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Dan and Gillian Shoemaker - Serving the Lord in HAITI

Write us at shoemakerhaiti@hotmail.com
Updated 5/6/2008
Updated 5/1/2008
Updated 4/1/2008
Updated 2/14/2008
Updated 2/14/2008
Updated 12/27/2007
Updated 12/27/2007
Updated 12/22/2007
May 14

Haiti is in the news again

Haiti has reached the world news level again this month. Sadly, it is not to share all the wonderful things that are happening but news of more troubled times. If only the eyes of the world could see Haiti’s potential and the beauty of its people.

The media shares stories of Haitians succumbing to eating mud cookies to mask hunger pains. In no way do we want to diminish the serious condition of people’s lives; we do want to share the stories behind the cookies that you don’t hear. The mud cookies are not new to the Haitian diet and actually have nutritional value. The special soil they use has dietary minerals needed for nutrition. In recent months the price of food has exceeded many families.

Many of our kind hearted team members have asked what they can do to help. It has been amazing to see how we are all part of a solution, whether we are at the beginning, the middle or the end of the process. While OMS is not a disaster relief mission, nor are we equipped to feed mass populations, we do have access to and a working process for feeding 6000 needy children in Haiti through Starfish Kids. While we at OMS are not equipped to import massive quantities of food, we have built a relationship with an organization that is. While they are not equipped to daily cook a hot meal for our 6000 children, we are. This alliance is a win, win for our children.

Last week we got the good news that we had been chosen to share in the 8 million tons of food that the UN has just released to help alleviate the suffering from the recent price increases in Haiti. We now have 6 of our 31 schools entered into this government program that the Haitian government has arranged. We are thrilled to see the efforts of the new government, and how they are blessing our kids personally.

So how can you help? Many of the schools are still waiting to get into the hot meal feeding program and will not qualify because they don’t have the required food storage depot/room that is needed to securely store a month’s supply of rice, beans and oil. We would like to challenge you to get involved and challenge those around you to join the effort. Think about your families, Vacation Bible School, Sunday School classes. We have the food, the means of delivery, the cooking materials, the volunteer cooks and the hungry children but we don’t have the storage rooms. It will cost $2000 US to build each 10 x 10 x 10 room with a secure, locked door. Can you help? We can provide flyers, fact sheets and photos to help you share the need. Contact me at fishing@starfishkids.org to learn more about getting involved. The best part is, lives will be transformed as we work together to walk out the promises of the Lord’s provision.

Any gifts to this important cause can be sent to OMS Intl. attention USA project# 407200. For Canadian donors, please contact me at fishing@starfishkids.org as the project number is still pending.

May 12

May- Emmaus Seminary Progress

Well, it took two tries but the rain cleared and the guys got to work. They poured half of the second story of the men's dorm. The windows are in the library. The walls of the library and administration/classroom buildings have the finish coat of cement. Still, we look ahead at another year to finish roofs, ceramic, plumbing, electrical, painting +++.
April 25

Jesus Film

Let the little children come to me…

The Jesus Film has been presented world wide with immeasurable success in growing the kingdom and giving children a visual picture of the life of Jesus.

OMS-Haiti has been blessed with a portable video machine complete with its own gas generator. It takes 5-minutes to set up and can project a picture big enough for 100s of people to watch. Starfish Kids will be presenting the Jesus Film in 22 of our schools in the next 5 weeks. In our first school 70 children bowed their heads in a first time prayer to Jesus!!

April 23

25th Anniversary

April 23, 1983 - 2008. Today, Dan and I celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary! Who can think that far ahead and imagine what their lives will be like? In our wildest dreams we never would have thought we would be sitting in Haiti, empty nesters, and serving the Lord in full time ministry. God was not even our focus when we began together. God was so patient with us as we struggled through efforts to build our own material kingdom only to give it all up for Him in the end. How patient He was with us when we struggled through hard times and never asked for his help. “In good times and bad” is not just a traditional phrase you hear on your wedding day but a reality in every marriage. How glad we were when God put Christian people in our lives who boldly shared their faith with us. How glad we were when we finally put our trust in Him.

We have arrived at a new season in life, which includes a battle with gravity. Our cheeks seem to be sliding down our faces. We have discovered that the best face lift is a smile.

We praise God everyday for the blessings and strength that he gives us. We look forward to what He has planned for us for the next 25 years.

Love,

Dan and Gill

April 06

Is there ever a "good" problem?

A church leader came to the mission to share a "problem" our local Vaudreuil church is having. She shared that the church that seats 700 people is too small. "You see", she said, "Starfish Kids took on 75 students in our elemnetary school and now all those children are coming to church and many are bringing their families and there just isn't enough space. Entire families are coming to the Lord!" We celebrate with our brothers and sisters. This isn't the first time we have heard this and sure hope to hear this "problem" more!
 
 
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We are so glad you found our Blog! It is our pleasure to share what the Lord is doing in Haiti. Drop us a line and let us know what you think.

  • May 01 9:41 AM
    Gil and Dan,
    Congratulations on 25 yrs of marriage.  You two look pretty good and have stormed the years well.  I am glad to see you are both smiling.  Looking forward to seeing you both this summer.  Congratulations again and I love the pictures and update.   Mary
     
  • April 27 10:04 PM
    as always the photos are beautiful!  maybe you have a few more wrinkles and a few more grey hairs since i last saw you, but they are beautiful wrinkles!!! what a lovely couple you are!  congratulations on 25 years of marriage.  remember you have a lot of people praying for you and with God all things are possible as you already know.  I know your heart is sad without your boys there with you.  i can't imagine not having my boys here with me let alone across the ocean.  we'll be praying for you that God will ease your fears and calm your nerves concerning your boys being so far away from you and that they will remember all that you both have shown them and taught them throughout this amazing journey you have taken and about God and his love for us all. 
    love and prayers always from pennsylvania,
    mark and joette clever