This year’s VBS was a great week of Bible study and fun. Three young people from our church spent a
Saturday in the Spring being trained for the program. One of them taught songs each day of the week-
long school. One of them taught a missionary story about a South American witchdoctor turned
Christian. It was a great story and relevant to kids here in Haiti. The third trainee took my usual job of
administrating the movements of the day…this group going here, that group going there.
My job this year was to teach four Bible stories. It was delightful for me as a teacher. I worked each day
with 3 to 6 year olds, 7 to 10 year olds, and 11 to 14 year olds. We studied the great story of the lost
coin. A lady loses just one of her prized coins and spends time and energy searching. When she finally
locates the coin, she celebrates. The story shows us the heart of God toward His children. He loves each
and every one…you…and me. We studied Noah and God’s terrible closing door. We studied Paul and his
amazing conversion from hater to lover. God is a God of change. We studied King David and his amazing
gesture of love inviting Jonathan’s son to dine every day at his table. God lifts us out of our miserable
condition to commune with Him.
The kids were great. They listened and learned. On Sunday morning, the children led much of the
worship service and did a great job sharing what they had learned. It was a blessing for all.
Summers in Haiti are a favorite time of year for me. Camp. Bible School. Soccer games. Weddings. Life in
Haiti.
It’s been a busy summer. I live twenty minutes from the beach…on foot. I think I made it to the beach
only once this summer.

I translate and write biblical teaching for Christian Aid Ministries: magazines and books. It’s a great way
to reach tons of people while I sit at my computer.
For the past two years, the ASAPH Brass Band has been invited to play some music for an agricultural
conference that brings together Christian agronomists from all over.
I was approached by some of those folks about translating a book…Farming That Brings Glory To God. It
was written by a man who works in Africa. He clearly presents a reality that he experienced in Africa and
that is repeated in Haiti: Christ is being presented by ministries and missionaries, and people continue to
starve on land they mistreat. He tells the story of African adults who say to their children, “I hope you
never have to work the land. Go to school and learn another way to make a living.” Many in Haiti have
the same dreams for their children. But, if no one farms, no one eats.
The book exposes a gap in Christian ministries to suffering countries. You can’t minister to people who
live off of the land, without addressing God’s land and God’s plan for the land.
I’m convicted to do what I can (after 25 years of not doing) to bless farmers and people who will be
farmers tomorrow. Every person in our community here in Haiti has some relation to the land. I’ve never
been involved in that.
As a musician/teacher, I am looking for ways to honor and encourage those who put food on our tables.
I wrote a song that attempts to do just that. I shared it at the agricultural conference and have hopes to
share it many places where the band performs.
“Hats off to those who satisfy our hungers.
Hats off to those who put food on our tables...”
It’s a small piece of a puzzle, but songs stick in heads and hearts. May God encourage, enrich, and orient
the people who bring food out of the dirt of Haiti! May in be done in a way that brings glory to God, and
hope to the poor!

Camps are used world-wide to reach kids for Christ. There’s something about being away from home
and out of your routine that opens doors for people. I enjoy the Narnia movies. In the first movie, the
children are out in the country and away from their parents. Great things happen to them and in them.
I like summer camps for the same reason. This year we did two camps. We did three days with the
young soccer team…40 kids. Then we did a full week with the brass band…30 young people. Every day
begins with devotions, and every day ends with devotions. There’s something about being together
around the Word early in the morning and then late at night with the same people day after day. God
works.
This year we studied the Hebrew Tabernacle in both camps. The Tabernacle, like the whole of the Law,
prepares us for Salvation, the Salvation that comes from Christ alone. We see shadows of Christ and His
work all over the Tabernacle. There was one door. Jesus said, “I am the Door.” There was an alter for
sacrifices. Jesus is The Sacrifice. There was a table for bread. Jesus is the Bread of Life. There was a lamp
for light. Jesus is the Light of the world. The shadows go on and on. How could an ancient tent be so full
of images of something that didn’t happen until centuries later? God.
The soccer camp was largely successful. Kids began asking great questions after a day or two of study.
They also benefited from two special teachers we invited to speak with them and work with them
concerning soccer training and techniques. I deferred much of this camp to our team’s director and
coach, Judes. He did a great job. A few little technical things were trouble, but we took notes and will fix
those things for a future camp.
The band camp was successful as well. This was our third annual camp. Our focus this year was on music
theory and lots of rehearsals. A music teacher from Cayes, Suzie, taught the musicians all about major
scales. The players can build all the major scales now, and are on their way to playing them as well. The
schedule really drained the campers. By week end, they were dragging. Our traditional program on the
last night that usually goes all night long didn’t last much past midnight. We learned a big list of new
songs and got better as group. On the Sunday after the camp, we played for a special service at a church
up in the mountains of Labaleine. We offered three brand new songs, two of which were great. The
third brought us back to earth. Still work to do. 
I am thankful that ASAPH Teaching Ministry provides me with funds to realize these camps. The bring
people together (and that’s saying something on this naturally divisive island of Haiti). They bring people
closer to God. They are a blessing. Kids look back to the camp all year long and tell stories. They also
look ahead to next year’s camp.
Thanks, ASAPH sponsors, for making this ministry possible !