A busy couple of days....

Hope and pray you all are doing well!  The past three days down here have been quite busy.  When I was picking up our packages from the airport on Friday, I was invited by another missionary to come visit his church on Sunday.  Brother Roger Jewell and his family have been missionaries to Barahona for over 10 years.  We drove down there early Sunday morning and found their church with only a little bit of trouble.  Brother Jewell has a service at 9:00 A.M. for the adults and then has a service at 10:00 A.M. for the children that they bring in off of the streets.  It was a blessing to be at both of these services.  Pray that the Lord will get a hold of these young people, that they may see their need of salvation.  After these services we got a bite to eat and then I headed up to La Lanza for church.  While we were up there, a lady brought her child to the church to ask for some help.  Her little baby had been sick for two weeks and was vomiting up anything it would eat.  Brother Darren told her to bring the baby down to Polo on Monday and he would take her down to the hospital in Barahona.

On Monday morning Brother Darren took the mother and the child down to Barahona.  There were some American doctors at the hospital this week that were able to see and help the baby.  I also went down to Barahona on Monday to find some help for some problems that I have been having with my truck.  I have been having problems some electrical problems and we were able to find a man that could fix it.  While I was waiting to have it fixed another man offered to fix one of my broken studs.  When he took the wheel off he noticed that both of my rear shocks were in bad shape.  Thank the Lord that I was able to get all of this fixed in one day.  The Lord is good and is always watching out for us!

Yesterday, Brother Darren and I took a trip to the capital to get our tourist visas renewed.  We were also able to buy some groceries.  The grocery stores in the capital have some items that we can't find in Barahona or Polo.  I'm thankful that we had a safe trip and were able to get all of this accomplished.
 

Someone sent down a bag of lolly-pops with the last shipment and I handed them out on Sunday.

Some kids with their lolly-pops!

This is So-Soun (I really don't know how to spell his name).  He is a little Haitian boy that lives near Brother Darren.  His mother died when he was a baby and he doesn't have a father.

Well we are back home now.  I had the opportunity this evening to preach at Brother Roger Jewells church down in Barahona.  I'm starting to slowly get use to having an interpreter.  It is very hard for me to preach with an interpreter, its hard to keep all of your thoughts together.  Thank the Lord everything went well tonight.  Keep the people in your prayers that God would bring conviction upon those that are lost and those that are saved would draw closer to the Lord!

We love and miss you all dearly!
Brother Chris and Family

Our shipment from MFI arrived!

Just wanted to write a quick note and say "Thank You!"  We really appreciate all of the hard work and money that was put into the boxes.  We received two boxes that contained clothes, toys, and other supplies for the Haitians and Dominicans.  Lord willing, we will be handing these out in the near future.  I also want to say thank you to the girls of Keepers at Home and the boys of Contenders for the Faith, who helped put together the bags for the kids.

Lord willing, we will have some pictures of when we hand out the bags to the kids.  Hope you all have a wonderful day at church.  To God be the Glory!


In Christ Jesus our Lord,
Brother Chris and Family

Birds, Rodents and Arachnids...

Last night was very fun for the children!  I had gone to get Antonio for our Kreyol lessons last night and when I returned home I noticed a little bird on the fence.  I showed Levi the bird and he quickly ran over to pick it up.   The little bird could not fly very well, so we kept it in a box through the night.  Melanie and the kids fed it worms from off of our broccoli (yes there are often little green worms on our broccoli - the price you pay to try to eat green vegetables here in the DR).  The boys were also able to find some moths and other little insects, which he glady gobbled up!

We also had another visitor last night.  While I getting ready for bed last night, I heard Melanie scream from the bedroom!  I opened the bathroom door and there was a tarantula making its way across the room!  Needless to say it did not live much longer after that (sorry Sister Rhonda).  Thank the Lord for his protection and allowing us to see it and kill it before we went to sleep.  We often wake up to no electric and it's completely pitch black in the house, so much so that you can't see your hand in front of your face (let alone spiders). The Truels have a picture on the wall of their living room that has Psalm 91 written out.  Now I know why they chose that Psalm.

                                                                    Psalm 91:1-16

1  He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. 

2  I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.

3  Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence.

4  He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.
5  Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day;

6  Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday. 

7  A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee.

8  Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked.

9  Because thou hast made the LORD, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation; 

10  There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.

11  For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.

12  They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone. 

13  Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet. 

14  Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name.

15  He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him. 

16  With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation.

I'm thankful that we can put our trust in the Lord and his word.  Needless to say we both were a little apprehensive about going to sleep.  But I prayed and asked the Lord to give us both peace and protection through the night (Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day;  Nor for the pestilence that walketh in the darkness;  nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday.).  We both fell asleep quickly and had a good night's rest, Praise the Lord!

When we all woke up this morning, we decided to release the bird.  We went out into the front yard and let him go.  While we where watching the bird make his way through the bushes, Eliana said to the boys "Look at the dead rat!"  We all turned around and there was a dead rat in the yard that Noemi (our adopted black lab) had killed during the night.  She's quite the rat hunter!  Between Noemi and our trap, I think we are at victim #21!  

Feeding the bird a worm!

Levi touching the spider.

Naomi and her prize!

Maybe next time I will hold it when it is alive!

Joey with the dead trantula!

Eliana was brave enough to put a finger on the spider. LOL

Well this is now two day old news.  I was not able to get it out yesterday, so here it is this morning.  I'm getting ready to head down to Barahona with Brother Darren, to receive our MFI shipment.  I hope and pray you all have a great day! 

In Christ our Lord,
Brother Chris and Family

This Week in Pictures #3

I hope and pray all is well back home.  I thought since I had a few free moments today, I would try to get a few pictures on here of the last two weeks.  This past weekend (03-11/03-13) was very busy, due to the accident that Timothy Truel was involved in.  Thank the Lord he his back home recovering.  We didn't realize how bad the accident was at first, but Brother Darren told me the other day that when they were taking Timothy to the hospital they were performing CPR on him.  He was dead on arrival. When they got to the Hospital they were able to bring him back, Praise the Lord!  Thank the Lord for His mercy and grace!  Please continue to pray for him though, as he is experiencing memory loss and sometimes confusion.   

On Sunday last week, we took a trip to the Airport.  Sister Jennifer Truel (Timothy's mom) and 4 of the Truel children flew back to the States to be with Timothy.  Thank the Lord, they had a safe trip back and are now in Columbia, SC.  Please keep this family in prayer while they are separated.

We are continuing to learn both languages and are coming along slowly.  Both Melanie and I sometimes want to speak Kreyol when we are trying to speak some Spanish.  Sometimes it can get confusing!

I'm also planning a trip into Haiti in the first week of May.  Lord willing, I'm going to try and visit Brother Maurice for a few days.  There has been a lot occurring in Haiti over the last few weeks, so please keep this in prayer, along with Brother Maurice and his wife.

Trains transport the sugar cane to the local factories.

A young sugar cane crop.

Cows often come to the rail road tracks, to eat the sugar cane that has fallen off of the train.

Another sugar cane crop.

This is a billboard for one of the local cell phone companies.

This is a local Dominican moving company!

Safety is their top priority!  You can purchase the man in the back to watch your stuff as it travels to your next location!

This is the original castle the Christopher Columbus built.

Cows in the roadway!

As they were passing, I could hear them whispering "eat more chicken!"

I believe this might be some kind of Humming bird here in the Dominican.

These pictures of flowers were taken by my sons.

Well I hope and pray you all have a great week.  Please keep us in your prayers and we will do the same for you all.  May we Praise the Lord today for all of his mercy, grace and love!

In Christ our Lord,
Brother Chris and Family

Update on Timothy

Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.  Psalm 100:4

I just wanted to write an update on Timothy Truel.  He is now out of the hospital and back home, thank the Lord!  I just want to thank everyone for their prayers for him over the last few days.  I believe that it was the prayers of the saints of God that has allowed him to go home so quickly.  

Also, thank the Lord, my ankle is not broken.  When I was in the capital on Sunday, I had some x-rays taken and they all came back negative.  Thank you for your prayers.  It would be very difficult to get around here with a broken foot. 

Hope and pray you all are doing well.  Thank you again for your prayers and support!

Love you all,

Brother Chris and Family

Urgent Prayer Request

Brethren,

Please keep Timothy Truel in your prayers.  He has been moved back to ICU, due to the bleeding on his brain.  I believe he also received an injury to his lungs.  We are going to be following the Truels into the Capital tomorrow.  Sister Jennifer, along with their 4 smallest children, will be flying back to South Carolina to be with Timothy.  Please keep us in your prayers as we travel.  Also, if you could keep Brother Darren in your prayers, as he has had a lot going on lately.
I also need prayer for my ankle.  I twisted it two days ago and it is still swollen and black and blue.  Just pray that it is not broken. 

We love and miss you all!
Brother Chris and Family

Urgent Prayer Request

Brethren,

Please pray for Timothy Truel.  I found out this morning that Timothy was in a bad car accident last night and is in the hospital in stable condition.  He was driving home and fell asleep at the wheel of his Jeep, ran off the road and was thrown from the vehicle into a field.  He suffered bleeding on the brain, a broken sternum, and a broken leg.  He was in shock and confused when a woman found him, as he had possibly been there a couple hours before being found. 

Darren and Jennifer are pretty tore up about it.  It make it more difficult because they cannot be there.  Timothy was supposed to come with Pastor Randall via private plane on Monday morning to visit here for a few days. 

Praise the Lord, as this could have been much worse.  Please pray for Timothy's recovery as well as Darren and Jennifer and family. 

Love in Christ Jesus our Lord,
Brother Chris

This Week in Pictures - Edition 2

A young Dominican girl holding a newborn baby on the road back to our home.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Some of the homes on the road to La Lanza.

Well here are some of the photos that we took last week.  Hope you all enjoy them!  This was supposed to go out three days ago, but like some many things here in the Dominican Republic, it is a process!  A few weeks ago we were able to take a group to the medical clinic in San Juan.  There was a young boy and an elderly man that needed to have tumors removed from their bodies. Thank the Lord we were able to help the older gentleman and the young boy get the tubes taken out today.  The each had a drainage tube put into the spot where they had their surgery and the doctors in Polo were able to take them out.

A Haitian home heading up to La Lanza.

A home on the road to La Lanza.

A banana with young banana trees just growing.

Dominicans are a very friendly group of people!

A very typical type house that you see on the way to La Lanza.

A little colmado along the roadway, where we stopped to get something to drink.

Last week when Brother Darren's vehicle had to be towed I took this picture.  On the way back up the mountain, Brother Moises had to TOW the tow truck.  There are some steep parts that the tow truck had trouble with, so out came the rope!

Another picture of the Tow Truck That Couldn't ...I think I can, I think I can...Well, I guess I can't!

King Palm trees growing on the side of the road where Bro. Darren's van caught fire.  Hey, if you've got to have a van fire, might as well do it where the scenery is beautiful. 

This is where they fight the roosters! PETA would have a cow, or maybe a chicken? 

As I was looking through the photos on our camera, I came across this one.  Levi had zoomed in on this truck driver that was next to us.  I don't know what else to say!

Thanks again for all of your prayers and support!

In Christ Jesus our Lord,
Brother Chris and Family