A Christmas Letter from our Friend Marilyn!

 Hello Highviewers and other supporters of all things Haiti.

Reposting here, with permission, Marilyn McIlroy's Christmas letter.

CHRISTMAS GREETINGS 2022 from your EMCC WP Global Partner

Here we are already pressing forward in the Christmas Season.  I love Christmas.  I really enjoy the festivities, the lights and the music.   Most of all I love the reason for the season, Jesus.

Today I want to share so many reasons for giving thanks.  The month of November, as a church we remembered those who live under severe or very high levels of persecution.  The first Sunday of the month we are to remember to pray for our brothers and sisters who are living in extreme situations that we really cannot comprehend.  And then there are those believers who are from backgrounds where their very lives will be snuffed out if they speak the name of Jesus.  I am so thankful for a friend, now with Jesus in heaven, Sharon B., who drew my attention to praying for peoples who are of Muslim backgrounds and live in Muslim nations.  (Sharon was the finance administrator for EMCC and a member of my local church back in the day).  I recently found a paper copy of an email from Sharon.  It was 2002, Day 4 of the 30 days during Ramadan and the Muslim prayer focus, and we were reminded to pray for the Komering of Indonesia.  This people group had only a handful of believers in a population of over a million people.  Since 2002, I have become passionate about prayer for those who suffer persecution and for the peoples who live within Muslim nations.  God is working in amazing ways through the prayers of thousands of believers around the globe who desire to see "your kingdom come, your will be done here on earth as it is in heaven."   Why am I thankful then?  I am so grateful for Sharon who passed on her passion to pray for those who would not easily have opportunity to hear the good news of Jesus and to pass that on.  I am thankful for the way that God is drawing many to himself through dreams and visions and miracles.  I am thankful for our freedom here in Canada to live for Jesus, to share the good news and to be able to financially assist in the places where faith costs the most.

Today I am so grateful for the EMCCWP Project RD111 in Pignon, Haiti.  Wow, when the doors opened to the Seniors' Home in Pignon back in March, 2022 I really did not know how we would reach to November and December and still have adequate funds.  I am so thankful for Highview Community church and their commitment to sponsor this Initiative but several more church or individual donors are needed to cover the daily costs.  I can say today that the needs have been met for today.  And I am grateful. Thank you Jesus.

What a blessing to see the residents enjoying a meal around the table, as they live in community and encourage one another.   Photos below:   Top L Mr. Bassien, Top R John Richard (paraplegic) Bottom L Ms Venise, Bottom R Mr Calixte

August, 2022 Gens de Nantes 3-day training in Garden's of Faithfulness

The Initiative RD 146: Gens de Nantes, Haiti Education, Food Security and Community Mobilization continues to face many challenges.  For this fall season, schools have remained closed due to instability in the country.  When the school does open, parents are afraid to send their children.  For example in the city of Gonaives, 2 children in school uniforms were shot on their way to school. Parents also struggle to find cash to pay for uniforms and shoes and food.  Yes, school fees and books and backpacks are provided but the children still need to eat.  The seeds purchased for the big FGW/Gardens of Faithfulness Training in August have failed to germinate.  Well that is the story I am receiving.  Is it lack of watering, poor soil and lack of preparing the soil with natural fertilizer.  I do not know.  There is still the big challenge for the beneficiary families to have "buy in."  The good news is that there are members of the community who are very interested and who participated in the 3 day training that was held at the GDN practice farm.   Above:  At the three day training event in August, there were 80  participants including beneficiary parents and beneficiary students, teachers and community members along with the trainers from Farm Haiti Pignon and Hernso, the lead trainer at GDN.  The participants were given further training in how to prepare and manage Gardens of Faithfulness.  Everyone greatly appreciated the training.  Now, to encourage them to put it into practice at home!

Above:  In early July, Hernso and some of the beneficiary students prepared a small plot of ground using the FGW methods.  Hernso planted this small test plot of corn.  He had selected the best seed from a previous crop and the students helped him plant it.  These are the results.  I am so happy to see the size of the cobs. The basket shows the crop that was harvested.  The neighbours apparently enjoyed fresh corn from his crop, when he was not present :-(.  The height and size of the corn show the strength of  Hernso's learnings from FGW - seed selection, natural fertilizer and management of the crop.

What have I been up to in the last 3 months (apart from work)?   I have been spending lots of time with Pam Hicks and Jean Winker. Pam and I love walking/hiking on the trails. Jean and I were Pam's wedding consultants.   Pam and Randall Rehkopf were married October 22, 2022. What a wonderful day it was! PS.  I was in the wedding party too.

I am so very thankful to you, my partners in the ministry of Community Health.  Thank you for your faithful commitment during this year of 2022. I appreciate you.  And thank you to those who are continuing to partner with the various initiatives of EMCCWP. Your dedicated support has been a huge blessing. Thank you.  Thank you.

Prayer and Praise Notes Praise for Seniors' home and the new residents in place.  Praise for funds to this point.  Pray for new donors for the new year. Praise for success of the FGW corn crop.  Pray that the beneficiaries will see the benefit of having a garden in their own yard and for a readily available food source.  Pray for ongoing resilience and courage for our Haitian brothers and sisters in the midst of such difficult circumstances.  Many schools have not yet opened due to insecurity.  Food is scarce.  Gang violence leads to fear and desperation.   Praise for a new church partner committed to a fundraiser in support of FGW in the new year.   Pray for FGW Gardens coordinator, Hernso, who along with many in the city of Ouanaminthe, is suffering from influenza - high fevers, head aches, cough and body aches. Praise for this year, 2022, for resources needed for personal support as well as funding for the various initiatives related to the ministry of this Global Partner (GP).  Pray for me as I continue to downsize in my GP role and to be "future ready."

Christmas is just around the corner.  In the midst of our busy schedules let us remember that the Christ of Christmas, Jesus, is here right now.  He invites us into fellowship with him.  He desires that we spend time in our busy days to "be still and know that he is God."  He also calls us to love one another.   1John 3:16,17 says that we should give up our lives for our brothers and sisters.  If we see a brother or sister in need and do not have compassion - how can God's love be in us?  We should not merely say we love each other but show it by our actions.   In this season, which focuses on gift giving, consider our brothers and sisters in need, globally and locally.    God's Wonderful Gift of Love to Us 1John4:9 "God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him."

Check out the website for WP Initiatives: