Monday, May 4, 2009

AFTER ONE YEAR IN HAITI…..

Doug and I have now been living in Haiti for over a year. We have been asked to give an update on all that we have experienced this past year. I couldn’t begin to tell you each month how we have been brought down by Satan and our Heavenly Father faithfully brings us back up each time. We have been laughed at, cursed, stolen from, yelled at and talked about, asked for things and begged from. We have seen poverty and nakedness and starvation, pedestrians ran over and left in the road with a tree branch in front of them, heard drums of Voodoo Ceremonies in the evenings for weeks on end. We have driven through Rah Rah’s and had babies dropped of at our doorsteps for a chance in life. We have dealt with children and adults suffering from HIV, STDs, and the aftermaths of abortions, hurricanes and floods. We have recently lost communication to teams coming in and the U.S. by having our main laptop and back up computer both getting viruses and crashing. Nothing could have prepared us for the stories that we can now tell…we couldn’t have pushed forward without laying it down to Christ. He is our protector and our fortress. He is our deliver…in Him we must trust.

While living in the United States it’s very hard to DAILY live by Faith. It is hard to ask for guidance from our God. We have it figured out. We have it planned and on a flowchart. We have directions mapped out with a click of a button. We have it scheduled and set in stone on a calendar. We have AAA when our truck breaks down and great insurance when devastation happens. We have police that we can run to if we have a problem without wondering if that police officer will kidnap up or assault us. We have lawyers that have rules and regulations they must follow. We have peace like no other. We have clean water that only if you live in Jamestown or Bowersville do you have to boil on occasion. We have speed limits and clocks on ever corner and wrist. We have organization and technology. We have government programs to prevent us from starving if we lose our jobs. We have banks that we know someone cannot steal out of our accounts. We have it all….and we can do it all by ourselves. Or so we thought. God has blessed our country tremendously. But Americans think that they can do it by themselves. It is easy to forget where we get our wealth and success and whose money and success it really belongs to. It is easy to forget where our blessings come from. It is easy to NOT live by Faith in America.

This past year God has shown us that things do not happen in our timing. We can’t plan according to what is convenient to us. We must follow His lead. One day might be planned and within a few moments, plans change and what you thought you were going to get accomplished that day is not at all what you get done. The generator breaks or a machine in the clinic is down, so that takes priority. The traffic says you really are going nowhere. Or when you try to plan to make a family your plans get all mixed up. Doug and I planned on having children of our own and then perhaps adopt children in need as God shows us. That was our plan. But God revealed to us a different course. As you may know I am pregnant with our first baby boy and am due September 1st. We had a great plan to go on maternity leave as the rest of the missionaries go on furlough in August. We had no worries as the mission would close for a short time. Now God has shown us a two year old little boy named Dorvensky (Dor) that needs a mommy and daddy. He has been in a nearby orphanage since he was 8 months old and the orphanage closed in December. God brought him to our home for what we thought was going to be a night, then plans changed again and turned into a week, and then God again changed our plans. We told God that this is not a convenient time for us to adopt. We are going on maternity leave and cannot take him with us. He will be confused and sad. He will not understand…. But God again told us different. God has sent people to care for him and love him. They will come and live in our home with him until we return to him. And so in God’s timing the adoption process has begun. Between getting pregnant, being endlessly ill in ridiculously hot climates and overnight becoming a mommy to a two year old, God continues to remind me that I have to walk by Faith and follow His lead. I can tell you amazing stories of how God works miracles or I can just remind you that we have NO control. It’s in God’s hands.

Please continue to pray for our growing family. Please also pray that our amazing financial supporters continue to see our ministry worthy of supporting. If you are currently supporting us…..WE THANK YOU for your unending encouragement thru notes, emails, gifts, fervent prayer and financial blessings.

Please continue to check out our monthly updates on our blog at www.twobuckeyesinhaiti.blogspot.com

Blessings,
Doug, Amy, Dor and Baby Reichley

I Thessalonians 5:16-18














If you would like to contribute to our cause please send your help to:
Haitian Christian Projects
Attn: Doug & Amy Reichley
808 Orphir St #7
Moncks Corner, SC 29461

3 comments:

Angelina said...

you guys are soooo awesome...kepp up the good work.....

Ali said...

As Angie said, you are awesome! Thank you for reminding me that I can plan all I want, but God is in control and it is HIS plan that matters!

Anonymous said...

Keeping you and the Haitian people in our daily prayers. Kayla and I are so thankful to have shared in your getting Dor that beautiful Sat. AM. and witnessing Carlene picking up Papo for adoption during our week with you. Not only did we fall in love with Dor but his people too! May God continue to bless you and all that you do. Til our next trip down with HCP we will continue to support you! Love in Christ, Karen & Kayla