REJOICE!

Rejoice because Christ is born...

Rejoice because He chose to come to us...

Rejoice because He showed us the Father while He lived here...

Rejoice because He has the words of life and to whom, then, would we go...

Rejoice because He is a wide shelter, a deep fountain, a formidable rock and fortress...

For all these we rejoice and also for the opportunity to live in Haiti this past year. We have returned to the States and are transitioning to life here again. Ellie started high school, and is enjoying new friends and high school life. Jon Mouer Photography is back in business. To all of you who have prayed us through this past year, we are deeply grateful. We have grown in our understanding of Jesus as Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, and Prince of Peace. Blessings to you this Christmas!

Children's Hope continues to provide relief from the devastation of Hurricane Matthew. If you desire to support relief and rebuilding efforts there, donations are being accepted on their website (see sidebar).

A Mountain-Top Experience

Ayiti, land of high mountains

Haiti literally means land of high mountains. Its name is a testament to its most beautiful asset. After every mountain is...another mountain. We hiked these peaks to visit the family of Emile, our translator. After a long and bumpy ride (half of which was crossing a running river or driving in a dry river bed), we disembarked and started the trek to their home.  I had a light backpack, Ellie a cake box, Emile's wife (8 months pregnant) a pot of mangoes, and his brother two 12-packs of soda, both of the latter carrying their goods on their heads. Thankfully, I beat Emile's wife up the mountain (I know that isn't saying much). An hour later, we were greeted by the sweetest family!

Emile, Merdjreens, and me stretching our legs (above)
Ellie, the cake bearer (right)

Emile slicing his homegrown papaya

At his home, we met extended family, enjoyed lunch, and conversation (with Emile translating, of course), all with such warmth. We saw the heart of Emile had been borne out of this heritage of godly and faithful family. We met his sister who lives in an adjacent house but who is incapacitated and often expressionless. We prayed over her with the family. And then it started to rain.

Emile's father cutting a walking stick for me

Although rainy season had just started, we weren’t expecting it to start raining so early in the day. We decided that we should set out for the truck while it was still raining because if it continued, the trail would become muddy and the roads difficult and possibly impassable. The best part was the walking stick Emile's dad made from sugar cane. We continued to enjoy its sweetness throughout the following week. Even with the aid of a walking stick, I was bested by his 68-year-old father carrying a two-year-old. Ouch! And he probably didn’t have sore legs the next day.

Emile's extended family

Neighborly women with Emile's mom in the background

Another friend we met along the way

That's Some Chicken!

There were a few posts trapped in blog post prison so I decided to spring them out today.
I started this post after Easter and here's a humorous snippet from it...

One Mouer Easter tradition is to color Easter eggs at Grandma and Grandpa’s house. We carried on the tradition by dying eggs with the Peters. When we were done, we had some vibrant-colored eggs and ate chocolate chip cookies for lunch. As we departed the compound, we gave a colored egg to one of the guards and told her Happy Easter. She took the egg and said it was so pretty (bèl)!

“Is this from a chicken?” she asked in Creole.

“Yes,” I said, not seeing where the conversation was headed.

“Chicken?” she said in English, making sure I understood what she was asking.

“Yes,” I replied again.

“Bèl!” she exclaimed a second time with amazement.

And then it dawned on me that she thought the chicken had laid it the vibrant color that we had colored it.
“Oh! WE colored it!” I explained, and we all had a good laugh before driving away.

Hero in Hadi

Ellie attended K-8th grade at the same school. Now, no longer attending there, they sent her writing samples from 1st through 6th grades that were in her files. I thought I would share her story from the beginning of fourth grade that asked her to imagine that she had discovered a special power and describe how she would save the day.

Ellie in fourth grade

"Beep! Beep! Time to exit the plane. Yes!! I thot that we would never ever be on land again.  I said as my stumick smeemed to gag. I walked off the plane.  Hadi was a wreek! All the other group seemed as suprised as I was.  The leader told us to start helping. First, we started helping people's broken places.  When I touched thir skin it healed!! This made my job easy.  I helped the sick and hurt.  It was cool helping people. Next we fead people. We made houses too! After days it was time to go. I was happy to help them. Bye! Bye! I yelled."


Ellie left "Hadi" yesterday to enjoy some summertime in Arizona with family and friends, four years after she wrote her story. She had the opportunity to do everything that she wrote about except "make houses," and she was happy to do it.

Ellie four years after writing about "Hadi"

Almost Haitian

We admit Thanksgiving and Christmas were different to be away from family and gatherings.  Sovereign Grace Church sent us an awesome care package with many goodies—Joe Joes, chips and salsa, Doritos, assortment of chocolate, but best were the kind notes found inside.  We had a Christmas tree and a little bit of lighting we brought with us (Ellie’s pick).  

As the many who have gone to the field before us can attest, there is much to learn and we find we are tired at the end of the day, but feel like we didn’t get anything accomplished.  That can be disappointing and difficult to accept, but God sent us here to accomplish what He has set before us so we can be satisfied in the day’s events—good or less than good. 

I think our foremost desire is to learn Creole so we can communicate easier with the people around us.  The desire drives us to spend time studying with our tutor (our translator).  Ellie knows the most followed by Karen and then I round out the top three Creole speakers in our family.  I have found there is a big difference between wanting to learn a language and actually learning it. 

Our friend and Translator, Emile

The Clinic Staff

The School Office Staff

"Four score and seven years ago . . ."  oops

She's got the moves

Happy girls with Maria Peters

New playground complete