Recharge

In Haiti, people are often scrounging around for a powered electrical outlet to recharge their cell-phones because electricity is unreliable and scarce.  During public events (like church-services), one may see ten or twenty cell-phones recharging from one outlet by means of several multi-outlet strips haphazardly strung together.  Since people often ask us what we do during our home-services, we would like explain with the image of recharging.  During our field-service in Haiti, we teach, visit, consult with and encourage our Haitian colleagues.  When we are on our home-service, we need to recharge in several ways.  First, we need to “recharge” our support raising by connecting with churches and donors that can help us meet our considerable fund-raising goal by June 30, 2015.  Second, we recharge by getting a lot of the medical care that is unavailable to us in Haiti (which means a lot of doctor visits).  Third, we focus on spiritual growth by taking spiritual retreats and marriage growth retreats (we took one of each in October).  Finally, we concentrate on ministry growth.  Sharon is doing an internship in chaplaincy at Pine Rest Christian Mental Health Services three days per week.  Zach continues to chip away at his New Testament dissertation.  Even though we are not in Haiti, the work continues, so we spend a lot of time answering e-mails and connecting with our colleagues over the Internet or phone.  Finally, we have been involved in consulting and strategizing with several organizations working in Haiti to enhance missions and grow our ministry.  The next time you plug in your phone, tablet or computer, please remember us in prayer as we try to recharge so that we can return to Haiti and serve more effectively.