This morning I received a call from Miss Joly--my top second year student. She is alive. I couldn't keep the tears out of my voice in talking to her. She made it out of the building with only mild injuries. She is anxious to help when we have medical outreach efforts established.
In all the losses suffered over the last week, each discovery of life is like a point of light in the darkness. She will be a capable servant to the people of Haiti. I thank God for her life.
And with this piece of news, we start a new day... a little stronger with hope brought to us by a scratchy telephone connection. Time to find more points of light.
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Kim and family,
ReplyDeleteWe are so thankful that you are OK and safe. I can't begin to imagine what you are going through. Wanting you to know that we are thinking of you and your family and praying for you. You are an inspiration to all of us. Take care.
Krist Packer Blazek and family
Kim and Patrick,
ReplyDeleteI thank God for you and all you are doing in Haiti. And I want to thank you for sharing your experiences and thoughts with all of us. My wife and I spent 3 years (1986-89) working with the Covention Baptiste d'Haiti in Cap. I can't imagine the horror that you've experienced, but I can picture the scenes as you discribe them. I shared a couple of your stories from the pulpit on Sunday. Thank you for your witness. Se pou benediksyon Jezi Seye a toujou la ave nou.
Good morning from Oregon City, Oregon, Patrick and Kim. It is good news that your student Miss Joly is alive and well, Praise the LORD :-)This is an answer to our prayers here for all of you. After reading your blog (that Amanda Reed from our Iliff days) sent to me yesterday, I spent the entire night up contacting as many ldrs of various ministries and Christian people throughout the US to get your story out that I thought might be of assistance to you, asking for their prayers on your behalf. I came across a Sermon this morning from Pastor Jack Hayford that may be another encouragement to you today. You can read this at:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.jackhayford.com/ospn_sample_pages/sermon.html
May you both find courage and strength in Jesus promise, "Never will I leave you, never will I forsake you"(Hb. 13:5).We'll be continuing to pray for you and your son and the people of Haiti.
Grace and peace,
Rev. Bonnie and Douglas Knight
Oregon City, OR
I praise God with you for each bit of good news. I am hungry for every update, and find it amazing that you take time to post for those you love at the end of the days that you describe. Thank you. Praying for the visas and continued safety. Love you. Phil, Steph & Simon
ReplyDeletethanks be to God.
ReplyDeletePatrick and Kim,
ReplyDeleteMy name is Rochelle Richards and I am the Pastor of First Christian Church, Sumner, WA. I shared your story with our congregation this past Sunday and have been directing people to your blog. We are all praying for your, your family, your efforts and all of those who are laboring with you. You are a blessing to the people there and to us who gain a better perspective from your writings. Thank you so much.
Patrick & Kim:
ReplyDeleteMy name is Steven Howe and I have been trying to contact you on behalf of Congressman Jerry Moran. Congressman Moran's office has been in touch with the Department of State and USCIS on this issue. Please contact me at steve.howe@mail.house.gov or 785-309-0572.
I hope to hear from you soon. Congressman Moran is eager to help you and Solomon.
Sincerely,
Steven K. Howe
District Representative
Office of Congressman Jerry Moran
119 West Iron Avenue, Suite 403
P.O. Box 766
Salina, Kansas 67402
785-309-0572 office
785-827-6957 fax
www.jerrymoran.house.gov
Kim and Patrick,
ReplyDeleteI've so much appreciated your blog. I'm a writer with Christianity Today Magazine and hope to be in Haiti within a few days. I want to write about Christians being Christians. Is there any chance you could email me some contact info? I'd love to connect with you.
Tim Stafford
cell 707 490 2526
timnpopie@gmail.com
Thank you for sharing your testimony. It has moved me.
ReplyDeleteThank you for blogging about your experience in Haiti. God Bless.
ReplyDeleteMy friend Conni sent me a link to your blog and I just wanted to say God Bless you! You bring a very human and personal touch to this tragedy that makes it more real than any television story can. I am glad to read the looting and rioting are not as bad as the news media are making them out to be. Good luck in your work and may God continue to bless you and sustain you.
ReplyDeleteKim, Patrick and Solomon-
ReplyDeleteI have prayed for you and all of Haiti since the earthquake. Your blog is truly an inspiration and I admire your courage, generousity and FAITH. Thank you for sharing your story!
Piper (Gulledge) Caldwell
Thank you for sharing your story. You will be in my prayers. My best to you both and Solomon and all those you are working with and for. God Bless you! All of America is praying for Haiti and people are trying to do what they can to help out!
ReplyDeletePatrick and Kim,
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for continuing to bring your insightful and heartfelt story to the rest of the world. Our ministers shared your story on Sunday and directed our members to your blog. You are both extraordinary people and your journey is one that continues to bring hope to all of us on the outside looking in. We rejoice in the joy that you experienced today with the discovery of a beloved student, alive and well and we cry with you for the incredible losses your are experiencing.
Holding all of you close in thoughts and prayers
Thanks again for keeping us so well informed. Both this message and Patrick's account of the events of the day have reinspired us, as did the special offering we took up on Sunday at 6th Avenue, and the Candlelight Service at which Don Messer spoke that evening. How grateful we all are that you both are are there to bring love in the midst of suffering.
ReplyDeleteI'm so grateful for your ministry and for the ray of light and hope your story has been in the midst of this crisis. Thank you and take care.
ReplyDeletePatrick and Kim,
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing your experiences here.
Take care and know many are praying for you all.
Caytie (Jorgensen) Anderson
Dear Patrick, Kim and Solomon,
ReplyDeleteThank you for your wonderful offering of yourselves in service out of your deep faith commitment. Because my sister served for 5 years in China, the last two in Chengdu, where there was also a massive earthquake not long after she left, and because I visited Haiti with CWS two years ago, I have been watching and reading all I can about what is happening there. I have been praying that you and your family are well, that our partners on the ground are alive and mourning the loss of the lives of those in Haiti who give us hope to keep doing this kind of work in spite of all limitations. In addition, I offered to go to Haiti if there is a need for a translator/organizer, who can understand Creole and the information needed by aid workers. I also intend now, instead of talking about becoming a mission personnel, to really apply with my husband and 3 children so we can serve in a similar role in the South Pacific. My husband is originally from Tonga and he is studying at the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, CA. He is Methodist and I am UCC, so we also share that in common. I also visited Kenscoff, so I picture you there safe and rested and heading back down the winding mountain into PAP. I shared your story as part of my Mission interpretation at First Congregational Church in Oakland, and they donated $15,000 to the UCC Disaster Fund effort.
God Bless You and hope to join you in service in the future!
Marijke Fakasiieiki
I was in Haiti in July 2008 and stayed at Wall's, received the pleasure of meeting and becoming friends with Patrick, Francoise, Frenaud and numerous others at CONASPEH. I had the amazing and rewarding opportunity to teach a few nursing school classes at the Karen School of Nursing. I am so thankful for your posts about the condition of Haiti and the people I know. Your blog makes me miss Haiti once again and makes me want to come back soon. Good luck and tell everybody that we are thinking and praying for them.
ReplyDelete-Stephanie Dalchau
Austin, TX
Dear Patrick, Kim, and Solomon, Finally I post to your blog instead of e-mailing Kim!!! It takes us older folks longer to figure this stuff out!!! We are all glued to your blog here in Longmeadow, MA (also my daughter Carly in Boston is now an addict). Yesterday Lucy, Pauline and I received our first e-mail from Frenaud and were overjoyed. I have been trying to phone him at two numbers unsuccessfully. We see that Homeland Security is granting visas to children adopted by U.S. citizens so we are hoping for good news soon. We had a lovely prayer service Sunday evening which was helpful for many of us in our grieving and raised some funds for CONASPEH. We want to be there helping in some way. Until then, we are praying.
ReplyDeleteIn soladarity as we serve with you in South Africa, via Global Ministries as missionaries. Thoughts, prayers, love, support, grace, and peace to you and those that serve with you!
ReplyDeleteDawn Barnes
Kim and Patrick...
ReplyDeleteYou don't know me, but I believe you may know of my brother (Dr.) Trey Dodson, in Colorado. He shared your blog with me, and I have been going back to it daily for updates. You are special people in a unique situation that will change the way you look at life forever! May God continue to give you both strength, comfort, faith, love... and daily necessities of life. I've very much enjoyed reading your stories. Thank you so much for all that you are doing there, and for sharing your heart with us. Best wishes.
Sincerely, Karen (Dodson) Holmes
My name is Jessica Phelps, formerly Jessica Daniels (daughter of Greg Daniels), graduate of Maquoketa High School where Pat graduated.
ReplyDeleteI was sent a link to your blog through another classmate and my heart is breaking for you. My mother's heart is crying out to our Father for you and your son, that He would continue to keep you, protect you and get you home safely.
I am always comforted by the fact that our God is Sovereign. If He wanted you in America with your son right now, you would be here. Trusting that He does all things exactly when and how He wants to helped me through the adoption of our daughter from Guatemala a few years ago. I know it is so tempting to fear the unknown, but as a saved child of the King, keep reminding yourselves that there is nothing unknown to Him.
God's people are trying to get to Haiti to help and to spread the Good News. Providentially, you are already there to do this! I am my church are praying that God would use your witness for Christ would break many hard hearts and bind up many brokenhearted.
For His Glory and by His grace,
Jessy
Kim and Patrick,
ReplyDeleteMy name is Megan (Roeder) Altman. I graduated from Maquoketa in 1990. Through Facebook, your blog and story is spreading. Thank you for sharing your stories and experiences with us. I, along with many others, will continue to pray for you, your family and the people of Haiti.
Megan
Kim and Patrick,
ReplyDeleteWe eagerly await news of your well-being after this latest 6.1 aftershock. I shared part of your story in my sermon on Sunday, and now you have a new congregation following you and praying for you.
Leah
Kim and Patrick,
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing your experience and helping others to stay connected to what is happening in Haiti. I am a member of Union Ave. Christian Church in St. Louis and we have been praying for your family and mission and sharing in your journey all along, but now especially so. God bless.
Ingrid
As a long-time ecumenical mission communicator I am very glad for Tim Stafford's response to your postings. My class on Mission in the 21st Century is grateful for your work in Haiti and the way you communicate about it. Tim's home church is very near ours -- just a piece of trivia. I'm (The Rev.) Bob Cramer, member of First Congregational United Church of Christ, Santa Rosa, California.
ReplyDeleteKim - Hoping you've been able to be in touch with Steve Howe from Jerry Moran's office and they can get you some help. Praying for you, Patrick, and Solomon every day. May God continue to bless you and keep you safe.
ReplyDeleteTamie (Sis) Buckley
Praise God! I will be praying for you and your loved ones.
ReplyDeleteAlisa Hope
Dear Kim and Patrick --- I'm Deb Blood, Pastor of the First Congregational Church in Bloomfield, CT and also co-chair of the Global Ministries Board of Directors. My prayers and the prayers of my congregation are with you, and you know that Global Ministries is focused on your well being and on supporting you through this time. I just read that Felix is on his way there, and hope he can make his way to you. I'm sharing your blog widely, and read it through tears. May God continue to grace this tragedy with moments of unexpected blessing. Peace, peace, peace. Deb
ReplyDeleteDear Patrick, Kim, & Solomon:
ReplyDeleteAloha from your friends and supporting church Kailua Christian Church!!!
So happy to hear that you're safe and continue to be well.
As I shared with Kailua Christian Church, we have been following your work in Haiti for over a year now and thanks to your blog, have had much antedoctal information on Haiti. Through it all - wondered how things could change for Haiti. With the earthquake, things have changed, some for the worst, and some for the better (we hope & pray). Many people did not know about Haiti, now they know a little bit more and for that I thank God that people have opened their eyes and their hearts to Haiti.
Love, Peace, Grace, and Mercy,
Diane Lee