September 2008
Dear Friends and Sponsors,
We send you warm greetings
from Haiti – actually they are warm and wet greetings today. Hopefully by
the time you read this the hurricane season will be over and some of the
roads will be back in service soon. We are going through the worst storms;
we don’t know what is ahead. As I write this, hurricane Hannah has passed,
and we are waiting for Ike and Josephine trailing behind. For the first time
in my life I have seen the strength of a storm. My house is still up, but
most of my trees and garden are damaged. Most of the trees that lead to my
house are down, and all power lines are down in my area. It will take weeks
before I have electricity. Some towns are totally flooded, and lots of
people were killed. Haiti so needs prayers.
Our hospital is a donation
site for the people in Gonaives. I am sure by the time the water has receded
they will find many dead bodies remaining. It is such a sad situation. Pray
and Pray. We are managing all right, and we hope soon this terrible time
will be behind us. God is faithful and is sending a strong message to the
people in Haiti. He is also a loving God full of mercy. Thank God we are all
surviving and the children are safe. We were able to get food into the
orphanage before the storm. Be in prayer for us.
I have been working on our
budget, and the situation is not good socially or financially for the whole
country. Haiti is really going backwards. Can you believe that in June I
bought a 100
-pound
bag of rice for $49.00 (US) and today it is $90.00 (US) -- that is just an
example. A gallon of cooking oil is $14.28 (US), gasoline is $7(US) a gallon
and diesel is $5(US) a gallon. A 100-pound
bag of sugar is $72.00(US). We are sitting on an imminent
break out in the streets again.
The politicians are looking out for themselves, assuring their own jobs in
the new government; and the people are slipping into total despair. I feel
so sad in this current situation.
So much to do with so little
time and so little money. Keep on praying for us. In getting the school back
up and running this fall, we are encountering many expenses. Books are super
expensive. We have school materials to buy, uniforms to obtain, and we need
to pay for the kids going to secondary school and those that we sponsor who
live with their families. School costs for September alone are over
$5,000.00 (US). Food costs are close to $3
,000.00
(US), salaries are more; and we are not able to do repairs. We are breaking
all the records here.
HELPLESS is the word that
describes how I am tempted to feel at times. However, while things seem
bleak, we know God is our provider; and we look to Him for the resources we
need to carry on the mission. We have seen him provide so faithfully in the
past; we have no reason to doubt that He will provide for us through this
time of increased costs as well. We are so very grateful that God has
stirred the hearts of many of our faithful friends in Canada and the United
States. Your gifts have truly meant the difference between life and death
for so many children.
Again, we appreciate your
prayers and your support more than we can say. Our cup runneth over!
We thank God for each of you!
Gladys Thomas, President
Foundation for the Children of Haiti
Note from United States Foundation
for
the Children of Haiti:
Recently the following
article appeared on the World Vision website. Because it describes the
consequences of the hurricanes Gladys spoke of in her message, we think you
might find it interesting.
Haiti's hunger woes
worsened by severe hurricane flooding
