Prayer Requests and Praises

Our kids at the beach!

Nice Move: Zach wrecked on his mountain bike and broke his collarbone in February!

Dear Family and Friends:

Despite the political tension in Haiti, we had a great Christmas and good start to 2016.  Sharon’s parents came to Haiti and treated us to several days at Il-a-Vache (see photo above), considered one of the most beautiful beaches in the world.  Only a month later, Zach’s parents came and blessed us with another trip to the beach.  On the other hand, the circumstances of our children’s education have been more difficult. Five teachers engaged in Vivian and Isaiah’s class have left since the beginning of the school-year.  This transition has been difficult for our children.  The Zika virus has appeared in Haiti, with the result that many pregnant missionary couples that we have befriended have unexpectedly left Haiti temporarily or permanently because of the possibility of fetal birth defects due to the illness.  We give thanks for visits from two key supporting churches: 2nd CRC of Allendale and Lakeside CRC.  Please pray for the following:

· Health, safety, and healing for our family. 

· The new missionary family, Cory and Lynn Grimm, who will be joining us this summer.

· Peace and security for the final round if Haiti’s elections.

Ten-Year Reflections

The new Saltadere church silently watches over the valley below.  The church members have the responsibility to complete the walls, doors, and windows of their church building.

January 2016 was the ten-year anniversary of our arrival in Haiti.  Since coming, we have been praying for God’s guidance so that his work in Haiti would be our work in Haiti.  Our experience in Haiti is that nothing that we do without God’s blessing will last.  This was the experience of the Psalmist in 90:17, “May the favor of the Lord rest upon us; establish the work of our hands for us.”  While only time will tell what aspects of our ministry in Haiti will endure, we hope that our work in Thomassique will be be among them.  Soon after our arrival in Haiti, Zach visited the small town of Thomassique with representatives of SON-BEAM, a charitable organization from West Michigan.  Some months later we began a project to build a church building and install a well with the help of SON-BEAM.  These successful experiences became the basis of a long-term relationship in which Sharon and Zach helped to lead women’s conferences and regular training of pastors from Thomassique.  The partnership expanded when Lakeside CRC of Alto, MI, took an interest in a church-to-community partnership with Thomassique.  Since the establishment of that partnership, three more churches have been built along with scores of latrines.  Also many undocumented residents have received birth attestations and a “community bank” (which makes small loans to farmers and vendors) has been established.  We cannot take credit for these great blessings, but we can rejoice in the role that we have had in the partnership between Thomassique, ourselves, and our support network in West Michigan.

Banana Battle Redoux

Haiti’s surreal political struggle continues as the former president’s handpicked successor  (who calls himself the “Banana Man”) and his opponent will face off in a final round of presidential elections on April 24.

Despite having many entertaining elements, Haiti’s political struggles are a serious problem.  The crisis came to a head on February 6 when President Martelly’s term expired without the choice of a successor by the Haitian electorate.  With opposition demonstrators blocking many main roads with flaming tire barricades, on February 7 Martelly initiated a process to create a transitionary government and relinquished the office of president.  The situation on the street immediately improved.  Unfortunately, the crisis came to a head on Carnival weekend, ruining Haiti’s busiest tourist holiday.  Furthermore, this political instability has aggravated an economic crisis in Haiti which has seen one third of the value of the Haitian gourde lost to the rising US dollar.  This means essential imports like food, medicine, clothing, etc. have risen in price an equal amount.  Please pray for political stability in Haiti.

February Ministry report March 2016

Zach healing from a broken clavicle due to a fall while biking.

Dear Friends and Family:

Greetings from Haiti.  Our ministry report for what happened in February will be short because Zach fell off his bike on Sunday afternoon and broke his collarbone.  Zach is going to have to slow down for a few weeks.  Please pray for patience and quick healing.

Please join us in giving thanks for:

1.   A temporary resolution for Haiti’s political crisis last month.  The outgoing President, Martelly, came to a compromise allowing an interim government to reorganize the final round of Presidential elections in April.  Things have really quieted down on the streets of Haiti.

2.   Our prayers for the Ounamenthe church have been answered.  The vendor has finally provided the roof trusses for us!

3.    A safe and successful visit from the Goderich (ON) team.

4.   Zach completed a revision of his Ph.d. and has sent it off.  We will hear back in April if it passes on to the next level of being reviewed by a committee!

5.   We are thankful that the second story office building construction has been making progress.  This will allow Back to God Hour Ministries, one of the agencies of the Christian Reformed Church to now be under the same roof as us.  We pray that future teams will be able to finish it.

Please join us in prayer for:

1.   Our children’s school, Quisqueya Christian School.  This year the school has been beset by sudden departures of teachers and administrative staff.  If you are a teacher looking for a teaching or administrative opportunity in a great K-12 English-speaking International Christian school, please contact us.  This is a great chance to proclaim God’s word to children.

2.   Leadership transitions within the Haitian churches and organizations that we work with.

3.   Good healing for Zach as he recovers from a broken collarbone.

FOR MORE PICTURES, STORIES, AND INFORMATION ABOUT OUR MINISTRY AND FAMILY, PLEASE SEE OUR BLOG AT segaarking.blogspot.com

Thanks for your prayers and support,

Zachary, Sharon, Hannah, Vivian, Isaiah and Esther Segaar-King

Missionaries to Haiti through Christian Reformed World Missions