Bonswa from Matt Friend

 (Thank you to Matt Friend for contributing the following post)

 Bonswa to all suppporters of Alex's House Orphanage! Some of you know me and some haven't met me yet, but I would like to share a some words about my experiences with the ministry of Alex's House. 

I have been blessed tremendously by our Lord to be able to visit Haiti four times in the past two years. Most of my trips to Haiti have been for the purpose of working directly with the BGR (Baptist Global Response) to serve in the area of construction of homes in the Damien Ouest and Bigarad areas just outside of Port-Au-Prince. God has worked in my life tremendously through these opportunities and has given me a heart for the Haitian people, and more importantly, missions in general. 

I must admit that prior to my first visit to Haiti, I had no desire to leave the comforts of my easy life in the USA, and had always considered missions to be what God calls other people to do. It wasn't for me to go, but to support through prayer and giving. I must also admit that I wasn't really doing that too much either. God brought me to my knees when I first learned of the earthquakes in Haiti. I was particularly broken over a picture I will never forget of a man holding his perished daughter in his arms with tears and anguish on his face. I was at that very moment convinced of, and then convicted by, my actual lack of love for God's people in foreign lands. I was, by God's grace alone, brought to the end of myself. God was placing upon my heart, a need to be in Haiti specifically. I told my Pastor what I felt God was doing in my heart, and asked him to pray for God's clear leading for me. Long story short, God soon opened the opportunity for me to go. I was scared, but excited at the same time. 

My first experience with Alex's House was in Damien, at the current orphanage location. We attended our first Haitian church service as a group at the orphanage. I was able to meet the children and catch a glimpse of what was was happening. God showed me that more importantly than building homes, was the need to help build lives for the future generations of Haiti. What I mean by that is that God desires that we take care of the widows and the orphans. This is what God calls religion that is pure and undefiled (James 1:27). 

I wanted so badly to be a part of what God was doing in Alex's House. He is doing this through so many of His people already. I couldn't have planned what God has continued to do in my life through the four visits to help in any way that He would use me. It has flowed over into every other area of my walk with Him. I recently had the privilege of working with a group to begin construction on the new location in Kalico. What a joy to be a part of God's work there! What satisfaction comes from being used in this ministry! My heart has only been drawn even closer, and I pray that He continues to use me to be a part of Alex's House in the future. 

I don't know what benefit this may be to you personally, but I would like to ask all of you to pray. Please pray for Alex's House. I know that God isn't going to send everyone there, but He does desire for us to pray for missions and give to missions efforts like Alex's House and others that are also seeking to reach people for His glory alone. If He is drawing you to go, please go! You will be blessed beyond what you could ever imagine! God bless you all.