Thursday, December 18, 2014

Merry Christmas!

Chè Fanmi & Zanmi (Dear Family & Friends),

2014 has been a crazy year of coming and going. By the time the year is over I will have been to the States four times and the Dominican Republic once. Having only been in the States twice in 2013 this seems like a lot.


  • 2014 brought challenges along with the joys, here are a few of the joys.   Most of you know the stories of Richcarde and Caïla, both filled with a rollercoaster of emotions. I had the opportunity to spend time with both of them in the Dominican Republic and U.S., respectively, after each of their surgeries.  God used these times to teach and challenge me. I was also blessed with the opportunity to speak with each of them about Christ.
  • 2014 brought many changes at Respire Haiti Christian School - we now have a new Haitian director of education and we are so excited for the rest of the school year. The atmosphere is so different from last year and the first part of the school year has gone incredibly well! We have nearly 500 students receiving a Christ-influenced education atop Bellevue mountain.
  • Our single American staff members moved to a new house, which has been such a huge blessing. We are closer to everyone else, off the main highway, aren’t living in a dark basement dungeon any longer, and have the space to live, fellowship, and be together.
  • Our medical clinic was finally finished, and we are now open to serve our staff and students, as well as their families.
  • Sonson, another Respire student who has been living with Megan and her family for just over a year now, got his medical visa this month and is now in the States! He will be receiving more medical testing as well as a kidney procedure.

Looking forward to 2015, I know it will hold these same things, joys and challenges.
I heard this quote listening to a missions video clip, “If you send them out alone they will not stand.” Having lived overseas, in a third world country, for two years now this statement resonated with me. Many times I have felt alone and like 'I may not be able to continue to stand', but it is encouragement in the form of prayer, financial support, a note, or care package, from you my senders that is a reminder I do not go or stand alone.

The greatest prayer request I have personally - here goes the broken record - is for spiritual growth, encouragement, renewal, protection. Serving in a country where there isn't a strong local church and there isn’t that weekly fellowship, challenge and encouragement is difficult. Especially when you are pouring out daily but aren’t being poured into regularly.

In order to continue to stand I need your prayers, I need your encouragement, I need financial support.

As we head to the end of the year you can give a tax deductible gift at www.worldoutreach.org/donations Just select my name from the drop-down menu (I’m the last one, to make your search a little faster).

Thank you for sending and standing with me.

Merry Christmas!
-Sharon

Getting to FaceTime with Caïla while I'm in the States.

Haitian nativity scene, complete with ice cream cones?

Beach trips are a rare but much appreciated time of relaxation and rejuvenation. 

Heading to the beach Haiti style, packed in the back of a tap-tap.

Some of our adorable first graders on the first day of school!

My dear housemates whom I'm blessed to call sisters. 



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