Fundraising Brochure

Many people have indicated they want to be involved in supporting our work here in the Dominican Republic.  We have been working on a informational brochure that allows people to be involved in many ways.  Our experiences here have been fulfilling and our hope of building the Mission Guest House is close at hand.  We are completing plans for construction of the facility with local contractors and our only roadblock now is to find a suitable property to build on.  Relationships with other Mission Groups who bring teams to the area is most important and we have been working alongside many of these groups and the teams who come here over the past six months.  The support from the teams and Mission Groups alike for our mutual success in a Mission Guest House has been overwhelming...confirming for us at least that we are right in the middle of God's plan.
Please consider partnering with us so we can share the experience of the Dominican Republic and her people.
 

Time To Build!

Good morning all and bless you this day the Lord has made!  Laura and I want to thank all of you who have sent condolences to us with my fathers passing.  We are encouraged by many words of support and wish to convey thanks again to those who have continued to lift us up.
We continue to see God's will for us as we endure this time of mourning.  Before we left the D.R. for Canada to be with our family, we had found a property on which we can build the Mission House.  Dropped into our laps after months of searching a beautiful location and great value site; we made an offer.  Accepted!  We should close on the property soon after we return.  We have already secured a building contractor in the D.R. and we are tweaking details for construction to begin before Christmas!
Many of you who receive this blog have asked how you can support our Mission...now is the time.

Our budget for the construction of this project is explained in the attached brochure that we are launching immediately.  This fundraising campaign will help us in establishing the Mission House, continuing the work with other Ministries, and empowering Dominicans for success!

Mosquitoes have cloaking devices!

Slap! The sound was unmistakeable, yes another mosquito got away with trespassing.  I looked over at my wife only to see her again looking around her as she stood near the kitchen sink, twisting back and forth all the while looking at the floor near her feet.  Her hand was raised, open palm, ready to swing away at the malicious little creature that had offended her yet again.  "where the heck did it go!" she muttered under her breath.  I could barely make out the tirade of expletives that continued to pour out of my little wife, such a tragedy, that such a small creature could bring anyone to this level of discontent.  Of course this too got me to thinking, is there any useful good to a mosquito?  I mean, why did God make this obvious pest?  Was it made to keep us on our toes?  Maybe to harbor various parasites and viruses to keep certain populations of certain species in check.  Hmm mm....I wonder.  After a bit of research there appears to be no good reason why any mosquito should be allowed to exist!  I discovered (actually read) that most species of mosquitoes drink the blood of warm blooded creatures so that they can use proteins within the blood to create more eggs within a short life span.  It seems the blood they drink is full of life giving qualities mosquitoes need to create even more mosquitoes.  Some of us are more susceptible to bites from mosquitoes because they have an amazing ability to smell!  It seems that some of us perspire more amounts of CO2 than others which draw mosquitoes to us; they can smell our perspiration and are drawn to us!  Further to this, they carry a variety of Viral Diseases that can produce many problems to people and other animals alike; diseases like Malaria, or Dengue Fever or even West Nile Virus which can be deadly to both humans and birds.  However, recently mosquitoes have been studied because they possess within their tiny little bodies a chemical which they use to stop blood from clotting while they ingest blood from a victim.  The mosquito injects a saliva full of this chemical into the victim to stop blood from thickening; medical science is trying to harvest qualities of this saliva for medical reasons.  The ability to conduct surgeries better, blood thinning medication for heart disease, and a host of other illnesses that will benefit humanity once science can properly harvest the saliva of the mosquito!  So there you have it, most of us detest this small, determined, pesky little creature that has most likely pervaded our lives negatively for generations; millions of us have "slapped" at these devious little blood sucking demons!  But it seems painfully obvious to me that God has had a purpose for these little guys all along; discernment comes with understanding, Paul tells us this in Romans 1:20 " For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities-His eternal powers and divine nature have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse."  This scripture, given to us by the Apostle Paul, tells men that creation, all things in creation, contain within it the invisible qualities of God's power and His nature, and that when the discoveries of creation are revealed for what they contain, man cannot understand how, but in time will be given the reasons for those discoveries; these mysteries of creation have been revealed time and time again.  Each time creation reveals itself, like the mosquito has, man has to receive the revealed qualities of creation as proof for God's might and His divine nature.  The tiny mosquito, reviled by humanity as a useful, disease ridden pest, has been revealed as a production engine for medical progress and therefore improved humanity, because God created it this way!  Man cannot deny what has been revealed, as the scripture indicates "...so that men are without excuse."  There is no good reason for a mosquito other than that which has been revealed in its proper time.  In today's day and age when technology exists to impart the ability to understand what a mosquito is good for has been debated between science and creationists for some time; Creationists will take my position, God revealed the invisible nature of the mosquito when it was needed.  Science has stated that Man revealed the invisible nature of the mosquito because Man developed into a more intelligent being.  What a deceived bunch we are!  That we could possibly believe that Mankind had anything to do with anything in creation!  Next thing you'll hear will probably be this "Man discovers how to make Gold out of Lead!"  Oh wait...we tried that.  I went down this road today with the blog because I wanted to remind you all of the small things that can tend to distract us with what is going on in our lives; but that maybe, just maybe, those small things buzzing around your legs trying to get a piece of you are there for a bigger purpose.  A purpose waiting to show God's invisible nature, His divine Nature.

Breaking Ground!

This is good, the ground is so hard I can hardly push the shovel into it.  I lean in a little more and grip the shovel even tighter, driving my left foot down onto the top of the blade; the ground gives way to the sharp tool and the shovel drives deep into the rich red soil.  I worked the blade back and forth a bit all the while driving the blade of the shovel deeper, separating the packed soil from itself, finally reaching the depth of the blade I levered the shovel handle down and the blade forced the soil up and out.  It was only a small dusty pile that I had removed from the ground but definitely significant; one down a few thousand to go.  That was Tuesday November 1, 2011 at about 4 p.m. when we disturbed this peaceful earth with our toil.  I have spent the past few days musing over the significance over the breaking ground ceremony, and some may not see it as related to anything Biblical but I wondered?
This perspective I offer;  The earth is ready, prepared with time, and now its purpose revealed; at least in our case.  Just as each of us walks out our walk with God, looking for His will for our lives, each of us wondering,"Is this what I am supposed to do Lord?"  As the ground waits for its use to be revealed, so do we wait, watching for our inevitable use.  This has to make sense for you to see the correlation; like the patient earth waiting in time to be put to good use, to be turned over so a foundation can be laid, so each of us are with our own lives.  Time marches at the same rate for all of us, but we find ourselves in different stages of readiness.  Some of us are soft or not sure of our place, while some of us are too hard; unwilling to receive a shovel.  The Bible does not speak specifically about breaking ground, but does relate to the proper way to lay a foundation, of course by digging deep!
NIV Luke 6:46-49
46 "Why do you call me, 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I say? 47 I will show you what he is like who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice. 48 He is like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. 49 But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete."
Now of course Jesus is not talking about building guest houses, rather He is using the analogy to teach us to do what He says.  Living our lives full of the Word gives us a solid foundation to weather any storm.  Food for thought.
By the way..how big is your shovel?  Are you ready to lay your foundations for the Lord?

 This is the video of the Ground Breaking Ceremony for Rio Vista Guest House!
Michael

http://vimeo.com/31599402

Thanksgiving!

Good morning all!  Bless you all on this day the Lord has made!  This is a special day for most of us especially for those of us who live in Canada.  Unlike our American friends who celebrate Thanksgiving in November, we Canucks have always embraced this tradition a month earlier, which got me to thinking; does anyone know why?  If we understand our history as taught to us in school then we would believe that the tradition of Thanksgiving was a celebration by the people of the land who praised God for a bountiful harvest.  Records dating back before the New World was fully colonized by immigrant pilgrims, that a celebration of thanks was often performed in the Netherlands, home of the Pilgrims, after several cities were rescued by the Dutch Monarch after Spain had tried to capture the Netherlands.  One city in particular had been under siege by Spain for three months, with many people dying of starvation during the siege.  Finally the Dutch navy broke the famous dykes that protected most of Holland so their ships could sail into the country and bring armies and food to save their people from the Spanish siege.  Spain was already out of money because she had spread herself too thin looking for more lands to conquer and wealth to plunder so the armies of Spain fled when they saw the Dutch Navy approaching the cities.  The people celebrated their rescue with the Navy as they were given fresh bread and herring.  Since then the practice of this celebration was conducted in October every year.  When the Pilgrims came to the Americas, they also continued the practice of the celebration at first to thank God for the bountiful harvest, but then in later years when drought had set it and the people were again starving, to thank God for their Native American friends  who had come to the aid of the starving immigrants providing them with seeds and teaching them to fish.  The practice of celebrating Thanksgiving was not regular until after 1660.  As the practice moved with the people year after year it was not long until the people who settled Canada also began to partake of their own celebrations of a bountiful harvest.  Typically the people of a given area had celebrations involving an entire community and although they may have celebrated on different days, it always coincided with the end of harvest crops.  The Canadian Government settled on the October date after the end of World War 1 because Armistice day was November 11, and two holidays in the same week was too much.  In America however, the Holiday was established around whatever day seemed appealing to the President at the time, with the first Thanksgiving on a fixed day in 1863, the last Sunday in November.  President Roosevelt established the American Holiday for the fourth Sunday in November, in order to give the economy a boost at the end on the month.
History in a nutshell I like to call it!  When Thanksgiving first began the people who initiated this tradition were all Christians, given to understanding the basis of why we must give thanks to God for what we have.  Whatever the end result has become the premise for establishing the holiday was given by the people, a celebration to thank God for His bountiful provision; whether from persecution of a conquering country, or for God's provision for a large harvest of food.  Even to the extent of thanking God for new found friends who provided new means of sustenance for people in a harsh New World.  Whatever the case was, or still is today for that matter, we should all be Thankful for God's provision, with everything that we have it is not ours by any means that we have done, for everything belongs to God.  Even after we have given thanks for all that we have gained, all that we have grown in our lands, for all that we have brought into our house, we are commanded to give back a portion of that gain to the Lord.  It is in this act of giving back that we are truly thanking God for all He has done for us, our tithes and offerings are blessed by God and will return to us when we honor His request of us in this;  "...Since the people began to bring the offerings into the house of the Lord, we have had enough to eat and have plenty left, for the Lord has blessed His people; and what is left is this great abundance."  2 Chron 31:10.
Laura and I are grateful for all that God has done for us, for His blessings upon us are truly great!  Today we celebrate with family and friends from afar, wishing we could be with you all as you celebrate why we have been blessed with all of you in our lives!  Over the past three years many of you have expressed your desire to be involved in our Mission Field here in the D.R.  God  has provided a means for His plans in the Dominican Republic to be known, the fulfillment of His Mission Guest House here on the North Coast of the Dominican Republic is close at hand.  Since our return to Sosua last week we have been busy working closely with our Ministry partners finalizing details for  the land deal upon which we will build the project, the project God is blessing with partners like all of you!  We are launching today our Capital Campaign in order to complete the funding necessary for the project; the goal of which we have been working on now for more than three years.  The attached campaign brochure explains in detail where we are at within the project.  Since we printed the brochure over a month ago even more details about the project have improved, giving promise to the completion of the Mission Guest House within a short time.  We are now moving forward at God's pace, as each door opens we walk through establishing the plans He gave us some time ago.  We want to invite all of you to look over the plans and join us as we continue to venture forward!

Bendiciones!


 

Going Home!

Well the day has finally arrived and I must say with mixed feelings, Laura and I leave Canada today for the return to the D.R.  This trip although unexpected has brought us closer to many of our family and friends.  We have thoroughly enjoyed the hospitality of family and close friends in each city where we stayed.  A big shout out of love to my family in B.C. who endured the hardship of family loss with us, God bless you all!  I know that you rest in the comfort of the Lord and He has our backs as we leave you again for a time.  Our extended family in Alberta is also huge in our hearts as we again are reminded of how strong is the bond that ties us together with John and Denise McNeil, may the Lord keep you and your household strong blessing you with good times and a calming presence.  (I know you need that because of those little angels who bless you daily!)  Thank you for putting up with us as we moved in and out of your house several times over the past three weeks!  We extend another prayer for our good friends who put us up in Lethbridge, feeding us and praying with us while we reconnected with supporters in L.A.  Be blessed James and Sylvia for the Lord knows your hearts and He is pleased.  We pray for a blessing over them as they support us from Lethbridge, they are our anchors while we are away and we ask that they be held up in prayer while they walk out the mission with us.  Pray for protection over them and God's provision, we love you guys!  Laura and I were blessed to be able to meet with so many supporters while we were in Lethbridge for the week.  I apologize if we could not meet with many others who support us as we simply ran out of time.  It has been an amazing time of rediscovery with many of you about the mission God has given us and what has been happening with us so far.  Many times I felt my voice straining to keep up with my mind as we shared our experiences with you.  I know my wife says I talk too much but I can't help it, I have to tell of the work He is doing with us in the D.R.  It is a glorious opportunity for us to be able to share with you all that we have seen and done so far.  Thank you all for your time, your hospitality and your love towards us.  Laura and I look forward to the day when we can return the blessing to each of you when you visit us on the mission field in the D.R.  We will soon begin to build our Mission House and then all of you are invited to journey with us more closely, sharing in the experience of seeing God at work with us in the D.R...with His people.
Finally we wish to thank our parents, each of them in turn have been absolutely inspirational to us, my B.C. mother Debbie, who now stands on the rock of the Lord, bless you as you continue on without my father, I know you will miss him as will I, but I know we are stronger today for how he enriched our lives...no more suffering.  To my mother and step-father in Huxley Ab. keep the faith, for I look to that faith in you as inspiration for myself.  The light of the Lord shines bright in Huxley, thank you for all you are in my life.  Lastly but certainly not least, our parents in Windsor, Laura's father and step-mother, from whom I can say I received good Godly counsel, amazing blessings and profound love.  The Spirit of the Lord is the center of Dearl and Annette's life, this we know.  Bless you all our
earthly parents, bless you all our families extended, bless you all our friends and supporters and a heartfelt thank you for all you do for us!

Dios los bendigal!

Mike and Laura Boisclair

Remember

Today I visited with an old friend from high school.  I called Chris after I arrived back in my home town of Oliver B.C. to see if he could meet up with me for breakfast.  Chris immediately said yes and then gave me his condolences for the loss of my Dad Charlie Boisclair who passed away suddenly on September 6.  While we had gone to school at SOSS Chris had not always been in Oliver, he arrived at the school at the beginning of the Grade 10 year for me.  Chris was big and tall and full of personality, played basketball and was labelled "a jock".  Certainly not the crowd I hung around with.  I guess you could say I was a "wanna be jock"  but was too small and slight to play that serious paced game.  Neither did we have a football team, like it mattered.  We ended up in several classes together and became friends as we often studied together.  What an unlikely pairing, but we became stronger friends and he offered me a summer job through his father.  I accepted because money was right up my alley as a teenager, I mean food was pricey!  What followed was several years of friendship that continued even as I moved away and began my adult life.  My father and Chris always had a great relationship and Dad even helped Chris start his first business when he was in grade 12.  It was great and I know Chris always had a great respect for my Dad throughout the following 30 years.  Even as I returned to my hometown for visits from time to time, Chris was always a welcome part of our family.  So solid was that bond.  When the news of my Dad's passing came to the family of course shock and sadness ran its course.  Each of us facing the news with different but similar circumstances.  When I had received the news about his passing I sat and stared at the email and read it again.   Slowly I began to realize that I would never again be able to talk to him, hug him or just sit with him.  Never again would I be able to jump in the truck and race up McKinney to see how quickly we could get to the power line and settle down for an afternoon hunt.  Oh how he loved that part of his life.  It seemed that throughout the years of growing up that was all he ever did.  All his brothers ever did, even some of my aunts embraced the overwhelming desire to provide for their families in this way.  It seemed that even when hunting season was not on we were always up the hill cutting firewood to ready ourselves for the winter.  Dad even turned firewood into a small business as he hauled truckload after truckload of wood down the mountain for us kids to split and chop for resale customers.  As I sat at the computer reading the news the flood of emotion came over me like a wave, welling up from inside and filling my depths first and then moving quickly into my head.  My thoughts raced to how everyone was reacting to this shocking news and the floodgates opened onto the desk.  I gasped and sobbed uncontrollably for a few minutes and then suddenly, as if a tornado had suddenly ceased, calm washed over my body.  Peace came into my mind as I knew suddenly that God had taken him now for a reason.  His suffering was over, time to go home.  His family must stay behind and continue on without him but surely not in pain.  Some of us might continue to grieve that he is gone but the peace I felt of God's will was overwhelming.  God took him to ease all of our suffering.  Dad had endured over 10 years of progressive illness through Alzheimer/Dementia.  An extremely debilitating disease that traps people in their minds and traps the families that have to watch their loved ones suffer.  Enough God said.  Enough.  Chris said to me confirming words of what I knew God was doing.  "It is truly a blessing for Charlie and the family that God has released everyone from the burden of this time"  he said to me this morning.  Chris Jentsch is not a Christian.  But God uses people all instruments of His will, even when they don't even know Him!   Chris continued to comment about my Dad as we sat there and listened to his reminisce about all the times he had spent with my Dad.  "That man had the biggest brain in any man I know!"  he said, "I mean he was so quick with a comeback or a joke and he always had a smile on his face!"  "I wish I could come up with the quick retorts or have the witty little jokes that made people laugh!  Chris spoke for quite a while about the way my Dad was around people.  He was absolutely right, confirming for me that my Father raised me up to appreciate and respect those around me.  That he in turn respected my relationship with y friend so much that now my friend could edify all that my Dad was to all of us.  Charlie Boisclair was loved by all, not a fighter, not mean.  Level, strong and always sure of what he did and who he was.  I knew that, so did my brothers and sisters, all of his brothers and sisters, all of his friends, anyone who met Charlie knew he was alright.  Chris knew it and still does. Thank you Lord for the gift of friendship in a man who I have known for more than 30 years and can still call me brother at the same table.  Your confirming presence is gratifying to me that I am still to continue working for you the rest of my days.  Thank you Lord for your continuing presence in my family, for your peace and love to them as they seek solace in each other and in you.  "Blessed are those who mourn" Jesus said "for they shall be comforted" Matt 3:4. Thank you Lord for your Holy Spirit who comforts all of us when we rest in you as we mourn.  Charlie Boisclair lived his life and now he is gone, but his legacy lives in all of us who were touched by his spirit.  Pray Lord that we never forget him and help us celebrate his life.  Amen