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June 3, 2008 Bon swa from Haiti, Just wanted to get out a quick note to let folks know how things are going in our little sphere here. As far as the country, things are still tense but there haven't been any major riots or road blockades. The price of food and basic things to live are still too high for most folks but some things have come down a little. Due to some extra donations to us we have been able to buy and distribute several bags of rice and beans in several very needy areas. The school feeding programs are all still going as well. The school year is wrapping up now and soon the Happy House will be flooded with kids from far away places. As I have mentioned before, we will be moving out of the current Happy House by the end of August. So far, after much searching, we have come up empty on a new house. The only houses big enough for us are mostly unfinished houses owned by Haitians that are living in the States. They are asking obscene prices ranging from $15,000 to $20,000 US a year. I wouldn't be able to pay that kind of money in good conscience even if I could. These are houses that, though big, do not even have running water or normal electricity. Part of the reason for these prices, aside from unrealistic greed, is the UN presence in Haiti. While I am glad that they are here, the UN and NGO's in general pay high rent for things and building owners are holding out for them. Meanwhile, people that live here get pushed out. Volumes could be written about the effects of big money spent ineffectively and the crippling effects it can have on local economies, but I'll leave that for another time. Suffice it to say, even the price of mud hut rentals go up as a growing number of people are left with few or no options. Thus Haiti's landscape is full of gray concrete blocks and unfinished houses of all shapes and sizes. Folks have to live in the house as they are building it. Sometimes it takes years. So, where does that leave us? We have only part of the solution in mind. We bought some land at a not too bad price. It is a piece of 16,000 square feet. It's outside of Ti Goave a little way. There is very little development there at this point. The view of trees and mountains is beautiful and there is breeze there most of the time (something we rarely get now). Our dream/vision is to have a Happy House with LOTS of room. A compound that will be built to welcome people in as opposed to keeping them out. As anyone who has spent any time at our house can testify, we have a very open house and a continual flow of people all day long. We would like for groups that come down to be able to stay with us and have more time with the kids. We would like to grow some things. Have a little garden. We would like it to be a center for people to find rest and hope and cool water in this dry and thirsty land. There is much, much more that we want to do, but time and battery power will not allow me to write it all down now. Needless to say, one big issue will be funding for this dream. We will have to build as we can and as soon as it's livable, we will start moving in. It is doubtful that all of this will take place before our August deadline. Dreaming of the new house and all the good we will be able to do gives me a real happy feeling. Imagining the work that will have to take place to make this dream happen gives me a determined feeling, but trying to figure out how to handle the transition period is all up in the air at the moment. The Happy House may have to break up for a while and come back together some time farther down the road. I don't even know where I will live during all this. I absolutely believe that the Lord is in control, but I am only seeing parts of a much bigger picture. Meanwhile, we have a house full of people and we all will need a place to live soon. I have no doubt that what will be is much better than what we have. The task for me is navigating the road from here to there. As I said, I am only seeing a few pieces of a much bigger picture. So, this would be a major prayer request. We need clear direction, wisdom, and patience as we move into what is for us a whole new sphere. Please pray for us in this matter. I will try to get more details out soon. Also I want to say THANK YOU to the folks who have so faithfully prayed for us and contributed to this ministry. This is certainly a group effort here. Bon Dieu beni nou! fre Ed