“Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.” 1 Corinthians 15:5

We are thankful to serve a God who is a great rewarder, whose strength is made perfect in our weakness. We see how overwhelming things can look in a hurry here in Haiti, but God teaches us to keep loving and serving one at a time. Maybe abounding isn’t always measured in amounts accomplished, but in our attitude and capacity to love our neighbor as ourselves!

Retreat! Last month we had the opportunity to go to our annual missionary retreat for an extended weekend. It was held at a resort on the coast north of Port-au-Prince. We got to study the book of Colossians, go snorkeling, and enjoy the pool some…and it wasn’t excessively hot. Although “retreating” isn’t a good practice for a Christian, Jesus sometimes urged his disciples to come apart and rest awhile. So we should too!

Newborn! This past weekend we had the excitement of holding a new baby again as our cook, Madam Yadley, had her third child! She was only in the hospital a few hours before returning home, and she was up and walking around when we visited the next day! She named her baby girl Bessakina (though all we can usually remember is the Bess part).

Strong trees grow slow! There aren’t too many large trees left in Haiti as much of the country has been deforested. The large Mapu trees that have been left standing are associated with evil spirits. There are several Mapu trees along the road to Bonne Fin that we often admire as we drive by. Standing Grace in front of one gives you an idea how massive it is! It looks like she could crawl right in that hole above her! The saying “strong trees grow slow” makes me think of the way God works character into our lives. He isn’t in a hurry, but He has a plan!