable.  I will leave that up to your own discernment.

These are for overview purposes only.

The Haitian Times

Haiti News Today

Reuters

An Inspirational Video

A video for the song "How Great is Our God" by healinghaiti.org.

This does not include images of our connection with Auberge des Vieillards but it does include a short and simple solo in Creole from a young boy that I found truly moving.

Our Residents By Name

We always want to honour the dignity of each of our Residents at Auberge des Vieillard.

So, even though I've done this before, here are their names.

Our brothers:

Esler (pictured above)

Alphonse

Carius

Jean-Richard

Ones

Jean-Clautte

Marcelus

Our sisters:

Ariana

Zina

Odilia

Thank you so much for your faithfulness to keep on praying!

Piercing the Darkness with Resurrection Power

 

It was about noon, 

and darkness came over the whole land 

until three in the afternoon, 

for the sun stopped shining.  

And the curtain of the temple was torn in two.  

Jesus called out with a loud voice, 

"Father, into your hands I commend my spirit."  

When he had said this, he breathed his last.

Luke 23:44-46

Two things are happening at once.

The darkest night,

and the most outrageous access to the Divine.

The sun stops shining.

The temple curtain is ripped in half.

In the darkest moment of Jesus' agony,

the brightest hope of reconciliation with God comes to be.

It was dark for three hours.

No normal eclipse.

And no one knew how long it would be.

The end of the world, it must have seemed.

But the most incredible of things was also true.

The curse of sin was now reversed.

What separated us from God was now paid in full.

And Jesus breathed his last breath,

and hope is breathed out --

Pneuma, Spirit, breath --

in the midst of the darkest hours.

No one can fathom the darkness that covers Haiti.

Just when you think it can't get any worse, it does.

So all the more the wonder,

the triumph,

the hope,

when people step up to be Jesus

in the darkest hours.

Bringing light and love and hope.

For God, who said, 

"Let light shine out of darkness," 

made his light shine in our hearts 

to give us the light of the knowledge of God's glory 

displayed in the face of Christ.

But we have this treasure in jars of clay 

to show that this all-surpassing power 

is from God and not from us.  

We are hard pressed on every side, 

but not crushed; 

perplexed, but not in despair; 

persecuted, but not abandoned; 

struck down, but not destroyed.  

We always carry around in our body 

the death of Jesus, 

so that the life of Jesus 

may also be revealed in our body.

2 Corinthians 4:6-10

To our dear friends at Auberge des Vieillards,

all those who live there and love each other in Christ,

we pray peace and safety and resurrection power over you,

this Easter season,

and always.

A Place Where Hope Grows

 

"If you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry

and satisfy the needs of the oppressed,

then your light will rise in the darkness,

and your night will become like the noonday.

"The LORD will guide you always;

He will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land

and will strengthen your frame.

"You will be like a well-watered garden,

like a spring whose waters never fail."

Isaiah 58:10-11

Just had to share some of these pictures sent to us from the garden at A des V.

Some good news out of Haiti!

A garden grows to nurture the needs of our seniors.

In the midst of all the wretchedness,

hope springs up.

Reminds me of God's words through the prophet Isaiah, reminding us that, to Him, this is true worship.

I think I get it.

The light splashing over the rows of vegetables is making me catch my breath a little.

Knowing what these dear people are contending with every day.

Seeing a defiant hope in the midst of it.

Few things speak hope like a garden.

And oh, by the way.

Our grand total from the Haiti Dinner and Auction keeps creeping up, with donations trickling in even after the event.

We're now up to over $14,500.00 raised.

Again.....thank you to everyone, every single one of you, who made it happen!!

What's a Bigger Word for "Thank You?"

It's Monday morning after our big event and the final numbers are still coming in.

In a day or two I will be able to report the final amounts and give more details.

What I can say, at this point, is that we have certainly exceeded our goal of $10,000.00 towards Auberge des Vieillards and the care of the ten vulnerable Seniors there.

And what I want to say, right here and right now, is how in awe I am of our stellar volunteers.  

We're not a big church, so when I say that 37 individuals came together to pull this off, that's a huge buy-in. 

Haiti Volunteers - Thank you, thank you, thank you.  I honestly wish there was a 'bigger' word for it, because that's what I hope you can hear.

And at the risk of minimizing some contributions (which I in no way want to do ever), I still feel it's worth mentioning the over-and-above from certain individuals.

Colin - you really outdid yourself this year in going in for 'the ask', gathering corporate donations towards the meal and the event itself!  That was a lot of footwork!!!!  Not to mention how much you were on your feet on the day of!!  (Enjoy your auction item bid win.)

Lillian - you can 'stand the heat' in the kitchen like nobody else we know!  You and your whole kitchen team were giving it your all.  And that you stay to the very, very end, washing up and putting away AND getting back at in first thing on Sunday morning for our Haiti Leftovers Lunch....those are 'last push' efforts that are nothing less than heroic!

Brian - it's your heart and passion and positivity that leads the whole thing in the first place.  You are the one gathering the auction items and also going in for the ask at the corporate level.  Thank you for keeping Haiti on our radar in ways that are a perfect blend of love and tenacity.

I've just got to say, as Highview's Missionary in Residence, it is such a humbling thing to be part of a family of people who love like you do.  Over the years, no matter what role I've held, a common question when meeting other church leaders is, "How big is your church?"  I've learned to answer with a question.  "By what measurement?"  Because, if I take in what happens when it comes to weekends like this, regardless of Sunday morning attendance or any other metric...we are ENORMOUS! 

So, yes, every single one who came together in any way, 

THANK YOU!!!

I just wish there was a bigger way to say it!

Except, you just are the bigger way.

Still Time to Be Part of Something Important - Caring for Vulnerable Seniors in Haiti

HIGHVIEW COMMUNITY CHURCH presents

the annual

HAITI DINNER AND SILENT AUCTION

Saturday, February 24, 2024

Details in the yellow box below.

Hand Carved Soapstone, Artist: Amber Barrett

I just gotta say, our line up of Auction Items is pretty impressive this year.

Here are just two of some pretty awesome prizes to be bid on this coming Saturday, February 24.  

Interlocking Set of Live Edge Black Walnut Charcuterie Boards, Woodcrafter: Roger Bowman

And that's just a taste.

But speaking of taste - you won't want to miss our signature turkey dinner complete with dessert.

All for the very worthy cause of caring for our ten Seniors at Auberge des Vieillards in Pignon, Haiti.

Tickets still available.

Brian Ogilvie - brian.ogilvie@obfinancial.ca

Ken Breithaupt - kdb@ptsoft.com