Embracing the Gifts God has Given Us

by

June 2020

“We take our lead from Christ, who is the source of everything we do. He keeps us in step with each other. His very breath and blood flow through us, nourishing us so that we will grow up healthy in God, robust in love.”
Ephesians 4:16 (MSG)
The past month has been full of challenges as Hands and Feet Project continues to adapt and respond to the current lockdown season in Haiti. We are always grateful to be surrounded by the gifts and encouragement of others, but so much more in the midst of an ever changing environment. Our community is stepping up in new ways and we are on mission! Below, one of our Community Ambassadors shares his family’s journey with us. We pray it encourages you, as much as it does our staff.

A Community Ambassador Spotlight!

Mark and Angela Rockwell, both elementary school teachers, live with their kids, Julia (17) and Jacob (12) in Salisbury, NC. Read Mark and his family’s story below!“When faced with the challenge of having to care for my dad during his decline from brain cancer from 2010-2012, my walk with Jesus was like that of a fatigued explorer trying to cut through thick brush in a dark jungle with a dull machete. Being there for my Dad wasn’t something that I nobly chose to do, but something I did because I am his son, he was in need, and I was the only one there that could help.

It was in my dad’s final days, while reading James 1:27, that a deeper, personal desire to serve other vulnerable people took root in my life and it was shortly after he passed away that God used the voice of Kevin Max in the song “Kings & Queens,” to ask me the question, “If not us, who will be like Jesus to the least of these?” It was as if the thick jungle vines of pain that I’d been laboriously cutting my way through, all of a sudden, opened into a light-filled clearing of life-giving purpose. Hope reached down into the deepest catacombs of my soul, lightening the burden of grief I’d been crumbling under in mourning the loss of my dad.

By sponsoring two Hands & Feet Project kids (Kettia and Nickenson), my family took our first step in engaging with the mission of Hands & Feet Project to serve the long term needs of “the least of these” in Haiti. Since then, we’ve been blessed above and beyond to be able to continue participating with Hands & Feet Project through an additional child sponsorship in 2017 (Joel), participation in the annual KLOVE Fan Awards RUN FOR LOVE 5K, organizing the annual BIG BIG YARD FANTASY FOOTBALL LEAGUE, sponsoring long term Hands & Feet missionaries, selling Haiti Made products, and leading short term mission teams to Haiti.

I don’t mention these activities in order to project a notion of self-sacrifice on our part. Rather, our family has been richly blessed with tangible joy through our participation with the mission of Hands & Feet Project! It’s clear to us that Hands & Feet has been an integral part of God’s design to nurture our family spiritually as we’ve engaged in HAFP’s mission to live out the call of Jesus to care for the orphaned and abandoned and fight for families. We continue to be richly blessed through ongoing friendships with the kids, staff, missionaries, and other supporters of HAFP. Truly, our involvement with Hands & Feet Project has been nothing short of life changing and we can’t wait to get back to Haiti!”

Community Ambassadors use their circle of influence to share the story of Hands and Feet Project by hosting fundraisers, sharing about child sponsorship, and organizing trips to visit HAFP.

Meet Lyvie,
Photographer Extraordinaire!

Lyvie is a young woman supported by our Transition Care and Support Program in Grand Goave. Since we first came to know her, Lyvie has always been incredibly creative and curious. With some of our US Staff being away from Haiti, due to COVID-19, our Haiti community has taken on the responsibility of getting pictures of the daily activities to keep us updated and connected.  Lyvie has taken ownership of this task in Grand Goave.  Her eye for photography is such a gift and we love seeing how easily it comes to her!Lyvie aspires to be an entrepreneur in the future and with her self-motivated attitude we have no doubt she will be a successful one. She is a part of the Haiti Made team, is always on the look-out for new opportunities, and is full of brilliant ideas. Keep an eye on Lyvie! She’s pretty amazing.

If you’re interested in encouraging a young adult like Lyvie,
click below to visit our sponsorship page!

Keeping in Step
with Each Other

Hands and Feet Project’s Child and Family Advocacy team recently came together in Franklin, TN to plan, dream, and retreat together. It’s an unusual time to have everyone stateside and we wanted to take full advantage of the opportunity. The team was able to collaborate and strategically look towards the future of our Circle of Care, our plan to intentionally and specifically care for each child God places in our path. This team of highly skilled individuals brings perspective, experience, and creativity to Hands and Feet Project.

Pictured above:
Patti Bearden, Programming Director (Gift of Mercy); Denise McGarvey, Jacmel Director (Gift of Discernment); Randy McGarvey, Jacmel Director (Gift of Administration); Will McGinniss, Co-Founder/BOD (Gift of Exhortation); Andrea McGinniss (Gift of Leadership); Michelle Meece, Child and Family Advocate (Gift of Service)

We are so thankful for their individual gifts and the way they passionately serve the mission of Hands and Feet Project.

To read more about our team, click the button below!

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