Written by Dave Gritters, team leader for the Calvary Christian Reformed church in Pella, IA

After several weeks of preparing and planning, we are here in Pignon.  To let our families and friends know, we had an uneventful series of flights and travels from Des Moines to Pignon today.  We are very thankful for that.  We arrived via MFI (Missionary Flights International) today around 11:30 am, loaded our luggage into the Toyota Hilux, then walked around the airport runway over to our dorm.

This afternoon we were able to walk out to the new land in Sylvan that MH4H has purchased, workers had just completed a barbed wire fence around the property and were planting cactus.  It was good to see this new land that God has provided for MH4H to use for His kingdom.  The many little kids running around there will undoubtedly be blessed.

One of the kids on the new ground at Sylvain. The workers, all locally hired, are working to put up the temporary gate into the ground. The team observing the new barbwire and cactus fence ground around the property. We are blessed with many tress on this ground, including cashew (see cashew nut), coconut, palm, and mango trees.

One of the team highlights during the day was a chance to go out to the sewing center and pickup 250 hand sewn backpacks that these ladies have sewn for Pella Christian School kids.  What makes this special to our team is that Calvary Church Sunday school offerings went to this project.  So it was neat for us to see this and help complete this project.

Jocelyn carrying the bags out of the Sewing Hope building back to the dorm. More bags!

Tonight after supper, we started watching the Easter experience.  This is a 6 video session walking us through Jesus experience and helping us think about how this affects each of us personally.  Jesus gives us the ultimate example of how we are to serve others, even those that we find it hard to serve.  One of the goals for our team is learn more about what God expects of us, not just this week – but going forward from this week.   Tonight’s video focused on the last supper of Jesus and his disciples.  It was fitting then when after the video was done, Pastor Sheldon led us in communion.  It was neat to experience this sitting around a table (12 of us by the way), sharing the bread and the juice, and knowing our home churches and many others are doing this at the same time.

We ended the night in a time of singing and prayer.  We covet your prayers and wish each of you a blessed Maundy Thursday.

***Note from Tim Brand***

For the last three months of the school year (mid-March to mid-June), MH4H decided to feed lunch to all the schools kids at the three schools in Savanette where our 180 for Haiti kids attend. Even though we only scholarship 65 of those children, we decided to feed all 800 kids 3 days a week. Each Saturday, the school principals come to Pignon to pick up the purchased food and cooking supplies for the school children.

The bags of rice will be picked up by the principals on Saturday and head to Savanette. Another project of the day – unloading all the bags of rice and beans to go to the 180 for Haiti school feeding. Evenie, the Sewing Hope teacher, gave birth to another baby yesterday. Here she is holding the baby.