Grace and Peace and Greetings from First Evangelical Lutheran Church of Les Cayes, Haiti and Grace School on the island of Ile a Vache, off the southern coast of Haiti,

As a synod that is walking together, I am reminded that globally and spiritually, we do not walk alone!

Our mission team from Zion, Clarence Center returned Friday, July 30 from a seven-day journey to begin partnerships for mission support and presence for the people of Haiti.  After struggling for months to find connection points in the area, we were able to build partnerships with the Children of Israel orphanage and the Lutheran Church in Les Cayes, Haiti (about 100 miles southwest of Port au Prince).  And through the grace of the Holy Spirit, two of the missionaries that were working in Les Cayes were also beginning a Christian school and orphanage on the island of Ile a Vache.  So we headed down to the area with suitcases of supplies and meds to run two medical and dental clinics at the orphanage and school, as well as working out details for future teams to continue mission visits.

The area is hard to describe in words.  The devastation is still as fresh and raw as it was in the days following the earthquake that we all saw in pictures on the news: streets flooded with garbage, tents made of everything from tarps to jackets duct taped together, buildings still in shambles with no construction equipment in site...even the Capital building looks exactly as it did on the news the day after.  The need is beyond great.

But the potential for mission partnerships is equally great and the power of our God is even greater still.  One of our kids painted a saying on the wall in the youth room that goes: "Don't tell God how big your storm is, tell the storm how big your God is!"

The Team that just returned would be happy to help you tell that "storm" how big God is and show the people of Haiti tangible hope!  We would be happy to come and visit to tell you how to connect to one of the orphanages, Grace School, how to sponsor a child to receive care and meals and education and/or how to form your own mission team from your church or organization to get a project going.

Personally, I can tell you that my life has been changed.  Part of my heart is now permanently in Haiti and I now carry a piece of the hearts of the children of Les Cayes and Ile a Vache with me in Clarence Center.  And yet, through all the tragedy and poverty that Haiti has experienced, the children and people of those areas brought me hope through their smiles, their simplicity, their understanding of community, their resilience of the human spirit and their incredible faith.

Please be in prayer: for Haiti, for the people who continue to labor day in and day out in Haiti to bring hope and for your potential connection and presence with these beautiful people.

Still in One Peace,
Steve Biegner
Missionary in Clarence Center
Executive Director of Lutheran Charities of WNY
716.868.1232
stevebiegner@gmail.com