Welcome to 2009!

Okay, so I am a little late with this greeting. However, better late than never.

Well to begin this year I would like to update you on Peanut. My wife is about 5 months (pregnant) now, and just starting to show. Here is a picture of Peanut at I don’t know how many months. As you can see s/he is going to make a fine hockey player one day. (We haven’t decided if Peanut will play for the Haitian national hockey team or the Canadian one, but we will leave that decision till later). Anyway, as you can see – the LORD is amazing and awesome – once again performing a miracle and bringing new life!

And here is a picture of Karen. As you can tell, she is looking beautifully...pregnant. Everyone keeps saying, “are you sure you are pregnant?” because she hasn’t shown until now. So, I think she is happy now, because people can finally see that she actually is. As you can see, Peanut is no longer the size of a peanut, but since the name has a nice ring to it, I figure it can be his/her camp name. My wife is due at the end of April/beginning of May. We are not quite sure on the specific day. Anyway, we are planning to head back to Canada probably mid-way through March to have the baby. (also in time for Sarena and Mark’s wedding which are excited about as well, and hopefully in time, as Ian and Hen are due at that time too.)

Well, what else to report on. The church plant continues. We are thankful to work with such talented and gifted pastors who have a passion for the LORD, and for proclaiming the Truth, the Life, the Way, proclaiming Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour. And we are thankful for those the LORD has called to be a part of this church already, and we pray that the LORD would continue to work, calling people to be His.

Well, I would like to end by listing some prayer requests we have as we begin this new year. We covet your prayers as we know that our strength lies not in ourselves, and this work is not about ourselves, but it is only through the LORD that we can move forward, in His strength, through the power of His Spirit. May this work never be about our kingdom that we are trying to build, but about His. We ask you to pray, and here are some specifics that relate to us and our work here in Haiti:

• For Karen and the baby (Peanut). For Health and safety.


• That before we have to leave for Canada that everything can be in order with the school and organization.


• For wisdom and knowledge, as we continue to develop our Special Needs program to begin next year.


• For the process of having the school and organization licensed here in Haiti, to go smoothly and timely.


• Language learning – pray that we could continue to develop stronger in both French and Creole.


• That our love for the LORD may continue to grow, and that we may be kept pure and blameless, testifying to His grace, mercy, and love.
  
• That we may build strong relationships with our Haitian brothers and sisters, and share the love the Lord has first shared with us.

Thank-you for your partnership in the gospel, for your friendship and love.

May mercy and truth lead you this year.

Lodz (Randy)

ohh...that was sooo last year...

Well, before I post a blog welcoming you to 2009, I thought I would first try to bring you up to speed on the happenings of 2008. (I think I had to do the same thing last year – catch up on the previous year. Some things never change. I guess I did not get better at this whole “blogging/staying up to date thing”). Anyway, with that said I will try to remember what happened since our last post – I think I am going to need a coffee first – just a second... Okay, got my mocha, brain is kicking into overdrive, (which, for me, is first gear according to my beautiful wife), but a gear nonetheless (that’s a big word I just noticed). Anyway, here are some of the highlights.

At the beginning of November we were very blessed to participate in the Sous Espwa spiritual retreat. Sous Espwa, (meaning Source of Hope), is the Christian Reformed World Missions and Christian Reformed World Relief Committee organization. They have been working hard here in Haiti for many years, and the LORD is blessing their work immensely. They have been such a blessing for us too as they have much experience and have answered so many of our endless questions, and have invited us to many of their functions. That has been such a blessing to say the least. Anyway, last year they invited us to participate with them in their spiritual retreat and teach the youth, and this year they invited us again to do the same. Anyway, we went to the beautiful island Ile Vache (Cow Island literally – I did see 1 cow) on the S/W tip of Haiti. Anyway, it was a very gorgeous location, revealing so much of the glory and majesty our Awesome Creator! The few days we had their were very beautiful – spending time in worship of the Almighty – meditating on the Word, singing praises, enjoying the communion of saints, enjoying His creation, and prayer. Some of my favourite times include: being stumped by the youths’ insightful, challenging questions, the singing, watching the storms race across the ocean, the amazing colours seen while snorkling at the reif, bocce ball with a real bocce ball set, thinking about tough issues like how do we be in the world but not of it, free will and TULIP, and the specific challenges of cross-cultural ministry. Anyway, what a blessing for us. Thank-you Jesus Christ!
My wife and I overlooking Abaka Bay on Ile Vache. It was a very beautiful setting.
Taking the boat to the island.

December was very special too. My mom and dad, and 3 brothers, Greg, Ian, Scott, came and visited us and spent 9 days with us. (poor Trish – left at home in the snow). While they were here we did many things. They helped out at the school, helped out in the medical clinic, built an office for the pastors, installed lights and fixed a lot of the electrical, and lots of odds and ends. We also spent time checking out Port-au-Prince, the beach, playing games, and just enjoying family. What another incredible blessing. Anyway, thank-you family for visiting and putting up with us for 9 days, for all the work you did, the gifts you brought, and just everything (including letting me win in Settlers, the train game, and ticket to ride).
Playing basketball - Canadians vs. Haitians. We realized that Lodder's are not good representatives of Canada in this sport.
My Parents, 3 brothers and I at Fort Jacques.

Mom and Dad staining wood for the office, for shelves, etc.

Greg drawing a crowd showing pictures of his family, and pictures that he had taken of the children.

Building an office on the roof.


How many Lodders does it take to nail in a piece of plywood...?

Cadeau, Ian and Scott putting up a piece of plywood.

Greg and my dad installing a big security light. Since we have Prayer service, Bible study, and evening Sunday worship outside this big light helps to light up the area so we can see. And it is also great for security purposes. Greg did a tonne of electrical stuff for us while he was here.

How many Lodders does it take to flip burgers...? We had a big luncheon at our house on Sunday, with all the pastors and their families and other visitors. It was a great time of fellowship.

At Fort Jacques. Karen, Cadeau, Samuel, and Guerdson.

Ian and my dad at Fort Jacques.


Ian pretending he is cool, trying to make some friends.


Well, the end of the 1st period of school came and went. The students had their exams and the report cards went out. We had a very nice assembly with the students and parents, along with Pastor Delfis and Leon sharing the Word and encouraging the parents and students, and, also, parent/teacher talks. And then it was Christmas holidays.
Art and crafts with the Kindergarten class. Can you guess what animal/rodent they are supposed to be? They are made out of eggplant.

Christmas assembly with the students and parents. Here Pastor Octavius is giving a Christmas message from the Word of God.

This is a picture of organized chaos. The teachers are meeting and talking with the parents about the students report cards and their progress this school year.

The teachers and us.



I had been telling Ed (Dr.Ed) that I would go out biking with him in the hills sometime, and since it was holidays I finally got some time to do it, so off we went on that first Saturday. We went off into the mountains, and he showed me some roads and trails, and we found other roads/trails that were very beautiful. We had a very fun day of riding and got to see some beautiful snapshots of Haiti.
Everywhere we stopped on the trail a crowd would gather, coming out of nowhere it seemed.

Christmas – We spent Christmas at the deBleij’s house, along with a lot of other brother and sisters in the Lord. There were a lot of fellow Dutch people, which made us feel so much at home. And a highlight, in addition to reflecting on the incredible gift of the incarnation and singing Christmas carols, was singing Erezig Haut (spelling?), (Glory to God).

Over the holidays I came down with a high fever, and after 2 days finally realized what it was from. My leg had got infected and the infection had become very bad apparently – cellulitis I think it is called. Anyway, so I have been off my feet for about a week now. The fever has dissipated now, and I am waiting for the infection to be gone. So much for all the work I was hoping to get done while school was out. This kind of stopped me in my tracks and forced me to leave all my projects for a bit and take a break. I am very thankful that the fever has subsided so at least while I lay here I can read, work, type, or get destroyed at Settlers of Catan.

Well, to end this post I just wanted to thank the LORD for all He has done for us in this past year. He has blessed Karen and I so much this past year, and our families - we have so much to be thankful for. We know His grace is sufficient for all the mistakes we made this year, His mercies are new every morning, and we know He wraps us in His love. And we know that we are 1 year closer to the return of Jesus Christ our Lord and King, 1 year closer to when our pilgrimage will be over and we will meet our King. May the Lord continue to guide us, lead us, carry us, and prepare us all for that day.
Lodz. (Randy)