Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor.
For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow; but woe to him that is alone when he falleth, 

and hath not another to lift him up. Again, if two lie together, then they have warmth; 

but how can one be warm alone? And if a man prevail against him that is alone, 

two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

                                                                    Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

                    We wondered if we should have left Haiti earlier.  It seemed like right after we left, Haiti has had two tropical storms and has received some much needed rainfall.  We praise God for His answering of prayers for Haiti.  On the flip side, we haven’t done very well at bringing warmer dryer weather with us to Iowa.  It has been cool and wet for the majority of our stay so far.  Crops and yards are looking very lush for August, and it looks like the farmers could have a blessed fall with an abundant harvest.  God is so good!  

Life in the U.S.:  

                 We are enjoying our time home with friends and family.  We thought we would share some of our observations as grandparents.  It has been almost six months since our last visit, so we notice a huge difference in the lives of these little ones as they seem to be growing and changing every day.  Please bare with us as we share about some of the gems in our life.

                   Hadassah, Nathaniel and Rachelle's six month old daughter, is all smiles and just warms your heart.  Like Esther/Hadassah in the Bible, her personality won the hearts of everyone around her including the King.  She has a contagious smile, and content disposition.  She warms up to strangers almost immediately and enjoys being held by anyone.

                   Isaiah & Lilia, are Nathaniel and Rachelle's twins and are almost three years old. They are a little more cautious and serious. They stand back and observe when they encounter new faces.  They are learning to talk in phrases, hearing them express themselves, and asking questions to learn new things is fun.  But, oh the energy those two expend.  Their favorite phrase currently is "I wake."  This reminds us that every day is a gift from God given to glorify and share his name.  Haitians have a similar phrase used as a morning greeting when asked "How are you?"  The response is, "Nou la" meaning "We are here."  He is the giver of life and each morning we awake is truly a gift of mercy.  The question we must ask is are we going through life giving thanks for our life and for how he can use us to bring glory to him through it?

          Road Trip and Getaway:  

                    Our travel plans for the first week in September are almost here.  We would appreciate your prayers as we travel to Maryland for Zachery and Olivia’s wedding on the 5th of September, and on the way back, take a turn South down to St Louis, Missouri to visit Catherine’s family, and especially her brother, Dan, who tragically lost his wife in a car accident in July.  Our plan at this point, God willing, is that we will be back in Iowa on the 10th of September.  We praise God for the way He has allowed our plans and preparation for the wedding to go so smoothly in such a short amount of time.  We certainly can see His hands working on our behalf, and we are so thankful!!

                    Thanks so much for the gracious responses we received for a place to have a quiet retreat for a few days in mid-September.  We are so blessed to have friends who are willing to share and praise God for the way people and churches open their resources for us.  We find that our time home is supposed to be relaxing and a time to recoup before we return to Haiti.  However, it is often not the case and we pack in so much that we short-circuit our relaxation and resting opportunities.  This time together away will allow a much needed time of quiet time together.
 

           Zachery & Olivia's Come & Go Reception:
 

Come and enjoy delicious homemade cheesecake
with specialty coffees.

                                  Venue:  Summit EFC, 1000 S. Main, Alta, IA
                              Date:  September 19th
                              Time:  2:00 pm - 5:00 pm
                          R.S.V.P:  faagric@yahoo.com by Tuesday, September 8th

          Questions Regarding Laborers With Christ Ministry in Haiti:

                    Often we get asked questions when we are visiting churches and friends in the US.  The scope of ministry can be a bit confusing when we share a “shotgun” approach through the DeRoos Drumbeat.  We thought we could highlight some pertinent questions to help explain what we do, and how we hope to accomplish those things we sense God calling us to do.

                    1. Explain your ministry in one sentence.
                        We are introducing, through word and deed, the gospel of Jesus Christ into the daily lives of orphans, widows, and abandoned babies, and as well the staff designated for the care and well-being of those aforementioned.

                    2. Tell us why your ministry is important or strategic.
                         Impacting lives in a spiritual capacity and encouraging following Jesus Christ are at the top of list of importance.  Historically Haiti has shown a lack of interest in growing their Evangelical Christian community.  By focusing on the youngest generation, the hope is that with God’s help, there will be growth and change in this area.

                    3. Give one or two scripture verses and explain how they under-gird your ministry.
                        James 1:27 “Pure religion and undefiled before our God and Father is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.” These people groups are at the center of God’s heart, and therefore are a vital part of who we desire to reach out to in love as we serve Jesus Christ.  Matthew 25:40 "And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me."  True Christianity or missionary work is making an impact on the lives of those less fortunate.  The Bible tells us by works faith is made perfect. Over the years, our two-handed approach to the gospel, has combined "...have done it unto one of the least of these..." with proclaiming God's word for a very effective outcome. 

          Moses:

    Sugar Snap Peas

We don't usually think about green peas as an exotic food in terms of nutrient composition—but we should. They also contain a unique assortment of health-protective phyto-nutrients.
           Peas are really little powerhouses of nutrition that are a great for your health.  

  1.  Weight Management:
       Peas are low fat but high everything else.  A cup of peas
       has less than 100 calories but lots of protein, fiber and
       micro-nutrients.
  2.  Stomach cancer prevention:
       Peas contain high amounts of a protective nutrient that works to prevent stomach cancer.  You only need 2
       milligrams per day of this phyto-nutrient to prevent stomach cancer.  A cup of peas has at least 10.
  3.  Anti-aging, strong immune system, and high energy:
       Peas contain high levels of anti-oxidants.

  4.  Prevention of wrinkles, Alzheimer’s, arthritis, bronchitis,  osteoporosis and candida
       Peas contain strong anti-inflammatory properties. Excess inflammation has also been linked to,
       heart disease, cancer, and aging in general. 
           •  Vitamin C and vitamin E, and a good amount of the antioxidant mineral zinc
           •  Omega-3 fat in the form of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA).
  5.  Blood sugar regulation:
       High fiber and protein slows down and regulates the pace of how fast sugars are digested.  
       The anti-oxidants and anti-inflammatory prevent or reverse insulin resistance (type 2 diabetes)
       All carbohydrates are natural sugars and starches with no white sugars or chemicals to worry about.
  6.  Heart disease prevention:
       The many antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compounds support healthy blood vessels. The formation
       of plaque along our blood vessel walls starts with chronic, excessive oxidative stress and inflammation. 
       The generous amounts of vitamin B1 and folate, B2, B3, and B6 reduce the risk factor for heart disease.

  7.  Healthy for the environment:
           •  Peas work with bacteria in the soil to ‘fix’ nitrogen from the air and deposit it in
              the soil. This reduces the need for artificial fertilizers since one of their main
              ingredients is nitrogen.
           •  After peas have been harvested the remaining plant easily breaks down to
              create more organic fertilizer for the soil.
           •  Peas are also able to grow on minimal moisture so they are a perfect crop in
              many areas not needing
              irrigation or using up valuable water supplies.
  8.  Prevent constipation:
       The high fiber content in peas improves bowel health and peristalsis. 
  9.  Healthy bones
       Just one cup of peas contain 44% of your Vitamin K which helps to anchor calcium inside the bones. It’s B
       vitamins also help to prevent osteoporosis.
10.  Reduces bad cholesterol:
       The niacin in peas helps reduce, the production of triglycerides and VLDL (very low-density lipoprotein,
       which results in less bad cholesterol, increased HDL (“good”) cholesterol, and lowered triglycerides.
 

“Let food be thy medicine, and medicine be thy food.” Hippocrates

Promoting a lifestyle of preventative care!

WELLNESS PRINCIPAL:  Health comes from within.  You cannot buy it in a bottle.
 

 
          WE NEED YOUR HELP:

                     Last month's edition and this month's edition of the DeRoos Drumbeat have been sent out using a new format through Mail Chimp.  The reason for the change was to help insure a more consistent reading format.  We realize there is a wide variety of operating systems represented in our readership, and we wanted to simplify your ability to read our monthly newsletter.  Please let us know if this, in fact, did accomplish what we hoped it would.  Are you experiencing any problems with our newsletter?  Have you noticed the change?  Was it a positive or negative change?  Thank you for your feedback!  
 

What a mighty God we serve!!

In His Love & Service, 
Les, Catherine, & Zachery

 

Laborers With Christ on-line giving

 

          We now have another option for your giving ease.  Just click on this link: Love gift to Laborers With Christ You can also visit us at laborerswithchrist.org and go to our Financial Support page. Thank you so much for your willingness to partner with us in ministry.     

 

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