We had a BIG event happen recently down here. At our new church in Sauvage 4 couples were wedded simultaneously.
As it was the first time that a marriage or marriages had been celebrated there we wanted it to be beautiful to leave
a lasting impression on the locals. These 8 people were recent converts and in order to be baptised and received as
church members they had to have their relationships blessed by the church {they had been living together previously}.
Sauvage is a poor area, even for Haiti, so I helped to "finance" the tedious process. I say tedious because in
Haiti in order to get the paperwork and blood testing done that the government requires, these poor people have to make a
long voyage to either Port-au-Prince or Cayes. That involves expense--so I took it upon myself to help them get there and
to meet these costs.
We had a Pastor come in from the capitol. The youth choir prepared music and donned robes. The ladies
decorated the church with ribbons and the chairs where the couples and their best men and women would be sitting during the
ceremony were covered with white sheets.
When the solemn moment arrived for the couples to enter the church the choir members formed an arch with their arms and
the couples entered under them passing into the structure where they worship. Do you know that as poor as they were
they were able to find white gowns and veils to rent for the women and suits for the men (even if they didn't fit}--I was
impressed! As you might imagine people came from miles around to see this happening and the church didn't even have standing
room left.
Complements to Cathy See of Vincentown Baptist Church in New Jersey who has supplied me with gold wedding bands for such
weddings as we require them--she is one who truly honors marriage and is the "God-mother" of many a married couple down here
in Haiti.
Well. there are 8 more couples waiting in line to be married also! All are recent converts and want to join the
church. What a wonderful change that has occurred in Sauvage because of the Gospel!
And you all have made it possible through your support to Gospel Growers!
Its May Day and in Haiti that means TREES. Its on this date emphasis is put on planting trees, whereas the rest
of the time it seems to be on cutting them down!
I joke with my Haitian friends that when I look at a tree I appreciate its beauty and and shade, but they are busy thinking
how many sacks of charcoal they could get from it! Sad but true. Its because there is no employment to make
money and sometimes the lack of rain causes crop failure so they cut down the trees to make charcoal to survive.
Haiti is an ecologic disaster simply because they need jobs to enable the people to provide for themselves and their
families. The Embargo placed on Haiti by Bush Senior only aggravated this problem.
Everywhere I've been stationed I have planted trees. I love shade. In my little yard I have 4 lemon trees, 2 grapefruit,
4 almond, 3 coma, many coconut, 2 mango, etc. just over a 7 yr, period and I'm harvesting fruits!
I plant trees as an example to show the Haitians what Haiti could look like if they'd only start planting trees again.
Of course, one great problem is too many animals eat the small trees before they are big--I have a wall around my yard to
prevent this or there'd be no trees!
By the way, my address has changed AGAIN-- if you wish to write to me personally send to:
Sam Rice
c/o Agape Flights
CAY- 19432
100 Airport Ave.
Venice, FL 34285
You can also call me IN DARIOLE now thanks to DIGICELL--011-509-764-5321. Please be persistent if you dont
get thru at first.
All donations and contributions should continue to be sent to the Smithville office.
