GIVING THANKS 2020

I am thankful. Last Sunday in church during worship, I was convicted that I am in the place God wants me to be. I am doing what He wants me to do...at least most of the time. :)  

There are problems here (which I won't share in this blog), and some things need real attention, but this is a list of blessings and riches for which I am thankful:

* The group of adolescent musicians that has recently become a worship team is doing great things. On Tuesday we rehearsed for Sunday's service. They play well. They have the right priorities. They work together. They are growing.  

* The BLUES band that I am developing is doing well. Twelve bars is easy now...with drums, bass, guitar and horns. 

* The local church (MICEVA) is healthy and active in this community.

* AAF (Asaph Academy of Football) players show maturity and improvement on and off of the field.

*  AAF is once again learning the role of real men according to God's plan.

* All of the AAF players who took 9th grade state exams passed those exams. 

* Three of my students have been making money teaching music.

* A few young people have been sharing their stories of how I was a blessing in their lives years ago. It is inspirational to me to hear them share.  I had no idea about much of what God was doing years ago. 

* Two artists (that ASAPH helped to prepare) have been teaching drawing classes. The results are impressive. 

* Rain has been faithfully falling in our area since October. The area is lush and more like what "tropical" usually means to people. Goats are happy. Farmers are happy. Bellies of people will be in better shape moving forward. 

* WEC is moving into his final year of university study. He is also planning marriage for 2021. 

* Steephenson is learning to take great pictures.  

*  ASAPH is birthing a girl's choir.  We have met a few times already...girls from 11 to 18 who want to sing together. It is a ministry that I hope will be parallel to the soccer team for boys. We will develop teamwork and leadership...and confidence. There is a good core group of young ladies. This is an exciting new project that will a great ministry and very very light on the budget. 

* WIFI has been reliable. Regular time on the "SKYPE" with Mom is a great blessing. 

* I am getting water from a neighbor's pump...through a hose.  No more wagon trips to the hand pump.

*  Sunday school is back after a long COVID break. 

* I have been blessed to come upon a popular subject for some recent messages in church...space! Psalm 19 - The heavens declare the glory of God...

* The Junior Youth group has prepared a good service for Sunday morning along with the younger groups as well....Children's Sunday.

* Translation projects continue to be a good amount of work...enough but not too much.  I translate great teaching into Haitian Creole, so I learn and grow while I work.  That is a daily blessing. 

* My freezer is working well...providing me with cool drinks and the ability to conserve food.

* My new blender is a treat...papaya shakes, watermelon shakes, banana shakes.

* I have enjoyed sandwich meat from Port-au-Prince...thanks a friend who travels there on weekends. Ham sandwiches!

* I am sleeping in the kitchen where there is more air...and more mosquitos. I have 3 solutions now : mosquito coils on rare occasions, a mosquito net when the bugs are bad, and sleeping while wearing socks, jeans, and a hooded sweatshirt.

* There has been no sign of COVID anywhere on my horizon here in Pasbwadom.

* The ASAPH Brass Band is scheduled to help three brides marry their grooms before the year is out. 

* We received a slew of instruments that I had shipped last year...3 trumpets, a trombone, a saxophone, a guitar, and a flute. 

* The ASAPH Bible memorization program is about to re-boot. We will have Bibles available again, and we may set up a few occasions for students to recite their lessons (rather than one single occasion). We are reaching out to a neighboring community...the fishing village of Laborieux. 


I consider each day here a blessing for me. I am where God sent me, and I am doing what He chooses for me to do. Please help me to pray that I will continue to do so each day that comes along. That is our struggle, and our mission : to be all that He created us to be. 

HAPPY THANKSGIVING 2020 

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