September, 2009
Dear Family, Friends & Sponsors:
 It has been way too long since our last newsletter. I have no excuse and ask only your forgiveness. We are way too busy with our lives and with fund raising. Sorry to say, while keeping you folks up to date on what is going on is very important, it seems to be one of those things that always gets pushed to the side.
Because it has been so long there is so much to tell, but first a quick up date.
IN THE BEGINNING
Folks who have been connected with us since the beginning may remember our first few trips to Haiti were totally evangelistic. We went and took part in Evangelistic Crusades, seeing thousands come to Christ. Since then the Lord had asked us to go across Canada to raise funds to build a school/church. We did that. We built the first building at Chabin. While we were traveling across Canada, we met Bob Davisson. He came and visited us in Haiti, while the building in Chabin was being built. Bob strongly felt the call of God to begin working in Haiti. Bob, with our gratitude and blessing, took over the running of the school at Chabin. He has since been building almost continually in many communities all over the south east of Haiti. We have lost count of how many schools Bob has running, through his organization, LIFELINE HAITI. He has approximately 4400 children in about 26 schools, with about 4000 more waiting to attend school. We thank God for Bob, because of his obedience, he is a real blessing to the people of Haiti. Since Sept. 2007 we, BLAIR HOPE, have been running a school (with approximately 135 children) in the community of Raymond, just outside the city of Jacmel.
HOPEFULLY MAKING THINGS CLEAR
When we are out talking about the work that is going on we get so excited about the whole thing. What God is doing in Haiti, period. Whether it is through BLAIR HOPE or through LIFELINE HAITI- Bob’s organization. The works are so connected that when we say “we”, sometimes it’s BLAIR HOPE, and other times, it’s BLAIR HOPE & LIFELINE HAITI. Due to this, some folks have accused us of being fraudulent in what we share about what is going on down there. We apologize for any misunderstanding, and hope that this letter states clearly what is happening.
UNABLE TO RE-OPEN OUR SCHOOL THIS YEAR
With yearly start up costs for the school, needing to relocate and buy all new books, desks, blackboard, uniforms, due to being wiped out by hurricanes twice in a 10 month period. Add to that the cost of running the school about at $2000 per month. It has kept us busy constantly raising funds to just stay ahead of things. We have several children sponsored monthly, but not enough to cover the running of the school, so we have been organizing and holding fundraisers continuously.
Our school finished the school year the end of June. We paid expenses through the summer until the end of August, but the school didn’t reopen in September. (We had had ongoing problems with staffing there. The gentleman who was running our school for us, felt it best to just close the school. Things in Haiti are done a lot differently than they are here. While this decision was not ours, we have found that we need to listen to the people we work with in Haiti, they live there, they know better than us how to handle things, but.) We were very concerned, we did not want our children being left with out a school and all that means.
We talked to Bob as he has a school a couple miles away at Carfour Raymond. We were very relieved when he decided to expand this school and take in our children. PRAISE THE LORD! Due to this, we will be sending funds to his organization monthly to help with the running of that school. To Clarify- Any folks who have children sponsored through BLAIR HOPE in the Raymond school, can keep supporting them and the funds will continue to pay for their schooling, as they will now be at Carfour Raymond. We are also raising funds to contribute to the approximately $60,000 needed for the first level of that school. Anyone who has contributed funds to us recently for building a school, those funds are going to this project.
BACK TO OUR FIRST LOVE
Since we are no longer solely responsible for the running of a school, this frees us up a bit, so to speak. We are moving on to answer something that God has been talking to us about over the past couple years. Since completing the building of the church school in Chabin, we have felt a continuous call to come back to our first love in Haiti, which is Evangelism. We see the shutting down of our school in Raymond as a release to come back to that.
Starting in January we will be running regular EVANGELISTIC CRUSADES!!! We are so excited about this! We are still working out the details, but are planning a trip for January. Miles and Pastor Murray Moore from Cumberland Bay Pentecostal Church are going and will be in Haiti from January 12 –19th 2010, running crusades.
Pastor Murray & his wife Rose have been friends for a while and have organized the HELP FOR HAITI concerts in Chipman, NB the last couple years. They took on the burden, sight unseen. Can you imagine how on fire they will be once Murray has actually been to Haiti? We are so excited to see what God will do spiritually in Haiti and them, as a result of their obedience. We are asking your help in this. We know that satan doesn’t want this to happen.
We ask that you pray the Lord will to put a hedge of protection around Murray & Miles and that he will raise up a team to work with in Haiti. That He will have his way in a BIG WAY! That thousands of Haitians, young and old, rich & poor will come to know Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior. We have the best news in the world, the Good News, and the people of Haiti need to know. Time is short. This world is full of so much evil and so many questions. Jesus is the answer!!! Oops sorry for preaching!
If any of you would like to go to Haiti in January, please contact us right away and we will give you the details, so that you can get on the same flight as Miles & Murray. It would be so awesome to take a big team! The cost for Miles plane fare is about $1100.00, if anyone would like to contribute to cover part or all of that, it would be awesome too.
ORPHANAGE NEEDS FUNDS
Pastor Placide, the pastor we all work with in Haiti has started a small adopting orphanage, which has quickly grown to 27 children. He needs so much help with this. You can sponsor a child for $60 per month. Since this is an adopting orphanage, you can even be considered to adopt a child. If anyone would like more information on that, get in contact with us and we will make connections for you.
Well, I’m hoping I have reminded you of what God has done so far, cleared up some things, given you a glimpse of what He is going to do, and inspired you to help. We ask any of you who have not gotten involved so far to please do so. Jesus said “the poor you will have with you always”. Does this mean we should do nothing? No, this means we should follow Jesus’ example. He laid down his life for them and all mankind. We don’t ask you to lay down your life, just your prayers and your money to help us do this valuable work.
Thanking all of you for your continued support.
Take care and God Bless
Miles & Rosemary Blair
BLAIR HOPE INTERNATIONAL INC.
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