Last Saturday evening we were saddened to receive the news that Senor Dipy Metilus, age 54 passed away after a brief illness in his home in villa Esperanza. Many of our teams who have worked in villa Esperanza are familiar with this kind, gentle man who was the local tailor and an upstanding member of the church, in a community where less than 10% of the people believe in God. His wife passed away a few years earlier and his two girls Dilcia and Janeli are now orphans.
This was our first experience in actually participating in a Haitian burial service which usually takes place within 24 hours of death. Since Giuseppe was away on holidays, we offered to use our pickup truck to transport the casket and many mourners to the graveside. There were so many people packed into the back of the truck that the tires were almost flat. The procession proceeded ever so slowly; our truck, two gua gua’s with at least 30 people in each, 2 cars, and numerous motorcycles proceeded slowly to the cemetery in Montellano so the people walking could keep pace also on this approximately 5 km trip. 
The keening and wailing of some of the mourners grew especially loud when the graveside service was concluded, the casket lowered into the ground and with each man taking a shovelful of dirt to fill the grave. Upon our arrival back to the truck we discovered that it was filled to the brim with mourners waiting for a bola (a free ride) back up to the village.
Dilcia had just finished her first year of university in Santo Domingo and must now decide if she can continue to study there while taking care of her younger sister. Please pray for these young ladies in their time of sorrow.
This was our first experience in actually participating in a Haitian burial service which usually takes place within 24 hours of death. Since Giuseppe was away on holidays, we offered to use our pickup truck to transport the casket and many mourners to the graveside. There were so many people packed into the back of the truck that the tires were almost flat. The procession proceeded ever so slowly; our truck, two gua gua’s with at least 30 people in each, 2 cars, and numerous motorcycles proceeded slowly to the cemetery in Montellano so the people walking could keep pace also on this approximately 5 km trip. The keening and wailing of some of the mourners grew especially loud when the graveside service was concluded, the casket lowered into the ground and with each man taking a shovelful of dirt to fill the grave. Upon our arrival back to the truck we discovered that it was filled to the brim with mourners waiting for a bola (a free ride) back up to the village. Dilcia had just finished her first year of university in Santo Domingo and must now decide if she can continue to study there while taking care of her younger sister. Please pray for these young ladies in their time of sorrow.Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. Matthew 5:4
The days were hot and grueling on the construction site and a few thunderstorms brewed causing the river to rise significantly one morning. A raised path enabled the motorcycles to cross the river but it was a dicey affair trying to cross it by bus due to the dredging of the silt on the river bottom. Our interpreter, David narrowly missed falling into the river while moving the rocks in place allowing us to safely cross it.
It was necessary to unload the bus, cross the river by foot and re-board it on the other side. Thankfully the luggage could stay on board.
Team leader, Lois Jacobs was instrumental in starting the paper jewelry program in villa Esperanza when she saw the great need of employment for women in the village. Since March 2009, 4 women and 1 man have been gainfully employed making the jewelry out of recycled product packaging. Sales have increased to the extent where it has become necessary to employ an additional 4 women in the program. Praise the Lord! 
We taught the women new skills and some new project ideas while also giving them the hope, encouragement and the certainty that they will be guaranteed a monthly salary with a quota of work to fulfill. 
Lois shared with the women how God has blessed her and has given her many opportunities to witness to the people who purchased the jewelry. Sharing God’s love has been her great passion and was demonstrated also by the rest of the team loving the children and people they encountered this week. 
On the final day, we visited the 27 waterfalls…a great team bonding experience. With 3 non swimmers in the group it was necessary to encourage and assist each other while trying our best to battle the force of the water climbing up the falls. Sliding down or jumping off the rocks was so much easier on the way down and we were proud to see some fears conquered.
We feared that there may be a break in while we were gone because about one hour before we left for the airport, the road was completely blocked. A backhoe had dug up the hill to properly fix an ongoing leak in the water line which forced us to walk past the entire neighbourhood with our suitcases in tow to a waiting truck at the bottom of the steep hill. Many of the local people wished us a happy trip as we passed by knowing that we were leaving for an extended time and our house would be empty. 
Our closest neighbour, Pastor Jose was hired to paint and finish building the cistern while keeping watch on the house. With the extremely poor job situation in this country robberies are a common occurrence.
The container was sent; it arrived in Puerto Plata less than 2 weeks later and to our surprise was released by customs with little delay. So…work is waiting for us upon our return.
It was exciting to hear news that some first time mission teams will be coming in the future also. We also visited the “Ontario Christian Gleaners” and “Sew on Fire” ministries to see firsthand how these partners in ministry share God’s love to the poor and needy of the world.
We hosted an engagement party for our youngest son, Dan and his fiancée Jeannette having an opportunity for the two families to meet. Their wedding will take place the Lord willing on Friday, October 29, 2010. 
We were awestruck once again of God’s majesty in His creation as we visited Niagara Falls with best friends Randy & Nanda who were celebrating their 25th wedding anniversary and allowed us to tag along.
Birthdays…..shhh…..On June 20th it was the big 5-0 for Jane. Not really a scary thought but it sounds so old. What a wonderful surprise for her to receive a dozen yellow roses and a birthday cake in her honour at the church we were visiting that Sunday morning. Thank you to Pastors Robin & Mary Ella of Marshall Memorial Church for the unexpected gift. Friends are funny and sometimes even a little bit crazy. I love the “Dutch girl” hat that was presented to Jane in support of the Fifa World Cup soccer on her special day. Turning 50 was a riot!
Having personally served the soup to the children and the elderly…it piqued our interest to see where exactly it came from. Located in Cambridge, only 30 minutes from our hometown of Hamilton, the opportunity to see the OCG in action was taken and we stood amazed at their operation and dedication. 
Since the construction of their plant in 2008, this ministry is a thriving operation and a daily social event 5 days a week with the help of their dedicated volunteers who wash and prepare the food. 
The dicer machine chops the food into small portions and then is shoveled onto a conveyor belt to be taken up to the dryer which dehydrates it at a rate of 1000 lbs an hour and packed into barrels to be stored until needed. 
Once every three months, the chopping stops and the volunteers package the soup mix for an entire week. A two year shelf life on the product allows sufficient time for it to be distributed throughout the world. 
Over 1 million servings of soup were distributed to Haiti after the earthquake and 28,000 lbs. of fresh produce is needed weekly to keep up with the demand. It’s amazing how so many hands can produce so much soup. 
We were honoured to tour the “Sew on Fire” warehouse in Burlington this week and meet with Wendy Hagar. Recently, some of our mission teams have partner shipped with this ministry and brought gift bags to distribute to patients in the hospital in Puerto Plata, to the elderly, the poor and the needy. 
We saw that their warehouse was full of donated goods and an army of volunteers to sort them. Wendy says that “this is what happens when you step into the calling and destiny for your life. God pours provisions and blessings on you until your life is as full and overflowing as the warehouse”. 
Volunteers sew the thousands of gift bags needed each year, while others teach willing volunteers how to crochet, knit and sew not only blankets, hats, quilts, mats, slippers, clothing & dolls, but many more things too.
Create, sort, bag and then donate. As fast as the gift bags can be made and the backpacks filled with school supplies, they are sent in the luggage of mission teams or on containers to be given out to the poor and needy of this world. 
164,998 bags and counting ….. offered with the hope of a future in spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ. God’s Message is their mission!
