Helping the plight of the Haitian people...

Haiti and the Dominican Republic share the island of Hispaniola in the Caribbean. The second largest island of the Greater Antilles, Hispaniola lies west of Puerto Rico and east of Cuba and Jamaica. Its western third is the nation of Haiti, and Eastern two thirds is the nation of the Dominican Republic, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are occupied by two countries.

Haiti is a country caught in a time lapse, being the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere. It is the only nation to win its own independence from slavery. Haiti has a violent history with frustrations that surface in the form of violence even today. The education level is between second and third grade. Estimates are that Haitians make from $200 to $400 per family per year, with supplies and food costing as much and more than in the United States. Jobs are very rare, with hundreds of people for each available job. Infant mortality is extremely high, so Haitians have many children, hoping that some will make it to be adults in order to have someone to take care of them in their old age. Tuberculosis, AIDS, Malaria, and Typhoid take the lives of people of all ages. Malnutrition is prevalent with most people

There is an estimate of more than 2,000,000 Haitians of either transient workers or individuals who have settled in the Dominican Republic, looking for work and a better way of life. Generally, they take the basest jobs, doing whatever they are able at a minimum salary, and are employed for the majority of unskilled jobs. Haitians are often mistrusted and live with prejudice. Some live in worse housing conditions that they did in Haiti, trying to make enough money to live and if there is any left over, to send back to family in Haiti. Language barriers due to not speaking Spanish well or due to accent can also contribute to misunderstandings and prejudices. Haitians generally live in communities of Haitians and often live in groups, depending where they came from in Haiti. The Dominican Republic was under Haitian rule at one time, which is a major contributor to prejudices against Haitians in the Dominican Republic.

News Update

Tuesday, January 6, 2009

The past two weeks we have been doing some different things in our two Bible study groups on Sunday afternoons, waiting for the Haitians who Had gone to Haiti on holiday to return, so we can resume the Chronological Bible Storying. By the way, the play was wonderful -- Thank you for praying.

One of our supporting churches had sent a boxful of salvation bracelets with the colored beads, so we reviewed how to give the salvation testimony using these and handed the bracelets out for the group in attendance to use. Yesterday we talked especially about how the signs of the times show that time is growing near for our Lord's return. We talked about how wonderful it will be to go to be with our Lord, but then we talked about how sad it will be for the friends, neighbors, and especially family members who do not have Jesus as Lord of their lives. We talked of how short life really is and that we have so many opportunities to share and how often we just let things "slip" by without making an impact. We talked about how salvation didn't come to us to be in us alone, but that we should be a conduit of that salvation and help others to have that same chance.

This morning we heard the news that one of the shepherds from our play has died. He was 21 years old and from appearances healthy and had a long life in front of him. The night of the play, he didn't come, but we didn't know why. Now we know that he started having abdominal pain on Friday, went to Haiti for his family to help him get to medical care on Saturday, and died on Sunday - the day of the play. This young Haitian did not know the Lord as Savior. That tragedy struck me especially hard today. He will never have another chance to make that decision.

Pray that I will make an impact by the way I act, the choices I make, and the things I say. Pray that I will see the opportunities and make the most of them. I appreciate so much your support through Lottie Moon Christmas Offering, the Cooperative Program, prayer support, and by coming and serving with us. As we begin this new year, let's each make a special effort to make a difference for the Kingdom, so that we won't have to face Jesus with empty hands. Thanks so much for hanging in there with us. We ask those of you have been meaning to pray, to make 2009 a year of prayer for the lost. We have some of you that we know are prayer warriors - thank you, thank you, thank you. Keep on keeping on. May we serve God better this year than last and grow closer to Him each passing day.

Thursday, December 18, 2008

This is the time of year that most Southern Baptists begin thinking about giving to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering, but this year has had special difficulties financially for people around the world. I found this on the IMB website and would like to share it with you:
During the Great Depression, George Beverly Shea was offered a career in popular music. But an inner voice whispered a greater purpose. The answer came in a poem Shea later set to music, I’d Rather Have Jesus. As we face one of the most difficult economic challenges since the Depression, this hymn reminds us that choosing Christ “rather … than silver or gold” is the most reliable investment advice we will ever find. As markets fluctuate, Christ is a solid rock.

That hits me where I live and probably you, too. I personally know many hurting people this Christmas season, some facing financial crisis, some facing medical crisis, some facing emotional and/or family crisis. Tough times will come, but what about the people who don't have Christ to get them through the tough times? I simply can't imagine how awful that must be. I admit that I am spoiled; I have thought many things to be a personal "right" that others around the world would never assume to be a "right", I have been sheltered, and I haven't had all the struggles that many people in the world have had, but maybe I have been exposed to more than I was twenty-five years ago and I'm definitely more20appreciative of my blessings than I used to be. I do know that having Christ in my life has made all the difference in my life, and I ache for those who do not have that and who don't even know what they are missing.
As you think of Lottie and as you pray for missionaries this Christmas, remember us, our family in the states, and the Haitians that Jesus has taught us to love. We thank you for holding the ropes for us, keeping us prayed up, giving to keep us on the field, and for coming and supporting first hand.

We will be having our Christmas play in Los Ciruelitos this Sunday night. Please, pray that everything will come together and the message is presented effectively. We hope to take pictures of the Christmas play and get them up on the website in the near future. We were so totally surprised last week when almost half our attendance was by females! Two young ladies came prepared not to like it. You could see it on their faces and hear it in their comments, but they are going to be two of our angels for the play. They walked away interested and wanting to be involved. Wow, that's what missions is about - getting people's attention in order to get them the message. Thanks for praying!

From our house to yours, we pray you have a Christ-filled Christmas and that you remember the Reason for the Season.

Saturday, December 6, 2008

Thanksgiving was such a blessing for us, as we had the rest of the IMB missionaries in the Dominica Republic at our house for Thanksgiving. We have so many things to be thankful for, and especially as we thought of our Haitian friends who are away from loved ones during the majority of the year. God has been so good to us to place us where we have such supportive Christian family. One of the most beautiful parts of the holiday was a time of praying for each other. That was the real feast for the soul.

Later this month many of our Haitian friends will be heading back to Haiti from anywhere between a week and a month. Before they head out, we are going to try to put together a simple Christmas play. We have talked about doing it in the street in Los Santos Abajo, but when that was discussed in Los Ciruelitos, they were afraid something would happen in the streets and they want to do it inside the church there. Pray that we would have wisdom as to what we need to do in each situation in order to draw others to Christ without causing problems in the streets of Santiago. Pray that this play will further identify the leaders and help each participant and viewer to have a special emphasis of Christ in their minds this Christmas season. As the Haitians head home for the holidays, pray for a bold witness with their families and friends back in Haiti. Pray for those who will be remaining in the Dominican Republic to remain steadfast during the holidays.

Friday, October 31, 2008

Slowly, but surely, the website is changing to reflect the changes in our work. Pictures are worth a thousand words, so go to our website and see thousands of new words through new pictures. Gradually, you will begin to see changes is each of the areas, as each area is updated. www.ruralhaititeam.org

Pray for the Haitians in Los Santos Abajo. We have two faithful young men who will be our leaders, but as a whole the rest of the group may or may not participate from week to week. Pray that the Holy Spirit would work in their lives and draw them to know Christ.

Pray for the Haitians in Los Ciruelitos. Each week they increase by one or two or more. There is more interest in this group for some reason. They seem to have a desire to learn and have a potential of several leaders there.

Sam is going tomorrow (Friday) to Santo Domingo that is a meeting with the Haitian leaders that was set up by another missionary. We don't know the agenda of this meeting, but do feel that it will help give us more contacts and a better idea of what has already been done. Pray for discernment as we meet more and more people, to know who God has as our man of peace in each situation. (Not all motives are good.) Thank you in advance for your keeping this work bathed in prayer -- things happen when you pray.

Thursday, October 2, 2008

A week ago Sunday we had around 40 people meet for our first Bible story in Los Santos Abajo. There seemed to be a lot of interest. We found out later that 19 other Haitians walked to where they thought we were meeting just to find out that church knew nothing about a Haitian Bible storying group. We praise God for the good first meeting and have decided that there are enough of the second group to try to start a second group with them closer to where they live. Pray for wisdom and for our eyes to be open to where God wants this group to meet.

This last Sunday there were fewer in attendance, but we didn't go visiting beforehand. We had announced that we would be there, but apparently that wasn't enough to get them there yet. We were encouraged to have two young men who were there both weeks for everything who seemed to catch the songs and remember the details of the stories. We will start working more directly with them to help develop their leadership skills. Pray for these two young men as they grow spiritually and for faithfulness to develop in the group as a whole.

We met today with a Dominican pastor to talk about how to address the needs of the Haitians in his area. We plan to meet again tomorrow with a Haitian member of his congregation that he trusts present. Apparently this pastor felt like he was taken advantage of by a group of Haitians in the past and is not very trusting of them at this poin t. Pray for us to have wisdom in how to proceed and not make the situation any worse.

We leave Thursday for a pastors and families retreat at the beach. Yeah, I know, you feel sorry for us. Its a tough life, but somebody's got to do it. I did call the association office last week to see if I should pack a dress. The secretary laughed and said, "To the beach?" (Be aware that the dress codes for churchy meetings in Haiti was quite different from here!) Be in prayer that we will have good communication with the Dominican pastors and be able to start developing some friendships and working relationships. Pray that we will see the vision the Dominican pastors have for the Haitian work and that we will be able to work together to the glory of God.

We will have new information and new pictures up on the website soon.

Wednesday, September 17, 2008

So many of you have written to ask how we made it through the storms. Actually, we did much better than Haiti, Cuba, or Texas. There is some disaster relief going on in both the Dominican Republic and in Haiti at this point that we are aware of, but not involved personally in. The loss of property is sad, but the true sadness is for those who died without knowing Christ as personal Savior. Surely, it is a wake up call for all of us to share our faith at every opportunity. We do not know when a person’s last chance to make a decision to follow Christ will be.

We are making progress on the Spanish, but it seems to be two steps forward and one step back. We had been practicing speaking Spanish all day, attending church in Spanish, reading a Spanish newspaper, talking with friends in Spanish, and everything seemed to be going better and better. That is up until we found a bunch of Haitians and when I stopped to tell them good afternoon, the words would not come. That is such a common phrase, but everything I wanted to say came to my mind in Spanish, rather than Creole. I am praying (and asking you to pray) that this will clear up. It seems that once I start heading in ONE direction language-wise, I get to at least a passable level, but switching is either very hard or impossible at this point. I can't imagine trying to translate for a pastor from the D.R. To a Haitian group right at this point – it would be disaster. A dear friend said she thought we knew Spanish. Well, yes, but that was two languages and ten years ago, plus there are different words for things here and the accent is different….and we are older than we were. It all adds up, but God can get us through this. We feel this is His plan (we certainly didn't ask for it), so He will accomplish what must happen for us to be able to communicate. (By the way, there are a lot of German, Dutch, Italian, and Chinese here, but we aren't planning on learning any more languages than we already are working on.)

We are excited about meeting with a few of the Haitians living in the community of Los Santos Abajo, where we were told that there are over a thousand Haitians. We have set up a meeting at 4:00pm next Sunday for a Bible study in the Baptist Church. As we met people, we met varied responses, but the most curious was from the few women we met. A couple of them wanted us to believe they were involved in the church where the meeting will be, which isn't true at all. A couple of others were almost rude, telling us that they were already Christians and didn't need anything we had to offer. There was snickering by those in earshot, indicating that perhaps these two women were anything but Christians. There were some men and boys who seemed interested. We put up a couple of papers announcing the coming meeting. The first meeting we are likely to have some show up to see what we have to give away and they will drift away as time reveals that it is Christ we have to share and not “things”. We mentioned this language thing earlier, so please pray that we will have the words to say at the right time and that God will be glorified.

Saturday, August 30, 2008

This will be short, but we wanted to thank you for praying for us during this transition period.

Tinana is over the Dengue Fever, but has an extreme dislike for mosquitos. Also, Sharon Coleman is over her Dengue and we appreciate your prayers for her, as well. We are trying to mosquito-proof our house in Santiago, since we have had a lot of rain lately. We have not had damage the places we have been, but there are always those who have weaker houses and low lying areas where water collects, so please, continue to keep the people living in the Caribbean in your prayers, especially during rainy season.

We are still trying to get paperwork done to get our belongings across the border, so that we can get settled in. There are papers that we need in order to get Tinana in school. Your prayers for this, as well as getting our vehicle legal and our cedulla (official papers for us personally) completed in a timely manner. We hope to get Internet set up in the coming week and we will make every effort to respond to those of you have patiently been waiting for us to respond -- we will even respond to those who may not have been patient! (Please, know that was a joke.)

Please, continue to pray for our leaders in Haiti, for our language learning of Spanish, and for us to make the God led contacts with Haitians and Dominicans on the Dominican side of the border. Again, thank you! God is faithful.

Sam and Delores York
Southern Baptist Missionaries

Friday, August 15, 2008

First the good news: Sam was able to get our vehicle and himself across to the D.R. And he is headed for Santiago today. Our household belongings will arrive sometime in the coming week.

The bad news: Tinana has an ear infection and probably Dengue Fever, as well. Her fever has been around 104, but has dropped to 101 this morning. We have a pediatrician in Santo Domingo, where we have been staying this past week, so we are staying here where we know the medical care and have beds, refrigerator, cooking utensils, fans, etc., until she is able to go to Santiago.

Sharon Coleman (IMB missionary in the D.R.) has just gotten out of the hospital with Dengue Fever and complications. She could use your prayers for continued healing, as well.

I have not started answering the many e-mails, as yet, so please be patient with me, as it may be another week before I can begin. Your prayers are so very much appreciated for all of the above, plus language learning in Spanish, and God appointed encounters with the Haitians that we will be working with in the future.