Canada Post is ruining my ability to send out my LOVELY spring newsletter!

You can check it out here. —> Newsletter spring blog 2011   (Mac users – hold down “control” and click the mouse, then select download file) But still keep your eyes on the mail if you are one of our finacial partners, Nothing better than REAL MAIL!

Prayer Request

Please Pray that God would provide all our needs : )

I’ve attatched a Letter I’ll be sending out shortly to supporters.

Dear Friends

7 Years ago, when I set out to stand behind our brothers and sisters living in poverty, in the name of Jesus, I never could have imagined where I would end up.  It has been a long, exciting, scary, and life changing experience to be amongst some of the poorest of the poor, trying to love and serve in a way that would bring glory to Christ.

I’ve had some failures, some successes and seen things that could only be described as miracles from God.  Certainly the Lord has blessed this project beyond my expectations, and kept me safe even when I felt very alone and scared.

When I came to the D.R. to start this project I thought I would be able to finish up in 10 months.  Boy was I wrong; years later and we are just beginning to be at the place were the women can take this project on and lead, and we aren’t done yet.  I don’t know where God will lead us, but it has always been my prayer that I would do an excellent job and be able to complete the task at hand.

I have had many miracles when it comes to financial support.  I have lived off very, very little money, and the Lord has always provided for my needs through his church.  I took on caring for Jonathan and Rosairi trusting that the Lord would be faithful, and He has been so kind towards us.

Although Rosairi is now being raised by Pastor Jonny and his family (the Haitian pastor in our village)  I still care for her financially, giving the family money every month to pay for her food, clothing and other needs, and of course most of you know my little Jonathan is living with me.

I do my best to be a good single mom and full time missionary.  People sometimes feel as though a living expenses in a country like the D.R. are much lower than at home, but this isn’t really the case.  Food, gas, and electricity cost the same in the D.R. as they do in Canada.  My rent is cheaper than most apartments in Ontario Canada, but you get what you pay for.  I Iive in a small two bedroom apartment full of cockroaches, and limited access to running water (about 50% of the time) in a little Dominican town.  Although many missionaries in our area choose to live in “normal” homes in “expat” communities with big walls and guard dogs, I could never rationalize the expense, and have remained living like a an average Dominican.  Jonathan and I eat rice and beans every day, I rarely buy meat, and grin and bare it, when the water stops working just like everyone else.

I have been exceedingly blessed, and never had to worry about my funds.  People have always been very generous, and because I live on so little, I don’t have to pull my hair out of my head trying to raise support.  Part of it has to do as well, with IATW.  IATW do their best to keep running costs low, only asking for 10% from their missionaries to keep things moving. As someone who has met many missionaries from different organizations around the world I know that this is an amazingly low percentage.

All this to say, I need to raise more money for my financial support.

I wish I had the time to go around speaking and raising the extra support I need, but if I do that, it would take away from the work I’m doing to raise awareness about the women and their needs.  All of the money we make from selling the women’s work goes right back to them, and their needs are great.  I couldn’t possibly take time away from promoting them.

Everyone who has supported me so far has been so generous and I am grateful for everything that has been done to stand behind me and this project.

I’m asking that if anyone is able to increase their regular support sent into IATW so that I can continue the work we are doing here, please pray about doing that.

I’ve never sent out a request like this and feel pretty sheepish, if you know anyone who may desire to respond to this need, or a Church that you think would like to get behind this ministry, please pass along this little plea.

Much Love and Gratitude

Raquel