We arrived home from Haiti on Friday at about 3:30am. We flew into Detroit, Mi and then had about a 3 hour drive home. We did not have internet down there so I could not update my blog at all. I am still processing what went on but I can tell you that it was my favorite trip to Haiti so far!! God is awesome, the team was awesome, Ebenezer Discipleship training center is awesome!!! We were able to meet the pastors that are going through the literacy program right now and they are a wonderful group of guys. We will begin updating the webpage soon so please check back often. www.ebenezerdtc.org
VBS went very well. We went up into the mountains twice. The views and the people are worth what it takes to get up there. Nate drove the truck up a VERY STEEP and WINDING path and he did an awesome job. Hard to look over the edge sometimes but what a wonderful feeling to know that God was taking care of all of us. Even if something happened what an awesome feeling to know that we would have been with Him in that instant.
The men The View from the top of the mountain My two favorite palm trees The whole team plus our translators in front of the Ebenezer church
I do not have my pictures uploaded yet so thanks to those that let me borrow these few.
Hope to update more later. Thanks for the prayers that you all gave us! They were very much felt!!
This is our July 2009 Haiti team!! We have a great bunch of people going. In this picture is also our drivers. Please pray for them as they are going to be getting picking us up at 1:00am to bring us to Detroit. They will then come back next Thursday to bring us home. Also in this picture is our wonderful prayer warrior!! We are so blessed to have her!!!!
Please pray for those going on this trip. They are: John and Bobby Hays, Lance Gates, Tiffany Gates, Karry Mills, Mike, Diane and Tori Westrick, Marg Kidd, Mari Goebel (her parents are driving us) and Nate and Brenda Yonker. We are so excited to see what God is going to be doing with us in the next week!!!!
I have been gone way to long from the blog. I kind of took a break as I was not taking many pictures and just was having writers block.
I figured I would first start with these pictures. Nate had his 40th birthday on June 14th. Some friends decided to drop by while we were gone and decorate our bedroom!!! They did a nice job!! They are the SAME friends who decorated our house in the past!!!! Its nice to have good friends!!!!
June 20th was Katie's 11th birthday!! Happy Birthday Katie!!! This picture is really behind!! These were flowers that I received for Mother's day this year!! The carnations and the bouquet in the middle were flowers that I received from the Haitian church we go to quite a bit. They were doing a fundraiser so Nate bought flowers this year from them!!! They were SO beautiful!!!
Happy 9th birthday sweetheart!! Hard to believe you have only been with us 3 years. You have grown and changed so much in that short time and we just want you to know how much we love you and are so blessed to have you as our daughter!!! This is also your gotcha month. June 13th is the day that your adoption was final and so we want to wish you a big happy Gotcha day as well!!!!
I know its seems as this info has been plastered everywhere lately but this training center is so awesome and we are so excited for it to open. It looks like the the literacy part will be opening on July 1!! That is VERY exciting. I know lots of you have been praying for this and we thank you very much. God has been moving mountains to get this up and going and it is amazing to be a part to it!! I want to include the flier for the fundraiser event that is happening on June 13th. I know a lot of you will not be able to come but if you could keep this night in your prayers we would really appreciate it. Ebenezer is also on the world wide village website and you can see it here.
We also have our own email ebenezer@worldwidevillage.org
We will be posting more about the opening and what is happening in the future! thank you for all your support. Please email us at the address above with any questions!!
Troy and Tara are good friend of ours that live in Haiti and this is such a worthwhile cause!!
They are raising funds for Medika Mumba. I actually was able to try it when I was in Haiti last summer. It is really, really good!!
This is what Troy wrote about it:
We are excited about a current project being funded by World Wide Village . Through WWV, funds have been made available to purchase 'Medika Mamba' - an energy dense peanut butter, significantly fortified with protein and nutritional supplements. The name Medika Mamba means “peanut butter medicine” in Creole. It is produced by an organization called Meds & Food For Kids - you can learn more about them on their website at www.medsanfoodforkids.org.
We have seen firsthand that this product is culturally accepted, very effective, and in our opinion truly amazing. The Medika Mamba is also locally produced, which helps Haiti even more by providing many jobs in production and bolsters the economy and encourages agricultural development.
Worldwide Village is partnering with MFK and Real Hope for Haiti (the Zachary's clinic and rescue center) to provide Medika Mamba for malnourished children in the village of Cazale, near Cabaret. We hope to expand the capacity and number of locations very soon. There are two other clinics currently being considered for Medika Mamba locations as soon as funds are available.
The pilot project in Cazale has been very successful - out of the ten children who started the program three 'graduated' in less than one month and five more have been added. One of the children currently in the program is HIV positive, and one of the original 10 children died last week due to complications from HIV. His name was Max Wildy. He was and is an angel. His story will be told in a later blog post.
As you all know I am going to Haiti on July 29th with a group of 14 people and we will putting on about 5 or 6 different VBS for the kids in several different areas. We usually have between 100-200 kids at a time so we are raising money not only for us to go but for all the supplies and things that we will need on the trip.
I need to raise about $850 between Nate and I. by June 14th.
I have decided to do an Avon fundraiser for this trip
30% off every order will be put in a fund for this trip. I can also get you a tax donation letter from our church.
Avon orders are due on Wednesday May 13th. I can still take email orders on May 14th until about 11:30.
You can order from www.youravon.com/byonker at anytime. (you can also order from this link for the fundraiser)
This is for all of you not on facebook! I got a call yesterday from my neighbor below that curious as to why my phone was busy. My phone should never be busy. ( have call waiting and DSL) We knew that the water levels were getting VERY high in our neighborhood so we had been preparing for the worst. Well the worst came yesterday. We blew a breaker in our basement while I was gone and I came home to what you see below. So far we lost our carpet and a couch for sure. Our treadmill and Freezer most likely are shot. Everything on my treadmil works except for the track. Anyone know if these have a fuse on them that could have blown. The motor part was really not that wet when we got it out of there but it was plugged in.
Something weird is going on because until about 3 years ago our sub pump NEVER ran. Maybe for a little bit if we got a huge rainstorm. The last 3 years it has run every spring and now this this year it has been running non-stop since February. Every year it is getting worse. Yesterday alone I believe 4 basements in our neighbor hood flooded.
Thank you Terri, Maryanne and Amy K for coming to help us!! You guys rock!!
Thankfully ALL of our kids toys are up in a huge play area that is about a 5 foot storage area. We had no worries about their stuff and for that I was greatful!!!
We have declared Saturday as a family day. A few weeks ago we went to Cabela's in Indiana. A week ago Saturday we went to a place called Hemlock Crossings and had a wonderful day on the trails and then went to Muskegon to show the kids the submarine that is docked there called Silversides. They loved that. (I should say all except Heather)
These pictures are from the day at Hemlock crossings.
This past weekend we went to a town called Saugutuck. We went through some stores and then spent a bunch of time on the sand dunes and playing on the beach! What a fun relaxing day. We then stopped for dinner on the way. The kids are loving this and I love spending the day with the family!!!
I am SO way behind in posting to my blog. I just have not been in the mood to blog for some reason.
Last month Heather invited me to go with her on their class trip to Lansing. I was excited because you know she is getting into that pre-teen area where she does not always want me along! I of course jumped at the chance to go with her!!! The hard part was not being able to go with both girls that day. We went to the Capitol and to the museum near there. It was a really nice day and we had a lot of fun. Heather took a ton of crazy pictures at the museum but I will not bore you with a ton.
Nate bought a new CD this past weekend that I just love. I never was much into rap but this CD has such an awesome message. The band is Lecrae. Tonight we were messing around on youtube and Nate came across this video. The song is called Send me I will go. If you ever wonder why we go on mission trips this song answers it. Please listen closely to the whole song. Even if you do not like rap please listen to the whole thing. The words to the song are listed below video:
Lyrics to Send Me : Send me I'll go, send me I'll go, send me I'll go, lemme go lemme go! (repeat x4)
i seen it with my own two, there's no way i can show you a perfectly poverty stricken people with no view. And i bet you can't believe this, they never heard of jesus. Heard young butler, lil wayne, and young jeezy.
No one's signing up to go on missions this summa. Rather sit at home and watch exibit pimp in a humma while a nine year old is shot down. No one's screaming 'stop now!' no bridge illustrations for criminals who on lock down.
People deep in africa looking for an answer bra'. In china man, they're dieing man, until they know who died for sins. So look what grace did. Not for us to stay here inside our comfort zones at home in mama's basement.
Get out on the grind y'all. Ain't no better time doll. I know y'all read the great commission. Let me just remind y'all: make disciples of the nations. Teach'm to obey the lord. Have to lead someone to christ before i face the lord.
Send me I'll go, send me I'll go, send me I'll go, lemme go lemme go! (repeat x4)
hey! After, 1,000 years in the west and the churches get'n bigger daily without understand'n worship. (say what?) Some regenerate but a lot ain't saved. You walk outside and be surprised cuz the block ain't changed. And the numbers they be get'n me. Something just ain't hit'n them. America ain't christian they practice'n the ritual. That's why we should be mission though. Hey, what you think i'm spit'n for? The united states is die'n and in the east is looking pitiful.
Some places if they catch you they'll arrest you. They'll serve you, but they still need the word too. The gospel should be heard too. We claim we ain't ashamed, but we ain't hit the block up. Were in our christian bubble, while our brotha's get'n locked up. Lord i wanna stock up, pack a bag and walk up in a country where my faith may get me shot up anywhere i go, whether my city or far abroad, i just wanna show' christ the risen holy god.
Send me I'll go, send me I'll go, send me I'll go, lemme go lemme go! (repeat x4)
i know they're die'n in the streets over in the middle east. Some kids sink in piece others hold'n up a piece. If the violence doesn't cease, then at least the deceased might know jesus as their savior as their bodies hit the streets. And i know this is a graphic view. And i pray that it's attack'n you. Track'n you to act and do what you see in the back illusion. Mathew twenty-four and fourteen. We should read it twice before we think that life is just a battle see we free in christ! Look dawg! Life is more than church work and football! What if you were dead and seen that christians overlooked y'all! This is why we leave the couch and leave the comforts of our house to show a die'n world a god they'll probably never read about.
The great commission says make disciples of all nations. Have we even made them in our own nation? Come on christians! Missions exist because worship doesn't. People don't worship the god who made them. We're ambassadors. Let's go!
Send me I'll go, send me I'll go, send me I'll go, lemme go lemme go! (repeat x4)
With the help of some wonderful people we now have our Ebenezer Discipleship Training center flier is now done. Our hopes are to get this out to the different churches for prayer and fundraising possibilities.
I am having issues with getting it uploaded into my blog but I would Love to share it with.
If you would be willing to show it to your churches and to your family and friends we would really appreciate it! We want to get to the word out to as many people as possible!! Let them know they can contact us anytime with more questions and we would be very happy to talk to them about it!!
If you would like to see a copy please email me at telltheworld5@gmail.com
Thanks for all the prayers you guys have been giving this new training center!!
al At the end of July we will once again travel to Haiti. This year will be a little bit different as we head to another part of Haiti called Petite Guave. It is in the southern part of Haiti. This is the location of the new training center that God has shown us will be opening soon. The name is Ebenezer discipleship training center. The plan is that part of the team will be doing a short training session with some of the pastors in Ti Guave and the rest of the team will put on VBS for the kids of those churches.
We also will travel to Luly, La Digue, and do VBS with these groups of kids combined with kids from Bwa Dom. One of the highlights is that we will be showing the Jesus film in each village that go to and we will be going on prayer walks in those villages as well. This is always a highlight and last year a village witch doctor was converted. That is a great story! Just ask us about it sometime!!
The tough part is I again have to raise my own funds. However, I truly feel God has called me to go on this mission trip and I have NO doubt He will provide every penny that I need!! I know this has been a tough economic time for a lot of you so I completely understand if you are NOT able to give. Any money that I receive above and beyond I plan to donate right into the training center to be used to the train the pastors and the native missionaries that the center will be training. The amount that I need is around $1100.00. and I need to raise it by the first part of May. It is tax deductible . Checks should be made payable to Lighthouse Mission Mobilization and can be sent to:
Brenda Yonker 7364 Forestview Drive Hudsonville Michigan 49426
You can also donate via the paypal button on the right hand side of my blog. This is also tax deductible.
We are also asking for prayers for this new mission, and for this mission trip. God is doing amazing things! Please join us as we continue to be His hands and feet!!!
Email me if you have any questions. telltheworld5@gmail.com
you can also read about our trip this past January on the blog. http://journeyforhannah.blogspot.com Just scroll down.
We would also love anyone on of you to someday come down on a mission trip!! Your life will NOT be the same!!
I have not had a ton to blog about lately. I have had a heavy heart for awhile and have been doing lots of praying. Nothing really specific to share just different things that have been placed on my heart.
However this song reminds me that the enemy has BEEN defeated already! No matter what we are going through it is of this world. This world will be destroyed and God will remain and we will be with him!! That is cause for praise.
Resurrection day is coming and that is a HUGE cause for praise!!!! Death could not hold Jesus down and as followers of Christ it will NOT hold us down either!!!!
When I was in Haiti on this last trip I was able to work at an amazing program at Heartline Ministries. They have an AWESOME woman's program. They work with the pregnant women and the new moms and really try to keep them healthy.
One of the programs they have is the woman's sewing program. I was in awe of what they are doing to help these woman. Please check out this new website that was just launched. I have seen these purses first hand and was able to meet some of the women that are sewing them. This program really does help these women to have a much better life and they have it set up so that each women even has a bank account.
So Please check it out and pass it on to your friends. You can even have purse parties. It is really neat! Click on the Link below!
We are now in the fund raising stage for the Ebenezer discipleship training center. The center will be doing 1 month training sessions for pastors. Because these pastors have other jobs in order to feed their families, along with being a pastor, It will cost approximately $200 to attend these training sessions. We now have a 501c3 in place so people can start giving anytime. Church groups are welcome to get involved with this as well. Their are so many ways churches can become involved. Bakes sales have been really good. If anyone would like to help us fund raise for this or would like more info please email us at telltheworld5@gmail.com
Please feel free to pass this along to those you think would be interested in partnering with us to train Haitian pastors and to raise up and train Native Haitian missionaries. We want the pastors to know the truth of who Jesus is and to be able to pass that along to everyone they come into contact with. So many pastors cannot even read the bible in their own language and one of the things that the center plans to do is teach them how to read! If you are new to our blog you can go back to the January posts to read up on what God is doing in Haiti.
1) Which of your kids is the most bossy or ummm... the best leader?
This is a great question. I would say Katie will probably be the best leader. She is NOT a follower at all. We just pray that she will be a GOOD leader.
2) You mentioned (or Nate did) about so many different mission trips going to Haiti, but that if trips and projects could be coordinated so much more could be accomplished with each trip... is this something that you guys are actively working on?
Our main purpose in the different trips is to continue to build relationships. This is SO important. Each time we do a VBS trip we focus on a different topic. Last year it was that in Christ we are ALL one body. This year it will be focusing on showing the children that they are disciples too and can spread the gospel. Also it is to make new contacts and visit different places so that we can further Christ's kingdom. Haiti has a lot of missionaries but A LOT of them focus on the Social justice and not on Christ. We know from experience you have to do both. Also on having different mission trips it is so that different people can come down. It not only changes things in country but it changes the person forever and they come back ready to share Jesus with their own friends, families and co-workers. It has been amazing to watch how people change upon coming home. Now with the new Ebenezer training center most likely it will require more trips so that we can bring local Haitians down to help train the Haitians pastors. We have wondered even about moving down their for a short time but we truly feel God calling us to continue to lead the short terms trip for this time.
Great Question! I hope this helps explain it. If not let me know!
3) Things are really tight ($) with us right now, but we would like to help out for your next mission trip. Is there anything that you could use/take with you that we might be able to send you?
The thing that is really needed in Haiti is Bibles in Creole. They are hard to find in the states and are pretty cheap in Haiti. What some of the kids here do is have bake sales and donate the money for bibles and things we can buy for the Haitians in country. That has turned out so well. We had a couple special young people raise almost $200 just doing bake sales. We then wrote down the name of each person that got a bible so that they could pray for that person or family. It was really neat. Clothes and shoes are tough to bring down to Haiti. It is hard to carry as we can only each have 1 suitcase now because of space issues. It is a possibility we may need some VBS items. I will sit down with Nate and see what else he thinks!
4) Do you plan to be in the Alabama area anytime this year? :) You do not know how much I would LOVE to travel down to see you guys. I would LOVE to see Hanna and meet Riley.
5) What country will your next child come from?
Funny! :) When and if God tells me I will let you know!! :)
(Sorry I just couldn't resist that last one and I am totally cracking myself up right now - this is loving teasing ya know :))
ok this is honestly the first thing that came to my mind when i read that. ready for this?? ok.
My Favorite soup is Cheese Broccoli! Yum!!!
2. Terry Do you think there are any more kids in your future...? Only God knows the answer to that question. We are VERY happy and satisfied with how many kids we have at this time. I love how they are all getting older and its getting to be a little bit easier. However that is usually when God shakes things up again! :)
Can I ask more than one? Of course you can ask more than one!!
What's your favorite local restuarant? My favorite restaurant is On the Border. Best fajitas hands down!! :)
4. Mari What is your favorite thing to do as a family? The biggest thing we love to do the most as a family is go camping. We have so much fun together. We have a really nice 30ft trailer and its very comfortable. Now that the kids are older camping is SO much easier and less stressful. Can all hang out and relax with eachother. We love to go swimming, hiking, sit by the campfire, hang out on the beach.
that was really fun!! Keep the questions coming!! I enjoyed that!!
I have a bad case of writers block. I have enjoyed in the past when blogger's would just tell everyone to ask them any question that they want. I figured I might as well do that here!!
So feel free to ask me anything.
Don't worry I will post my updated pictures of my room soon.
The men
The View from the top of the mountain
My two favorite palm trees
The whole team plus our translators in front of
