Haiti!

Hi Everybody!

 

You may already know all this but Alicia and I are excited to let you know that we will be returning to Haiti, leaving on October 31st and returning November 10th.  Alicia and I will be leading a team of 8 people (10 including us) from our church to the same place we have gone the previous 2 times.  We have purchased our tickets and are so eager to get there.  There is so much going on there right now, the country is on the brink of famine.  This crisis has received little attention in the news compared to the economic crisis in our country, the people are literally starving there.  There is a desperation beyond there beyond our imagination.  In America if there is a natural disaster the government normally responds and other aid agencies come alongside them.  Haiti really doesn't have an infrastructure like this.  The government does little to help and aid agencies aren't prepared or don't have enough funding to help get the people out of the situation.  If you want to read more, go to: http://news.google.com/news?hl=en&ned=us&q=haiti

 

There is only so much 10 of us can do for 10 days, but we hope to help build up the ministry that is there in whatever way we can so they can continue to do the work down there in new and exciting ways. 

 

We will also be arriving on a Voodoo holiday in Haiti and are planning to just pray and worship with the kids that first day. 

 

We have quite a list of projects, more than we probably can accomplish:

1. Prayer
2. Garden
3. Painting/Organizing/Fixing-Up New Guest House
4. Medical Clinics
5. Bible teaching for the kids
6. Dance
7. Computer Lab & Guest House computer repairs/upgrades
8. Arts and crafts
9. Baking
10. Picnic benches
11. Village Outreach
12. Photo/Video
13. Visiting

 

We are so excited to share this experience with you!  We will be sending e-mail updates and updating our blog which can be found at www.khchaititeams.blogspot.com

 

We also have a couple of events coming up which you can support our team at.  If you want to help with either, please do let us know:

 

Lomita Art Fair - Oct. 11 - 9am to 3pm.  We will have a booth set up selling plants and donated art.  It will be in front of Lomita City Hall. 

 

Haiti Hunger Dinner - Oct. 19 - 6:00pm - Experience a taste of the economic divide between one country to the next. We are having a hunger dinner!! Come and support the work God is doing in Haiti through the Manasseros at Maison de Lumiere and the team that will be traveling there while you participate in a community centered event that will raise your awareness about poverty in our world today. A $10.00 donation is requested.

 

There is still so much to be done before we leave, but we are confident God will work out all the details.  Please be praying for us.

 

Thanks!

Lucas and Alicia

 

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Here is our support letter for those of you have not received it:

                                                                                                                                                                                                Dear Friends and Family,

Haiti is on our near horizon!  Lucas and I will be leading a team of 8 from our church Kings Harbor.  October 31 – November 10.  We are in great need of your prayers on our behalf.  This will be our first time in a leadership role of this proportion.  Last October Lucas and I had the opportunity to lead a trip to Mexico.  This was an amazing experience for us.  We learned most of all what a great responsibility you carry as leaders for the direction, encouragement, and safety of your team. 

Please pray for:

Haiti.  Hurricanes Gustov and Hellen, have killed 200 people.  40,000 are in shelters.  Many towns are still under 10ft. of water.  And Ike is storming through Haiti as I type this now.  Please pray for God's mercy.  Pray that the people would turn to Jesus in their time of need.  Pray that He would rescue them.   Pray for the food crisis.  The WFP has delivered water.  Pray that efforts like this will continue.  Pray for Maison de Lumiere and God's protection of the children, staff, and missionaries. 

Team unity and unity between Lucas and I is our essential need.  It is crucial that we each are fine tuned to one another and firstly to Christ.  In the heat, the insecurity, the spiritual battle ground of Haiti, our team and our leadership will be quite tested, and your prayers for us in this regard will aid us to fulfill the work God has called us to do.

Team and trip development.  As we are getting to know our team, talking with them and serving with them, each individual team member's gifts and qualities are coming to the surface.  Pray that our team will be able to put our talents and gifts to work meeting the needs at Masion de Lumiere.  Pray that we would be able to use our team's multiple gifts of: gardening, painting, art, service, organization, leadership, prayer, computers, photography, and dance.

Learning the language makes such a profound difference when ministering to the Haitian people.  It impacts them in an unspeakable way showing them a intimate care for their nation.  Pray for God to give us the gift of the Haitian tongue!

The developing relationships with the kids and staff at Maison de Lumiere and with other Haitian people we meet.  We hope to be a part of the healing process these kids are going though.  We want to be the hands and feet of Jesus, not only to help on a practical level, but also on the emotional and spiritual.  Pray that those we touch would feel Jesus' love streaming through us – that we would be empty vessels of His everlasting love.  Pray for lasting relationships, ones that remain past our 10 day trip into eternity.

Provision for each of our team members to reach their support raising goals.  The first goal for each member is to raise $575 by Sept 18^th to cover airfare.  The second goal will be the remainder of the trip costs including our projects, food, and lodging.  We are estimating that this will be an additional $625 for each member.  Anything above the need that we raise will go straight to the ministry of Maison de Lumiere wherever they have the most need.  Lucas and I will be partially financially supported by our church.  Any you give to us over what we need will go to our other team members.

To support our team: 

Send your check made out to Kings Harbor Church with Haiti Oct Trip – Simmons in the memo to:

Lucas and Alicia Simmons

24369 ½ Pennsylvania Ave.

Lomita, CA 90717

 

Please keep updated with our team via our blog: www.khchaititeams.blogspot.com

 

Thank you in advance for all of your support and time praying for us!!

 

Lucas and Alicia Simmons