Aid supplies are packed at the FedEx shipping station.

In early December, Linda Jenkins and Steve and Judy Loken joined over 20 FedEx employees and other volunteers to pack toys for orphanages and 12 boxes of medical supplies for PPC’s medical mission and Pastor Luc. FedEx donated their flight from Phoenix to Haiti to ship these supplies. PPC was given extra boxes because of having over 120 liters of Pedialyte, which is desperately needed to threat cholera. We also shipped children’s and infant’s Tylenol, adult Advil and Tylenol, band aids, gauze, Tums, vitamins, soap, hand sanitizers, Clorox wipes, gloves, toothbrushes and toothpaste, and everything from very tiny shoes to wedding dresses!

Linda says it best: “One of my favorite things to experience — when you throw up a simple request to God and watch what comes down. It’s pretty incredible — a simple request led to a bigger check than expected, a store (Walgreen’s) made a special order at a discounted rate, a partnership with another organization (Haiti Disaster Response of Arizona) that truly shares their resources and passion, an incredible giving church (PPC), and a company that shares and stands behind their community (FedEx) providing employees that donate their day off and a flight to ship needed supplies to Haiti, saving thousands of dollars. WOW.”

 Many donations were also from Steve Loken’s company. Steve has been tireless in working on the engineering and construction details for Pastor Luc’s church in Port-au-Prince, and also in fundraising activities in his company and community. Linda has been amazing in organizing all of the medical and logistical aspects. Thank you to these individuals, and to everyone who has contributed items and funds.

The Pinnacle Presbyterian Preschool's pumpkin patch raises money which has been sent to support Pastor Luc's ministries the past several years. This year, the Preschool pumpkin patch raised $740 — over $200 more than last year!

Pastor Luc is especially heartened by the preschool's support and the children's efforts to help other children. Thank you to all the parents and friends who helped our little ones learn about caring and sharing.

Kids Can Carnival at PPC

Pinnacle children in first- through fifth-grades have formed a group — called Kids Can... — committed to Mission, and in their very first event — the Kids Can Carnival — raised $1,065 for Pastor Luc and Harmony Ministries.

A dozen or so kids came up with the idea and worked very hard to make it a reality.  Thank you to everyone who played games, made crafts, baked for the bake sale, ate cotton candy, and bought items from the bake sale. With support from family, friends, the congregation and kids, the first carnival was a huge hit and greatly surpassed the children's goal of raising $200.

The money they raised will go to the school children's food program in Pastor Luc's school in Port-au-Prince, helping feed 400 families for a week.

Kids Can make a difference!

Work begins on Port-au-Prince church foundation

During September, Pastor Luc was in Haiti, overseeing the work of setting the foundation for the rebuilding of the Port-au-Prince church. He also oversaw the tearing down and removal of the rubble of the building that held the pharmacy, medical offices and children's chapel, which had been damaged beyond repair in the earthquake. The rubble will be used as fill material for the new church's foundation. Pastor Luc was able to get government machinery for removal of the building through a member of the church who knows one of the presidential candidates; this candidate is in charge of Public Works.

After a brief visit with his family in Miami and a visit with us at PPC, Pastor Luc returned to Haiti on Oct. 7 and will stay the entire month. He is helping with the opening of the Harmony schools in Port-au-Prince, Thoman and Leogane.

Children in Thoman, Haiti

He will have a new tent constructed in Port-au-Prince for the school and for worship because the tent that had been used was partially taken down when the medical building was razed. Pastor Luc will oversee the building of the new church's foundation in Port-au-Prince and facilitate talks between the Arizona and Port-au-Prince engineers.

With a gift from a Lawrenceville, N.J., church member, Pastor Luc purchased a used auto for use in Miami (a 1998 Toyota with 200,000 miles!). His wife, Ronide, is very happy to have improved transportation, making it easier to get their children to school.

Pastor Luc is upbeat and refreshed. He said beginning the work on the Port-au-Prince church and his visit at Pinnacle Presbyterian Church has enlivened his spirit.

Pastor Luc speaks at Pinnacle Presbyterian Church.

It was Worldwide Communion on Sunday, Pinnacle Presbyterian Church's 21st anniversary, and a time to hear from Pastor Luc. His sermon started with Hallelujahs and ended with his beautiful singing, in Creole, of "Precious Lord, Take My Hand...."  His words were a window to the faith that sustains him — and us — through times of "trials and tribulations."  After the 10 a.m. church service, Pastor Luc talked with a gathering of people about the current situation in Haiti, answering questions from the group.  The whole Cadet family was present, thankful for the support they have received and joyous that little Mike's leukemia is currently in remission.

Pastor Luc told us how he had started the church in Cite Soleil, Port-au-Prince in April 1981 and "it was really sad to see the church collapse in just seconds" when the earthquake struck. At first "the people didn't know how to take it," but Pastor Luc reminded them that the people are the church. So they sing and they meet under tarps. When it rains (as it does often, for months), the rain comes through, but still the people come — 1,500 of them. About 500 children come to church; 300 are in the Harmony Ministries school in Port-au-Prince. Since the earthquake, Harmony Ministries has taken in many children. The church has added 600 people. There are pressing needs; most critical is feeding the people. And Harmony Ministries remains focused on providing education, to address the high rate of illiteracy and provide hope for a different future.

Pastor Luc also addressed the importance of the mobile clinics, staffed by visiting mission teams, that go to Leogane and Thoman. Doctors, nurses and translators are needed. The next PPC mission trip is tentatively scheduled for Jan. 18-24. For information, contact Roy Gust (480.315.1701 or gustben@msn.com) or Jan Loichle (480.575.9125 or jloichle@me.com).