It was just a random statement: Prit was showing some slides of our work in Haiti at one
of our supporting churches (Faith Temple in Alexander City, Alabama). The pictures showed two young fellows with their heads on the
bench while the service was going on. Prit told the congregation in Alabama, ''Please don't misunderstand. It looks like these young
men are not interested in what's going on. But, in reality, many people come to church hungry and weak. They place their heads on
the bench while listening to the message.'' The rest of what Prit shared that evening was lost to the hearers because God so stirred
their hearts to help feed hungry people in Haiti. When the question and answer time came around, the only questions asked were, ''What
can we do to help these people get some food?'' We explained to them that we had been praying and were burdened for our schoolchildren.
Many of them come to school with empty stomachs and some of them have even fainted in the classroom because of the hunger and the
heat. Some of our teachers have bought food on credit just so they could give the little ones something that would give them a little
energy.
We had wanted to restart the feeding program that was in place years
ago, but our schools have grown at such a rapid rate, it seemed like an impossibility to feed all the students. (All three schools
combined give us a total of 1,250 students!) We have reminded the Lord that he had fed over a million Israelites in the wilderness,
but honestly, we really lacked the faith to relaunch such a program. We didn't want to start something again that we couldn't continue.
Proverbs 13:12a tells us, ''Hope deferred makes the heart sick…'' and there would be tremendous disappointment among the recipients
to learn that the food would no longer be available.
To our amazement, the members
of Faith Temple (pastored by Dick and Sandra Stark) started raising funds. Between many of the church members and a dynamic children's
group called ''Kid's On The Move'', they have already raised an impressive $6,150! They are still taking up offerings because God
laid the burden on their hearts.
Feeling that this work has been initiated by
the Lord Himself, we are bringing this opportunity to the rest of you as well, and inviting you to give as God would lead you to help
make this feeding program a success. We still need $17,850.00 in order to feed every student in every school a hot meal three times
a week for a school year. That sounds like a huge sum, but essentially, it only costs .20 to feed a child a meal. Just .20 a day per
child will help stave off hunger, thereby protecting them from sickness due to malnutrition and also lifting a small burden off their
families. To feed one child for a year costs less than $20.00. It would take less than $2,000.00 to feed 100 children for a year!
There is a Haitian Creole proverb that sums up this call for help. ''Men anpil chay pa lou'' means ''Many hands make light the work.'' With
your help, we can make this a reality. The Haitian government has declared that the schools will reopen on October 3. The already
sluggish economy, compounded by the ongoing, post-earthquake dilemma paints a dismal picture for those who are trying to work and
have a decent life in Haiti. Because the school will open a little later this year, we have additional time to raise the funds
necessary to help feed these precious children. Can you help?
Checks made to Rehoboth
Ministries and designated for the Feeding Program can be sent to our home address or one can utilize the paypal account on our website
at rehobothhaiti.com.
We salute Faith Temple for being the forerunners in getting
this program going. God bless you!