An Abnormal, Normal Summer

Woohoo!

As I write, the girls have already been in school for a week (and all is going well, though getting back into the homework routine has its challenges). Storly's been in Haiti (for too long...ok, for two and a half weeks) and should be home in a few days. And Mum's here visiting.

First day back to school for our 3rd and 5th graders!

And I'm catching up on things, including this blog. Here's more about our abnormal, normal summer...

Heading to the airport within hours of the girls finishing school for the summer has been 'normal' for us over the last few years. But this year, instead of spending June & July in Haiti, or the U.K. (or both), we had a few weeks of regular work and preparing for travel around the U.S.A. while the girls were in vacation mode. And it was lovely. 

Fun with friends on Lake Monroe in southern Indiana is good for the soul!

"What's VBS?", Hannah and Esther both asked me, when I told them I'd signed them up for our church's Vacation Bible School. Huh??? How come my kids don't know what that is??

It turns out that we've never been here (at least while the girls have been old enough to attend) in June for the girls to be part of this great summer activity. But they got to go and be a part of the Cave Quest this year, and we have the photos stuck on our fridge to prove it.

Getting Papa with the sprinkler is good for the soul, too!

Team Dream / Dream Team

Meet Brett, Jay, Julianne, Wildy, Luciano, Claudine, Max, Johnny, Milton, Rodney, Anthonio, Keson, Rochenel, Junel, Renand and Mackenson. 

These guys are my DREAM TEAM!

Last year, when I was planning, praying, preparing, training, communicating, fundraising for Resounding Hope by raising funds doing my first half-marathon, this was my thinking: this year, I'm doing this alone; next year, I'm praying for a team. Thank the Lord for these guys!

First, it was me. Then Jay (from OMS HQ) and his wife Julianne, both runners, said "We want to be a part of this!" 

Then Brett (OMS Haiti field director, also a runner) said "I'll do it here in Haiti!" 

Then our co-workers at 4VEH - Wildy, Luciano, Claudine, Max, Johnny, Milton, and Rodney - said "We're not ready to run a half-marathon, but we'll form a relay team and run alongside with Director Brett."

Then members of a local youth choir, Flamme Spirituelle (with strong connections to 4VEH - they recorded their first album here, and our Operations director Witny Telfort is their choir director) said: "We want to help. Count us in, we're running too!"

Here's the deal: we're running to raise funds for Resounding Hope solar radios tuned to Radio 4VEH to bless families in Haiti every day. On May 7, 2016, Jay, Julianne & Kate will be running a half-marathon, the Indy500 Mini in Indianapolis; Brett will be running a half-marathon around the One Mission Society compound in Cap-Haitien, Haiti; and Wildy, Luciano, Claudine, Max, Johnny, Milton, Rodney, Anthonio, Keson, Rochenel, Junel, Renand and Mackenson will be running as a relay team alongside Brett. 

Why? Because we know these radios are making a huge difference in people's lives in Haiti - reaching people with the Gospel, helping believers grow in their faith, building up the church and serving the people of Haiti in Jesus' name. 

Our goal is to raise $12,000 to sponsor 200 solar radios - and bless 200 households in Haiti. That's $60 to sponsor one radio and reach a whole family with hope every day. 

Would you help us reach our goal by making a donation of $20, $60, $100, $600 or any amount you can manage. Every little helps! Your donation is tax-deductible in the US, and you will receive a receipt from One Mission Society. Give online here on our team fundraising page: Run for Resounding Hope - May 2016

If you prefer, make your donation by check, payable to One Mission Society with "407870-16RHRUN" in the memo line, and mail it to One Mission Society, PO Box 1648, Monument, CO 80132-1648. (And be sure to let me know so I can mark it against our goal on our fundraising page.)

For donations in Haiti in US $ or HTG can be given to Miss Colleen/OMS Haiti office, and designated 407870-16RHRUN.

For donations in the UK, give online through our fundraising page, or through One Mission Society UK if you prefer. Just include a note : Run for Resounding Hope 2016 - and be sure to let me know so we can add your gift to our total. Thank you! 

This Partnership-in-Missions Thing

A few weeks ago, we headed to northern Ohio to visit our dear friends, Dave & Marilyn Shaferly. It was, as always, a joy. And it gave us the opportunity to visit with our ministry partners at Findlay E-Free church.

At the end of the worship service, a woman came over to us, eager to thank us for the work we're doing. Her passion bubbling over, she said "We can't do what you do. Thank you so much for doing what you're doing in Haiti."

My response? A big hug, and an equally eager and passionate "No, thank you! We can't do what we're doing without you!"

It reminded me of another similar conversation recently. When unexpected, urgent and expensive repairs were needed on our house, some friends (who partner with us in ministry) helped us pay the bill, saying "We can't do what you do. But we can help you with this." That had me in tears, because we really needed the help, and our friends responded with such a solid understanding of what the Bible says about community, about the church.

These connections are critical for us. We can't do what we do without people gathering around us to prayerfully, financially and encouragingly support us.

Paul hit the nail on the head in Philippians, chapter 1, when he was writing to the young church at Philippi, to people he loved, and he said:

“I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 1 v 3-5)

This partnership in missions thing...it's real, it's essential, it's beautiful.

It's encouraging to see our family featured on the Global Missions board at Findlay E-Free. If you have our photo on your wall, would you send us a picture and let us know that you're remembering us? 

If you have this kind of board in your church/youth group room/kitchen/office/wherever, with missionaries that you support - send them a note letting them know you're remembering them, you're with them, you're praying and giving and helping and encouraging and cheering them on....

We know we're not alone in loving the Shaferly family! Eating lunch here with Marilyn, Dave, Samuel and Michael.

P.S. We're at 87% funded in raising our support. We can’t take full salaries until we are at 100% of what OMS has calculated as our missionary support, covering salaries, travel costs, insurance etc. We still need some new support, with people committing to support us on a monthly basis - 30 people/families/churches/small groups giving $50/month or 15 people/families/churches/small groups giving $100/month would get us to 100%. 

If you'd like to start or increase your support for our ministry, you can do that securely on the OMS website Give to the Michels here in the USA, or in the UK, click the donate button here (and include a note in the donation details "for Storly & Kate Michel"). Thank you! 

Quickfire Catch-Up & Happy Easter

Oh dear. I've done what no blogger should do...not written for a while. Here's a quickfire catch-up!

September: Hannah was baptized

Watching Hannah and several other kids get baptized was priceless!

October: Kate teaching communications

Our friend Steve Gross posted this photo of me, saying: "Multi-tasking: Kate Michel holds a baby while leading a seminar at Radio 4VEH this afternoon for the leaders of various OMS ministries here in Haiti."  (I didn't hold the baby for the whole time, by the way, just while they were doing a practice exercise with their teams). 

So, in October, I was in Haiti to teach a communications seminar for leaders of the medical clinic, seminary, international school, church planting ministry, radio TV station, fellowship of churches, retreat center and nursing school - all part of what OMS is doing in Haiti. And our focus: how to find, tell and share stories of lives being transformed through their ministries. 

It was fantastic to share some of the things I've learned over 20 years in nonprofit/ministry communications (am I that old?!). The first day's topic was stories of transformed lives, (the second day: photos) and after teaching, it was exciting to hear each ministry share stories of real people whose lives have changed as God has worked through the ministries of OMS. I think we were all really encouraged! 

November: Ministry among Haitian community in New York and Connecticut

We spent Thanksgiving week with our extended Haitian family in New York. Storly preached at Eglise Horeb de l’Alliance Chrétienne et Missionnaire (with Senior Pastor Rev. Jean Saintilma Seide, and Pastors Raymond and Jeanine Dorcin) on Sunday morning, and at Eglise Baptiste d’Expression Française in Bridgeport, Connecticut (with Rev. Dr. Frantz Saint-Pierre).

A few take-aways for me during the morning service: this is a church with long connections to 4VEH. Pastor Seide's father served with the ministry that began 4VEH in the late 1940s. Long connections, faithful partnerships of serving the Lord together. 

Haitians are generally surprised that I can understand and speak Creole. As the service at Horeb church progressed in a French and Creole format I'm familiar with, I was thinking of those verses in Revelation, chapter 7, that speak of people from every nation, tribe, people and language worshiping God together. When we sing songs and hear Scripture referring to that future time, I often think of the global church at this present time. Being able to, and having the joy to, worship God among people who look different to me, who speak a different language, who 'do church' in different ways, is an amazing reminder of the present day global church, and a foretaste of eternity. 

Here are Hannah and Esther in one of our favorite places in NYC, Central Park. 

December: Recording church services for new 4VEH TV

During Storly's time in Haiti in December, he worked with the new 4VEH TV production team at their first recording of a local church service (Bethany church in Fort St Michel), which they'll edit for broadcasting on 4VEH Channel 11. Recording and broadcasting church services is a well-practiced and executed task for our audio technicians. But television is a whole other ballgame. We're starting small, taking baby steps, but are excited to see the potential for this new way of reaching and ministering to people. 

December/January: We moved house

We moved home, office, Storly's studio. Not far, same city, just a different neighbourhood. We've painted a lot of walls and ceilings recently. It's been exhausting. A big thank you to everyone who helped - packing, loading, unloading, cleaning, fixing, bringing us food. We couldn't have done it without your help!

Still Running

Since I started running two years ago, I have run 716 miles - or so my fitness app tells me. Who'd have thought it!

I've been running through the cold winter again, and am building up mileage for this year's IndyMini - half marathon on May 7. When I did my first half-marathon last year to raise funds for Resounding Hope radios, I dreamed that this year I'd have a team with me. So, I'm excited to have a few friends joining me in a Run for Resounding Hope team this year - in Indy and in Haiti! If you'd like to help us get started towards our goal of $12,000 to sponsor 200 radio for Haitian families, click on this link to donate online.  Run for Resounding Hope - May 2016

Deep & Wide - Collection of listener stories published

A big highlight for me over the last year has been planning, writing and designing a publication called Deep & Wide, a 64-page collection of real-life testimonies, celebrating the Lord’s work in the lives of people touched by the ministry of Radio 4VEH. It’s been a ton of work, but even as I read through the stories (for the 100^th time), I’m amazed about what God is doing through the ministry, and we hope this book will inspire those who read it.

-- 

We're at the end of the ministry's financial year - so some analyzing, reporting and planning to do for the year ahead; and travel schedules to work out for the coming months. But for today, this day of anticipation that straddles Good Friday and Resurrection Sunday, we wish you and yours a Happy Easter! 

Only God: Reaching the Capital City

There are moments in this ministry/life that are, without a doubt, God. God in action, God's fingerprints all over  - and nothing that we could have done ourselves. Beginning to broadcast in Port-au-Prince is one of those moments. All GOD. ALL God.

Here's how it all came together:

God worked in the lives of these four men - Pastor Ronel Mésidor (Haiti Baptist Convention/West department director), lawyer Osney Fevry, founder/owner of Radio Sentinelle 93.9 FM, Rev. Emmanuel Pierre, General Secretary of the Haiti Baptist Convention, and Storly (Michel, Director of Radio-Télé 4VEH, in case you're visiting this blog for the first time and don't know who Storly is :). The Lord gave each of these leaders a personal testimony, a public ministry and a desire to minister to people through media across the capital city and beyond. He also placed Pastor Bade, who served at 4VEH until he moved to Port-au-Prince to pastor a church a few years ago, as a key connection for this new partnership.

God also gave these men a desire to work together. And so this three-way partnership was born, with the Haiti Baptist Convention providing the location for studios, Radio Sentinelle providing the frequency and antenna to broadcast, and 4VEH providing most of the daily programming. As we celebrated at the service of inauguration at First Baptist Church of Port-au-Prince, the tone was one of giving glory to God, praise for all He has done, and dedicating this new partnership to the Lord.

The Baptist Convention presented Storly (4VEH) with a Plaque of Honour for
the inauguration of this new partnership FM station. In other words, it's a big deal.
(I think Lawyer Fevry received a medal for the same reason). 

Incidentally, these partners are not just leaders of other ministries, they are listeners, they have been and continue to be blessed by 4VEH. How do I know that? Because they've told us. Not just in private, but publicly, on the air. And one particular testimony [that I'm writing up for the 65th Anniversary publication (collection of stories of impact) that I'm working on] is very powerful, as God comforts one man walking through a 'valley of the shadow of death'.

Here's his story:

Rev. Emmanuel Pierre, General Secretary of the Haiti Baptist Convention, was kidnapped from his home in Cap-Haïtien a few years ago. He was later released, unharmed, and shared a powerful testimony of how God met him at a moment of great need—through Radio 4VEH.

Emmanuel was struggling to breathe. The kidnappers covered his head, and forced him to wear headphones, with the radio playing loud to distract and confuse him. 

Little did they know that God was there, and the radio was playing 4VEH. God spoke to Emmanuel in a powerful, personal way, bringing him peace in the midst of this great trial. He shared this testimony on the air, giving glory to God for watching over him.

After lunch, next stop was the studio space provided by the Baptist Convention (within their school/children's home complex in Delmas). Another partner will be helping to complete work here, and then, the studios will be able to receive guests, and broadcast local programs from here. The team did a great job, with balloons, ribbons, and celebratory juice, to welcome the 4VEH team, and officially declare this FM station open.  

The ribbon-cutting.

Here's to a great partnership to reach the capital city!

 

Hannah enjoyed the balloons. 

Dedicating the station to the Lord. 

Then we left the studio site to drive up the mountain to the antenna site, which is a tourist spot in Port-au-Prince called Boutilliers, where you get a great view of the city from the lookout. Great place for antennas too. Unfortunately whoever was navigating decided it would be fun to drive straight through the busy Petion-Ville market. Having lived not too far from here for six months, I'd been stuck in that craziness before. It still is not fun :)

All the TV, radio, cellphone towers in the capital city are basically in this same spot. 

And at the base of the tower are small rooms from which to operate whatever equipment goes with the towers, 

We spent several hours after (three hours in) church (and lunch) in that small room. It was dark by the time we left. Had I known we'd be there so long, I'd have grabbed snacks, drinks, to keep us (especially the girls) going. But I didn't know :(

So what do the non-techies do while the techies are connecting, fixing, tuning and who knows whatever else they have to do to get sound to travel through the air (from 4VEH in Cap to this antenna site in Port)?

We looked out the window at the hazy view of the city, and the white-like-crunched-up-paper mountains on the other side. 

And we sat and inwardly groaned....how...much...longer?

There was dancing, of course (though it looks more like fighting...)

When the chatting and joking paused, more sitting and inward groaning...

And a few big smiles.

And by the time the job was done, 4VEH was on the air in Port on 93.9 FM, and we were all excited! Even more so when listeners from Port started to call in to the live shows - now we know people are listening in the capital. Incidentally, the set-up needed to be finished the next morning before we drove 7+ hours back to Cap-Haitien, a journey which ended in the dark, 13 miles from destination, with a broken clutch, doing the final 13 miles in 2nd gear. Completely exhausting, but mission accomplished - and just a few hours to rest before our church team from Columbus arrived for a week! 

We're Back

After eight weeks at 4VEH in Cap-Haitien, Haiti, we are back to home base in Indiana. Back from the front-lines of daily broadcast ministry life and outreach in communities in need, to the front-lines of sharing the ministry with communities of supporters for me, and back to strategic leadership from a distance, networking with other like-minded ministries, and to translating and recording programs for Storly.

With more than a week under our belts, we've emerged from the fog of switching back to life in another foreign-but-familiar place. The girls are into their second week of school (I know for all you fellow Brits out there especially, that sounds so wrong, right? Your kids have probably just started their summer hols...so enjoy!).

Among the things we brought back are more than 7,000 photos that I took, and am in the process of culling, editing, cataloging (they're not all good or usable) - and many of these will show up in future communications for 4VEH, Resounding Hope and our own ministry letters, and yes, on this blog.

Here's just a few photos for now:

Last ride in the cattle truck, heading to Cap-Haitien airport for our flight out. 

The highlight of the trip for me, worshiping with new believers at a church planted
earlier this year at what felt like the top of the world (and the 2 1/2 hour hike it took to
get there was so worth it). More on that big adventure coming. 

The view over Port-au-Prince, Haiti's capital city and home to about 2.5 million
people - from the antenna site where 4VEH is now broadcasting, in partnership with
Radio Sentinelle 93.9 FM and the Haiti Baptist Convention. We were there to get
the station set up and on the air. 

And while our team from Community Church of Columbus was sharing the Gospel
with this sweet one's family, she was busy doing laundry. I pray she'll grow up in better
surroundings, both physically and spiritually, through what she and her family hear
as they listen to the solar radio we left with them. 

That's all for now! Thank you for praying for us, encouraging us, coming and working alongside us, and for financially supporting us in ministry. Blessings to you today!

Celebrating 65 Years

Time's flying here. We've been here at Radio-Télé 4VEH (notice the new "Télé" in the name, yes, TV!) in Cap-Haitien for more than five weeks, less than three weeks left. How did that happen? We've been busy, with not much energy left to blog, and not much cooperation from the internet to post much either. But today, so far, so good, so, here's the beginnings of a catch-up.

We arrived during the middle of 65th Anniversary week. I got called to go and meet a sweet lady who brought her donation to 4VEH for the anniversary. She wrote a note saying: "Thank you God for this radio, it's my university for life, it's listening to 4VEH I've learned everything in life". Bless her!

The girls did great during the 65th Anniversary thanksgiving service at 1st Baptist Church of Cap-Haitien, trying to sing along here. OMS field director Brett (on the right of this pic) was translating for the visiting team from Florida, in to help with the campus electrical project - and he needed a prod in the ribs from time to time to stay awake (he's a busy guy!).

A listener gave these lovely cakes. One of them ended up with us, yum!

Storly was, well, gorgeous - and did a fantastic job, as did the whole 4VEH team. Am proud of them all! Storly made two big announcements - the launch of 4VEH TV on a local Cap-Haitien channel (Channel 11), and the launch of 4VEH in Port-au-Prince, thanks to a new partnership between 4VEH, Radio Sentinelle 93.9 FM and the Haiti Baptist Convention. Both are big news, big answers to prayer. More on that later. 

Key leaders from the evangelical community took part in the service too, and called Storly a visionary (which is true!) for leading the station into these two new areas, TV and into the capital city. As always, great to see and hear the support expressed for 4VEH, great to hear leaders encouraging everyone to be part of supporting the ministry in prayer and financially, great to hear the pride expressed in 4VEH.

And great to see the banners I designed back in Columbus were doing their job!

In the afternoon, the 4VEH family - staff, family and special friends of the ministry - celebrated together at a banquet held in the 4VEH auditorium (upstairs in the radio station). A jazz band did a great job!

 

It was fantastic to see these two big cheeses together! Storly and Gaudin Charles, the only Haitians to have held the position of Station Manager at 4VEH. Both well-known and -loved voices on the air too. Gaudin, who works from his home in Florida, (representing 4VEH among the Haitian community there, and producing radio programs for 4VEH) was the special preacher for the anniversary service. I had the pleasure of interviewing him on video too - he has some great stories about how 4VEH touches people's lives. He's worked at 4VEH for 50 years! And though we've worked together for a number of years, we've never been at the station at the same time. 

The third 'launch' at the anniversary was the new Parole Vivante Living Word bible drama CD (produced in 1960s, still on the air, just released on CD). Here Gaudin, who was one of the voices on Parole Vivante, explains how they made some of the sound effects, clang, bang, clack.... 

One of the projects I'm working on is building repairs, renovations and remodeling, especially the 'public spaces' of the building, including the auditorium. The radio station, though called the 'new building' is now 15 years old, and has served the ministry well. But now it's time for maintenance, repairs, and updates to make it more functional, more attractive, and more inspiring. 

The auditorium in particular is well used by the public - hundreds of people use it every week for weddings (sometimes two or three weddings a day!), conferences, and church services and celebrations. So as we've been using the auditorium, I've been taking special note of how it is used. Though we're still working on putting the official project together to raise funds and book teams to come in and help fix, repaint, re-carpet, we've made some progress already. You'll see some pictures of the progress soon!

Yum!