October 31, 2013

Doris has asked that I write the newsletters from here on the “front lines,” so here goes!  For those who do not know already, we are the Drowley's: Ken, Marla, Samantha (Sam) and Maxwell (Max).  We arrived at EGO on August 17, 2012.  After fourteen months, we are still just getting our feet wet.  It has been an amazing year!  Our daughter, Sam,  graduated with honors from high school in May and is now back in Jackson, MI, attending Spring Arbor University, so she is no longer here with us.

Don & Doris have been busy visiting family and friends, plus seeking medical attention and relaxing back in the states.  Please continue to pray for them that they are encouraged and rejuvenated.  

Summer has faded away and school has begun (for us here in Haiti – October  1st).  Also, work teams are beginning to come again. We did not have any teams for September and October, so much of the work turned into routine maintenance and housekeeping.  As far as projects go, the boy’s bathroom is almost finished.  We have a team coming from Michigan the first week in November and we are hoping to finish this project.  Next we will be adding on a bathroom to the baby dorm.  If any of your organizations want to tackle this project, either financially or physically, please feel free to contact Gwen and we will give you the specifics.

The first Saturday of each month we celebrate birthdays for that month, and October had eight children with birthdays.  It was quite the celebration with cupcakes, candy and games!

The hens are still laying about 40 eggs per day and we have broilers getting bigger every day.  The cooks cannot wait to butcher them.  With the high prices of food in Haiti right now, many people arrive at the gate each day looking for help with food or school.  It is a difficult challenge to decide who needs the help.  We are ever grateful for Madam Suze and her knowledge of the community.  She is a great help as an administrator of the orphanage.  We’re also thankful for the recent container of food paks sent by Lowell Yoder.  These help us out so much! 

We are growing here at EGO.  The Haitian government that regulates orphanages has passed many new laws regarding how things are run and how adoptions are handled.   We now have a crèche at EGO called Victory Glenn Creche. Most of you know it as the “baby dorm”.  This is so we can continue to receive babies who are orphaned, abandoned, or in need.  Since starting to accept babies again in January 2013, we are now up ten new faces.

We also can no longer keep the children here at EGO once they reach the age of 18.  Therefore, we must come up with some sort of transition housing and schooling for them so they can complete their education.  The main objective is to get them reunited with their relatives, but in many cases this is not possible.  Families live too far away from universities, professional schools, or have no room to take the children.  It has been an interesting situation for us to deal with this summer.  Please continue to pray for this transition.

With school starting, we are also having an outbreak of the flu. It even hit our house and we were down for about four-five days this past week. Many of the little children are battling the high fever and all are coughing and having runny noses.  If any of you are like us, it is awful being sick.  But these little guys are like the energizer bunny and they just keep going and going and going.  It is amazing their energy level even when they do not feel good.

Many of you have been praying along with us regarding a 40 foot container that was to be shipped over 14 months ago.  It finally arrived at the end of September and brought with it the many tools and equipment needed for starting our woodworking and mechanical classes.  Ken was able to start the woodworking portion by building benches/school desks for the school.  Wishing we could attach about one hundred pictures of all the things that happened this month, but since we cannot, we will just let you plan a trip to EGO so you can see it all for yourselves!

the Drowley's

Editor’s Note:  As you read “between the lines” above, you can see that there are so many areas in which you can be a huge help and blessing to EGO!  We love to have teams visit EGO to help with work projects.  We also are always so grateful for your financial gifts, either for general purposes or toward one of our ongoing “special projects”.  Check out our updated website at www.ebenezerglennorphanage.com for more information on both!  You can also contact me at 616-550-3469, by email at ego2haiti@gmail.com, or by “snail-mail” at 1726 Gun Club Rd, Caro  MI  48723.  Thank you!

To our Dear Friends and Family.


QUIET?  YES! Not that we would like it this way always….but just a little break is nice!

The children were up here early this morning remembering things they had forgotten the night before in preparation for their trip! They had to carry their noon meal.  Joceline, bless her heart, came yesterday afternoon, baked cookies, cooked rice, chicken and sauce, fried ripe bananas, macaroni salad and much more.   Of course she had a little help from some of the girls!

Yes this is the great long awaited day for 24 of our children and 72 in all that left the morning of the last day of May on the bus for the IMP school outing. Everyone returned exhausted, including Rachelle and I’m sure the Professors that went also.  Please continue to pray finances will come in to fill the gap where some of the poorer parents are unable to pay. This is quite a struggle and some of the teachers do not receive their monthly salary.  They have been more than patient with us and we do not want to lose such highly qualified teachers.   Last year we were the only school in the area where every student who took the government test passed.  This is quite a compliment!  The government would love to take the school over but we would lose our opportunity to have Bible classes and a spiritual emphasis, a school where a heart change and a life choice for Christ is presented as a choice for every student.    Also, the government  has chosen our school again this year to hold the Government exams.

We hear Madam President might be coming to Dessalines in the near future and just might visit E.G.O.   In years past,  President Jean Claude Duvalier came to Dessalines and was going to visit the orphanage. We had the children all dressed up in their best, waiting. He went to visit the Spring which you’ve heard is supposed to have special spirits…. After waiting for a long time I decided to mount Babe, our horse and rode out around the crowds on the other side of the spring. Everyone said, “He’s coming, he’s coming”…… but he never did.    We don’t have a horse this time………but if we did, I just might ride it anyway!

Now for the important things:                                                                                       

The rains finally came –  Our 28-year-old tractor is still running but it’s impossible to get parts now without going on line. Watson got stuck in the garden spinning the wheels and didn’t realize he was digging a hole. Dad had to jack the tractor up to get him out. We’re sure he has learned his lesson. He is a fast learner!   They have some rows of corn planted and Dad is transplanting some plants.

We are now cooking with gas in the Kitchen! Everyone is enjoying the clear air.  It seems they need to continually be reminded,  “please turn the flame down under the kettles!”   The girls are enjoying the luxury and privacy of their new showers in their bathroom.  The boys are waiting for theirs to be built.

Thanks to Russ Cole and team we have a tank around 30 feet high that holds 1000 gallons of water. The water is pumped up by solar power. Everyone is enjoying the running water, especially the wash ladies.  They so appreciate that water comes out of a facet instead of having to use the hand pump. Sometime the hand pump is still used, especially after the sun goes down when the solar power wanes away.

Several teams came earlier this year and now they are gone. We really appreciate all the hard work and willing hands that accomplished so much in so little time. God’s blessings on you.

The fish tanks are being cleaned in preparation to house a new batch of fingerlings (about an inch and a half long) that we will be buying. The rice has been harvested.  Praise God, we received 30 bags. Of course this won’t last until the next harvest but it surely does help. The seed beds have been prepared, fertilized and planted. They will grow for three months and when transplanted it will be three months before the harvest.  Mangos are still plentiful, Praise God. During this season we rarely have any sicknesses.  The lawn is green and beautiful from the pouring rains.   The grape vines have been pruned and now little clusters of grapes are forming.    

I guess you’ve heard we have a little calf.  It’s a bull.  Of course we would rather have had a heifer…perhaps next time. The boys take turns milking morning and evening and the little ones are sure enjoying the milk while we are waiting for the big goats to deliver. The Drowleys are back  home now in the States for graduations etc.  We are looking forward to their return soon.

Many of you have heard that we are having difficulties getting a container.  That was an understatement!  I think we have had things in a storage unit for about two years.  But it sounds like one might be opening up…Praise God!  Drowleys have been waiting for one to come also.  There are Dental chairs and equipment for the Dessalines hospital in the storage also. Please join in praying with us that this will happen quickly.

God has been so very good to us giving us good health.  We remember Him saying, “I will be with you even in your old age.”  He certainly has done what He said he would do! Praise His Name.

May we thank those of you that have continued to support this ministry for many years.  Without God and you backing us up where would we AND all of the children be today??  We are so blessed to have you folks that have stayed with us all these years financially and most of all in your prayers. Thank you so very much.  Love you bunches!

Still standing in the Gap,

Don & Doris Peavey

Progress...

Several work teams have been doing construction since January...they came from Iowa, Washington, and Michigan! Thank you everyone, for your hard work on the school roof, bathroom for the girls dorm, and new kitchen.

UPDATE...the Lord has brought us a wonderful young lady to help with the new babies at EGO. Praise Jesus!

HELP WANTED: Ebenezer Glenn Orphanage needs a missionary infant care-giver, to serve for approx. 6 months in Haiti. Requirements include experience caring for newborn babies and toddlers, and some medical knowledge is beneficial. This is an immediate position, and the applicant must raise their own financial support.

Send resume to Gwen Schmidt: ego2haiti@gmail.com

Welcome to the newborn twins! A boy and a girl, two days old, just arrived at EGO!

They are precious additions. So now there are 5 new babies in all. Please keep these sweet

little ones in your prayers. If you would like to sponsor Berlin or Berline, please go to: www.ebenezerglennorphanage.org/#/get-involved

Three new babies at EGO! Please pray for these precious children.

 

Dahicha, 2 months

Manicha, 7 months

Makendy, 3 months

Update from Don & Doris:

In the climate like Haiti, you would think people wouldn’t get a cold. But there are many germs in the air and also in the rainy season it can be very damp. At the mission, we have some storage places that are closed for many days at a time. Then we go in and get supplies, move things around to make more room. When it’s damp, sometimes when we sweep there is lots of dust and the dust stirs up bacteria and when you breathe this, it gets into your lungs. Perhaps this is how I contacted pneumonia. This is the second time I have had pneumonia since we have been in Haiti. The last three days before leaving it was hard on Doris and everyone else. With a high fever I couldn't sleep or lie down and food did not stay down either. But I was well taken care of, with pills and IV’s day and night. I was a patient and they had to have patience to put up with me! Elizabeth was working in the clinic and caring for the sick at the orphanage and she knew just what to do for me. She said I had pneumonia and she was right! She got me ready for the long ride to Cap Haitian and she went with us, making sure I took all my medication. The next day we boarded Missionary Flights Int’l who tried to make me comfortable, providing me with oxygen enroute to the States. I was glad Doris was with me and also that Vickie & Peg were waiting for us at the airport.

So that I would be closer to where they lived, they took me across Florida to an ER there. I think the ones at the hospital thought I was a drug addict or something since it was hard for me to walk and breath. They finally got me a wheelchair. After tests and MRI, etc., they stated that along with pneumonia I had heart failure. But prayer teams were praying, and later they said it was just pneumonia. Praise God. After a couple days I was much better and they released me.

We were given a great place to stay, also a car to drive all the time we were here (and it was not just a junker!) How are you going to beat that? Doris and I were given clothes and food and plenty of love, not just a glass of water and a band-aid, but the real thing. God knows just what we need. I did a lot of reading and studying the Bible along with much praying. I got caught up on what’s going on around world and especially in Israel.

Well, Doris and I are 80 years old now. We are going back to Haiti, still being available to God and He’s not finished with us yet… During the time I was ‘laid-up’ I may not have gotten any flowers, but actually I did not even think of it. God’s people have done so many things for me, and when you put all of that together, that’s what makes a beautiful bouquet and the aroma still lingers.

A cleaning lady came into my room. She was a foreigner and spoke broken English. I asked if she was a Christian. She replied that she didn’t know. While talking to her I asked if she had a Bible. She said she didn’t, but could read English. I bought a Bible, and a little while ago went up to the third floor where I had been and found her. She remembered me. When I gave her the Bible she was very thankful and so was I. The nurses remembered me too.

--Don

We have been so very Blessed of the Lord--first of all, for God’s Great Love, Grace and Mercy for restoring Don to good health and taking such good care of us—also for Ken and Marla holding down the fort with the many decisions they have been forced to make on their own.

Our plans are to return to Haiti Jan 31^st with ‘umpteen' lbs of cargo, praying favor with God and man as we go through customs. It has been so wonderful being with our girls and family that have been in Florida. They have done so much for us. We will miss them. We also lost a loved one and went to Michigan for a Memorial Service. It had been a long time since we had seen many of them. The younger ones had grown up and it was a little difficult recognizing them. You are all in our prayers.

We are now looking forward to seeing all the children at the orphanage, especially the little ones with all their hugs, and of course, our adult children and our grand-babies.

Thank you everyone that has a part in raising these children by your prayers and giving.

We are looking forward to all the teams coming in. Thanks AND thanks again, for all of your help.

May God’s Blessings enrich you lives.

--Doris

Editor’s Note: We appreciate all who so faithfully support this ministry. In an effort to add to your convenience, we have a new link on our website ( www.ebenezerglennorphanage.org ) that will allow you to do automatic and/or recurring donations as meets your needs. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to call (616-550-3469) or email ego2haiti@gmail.com.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!



The children all received a Christmas stocking
with their name on it, full of toys!




All the kids played relay games, received treats
and ate Christmas dinner!