HAITIANS HELPING HAITIANS ORGANIZATION FOUNDER VISITS Connie Marthaler speaker at Epiphany meeting Connie's Orphans and Pastor Rusty Haitians Helping Haitians founder, Connie Marthaler spoke to the April meeting of Epiphany District about her work in Haiti.  Connie truly has a passion for the Haitian people and she shared her sorrow and her joy with us. She works primarily with a group of about 30 families, and displaced persons in a Aquin, Haiti. She is especially involved in helping the orphaned children and has taken many of them under her wing. She is currently seeking help to supply these children with the basic necessities of life.  The pictures show a poster of the children with a short description of their backgrounds. Connie is asking for financial support at $35.00 per month per child to help supply minimal food, clothing, and health care. Pastor Rusty Bailey has been working through Connie with the help of all who have sent contributions through BTRA to channel the money that is donated directly and quickly to the people who are in need. The photo shows Pastor Rusty presenting the most recent funds that have been donated through Beyond The River Academy - a check to Haitians Helping Haitians Organization for $4676.00. The offering of $467.00 received at the Epiphany Lutheran District meeting  was also given to Connie for Haiti relief. The District has also agreed to support one of the orphans at $35.00 per month for a year. Praise God for all the wonderful people who continue to contribute!! Pastor Rusty presents check to Connie Blessing for Connie's Mission Pastors Lee Harder, Rusty Bailey, and Stew Carlson place hands on Connie as we all bless her and her continuing work among the people of Haiti. May the Lord provide shelter and safety from disease in Haiti as the rainy season comes upon them. There is great need among the people of Haiti, but they are a people able to be rejoice in what they do have. Connie has many dreams particularly for the orphans she is sheltering, but also for all of Haiti. She spoke of working with Food For The Poor to help supply food and build wells and houses; efficient, safe, economical stoves are available, but getting them to the people is not easy or fast. There is a very pressing need for education ($65.00 will allow one child to attend school for one year). The education is basic as the need for buildings and qualified teachers is overwhelming, but this money would make it possible to learn reading, writing, and math. Daniel Duke Daniel Duke and Silas Nfor, missionaries from Cameroon and Wycliff Bible Translators  Silas Nfor Epiphany District was privileged to have Daniel Duke and Silas Nfor, from Camroon, Africa present the program at the September 2009 meeting. Daniel lives in Yaounde, Cameroon and works with Wycliffe Bible Translators. He shared much information with us, but perhaps the most impressive is the enormous amount of time it takes to actually start without a written language and end with a Bible in the language of a native tribe. The translators live with the natives, learn their language, and create a written form of the language.  In the process the natives themselves must learn to read and write. Silas Nfor is a pastor serving in his native country. They were spending time here to raise money for use in Cameroon. Pastor Rusty Bailey of Immanuel Lutheran in Swea City, IA sponsored their visit to Epiphany. If you would like to contribute to or learn more about  their work please visit: Wycliffe Bible Translators.