September 27, 2004

Dear Friends,

Just a note to say that I am fine. Jeanne in the Hinche/Papaye area was two days of drizzles, occaisional downpours, and not much sun. The dirt roads have already dried out, and we are quickly approaching dust clouds if we don't get more rains (but hurricanes are not necessary).

Please keep in your prayers, along with all of the Haitians suffering from the flooding in northern and northwestern Haiti, the family and friends of Mironda Heston. Mironda was a volunteer, sociologist and family psychologist who did her master's thesis with MPP last year and this year came back for at least a year to continue working with MPP, helping with grant-writing, translating, providing back-up for youth and women's groups and helping Dr. Agat Jean Baptiste (Chavannes' daughter) set up the integrated health program for MPP.

Mironda contracted hemorrhagic dengue three weeks ago, possibly while she was in Port au Prince during a short vacation, and died from complications at the Loyola Hospital in Chicago this past Tuesday, September 21. Not only the members of the MPP team, but the whole Papaye community is grieving for her. We had a memorial service for Mironda this past Thursday. Her funeral in the States was yesterday.

Pray espcially for Agat, Mironda's work partner, friend and health caretaker, for Silves, Mironda's Haitian partner/boyfriend, who is also an agronomist for MPP, and for Mami, Mironda's neighbor and one of her best friends. Pray for all of us that we can find energy and strength in Mironda's dedication to changing the world.

Many many blessings.

In Christ.

Mark

The 2004 Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, p. 140