Last week, we asked for questions for our RHFH staff missionaries and families. Here are some of the responses.

How do you deal with the instability of the country where you serve? I mean, I know you guys and I know that you have many dedicated workers who love you dearly. But are you ever fearful for your personal safety or for that of the children?

Lori: There is often instability of all sorts in Haiti, and so it is imperative that we trust God. We use wisdom as well in laying low in difficult times, no unessential travel. We also attempt to serve those in our community in such as way as they will come to our aide if there were any trouble.

Licia: I have never feared for my kids safety here in Cazale. The people love us and support us. There are areas in Haiti that I would not go to myself or with my kids. We just avoid these areas. If we have to travel through them we just take caution and try to be aware of what is going on around us. I have a time or two layed over on the seat so as not to draw attention to us in these “hot” spots. It helps when your husband is a haitian. When the country is “hot” we stay home and do not travel. When the earthquake happened we sent the boys out to live with my brother and his family. We were having lots of aftershocks and they were scared. We also had many serious injuries coming through our doors that they did not need to see.

We trust the Lord to protect us and be with us.

Licia and Enoch, How did you guys meet? Did you deliver your babies in Haiti? How did Charles and Lori meet?

Licia: Enoch and I met when we were young. We both worked at a conference center at another missionary complex here in Haiti, sweeping and mopping floors. We dated for five years before we were married on June 16, 2000. We have been married almost 11 years, and I finally get to take my husband to the USA!!!

Lori: At the recommendation of many leaders in our village, we hired Charles to work in the clinic in January of 1999. We worked together a little over a year before we began dating in May 2000. We were married in December of 2003.

Charles: After I started working for the mission, I saw that I loved her.  I didn’t
have the courage to tell her that, but she asked if I had a girlfriend.  I
said no and in the same moment we started talking.  We loved each other and
married after three years.

How did your family end up moving to Haiti and doing mission work?

Lori: We allowed God to train us when we were young Christians. We said, “Lord, use us” and we meant it. Since then we have attempted to be obedient in walking through doors and when God opened them. God put a burden in each of our hearts for the people of Haiti, and specifically those in our community of Cazale. We quickly fell in love with the Haitian culture and the Haitian people when we moved here.

Casey: This is my recollection. My mother and father became believers and were delivered by the power of God from several strongholds. As my dad would say, he is a passionate person. He is all in to whatever he is into. So when he came to Christ, he became quite zealous for the faith. He would proclaim the Gospel to anyone and everyone he encountered. Once, at a farm sale, a farmer named Ben overheard my dad sharing his new faith. This farmer told my dad, “Well, if you’re so crazy for the Lord, why don’t you do to Haiti with me.” My dad was ready to roll.

Ben had traveled to Haiti several times, and the next time he went, my dad accompanied him on his work team at Global Outreach, Haiti. Fairly quickly, my dad felt a calling to Haiti. He and my mother often talked about moving there full time after I graduated high school.

God has other plans though. The tug grew stronger. After several more trips, my mother went with my dad in the Spring of 1993. We auctioned off our farm and possessions in September of 1993 and relocated to Haiti in January of 1994. Our family has resided in Haiti ever since.

To Enoch, Carmelo, Henley, Trey- What language do you think in?

All the boys say, when they speak in Creole, they think in Creole, when they speak in English, they think in English.

I’d like to hear more about the land you have purchased and plan to develop?

RHFH was very fortunate to purchase a large tract of land in our community of Cazale last February. We are looking forward to 2011, as we plan to begin developing this land. We provide many services to the Haitians in our area, but our current facilities are not adequate to sustain the volume of people coming through our doors. Our desire is to provide quality care to those who desperately need it, and so a larger Rescue Center and Hospital/ Clinic will be in our plans.

In June/ July of 2010 a large group from the organization EMI came to assist us in preparing, planning and designing the first phase of this project. We are grateful for their diligent work and expertise. In addition to a new Rescue Center and Hospital, we intend to add a large depot for materials/ supplies, staff houses, volunteer housing, facilites for the community group and much more. We are grateful for these opportunities and are excited to share more with you in the future.

Here is a video of the new property.

****In regards to video, I know that many of those that follow our blog are eager to see more videos. The issue is this. We live and work in rural Haiti. We have internet connectivity from a satellite, and so are extremely limited to how much we can upload/ download each month. Video takes up too much bandwidth and so we do not go this route very often.

What is a typical day like for Charles? What are his dreams? What is it like to live with Lori?

Charles: I get up every day at 5:00am.  I take a shower, put on my clothes, pray,
and leave.  From 6am-5/6pm I work at the mission.  I have a break at noon
to eat.  I get back to my house around 5 -6pm, sometimes 7pm.  I take a
shower and eat supper.  From 7-9pm I talk to friends.  From 9-10 I talk to
Lori.  I go to sleep at 10pm.

What has made me into the man I am today is the blessings of God, the support of my family, and work.

In regards to my dreams and desires in life, I strive to always search for God.  Live with Lori for life.  Work.  Help my country in reforestation for a more beautiful Haiti.

I love Lori alot.  We have had many problems because we didn’t have a house.  We built a house and have lived there for 1 year now.  We don’t have any problems with that anymore, but we still have problems because the mission work makes us too busy and we don’t have a truck to get away and go places.

What are your favorite local getaways in Haiti? Beach, mountains, etc. What is your favorite Haitian food/dish/snack/drink/fruit?

Lori: I like to go to the beach.
My favorite food is boiled breadfruit with beef sauce

Licia: Beach, beach, beach.
Favorite foods are mangos, marnade (fried flour), diri ak sos pwa legume

Charles: My favorite places to relax are church, parks, beach, historical places.
My favorite foods are chicken, pizza, and ice cream.