There is more news about Adoinet (Adou) St Amour. According to Adou via a former intern, the doctors say that he has "hepatoma with tumor thrombosis of the portal vein". According to the woman who is helping him with the scholarship to attend seminary, her doctor son said that "the lab results and biopsy could be sent to any lab in U.S. with a Dr. trained to interpret such things (can't think of the proper term for that speciality). Not necessary for the patient to come here." Her son also said that "His best guess is that Adou probably has helpatitis B or C, contracted from contaminated water, that has developed into cirrhosis and/or liver cancer. In either case, surgery is not indicated." The doctor's diagnosis is not good, but we believe in a powerful God who is able to heal. So, please keep praying as Adou seeks further tests and information. 
Today the students, teachers, staff and administration of BTI met for a 2 1/2 hour memorial service for Vernio Joseph, the teacher who died last Monday. Thank you for your prayers. The service went very well and was a comfort and help to many. Exams will continue tomorrow as normal.
Met Gabriel, the vice principal, opened the service in Met Phanes' absence. Met Phanes was still at his home in Hinche, not feeling well.
The service was lead by Met Maccene and was composed of several parts. First was Adoration -- a series of verses on the greatness of God and His love, interspersed with congregational singing of hymns.
Next was a time for people to share memories of Met Vernio. Then followed many verses of hope, interspersed with songs sung by small groups of students or teachers.
Jean Jean Mompremier shared a message encouraging the students to not delay making sure they had Christ living in their hearts. He shared how Christ's return will be like a thief in the night and how life is so fragile. He invited any who were not sure of their destination after death to make that destination sure by accepting Jesus Christ's free gift of payment for their sins.
The service ended with prayer for Met Vernio's family, fellow teachers and students.
Various ones had a part in the service. Se Youseline shared memories of growing up in the same town with Vernio. Students read scripture and a student led the final prayer for the family.
Several people indicated at the end how important the service was for them and how grateful they were that we had done it. Thank you to those who prayed for us Friday as we planned and this morning as we met. Please continue to keep BTI and Vernio's family in your prayers. Please pray too, for us as we seek to find a new math teacher for the 9th, 10th, 11th and 12th grades. Pray that the Lord would raise up a teacher who is strong in math, but even more, is strong in Jesus and who will be a model and example of how a Christian should live and work.
This is Met Vernio Joseph in a photo taken in September 2005. Other than updating the days and the tenses, I don't think I can put things any better than Barb Van Schoyck did in an email to HAFF's Board of directors, "Met Vernio, one of our teachers, died Monday. It may have been stroke, or heart attack. He was one of our young teachers.
He had been a student at HAFF for six years, then did his 13th grade in Pignon, and then came to work with HAFF last year. His funeral was Tuesday. Many of the teachers went, along with a delegation of students in uniform from the school (which is customary in Haiti). HAFF sent a cash gift to honor him and a letter of condolence from the entire staff and Board with Carla, Colin and Jerry who went to take the teachers and delegation of students to the funeral. (Connie was still en route and we go back Thursday).
Met Vernio was an orphan, but does have one sister (Saisette, also a former student) and at least one older married brother. The funeral is in LaVictoire which is a very difficult road. Thankfully our delegation made the trip safely. Please pray that God's hand of comfort and grace would surround Saisette and the rest of the family, as well as our students and teachers.
Carla and Colin did an exemplary job of handling this crisis and we are all grateful for their presence during this time."
School is closed for the rest of this week. Monday, when school opens again, we plan to have an extended devotions. We plan to take most of the morning to counsel, encourage and pray with the students and teachers to help them through this hard time of grief. Pray for us Friday as we meet to plan the time Monday morning, then pray for us Monday as we seek to minister to eachother.
It has been a month since I last posted anything to the blog! I am sorry! It has been a busy month. We have been getting the Wilsons settled in, deciding who will do what now (more on that later) and just taking care of life at HAFF in Haiti.
We have also been having some problems with slow internet speeds which makes blog posting an excercise in frustration, so I just haven't done much.
Ely is back from the ECHO conference. He had a wonderful time, saw some old friends and made some new ones. He also spent some time studying at ECHO and came back with a new appreciation of all ECHO is and does. He also came back with lots of ideas about what to do here at HAFF to help the local communities. Thanks for your prayers for him. His trip went well and he stayed well.
Once again, this is Madame Gesson Azeme. She is the lady who works with the Proverbs 31 class with Barb and me. She is, in many ways, the heart and soul of the class. Her son, Biken has just been diagnosed with Sickle Cell Anemia. Her whole family will now be tested as well to see if anyone else has it as well. Barb and I fear that Mme Gesson herself has it. Please be praying for this family. Fr Gesson, her husband, still has ocasional pain in the eye that was blinded by the mule last year. They are going through a rough time. Pray for wisdom for the doctors and strength for the family. Pray that they would remain strong in the Lord through all this.
Carla, Rebecca, Rachel and Colin Wilson arrived on MFI at Pignon today lock, stock, one barrel and 2 cats! This is the family waiting under the wing of the MFI turbo DC-3. Barb, Jerry and I went to meet them with 2 trucks -- the 2 1/2 ton military transport truck and the Mitsubishi canter. The Wilson's household goods and a motorcycle and compressor for Jerry made a good load in both trucks.
Pray for the Wilsons now as they get settled into their home and into HAFF and Bohoc. And pray for the HAFF staff as we begin now to sort through all the tasks that need to be done and who will do each. We are excited about these new members of the full time HAFF staff. Pray that the Lord would make us one in mind and heart and vision and in love for the Haitian people.
There were happy dogs at HAFF today. TiBoots and Sophie were thrilled to have their mother, Barb Van Schoyck back in Bohoc. Greg was pretty happy too! As was I. Tomorrow the Wilsons join us and the HAFF staff will be complete.
It has been a busy 2 weeks and a bit since I last posted to the blog. Greg Van Schoyck arrived back at Bohoc Wednesday 11 October. 
Sophie and Ti Boots were very happy to see him. I was too. The next day we started a very intense week of working on teacher salaries and other school issues that needed to be worked out. We also started getting ready for the first group of visitors for the 2006 - 2007 team season. That team is gone now and I am ready to bring the blog up to date.
Wednesday and Thursday 11 and 12 October were the first 2 meetings of the Bon Jen Fanm class -- the Young Godly Woman class. Here are Dieula, Junie, Danise, Lumenia, Nannecie, Adna, Phara, Gladise in the back and Talita, Joanne Nancie, Judithe, and Ivika on the first day of class.
A belated Merry Christmas from State College, Pennsylvania. I hope your day was merry and bright and that you and your family had a wonderful day together. My only problem with Christmas this year was the lack of snow! Otherwise it was a wonderful time of family and friends and, especially Christmas Eve, worshiping the King of Heaven come to Earth.
As I traveled north from Florida to Pennsylvania, I stopped over night with Ed and Beth and Nikki Moore who were spending Christmas in Nags Head, NC. 
I arrived in State College December 22nd. My Uncle Richard arrived from Texas December 23rd. 
