September 29, 2009

Dear Friends,

This weekend was a very tough weekend for all of us. It began Saturday morning with the death of one of our 19 year old young men. A young man named Macken Joseph. Macken helped us put up the tent, and marched to church for our first service. Friday night he got a bad fever, and 9 a.m. Saturday morning he was gone.


Macken Joseph in the red shirt helping raise the tent, shortly before his death.


As we dealt with this, we were still preparing for our 2nd service at Victory Bible Church in the Victory Tent. Macken's funeral was scheduled for the afternoon.

I was awakened with a text early Sunday morning from Roger, simply saying "tom, mommy tia's gone." At about 430 a.m. Sunday the 27th of September, Mommy Tia, our 72 year old "mommy," went to be with the Lord.

As you know, we took her in 4 years ago, a homeless, wonderful Christian woman. She was to help with the younger boys then got cancer shortly thereafter and we have had the privilege of caring for her, until Sunday. She is now with her Savior.


Mommy Tia, a gentle warrior for Christ

It was very difficult for the boys as they lined up in the yard for the hearse that carried Mommy from her bedroom. Several went off crying. The little ones were kept in their room.

The funeral for this gentle warrior, Mommy Tia, is Wednesday at 2 p.m. at our church, the church she never saw but was a member of.

These two deaths, along with Jordens from Grace Emmanuel School, brings the total to three we have lost from our ministry in seven days. Arriving at church Sunday morning for our 2nd service, with all this on our mind was very tough. However my staff and boys did a great job to pull off church.

As you remember, we had 298 in our first service in the tent. This week the excitement was there again, as we were at about 350. The tent was full but all had a seat. We are building 8 more benches this week as we expect to top 400 this Sunday.

After learning of Mommy's death Sunday a.m., I almost scrapped my sermon which was about dreams and using the gifts and talents that God has planted in each one of us. I thought about talking about death and preaching along this line. I prayed about it but felt God wanted me to stick with the original sermon.

I was blessed after the sermon, when I asked those who want to "start over" and those who want to begin to see those seeds of greatness grow, to join me at the stage. Around 50 young men and women came forward to dedicate their life to the service of God. That was thrilling.

Of course we shared about Mommy Tia and honored her in our service, as well as Macken and Jordens.


Jordens Pierre, one of our school children, died due to a fever

Being a part of this tent church, is very exciting and you can feel it with the people, they can't wait to get to church, and don't want to leave. My staff told me for years, Saturday church was hurting attendance, they told me when we meet on Sunday we won't be able to hold them. They may be right.

We are building a "lean to" type shelter with tarps for our junior church, which numbers over 100 children.

My emotions are all over the place, the loss of life, Mommy's expected, the two young men not, and the entire ministry going on is pushing me to the limit but God is good and we keep moving forward. Thank you for your help, to make it possible to be Jesus in Haiti. Do the same where you are will ya? tominhaiti