Dear Friends and Family:
During this time in which we remember the blessings that God has given us, it is good to hear the words of Psalm 100: “For the Lord is good and his love endures forever, his faithfulness continues through all generations.” In Haiti we have often observed that the less material belongings people have, the more they are thankful for the basics of life that people in places like the US and Canada take for granted: school (we have yet to hear a single Haitian child complain about going to school), the support of a church body, food and shelter, and most of all, the promises of Jesus Christ signified by Christmas. Let’s all take some time to empty our hearts and lives of our preoccupations and look anew at the blessings God has given us all.
Please join us in giving thanks for:
-A successful seminar on the Poetic Books of the Old Testament in November. Sharon had to teach the whole seminar on her own because Zach was in Amsterdam for his doctoral studies.
-A powerful spiritual retreat for the staff and families of Sous Espwa held over the US Thanksgiving holiday. Over fifty people (both staff members and their families) focused on “Building a Solid Team in Christ” for four days. Sharon, who had the primary responsibility for planning and running the retreat, is tired but thankful for God’s blessing on the event.
-Zach’s trip to Amsterdam was successful. His doctoral project on New Testament theology of the inclusion of the Gentiles was approved by the faculty. Now Zach just has to find time to work on it! -Good health and safety for our family during six weeks of intensive ministry and travel in October-November.
Please pray for:
-The availability and price of food in Haiti. A drought (which coincided with the drought in the Midwest USA) and two hurricanes have wiped out a huge percentage of local food production in Haiti. In the coming months, Haitians will face a full-fledged food-crisis with prices of staples expected to double.
-An effort to bring two of our ministry partners together which have experienced some painful conflicts lately. Reconciliation is an ongoing part of our ministry in which we need your continual prayers.
-God’s blessing at an upcoming meeting of the board of the Christian Reformed Church of Haiti on Dec. 10-11. The church must decide some difficult questions about the leadership of one of its “zones” which is made up of six or seven churches.
Thanks for your prayers and support,
Zachary, Sharon, Hannah, Isaiah, Vivian and Esther Segaar-King
Missionaries to Haiti Christian Reformed World Missions
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