Safe Arrival in Port Au Prince

It was freezing last night. Yes -- cold in the Dominican Republic. Polo is in the mountains and it was so nice for Darren to allow us to stay at the mission. Seems like God always supplies when we are obedient. I woke up early walked out and saw what a beautiful place it is up in Polo, D.R. We were met by Moiesses and Antonio. Antonio is a local pastor who speaks Spanish, Creole and English. I am glad these plans are not ours. It is so cool how God just orchestrates all things in ways that I can never understand.

There was so much to do today from getting cash exchanged to pesos, purchasing food supplies, getting truck parts, fuel and getting to the border. None of us have ever been to the D.R. and for all this to happen so smoothly truly took an act of God. All this took place in a small coastal town of Barahoma. We were able to buy 20 100lb bags of rice, 10 100lb bags of beans, spaghetti, sauce, oil and canned fish. Once all the supplies were bought we headed across the D.R. to the Haitian border at Jamani.

After about 3 or 4 hours in the back of the truck we finally made to the border. The only resistance we had was with the fuel. We have 6 55gallon drums of gas and diesel. With a prayer and an official looking letter from the states we got through. We were met by Pastor Harry and JoJo to help us get through immigration. Mexico is much harder to cross and to get across. There are a lot of similarities in the chaotic mess though.

Once we arrived at Love a Child where the truck is all our new Dominican brothers helped us unload and reload. What a blessing it was to have them. It was getting dark and a decision had to be made. Do we go in to Port or not. So we asked Harry what we should do and Harry says it is safe and we must go and go now. Chuck and I drove the truck and Dale drove with JoJo. Harry and one of his church members rode on the back of the truck for security. It was dark and I new it was the right thing to do. Harry was willing to risk his life for us so I new that it was safe as possible.

As we approached Port it seemed like business as usual. Lots of cars, vendors and people walking around. As we approached Dottie’s you could see some of the devastation to areas that we are familiar with. WOW! We pulled up to Dottie’s and got through the gate and so far all is well… as I expected. When you know that you know that you know… you know. Praise God from whom all blessings flow.

Kenny
GMSM

Safe Arrival to the Dominican Republic

What would any good mission trip be without showing up at 4:30 a.m. for a 6:30 a.m. flight only to be told that the flight was scratched and you have about ten minutes to get on the one about to leave. Praise God for whom all blessings flow, he provided a path.

Once we arrived in the Dominican Republic we were met by a Christian local named Moisses David Cuevas Espinosa who is involved with a ministry all the way on the other side of the country in a town called Polo. The ministry is called Caribbean Ministry directed by a man named Darren Turel. God provided this connection through someone Chuck new.

Once we were picked up, Chuck, Dale Winslette and I took off with Mousses for a 6 hour trip across the country. D. R. is a beautiful place and pales in comparison to our real destination. Crazy how two countries worlds apart share the same island, while one is affected by a massive earthquake and the other is not. I had a great time with our driver because he speaks Spanish and I was able to communicate with him well. Felipe would have been proud. Tomorrow will be a whole new thing.

We will start moving supplies into Haiti by the afternoon. We all know the potential danger in this hot bed situation and do not question God's call on our lives. Chuck and I have so many friends who are hurting and need help. I thank God for Dale’s heart. I would be lying if I did not continue to think about Kim and the girls. I will be praying that God will give me focus and that He will take care of them no matter what happens. I have no idea what is waiting for us. I just know God will be glorified.



Kenny
GMSM
January 23, 2010

Leaving For Haiti Today

We are very thankful for the nearly $23,000 provided by supporters of Give Me Shelter Ministries for this trip to Haiti.

Kenny and Brother Chuck of Truth Evangelistic Ministry will fly into the Dominican Republic today, January 22, 2010.  With the help of two other organizations, Love A Child and Caribbean Missions, Kenny and Chuck will cross the border into Haiti  to deliver drums of fuel for generators, and as many rice and beans as we can load in. 

We are visiting all our usual spots -- Dottie's Guest House in Port Au Prince (we won't be staying, but praise the Lord she and most of the children of the orphanage survived), and up to Z'Orange and Jerusalem churches.  We will provide as much water as we can purchase to all our Brothers and Sisters.  We will fuel the generators to pump the wells too.  These churches you've helped build can be an area of relief for many who are fleeing the city for the country.

Needless to say, we need your prayers more than ever on this mission.  It is important for us to return to the people and their churches with whom we've become so close and successful in spreading the Gospel in this already impoverished country.  Pray that our supplies and missionaries make it to the Christians who bring so much hope to people in a country where there was little to begin with, and basically none now.

We know that there is hope in any situation through Christ, and it is important to help spread the Word of God to a society who generally does not know Him.  Thank you again for helping us reach out to fellow humans who have nothing like the blessings we have here at home.

Praise God from whom all blessings flow!

Dental Clinic in Mexico a Big Success

Praise God from whom all blessings flow. GMSM teamed up with Ft. Walton Beach dentist Dr. Tony Clark, his assistant Scott Shepard, Tony's sons Logan and Luke and Shaun Ellis and headed down to Mexico for a dental clinic. Scott wrote a great report posted below. It was his first mission, and he was fired up to serve.

We did our first ever clinic in the colonias at Pastor Felipe's church and a clinic over in Casa Hogar Elim orphanage. What a blessing it was to be able to supply some physical help to some hurting people. Between the colonia and Casa Hogar Elim, Tony and Scott saw more than 60 adults and children with at least 40 tooth extractions, fillings and cleanings.

We hardly scratched the surface on meeting dental needs down here, but praise God we were able to help many in the name of Christ.

With so much happening in Haiti and as our preparation begins to start for our relief effort there, I thank God he allowed us the time to continue the ministry down here. As we were preparing to leave, Felipe told me not to worry about them, that we are fine, Haiti needs us more now than we do, that we should spend this year down there.

It is wonderful to see a guy like Pastor Felipe, who the world sees as insignificant, truly gets it. We should all take a close look at ourselves and have the same wonderful, selfless attitude as Pastor Felipe.

Kenny
GMSM
Jan. 15-18 Mexico dental clinic


---- Report from Scott Shepard ----

Mission teams are departing for the devastation in Haiti as our mission team leaves Mexico this morning; body and soul refreshed by the Holy Spirit. We were blessed with a mission that brought the love of Jesus to both Casa Hogar orphanage and the church of “Mision Bautista Nuevo Camina” in a nearby colonia.

The colonias are Nuevo Laredo neighborhoods of makeshift shelters inhabited by the most impoverished families. Dr. Tony Clark and his family have been supporting the Casa Hogar mission since 1999. Last summer Tony felt a calling to share his blessings as a dentist in Ft Walton Beach, Florida with Mrs. Lupita's children in the orphanage. The dental ministry has been such a tremendous blessing to Casa Hogar that an outreach mission into the colonias was planned for 2010. With a crew of four and the assistance of many in Nuevo Laredo, Kenny Phillips acted as the liaison for this first trip outside the walls of Casa Hogar. Saturday the mission set up our dental clinic in the sanctuary of Camina Nueva, using pews to seat our patients and a desk chair elevated on cinder blocks to evaluate and treat our patients.

During the day and into the evening, residents of the colonias walked dirt roads to visit “los dentistas” in the church of Nueva Camina. We were blessed to take care of 23 patients, in all removing 28 teeth from people in real pain. Five patients required extensive surgery. In cases like Paulina, who was so badly disabled by tooth decay, ten teeth were removed to ease her pain and prevent a life threatening infection.

Sunday morning our makeshift dental clinic returned to Casa Hogar; where a previous mission team had prepared a much more permanent facility. Medical examination tables, a dental chair and good lighting were only part of our blessings this Sunday. Doctor Tony soon trained several of the children to assist in delivering bottled water and suction from an air compressor and shop-vac during the exams with simple request for "aqua y suctionnes."

During the morning, we provided very simple dental cleaning, fluoride treatments and cavity evaluation to 48 of the orphanage children. After lunch, we returned to treat those at risk of permanent damage with fillings and in three more cases, teeth that needed to be pulled. While it was heart wrenching for us to remove four teeth from five year old Lupita, she was resting comfortably just a few hours later. A new smile will return in the next few days, a happy sight for the older girls that have seen the sad, sad face of a baby sister crying from the pain of four toothaches. As the children helped break down the backpack dentistry equipment, each one with a toothbrush and toothpaste in their pocket...they repeated our advice frequently. Brush your teeth and pray every night, "todos las noches!”

Father God, thank you so much for Logan and Luke, Doctor Tony's sons and Mr Shaun Ellis. Their assistance in setting up and putting away the equipment was only surpassed in testimony by their interaction with the children and staff of Casa Hogar. Doctor Tony, your healing gift and discernment to invite me on this trip are living testimony to the power of faith in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. May God be with Kenny as he prepares for a relief ministry to our brothers and sisters in Haiti.

In His Name,
Scott Shepard

Pastor Fani Has Returned Home to the Lord

Pastor Fanilus ("Fani"), the pastor of Jerusalem II Church in Haiti, has completed his work on Earth. He went home to be with the Lord yesterday, January 15, 2010.

Pastor Fani was a great man of God who led many Haitians to Christ through the years. He lived in what most consider a shack, in a world that was full of pain and need. He taught his fellow man that Christ's redeeming blood was all that is needed by any person throughout the world, regardless of what lot had been cast his or her way.

Pastor Fani has now left the hardships of Haiti and this world, and is rejoicing in Glory today with Christ.

Please keep his wife and child in your prayers, as well as the members of his church.

Please Help Us in Haiti

Give Me Shelter Ministries is scheduled to arrive in Haiti next Thursday, January 21st.

Please pray that the airport will be open for our mission.

We ask that you pray for all our friends, brothers and sisters in Haiti whom you have helped serve through Give Me Shelter Ministries.

We ask that you prayerfully consider helping us with a financial donation of any size to help us get aid to Pastors Fani, Harry, Dorleon, Winsy and their churches.

ALL money donated to our Haiti missions goes directly to these Christian pastors and their churches. Please search this blog for "Haiti" to see the many trips we've made and the Churches we've helped build.

We have heard one message from Pastor Harry, that his family is alive, Praise be to God, but his home is destroyed. We do not know the condition of the other pastors. We will report updates here at our blog.

Praise God from whom all blessings flow. Thank you for supporting Give Me Shelter Ministries.

Return from Christmas Mission to Mexico

To wrap up the trip we visited Casa Hogar Elim and the children that we have formed relationships with. It was a pleasant surprise to see the work that has been done there. The dental clinic is really starting to take shape. Some of the kids were home with their families but we spent some time with the ones who were there. We dropped off a few Christmas gifts and left to start the trip home.

We traveled for several hours and stopped in Houston for the night. After some much needed rest we made the rest of the trek home, saying goodbye to our friends from Louisiana and Alabama. The trip was a great success as we were able to deliver the blankets and food. We also ended up leaving some of the blankets for Felipe to take on a mission trip that he is conducting himself into the mountains of Mexico.

We made some great new relationships with the people from Saraland, Alabama and got the chance to see our friends from Ponchatoula, Louisiana. We truly were able to work as the body of Christ even though we are not all from the same place or background. Continue to be in prayer for the people in Mexico and for Pastor Felipe as he continues his mission.