December in Haiti (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Fri, 15 Dec 2006 17:24:38 -0500
From: Carmen Niehaus <carmen@haiti.maf.net>
To: carmen@sonlightministries.org
Subject: December in Haiti

Christmas  2006



It’s Christmas in Haiti!



            Haiti is such an interesting combination of the current and the
past.   In the same street as a woman riding a donkey and a man pulling a
two-wheel cart there is also a Toyota land cruiser and a Mercedes dump
truck.  There is a woman walking with a bucket on her head to get water and
someone else standing outside on a cell phone (since reception is better
outside). In the same yard as a woman cooking outside over charcoal and a
girl getting her hair braided is a boy drinking Gatorade. There are roads so
badly rutted that cars can hardly move while at the same time small 19
passenger planes going 150 miles to the Capital city are packed several
times a day. Most girls still wear dresses everyday while some wear very
fitted jeans and tops. There are goats, pigs, and chickens milling around
the street by an internet café. Women take live animals to sell in the
market; pulling what can easily walk and carrying live chickens in a dishpan
on their head. In the market there are expensive imported apples and
inexpensive fresh lobster for sale. They straddle these two worlds without a
thought.



            With the huge inconsistencies of the time periods it is easier
to imagine the daily life of Jesus in this culture. It is easier to imagine
the first Christmas.



            Sunday night we had a Christmas service for our staff and their
families. There were almost 200 people singing carols and listening to a
message on the importance of Christ coming to earth.



            Our stage is set up! Our program for parents is almost ready!
Every class is practicing so you can hear the school singing all day long.



            Some things you might find interesting are that in my 20 years
here I’ve never heard of anyone Christmas shopping, don’t know of anyone who
decorates or puts up a tree, the Sonlight parties are the only parties I
know of, our program is the only program I know of… it’s good to bring the
gospel to people who find it exciting and love to hear it.



            God has blessed our ministry and our church. Our church is too
full, even with 3 junior worships in classrooms. Our new SonCenter is
becoming a reality. The steel is in Miami waiting for the boat to return. We
want you to join us in our capital campaign; look for information coming to
you soon. Pray about joining us to help grow our church, Bible college and
school. You’re already a blessing to us, to our students and to the
Christians in Port-de-Paix.



Joy to you.

Carmen and John




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