“Man Pas, I found this on the ground. It must have fallen when boxes were moved from the other house to this one.”

Elaide (one of our workers) handed me an embroidered picture, now somehow separated from the glass and frame that once protected it. Prit’s Aunt Griselda had given it to us the day of our wedding. I stared in disbelief as I took this priceless, but now filthy treasure from her hand. It had obviously been trampled on several times and now was ruined.

I wondered how long it had taken Aunt Griselda to finish this piece. Having embroidered several items when I was in high school, I knew the time and effort that must have gone into its completion. The words on the piece of cloth read:

Now that we are one, O God
Go before us to guide us
Go behind us to protect us
Go beneath us to secure us
Go beside us to befriend us
Bind us closer in your love
Amen

Pritchard and Dana
June 13, 1981

In spite of the disappointment over a ruined gift, I was reminded that this prayer had truly been answered time and time again. The things we’ve faced together since that bright, sunny day of June 13, 1981, are enough to fill a novel. But our partnership has helped us weather some very violent storms. Without the Lord at the helm, our ship would have sunk long ago.

On January 10, 2015, Prit and I will have served together in Haiti for 32 years. I was remarking to Prit today that we’ve spent more of our lives in Haiti than we have in our own country. We’ve also spent the majority of our married life here as well since our next anniversary will mark 34 years.

If you are not already, would you prayerfully consider becoming partners with Rehoboth Ministries? We appreciate every gift we receive for this work, but we are seeking partners who give on a regular basis and who will commit themselves to pray for us. One-time gifts are wonderful, but running a huge ministry such as Rehoboth requires meeting the regular payrolls of leaders, teachers, and other staff members. There are a hundred other needs represented as well within our monthly account which includes feeding schoolchildren, maintaining our vehicle and generators, construction work, and the list goes on and on. Just as Prit and I are partners for the long haul, we are seeking partners that would commit themselves to us in the same way. Will you ask the Lord what part he would have you play in the support of this ministry?