Partners,

I just wanted to thank you personally for such a great summer! As your seasons begin to change from vacations and late nights to school schedules and autumn flavors in every food you can think of, we are wrapping up what was an awesome season for CPR-3 and Respire Lavi partnering with the North American church.

If you came this summer, you probably heard me talk about the body of Christ & 1 Corinthians 12, talking not only about how we are here to be the body of Christ but also that scripture is clear – every part of the body is needed by the rest, including America needing Haiti!

It was amazing to see how people stepped up in service, humility, being relational, taking on attitudes to learn, and let God really work on their hearts this summer. I saw people who aren’t even done with high school yet dig into what Scripture has to say on prayer and baptism deeper than some adults I know, and I saw adults strip themselves of the power they could use for themselves and instead be humble servants, being an example of “all in.”

In our partner communities, there are now new church members after both VBS for a younger audience and intentional groups and studies for women and adults in the area that were held with teams in country. In Total, where many partners came together with Pastor Moise to learn about the community, there is now a “buzz” for this new church that they would like to visit to see what grace and choosing the bible over culture look like. There are children getting ready for the school year with a twinkle in their eye and a proud parent standing behind them as they exclaim their excitement for getting the opportunity to go to school after action was taken by team members to sponsor them. As we go into communities and spend time with friends, they talk about their friends who visited and ask, “Kile l’ap vini?” (“When are they coming back?”) – or they tell us what they learned or remember from the trip.

And something that I love about what is remembered from this summer –

“They listened.”

“She spent time with me.”

“He wanted to understand us better.”

Friends, this made an impact. Your real time spent and attention as well – not just “presence” but BEING PRESENT, this is not quickly forgotten. In fact, I’m pretty sure it won’t be forgotten at all. I know that Mickens could talk in detail about the people that were here this summer, in the best way possible.

I also have the honor of being here for three summers in a row leading teams now and it is my favorite thing to watch God “work in His garden” over time. Not just this summer, not just your team – but every summer and every team have been planting seeds, working the field, watering those seeds…and now some are bearing fruit! I see it in Cassensia, now officially a teenager, who strolls to church all done up – and so does her mother! I see it in the sweet mother of 8 children who has been poured into for years in Canaan – she has never gone to church despite her children always being active and present – she decided to go this summer! Teenage mothers are lifting their heads up higher and taking steps of ownership of both their babies and their own worth.

I tell you all of this to say thank you. This is home, this is our neighborhood, this is family. This is where we are giving all of ourselves with the belief that God makes all things now and plans on doing exactly that where we are. Respire Lavi and CPR-3 were privileged to have you be a part of this season with us, and we are so excited for what’s next.

I also challenge you to believe in your home, neighborhood, family – God is using you and the way you choose to integrate how great you were in Haiti as well as what you learned! North America can use the presence that you graciously gave to us this summer. Keep breathing life into the world! We believe in you!

Thanks for being a part of the movement,

Stephanie