December 2009 - Returned to Haiti

Happy New Year Friends, Family and Supporters!

    This is my delayed 2009 holiday update.  I arrived in Haiti Dec 13th after the first two and a half months of my sabbatical.  There have been multiple problems since my arrival with my car and power situation at my home which prevented me from getting this out earlier.  Now the power is restored and I continue to pray that my car would be fixed.  I thank God for a WONDERFUL time with family this fall, it was the best time away from Haiti I've had since starting full-time work in 2003.  The Lord removed the burden of responsibility from my shoulders and I was able to rest, knowing the children were in His hands (even though 2 were hospitalized during my absence). 
    I also had a great time visiting churches, friends and supporters.  One of the highlights of my trip was attending the ECHO missions/agriculture/

development conference.  It was the most inspiring and beneficial conference for my ministry I think I've ever attended.  It helped to confirm some of things that the Lord had been laying on my heart during the sabbatical as I evaluated my years of ministry and that is the need to train more and empower local leaders instead of doing so much myself.  Since my arrival in Haiti, I divided all the staff, young adults, teens and children at the orphanage into "committees"  (ie. health, organization, maintenance, social/missions etc) and am turning over responsibilities to the committees, it is off to a very good start and is a blessing to me and to their development!
   We had a nice Christmas at Hope Haven, fairly low-key but special and a special New Year's.  The children and teens will start school on Monday.  We had a change of employees, one we let go and have hired a new one, and we are very thankful for our pastor in Haiti who is now helping us with our staffing needs.  The transition has gone so smoothly and this would'nt have happened this way without him. 
    Attached is a set of short stories, I guess you could call it, about life in Hope Haven.  It was written in 2008 and early 2009.  I'm not sure if it's the Lord's will that I write a book, but at least I am writing some of the things the Lord is doing amongst us, and want to share them with you.  It's several pages, you may want to print it out and enjoy it with a cup of coffee or something.  Although it is  not yet copyrighted, I do ask that you don't reproduce it without letting me know.  If you are a friend on facebook you can see albums of our holiday pictures at Hope Haven. 

    Please pray: that my vehicle would be fixed today, that the orphanage vehicle would be fixed before school starts, for Haiti --the roads are again beyond explanation where we live, which means there is very little transportation available and the damage to our vehicles is great.  The rainy season at present, is worsening it, and there will be problems with the children's schooling if it is not fixed.  Also continue to pray for all of the teenagers at Hope Haven, there are many who are in crisis for various reasons, only the Lord's intervention can help. 

  If you would like to send support make checks payable to Hands of Love, Inc and mail to Hands of Love, Inc   9408 Highlander Blvd, Walkersville, Md 21793.   

Joyfully in His Service,

Cheron Rose Hardy, FNP-C, CNM, RN
Eternal Hope in Haiti

note: the website has changed to www.eternalhopeinhaiti.org, also the photo is the little ones at the orphanage and I, in the living for Christmas eve service.