Gressier, Haiti

Founded in 1996, our mission is building young champions for Jesus Christ!


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September 19, 2011 The Teacher at CCS


This is Julie working with the teacher at CCS. We prayed over her and the material. the Holy Spirit really showed up. We are all excited.

Sept 19, 2011 The Roof of the Church


The roof is coming along!!

Sept 18, 2011


This posting is a little past tense, but here you go:

The team is excited to be here. The flights went really well. They are already working very hard.

Julie met with the teacher at the school and all went well. Some of the school supplies were in Spanish instead of French, but God is in it. we will have to UPS some of the correct supplies when we get home.

Darryl is working hard to figure out the electrical problems.
Jeremy and Robin sorted things all afternoon in preparation for the Daniel Project. The tables are full!!

The service this morning was wonderful. We have had salvations the last 3 days with revival. I think the last count was 9. There were 2 in the service this morning.

God is moving in the church in a mighty way! We had an awesome guest choir! They were great. Here are some photos.

We go in Jesus name,

Norma

Robin and Jeremy working on the Daniel Project


Thursday August 4, 2011



Haiti today. I am on the roof the ocean is churning and the wind is very strong. The prediction for Tropical Storm Emily to hit here by 4 looks possible. I Went in to go to the bank but everything was closing at 12, so did not shop. I am sending a picture.

We go in Jesus name,
Norma



Here is a photo of the work Monday July 18, 2011. They are pouring the floor for the church and laying blocks!


The photo above is of the ladies on the Neosho Fellowship Baptist Church team washing the feet of the young women in Haiti. The youth of the Neosho Fellowship Baptist Church had the vision for this. What an amazing tool for Evangelism. What a ministry! We saw 12 young women accept Jesus through this ministry. They gave over 90pedicures.

We go in Jesus Name ,
Norma

Saturday July 16, 2011 Update

The last few days were busy at JoyHouse. The construction crew built and painted a wall around the washer. Today was laundry day for the ladies. Its amazing how dirty clothing can get in Haiti.

There is some sort of electrical problem that came as quite a "shock." We are glad that Joe will be here in a few days to handle that.

Yesterday, several of the team went out hut to hut evangelizing and passing out tickets for the evenings events of worship, soccer, and pedicures. Most of the team went to the Daniel Project today where we were blessed to be able to love on babies, play with children, help with medical checkups and share the gospel.

Later, the men went out looking for young boys to play soccer with. We find them more receptive to hearing the message after building a bond on the field. Last night, two young men there accepted christ. Tonight, many others were presented with the good news.

The ladies continued ministering to the young women through the flip flop ministry. The young Haitian women were pampered with a pedicure, new flip flops, the gospel, and a message about purity.

Norma says this is the first time that has been done and it has just drawn the women here. What a humbling and fulfilling opportunity. Wow! Pray for these girls, the cost of following Christ is high for them and they have such huge decisions to make. They really count the cost here, and rightly so.

Jewlene said, contrary to Buddy's sermon series "They just get it" here. Tonight, three ladies accepted christ and last night there were nine salvations . Only to his glory.

Please continue to pray, Satan certainly is a roaring lion, but also a defeated foe.
Salvations to date: 22. Praise be to God.

Tuesday July 12, 2011 Preparing for the New Team

Yesterday was a day on the road in traffic. We had construction materials to buy. Got home about 6 pm.

Here is a touch from God Joe. The bank has been giving a problem about the exchange rate. I finally got it settled! Just the right person was there at just the right time (must have been luck since I have been talking to God about it for a while)! Just kidding I don't believe in luck either.

We did not eat all day but I had a bag of beef jerky. I told the crew with me that cowboys and mountain men lived on beef jerky and water. They were not impressed! I think they were afraid I was getting ready to change the menu at JoyHouse! Besides that, none of them but Roland knew exactly what a cowboy or mountain man was!

Today I went to the market. That is always interesting. The boy at the exit door spent 30 minutes checking my receipt. When I complained he said he was "doing it for me". I am still trying to figure out how it helped me, but I said thank you. As I left I pondered why in Haiti this helps me to stand in heat while he goes over my receipt and lets 20 other people go, then starts over because he loses his place. But thank goodness he did it for me or I would be complaining! Ah Haiti, you gotta' love it.

We go in Jesus Name,
Norma

Wednesday July 13, 2011 Update The new team arrives!

I missed Princess today. She always cries to go to the airport. Whenever possible I take her.

It was so cute last time I took a team. It was 5:30am she was up, dressed, had her little backpack and her sippy cup waiting when I came out of my room! She looked at me and said " airport le?" How could anyone refuse that? I had told her the night before she could go but it was really early.

Joe here is my touch from Jesus today.It was really hot and some kind of gnat was thick at the airport today. I never saw that before but it was uncomfortable setting there. Before I knew what had happened,Daniel had me by the hand,(he had recently starting seeing a beautiful girl), and took me to introduce me to the main customs officer. She was his girlfriend's sister!

Hold on to your hat, God really does a show here. She took me by the hand, took me inside the main AIR CONDITIONED customs office and got me a comfortable chair, and told Daniel she would come for me when the team got there!! I said out loud " Amazing love how can it be that you, my King did this for me!" Daniel smiled.

She got us, took our custom slips and sent us through without even stopping!! The team was glad to see us inside they were a little unsure of what to do. I told all the boys later they needed to stand up when Daniel came into the room. They did not buy into that!

It rained on the way home. It is much cooler. The team is wonderful! They are so excited! They were saying " That was awesome" about the battling through the mess at the airport. That was a good sign! It is going to be a great week.

We go in Jesus Name.
Norma

Thursday July 14, 2011

Well the first day of ministry was great! 3 accepted Christ.

The best sight I have seen was about 20 showing up from the Church to go out with our Pastor of Evangelism!! Thank God they are growing measurably. You can see the change from month to month.

What a beautiful Team. They are trying so hard to do everything right. They are so humble and want to serve.

The Haitians going out with the Americans teaching kids all at the same time, this mountain rocked for the Kingdom today.

The ladies went out with Daniel today and loved that! The sweet pastor Buddy and his wife Casey are doing a great job.

Casey is so touched by the kids she cries often. We had a man show up with a terrible wound today. This happens a lot when teams are here. Some of the ladies treated it and bandaged it and sent him home with bandages to change it .

We had around 240 kids for our VBS. We are all very tired today but I am loving this team!

We Go In Jesus Name,
Norma

Living Hope Baptist Church Bryan, TX June 24, 2011

We are so grateful for Living Hope Baptist Church of Bryan, Texas.

Once again they are a spiritual Machine. Teaching a leadership conference is difficult. But throw in a kids klub, pastors conference, hut to hut evangelism and on site construction and WOW!

What an aroma of Holy Spirit activity!! The group is happy and ready to go! The work is intense, but rewarding. They have groups, group leaders plus intense group planning and debrief meetings everyday.

I lay in bed and listen to the praise worship they finish with each day. So wonderful.

We have 118 in the leadership training. We have averaged 220 each day in Kids Klub and around 35 in pastors bible class.

We go in Jesus name,
Norma

Tuesday June 21, 2011 Photo



This is the youth leaders. While teaching the leadership class, there was a big rain. They used a tarp and the truck to make a shelter and finish the leadership class.

Wednesday June 15 2011 **Church Construction**

Roy is here overseeing the building of the church! We love Roy Downs and his faithful, humble spirit.

The Haitian workers work so well for him. One is trying to act like him. Wearing his hat like Roy and putting a pencil behind his ear like Roy. He is the "Boss" over the workers and he tries give instruction like Roy. They call him "General Roy".

Pray Roy and all will stay healthy in this heat!The housing expo is going on today. Pray for Keith,Chad,Charley,and Lucy as they are way north of Port AU Prince at the show and will come here tonight. Pray that all the prep for the next team will be blessed.

I meet with the Church leaders to set the plan in place. Now, for the first time, I am depending on them to execute it. Pray God will fall on this team and it will come together. That the church will be very fruitful with the work they are doing.

The mosquitoes are relentless. My legs are on fire with bites and heat combo.
I went out to expo and they swarmed like dive bombers there.

Our Missionary Intern Brittney is great! Pray for her! The mosquitoes love her too.

The team will arrive Saturday pray the JH team will get a second wind physically and great filling of the Holy Spirit!

More later
We go in Jesus Name,
Norma

Monday June 13, 2011 Update

It was another amazing day. The heat has come on us today like terrorist. It's the hottest day I have seen so far this year!

God worked in church today in spite of confusion and heat. I hardly know how to explain what happened. I have been weepy, and had to get my composure to even write to you about it!

Here is my view...we have prayed for the church, teams have focused on teaching and training and today was a day like when thousands went forward to go on a mission trip 2012 at Cross Church!

The pastor said "It is time for the church to rise up and commit to winning Haiti for Jesus. Stop living in your own fears and failings and rise up for Jesus!" He said "Anyone who is ready to move out and will commit to spending 30 minutes a day witnessing to a lost person, come forward." At least 90 percent of the church went forward!!!!

He said "We pastors have to start preaching for response to the living word and not settle for less!!!" This is a result of pastor Donnie's teaching this week. I am a little overwhelmed and humbled by it all.

All I can say is it is an awesome thing to be in the wake of a movement of our Holy God!!!

Norma

June 10, 2011 Thank You Mena, Arkansas!

Today was a sad day. It's always sad when a team leaves. I always wish I had more time.

They were a group of first timers that performed like pros! Thank you Mena Arkansas and Haiti thanks you too!!

The are so young and energetic. I know that some scared, but they went out and did what they were here to do! God showed up and blessed this team! They were an evangelism machine!!Over 400 salvations.

It was a tough schedule. We are worn out, but it was fruitful. They were amazing!
More about the sports camp, pastors teaching,later! Much happened here at Joyhouse!!!

This week, we had 543 at the Kids revival where over 100 kids raised their hand to accept Christ!!

Grace,amazing grace, I have so much to talk about!!!
We go in Jesus name,
Norma

Yahoo News Article from June 7 2011 PM

At least 23 killed in floods, mudslides in Haiti

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti – Heavy rain hammered southern Haiti for a seventh straight day Tuesday, triggering floods and mudslides and causing houses and shanties in the capital to collapse. The official death toll was 23 but could rise as remnants of the storm lingered.

Runoff from the rain sent rivers surging and flooded many homes as people scrambled to their rooftops. The slow-moving storm system also toppled trees and debris blocked streets throughout the capital.

At least 23 people were killed and more than a dozen injured, said Edgar Joseph, a spokesman for Haiti's Civil Protection Department. Most of the deaths were in Port-au-Prince and they included two who died over the weekend, he said.

Thirteen people died in Petionville, a hillside city southeast of downtown Port-au-Prince, Joseph said. In one incident, a concrete house slid down a ravine and crashed into several smaller homes.

A 53-year-old man, Jean Wildor Charutis, said his older sister and a niece died in the large house that crashed down the ravine. "There was so much rain it shook the house," he said as he and government rescue workers searched for survivors.

The storm system has saturated much of the Caribbean in recent days, with flooding reported in the neighboring Dominican Republic as well as in Jamaica, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Authorities reported two deaths in the Dominican Republic and one in Jamaica to the weather.

Civil defense authorities in the Dominican Republic said 25 homes were destroyed and more than 8,400 people were evacuated. The dead included a 13-year-old boy who was swept away and drowned while watching a river swell near Santo Domingo.

In Haiti, the week of pounding rain has deepened the misery for tens of thousands of people living in the tent-and-tarp settlements that sprung up after the January 2010 earthquake. Aid groups have warned that the wet weather could worsen a cholera outbreak that has killed more than 5,300 people since October.

Michel Davison, a coordinator for the International Desk of the U.S. National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration, said satellite data indicate that rain drenched Haiti along the border with the Dominican Republic for at least six hours Monday night, dumping between four to six inches.

"That's a fairly intense rainfall amount," Davison said in a phone interview. "That's been happening now for five, seven days. The ground is so saturated at this point that it doesn't take much to produce floods."

Davison said Haiti will see more rain Wednesday, but should get a much-needed reprieve later the week.

Two children died and three others were injured in the Nazon neighborhood in Port-au-Prince after the wall of a home fell on them, according to the Civil Protection Department.

Meanwhile, hospitals saw an influx of patients.

Doctors at a hospital run by the Miami aid group Project Medishare treated at least 10 people for injuries, including a puncture wound, said Gabriele Denis, a hospital administrator. Aid group Doctors Without Borders treated at least 10 people, many of them injured when walls fell on them, said Sylvain Groulx, chief of mission for Doctors Without Borders.

Haiti's newly elected President Michel Martelly took to national television just before midnight to calm the nation as the storm was still passing over the city. "This message is to tell the population that I'm with you," the president said.

Martelly ordered government construction workers to show up to work early Tuesday to help remove debris.

Rains earlier this week prompted the government and international aid groups to evacuate dozens of families who live around the overflowing Lake Azuei.

___

Associated Press writers Pierre-Richard Luxama in Port-au-Prince, Howard Campbell in Jamaica and Ezequiel Lopez in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, contributed to this report.

June 7 2011

So much going on! I really do not where to start!
Yesterday the evangelism teams went out had 58 accept Christ. Pastor Donnie went to a school with about 300 students. We had 30 salvations.

We started the sports camp and over 300 showed up!! They had 40+ salvations - not an exact count. We did not get all the names in the confusion.

At 4:30 we began evening ministry pastors conference, great session!! Bible Study had about 60 and over 100 kids showed up but did not have a study planned for them!

We see the Spirit moving so much there is passion over this team like I have not seem before!

God is good! Glory to His name!
We have had sickness and we have had accidents close calls but not serious! I have seen a sluggish Haitian team pull it together!! My patience has stayed in check (a miracle)!! I am having such a great time, maybe the time at home really helped!!

Miss u - keep praying it really does make a difference!!!!!

We go in Jesus name
That Name that causes demons to tremble

Norma

Graduation Day March 17, 2011

There are no words to express this graduation service! I could not fight back the tears as I saw these women I love so much, some who cannot read or write, so excited. Some of them were even holding the certificates upside down.

The joy in that church graduation service was electric!!!!! It was worth it all and more. I am so exhausted I cannot wait for my shower.....but it was blessed and Holy Spirit filled!

Thank you all for praying us through. What a wonderful adventurous team of people. They have been willing to go with us into deep waters where none have gone. Sadly, the team leaves tomorrow.

Haiti is changed some because they stepped in uncharted waters with us and let God do His thing!

Today the Haitians went out with the Americans and souls were brought into the Kingdom of God. They were able to put into action all the things they had learned this week. What a joy!

We go in Jesus Name.

Norma

The Team from Living Hope

The team from Living Hope is here again. They have started a discipleship conference for the church. First time ever in our area! We are calling out leaders to disciple. They will be certified as leaders by us when the conference is finished.

The team goes and evangelizes in the mornings. Many have accepted Christ!! We have 4 different age groups for leadership/discipleship training. For part of the conference training Thursday, the Haitian students will go out in the field with the Living Hope Team.

The team went to the orphanage and took candy and stickers for the kids on Wednesday afternoon. Then, they set up and prepared for the conference which was starting at 4:00pm.

The conference is really going well the people are at the gate by 3:30 waiting each day. New people are trying to get in everyday but we are not taking any more new ones. We have had 130 different Haitians attend. Thankfully, not all at the same time.

We sent Eddy on a fast run into Carrefour to make more copies of Certificate. We only planned for 60 but could not turn them away. We are really learning how to and how not to do this Conference.

It has been a first for Joyhouse to have a conference like this. We are going to debrief all morning Friday and plan for the next one.

The team members have never done anything like this before either. It has been great to watch them grow into it as the week progressed. It is an awesome group!! They are family to Joyhouse!!!

Some of the team works on construction each day too. Mark Henry was teary as he saw the temporary church and how much it had grown. Last year he and others from this group worked so hard on demolition of the church destroyed by the earthquake. Now we have the temporary church in it's place. We are so grateful for these people!

Everyone is well!! All are having fun with Princess and she with them. We are having a great time! They are all so excited to learn and can't wait for graduation Thursday!

More later.

The Haiti Sunset





P.S. Sorry it has been so long. First, there is real life and second there is age. I have been struggling for some time to remember the user id and password. Life is complicated! Ha!