Home-less

In two weeks, Lordwilling, we are not going to be house-less Stateside!  We are super thankful for how everything has worked out, and are hopeful that all will continue to go as planned.  Our house has been rented each month since we moved to Haiti in January 2014.  When our renters told us they bought a house this winter, we talked to the realtor and our place was put on the market Feb 1.  In less than two weeks, we had received an offer and accepted!  Our renters moved out Saturday, our stuff is supposed to be moved out this Friday (thanks to everyone who is doing that for us!!!) and hopefully the closing is at the end of the month.  We cannot be more grateful for the timing of everything.  The past three years we've had great renters, and I've had time for God to pry and re-pry my fingers off of "our" home.  We're thankful not to have to worry about finding renters or having it set empty for months.

Update: The stuff was moved!  Thanks to our friends and family!!

So this seems really strange timing to be talking about this, but David's position here at Hospital Lumiere is being advertised.  As crazy as it seems to post it so early (we're thinking our move-back date to be somewhere around spring of 2019), we know it can take a lot of time to get someone to answer the ad, go through the process, move down, do language training, and have a time of learning the equipment and processes.  We know God is the One in charge of the timing and all those details, but we want to do as much as we can to not go home and leave the mission without someone to fill David's spot.  It places so much strain on those left here, and it is super hard for the new person to catch up if they don't have that good transition time.

I copied the add for David's job as Facilities Director, shown below.  There are lots of other openings at the Hospital (and in other HarvestCall missions) that you can look at here, including Operations Director, Medical Director, and a teacher for the missionary kids school for next fall!

Seeking to fill this full-time paid position at Hospital Lumiere in Haiti. Qualifications include: understanding of and ability to work with electricity, general diagnostic and troubleshooting skills, general knowledge of construction and plumbing, ability to lead and manage people, be a believer in Jesus Christ, willing and capable of learning the Creole language and Haitian culture, willingness to reside in Haiti (with your spouse/family if applicable) for minimum of 3 years, willing to learn and work with the broad range of systems and equipment necessary to the hospital – such as electricity generation (hydro, diesel and solar), medical equipment and water distribution.

Terms of Service

• Full time residing in Haiti
• Housing provided adjacent to other brethren and missionaries
• Initial year of service requires a significant period of time and studying Haitian Creole and culture
• Training will be provided prior to placement in the field. It is also desired that time will be allowed for a six month minimum transition period between the new Facilities Department Director and the existing, to allow for training in the hospital’s many different systems.

Candidate selection, preparation, training, sending and supporting will be conducted using HarvestCall’s established Outreach Policies and Procedures.

For more information on Hospital Lumiere positions contact:

Bob Beebe
574-276-6748
Robert.beebe1@gmail.com

As we are approaching 6 months after Hurricane Matthew, and there are still lots of people whose homes are not rebuilt, it seems a little frivolous to be talking about being "down" one home when we're living in a perfectly good one here.  Recently, I went to see the home of the mother of a girl I've known for over a year now.  She lives with her dad, but has been having trouble with him, and so she wants to live with her mom.  Her mom's home was destroyed in the hurricane, and she is living with a neighbor but doesn't have any more space for another person to stay.

The destroyed home (on the right) with just the doorway still standing.  The tin structure (left) is someone else's home.

This new tin roof (of a neighbor's home) was given through Compassion International.  The students in the church school that are sponsored were given tin and money to rebuild their home.

We have truly been given much, and much more than a nice house, we have a beautiful home - a family that loves each other and - even though we're real and have our times of grumpiness and mistakes - we're glad for this gift God has given us.  We realize Satan strives to destroy the good, to break the home, to war against God in each way.  It is by grace alone we stand, and our prayer is that those in hard situations too can come to know that God wants to take the brokenness, the homeless, the pain, and mend lives.  That is what He died for.