On March 6th I left Haiti to come home for a “couple of weeks”. However Covid-19 changed my plans as it gripped the entire world. On September 21st I was finally able to restart my mission commitment, praise God. I have had some serious challenges with internet access this time so I have not been able to blog. This is not an uncommon occurrence in 3rd world countries. Anyway, here is a brief summary of what I have been up to:
I met a young man who invited me to go kayaking. We have been on several excursions together and I am learning to love this. However, it is a lot of work.
Hands down my most favorite thing to do is spend time with the kids at the orphanage and, as you can see from the pictures below, they love posing for pictures. Periodically I will spend the night at the orphanage. The kids think my overnight visits are a special treat for them however their devotional time just prior to the younger ones going to bed is truly inspirational to me.
I conducted leadership meetings with the staff at the clinic, the school teachers and the elderly home in an effort to help these individuals understand their importance to the mission and ministry here. We also formed the Young Men’s Council. The council is comprised of boys 11 through 15 who are committed to modeling acceptable behavior and decorum for their younger brothers at the orphanage.
There are several young ladies I have become very fond of during my time at the Mission of Grace. Pictured below are: three year old boss-lady Nyrah; Ms. Gloria, who periodically visits with me at the guest house; Marie France who celebrated her 18th birthday in October, and; Fabiola who is an anointed worship leader at the church.
The kids in Haiti had a trying 2019-2020 school year. September through December of 2019 schools were closed because of wide spread civil unrest in Haiti. And then Covid-19 shut things down again from March until June this year. The children were able to restart their school year in July, spending their summer making up for lost time. Some of the older students were even required to attend school on Saturdays and Sundays! The school year ended mid-October, and the 2020-2021 school year begins November 9th.
Judith (pictured below in the white outfit) and Fabiola (in yellow) successfully completed their studies and graduated from high school. These two young ladies are an affirmation of all that the Mission of Grace does as they encourage their wards to strive for higher and better. I am very proud of both of them.
Finally, I am truly enjoying the beautiful tapestry God continues to unfold. Pictured below are a few of the moments I get to experience on a regular basis.
Was looking forward to being a part of this awesome mission. Maybe I can be one of the “send me” people in 2021. Praying for God to cover you and blessings for the ministry. Carolyn Harris
Hey Carolyn. I do pray you can join us. Blessings, Vernon
It is beautiful to see the young people grow and thrive in spite of so much adversity. The work of the mission is a powerful witness of God’s love. I’m praying that everyone stays safe, healthy, and encouraged.
Vernon, seeing Mary Frances and Fabiola warms my heart! May God continue to bless you for all that you have done and all that you are doing for the Mission of Grace- especially for the children. We love you!
Hi!
I am Rev Dr Daisy Spivey of Baltimore, Md. My maiden name is Cofield. Maybe your husband might know about the Cofield’s. Let me know.
❤️
Vernon,
Thank you for sharing and reminding how blessed we truly are and Gods purpose for us . Continued prayers for you and all involved in this calling on your lives. Be blessed