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Tuesday, September 16, 2003

Hello From Dangriga, Belize

Hello Friends,

Many of you may be wondering what happened to the newsletter we receive from Rob and Denise monthly. Well this month has been a challenge. Not in that we haven't taken the time to prepare a newsletter, or have tried to send you one. We have done both. In reviewing the newsletter after it had been posted. We found (1) not all of you were included in the newsletter. Not because we didn't try and include you, but you just weren't. So we tried to post the information to you in separate emails. some could open the email some couldn't. (2) Also while reviewing the newsletter we discovered that three of the verses in the text we used were omitted. Our text was drawn from Ephesians 6:12-20. In the document we create offline and then merge into the newsletter this information was there. When we proofread the message prior to posting the verse was there. Isn't it interesting that the entire point of this newsletter is "Spiritual Warfare". Denise and I archived the newsletter after we went in and inserted and corrected the verses and still the archived copy when viewed today was incorrect. So would you please look at the archived message the one previous to this message in our Mercy Watch and ignore the scripture as written and read it from your own bible. We have never had this happen before, and trust you will join us and see that there is and important message that the word of God is displaying and the devil just doesn't want you to get it.

May you be blessed abundantly today as you seek to serve the Lord in all you do.

Blessing,
Rob and Denise

Wednesday, September 10, 2003

Greetings from Dangriga, Belize!

Hello Friends,

We have completed our first month of outreach in Dangriga, Belize. It is amazing to see the Lord at work. There has been much spiritual warfare here. Your prayers for us and for the team that is here and those that are yet to come are needed and appreciated. We are told by Paul in Eph.6:

(12) “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms (13) Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. (14) Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, (15) and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. (16) In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. (17) take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. (18) and pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints. (19) Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel.”

We have seen that the power of prayer has sustained us during each outreach we have been involved with. That by the very word of God we are empowered and protected. Strongholds are torn down and captives are set free. It seems difficult to accurately present to you the full impact of your prayers. We’d like to share one example from the director of the YWAM base in Haiti.

Hello Everyone,

You may recall a recent report of how it was heard that there was a big voodoo ceremony to take place at the original sight where Boukman sacrificed a pig. The ceremony had ended prematurely and there were reports that there had been much confusion and no sacrifices were made. Brian Shipley and Illioney St. Fleur, two of our YWAM staff leaders, have just returned from the sight today to give a first hand report of what they found and heard with their own eyes and ears. I hope your faith and prayers will grow as this nation of Haiti is clearly on the breaking point of a great move of GOD!

Terry W. Snow

National Director, YWAM Haiti

Report on the events at Bois Caiman August 14th, 2003 By Illioney St. Fleur and Brian Shipley

About a week and a half ago many of you heard a report from us that there was a story circulating in Haiti that a great Voodoo ceremony had been planned for Bois Caiman on the night of the 14th of August, and that there had been plans for a large number of animals to be sacrificed as a memorial of the sacrifice made on the night of August 14, 1791. The story was that some kind of confusion happened and the sacrifices were never done because of the united prayer efforts of Haitian churches and churches in many countries around the world. We wanted to verify that report so we drove 4 and ½ hours this morning to get to the actual site at Bois Caiman so that we could find out first hand what happened. Here is what we learned.

The receptionist at a hotel located less than 2 miles from Bois Caiman told us that they had reservations for several government officials for that night who were supposed to participate in the ceremony. Those officials never showed up. She and another employee of the hotel said that because the churches had joined together in prayer that “Satan had been chased away from the land” and that “NOTHING had happened that night.” We were excited to hear that news, but we decided that we would continue on to the actual tree at Bois Caiman where the original sacrifice in 1791 was made, and where the ceremony was to be held just 2 weeks ago.

As we drove down the narrow dirt road leading to the place, we saw two banners spread across the road that read, “Voodoo, the source and root of our Liberty!” When we arrived at the famous tree at Bois Caiman, what we found was a VERY DEAD TREE, large and impressive, but dead nonetheless. Interesting that the tree marking the place that is supposed to be the very “source and root of Haitian Liberty” is dead. Even more interesting is the fact that it is a fertile and well watered area and we saw literally hundreds of verdant trees all around, but only the one was dead. It sure seems that God is making a powerful statement that the real source of Haiti’s Liberty is not Voodoo!

There is a church located less than 100 yards from the tree so Illioney went inside to ask if anyone there could give a report on what happened August 14th. The news was the same as what we have heard everywhere else. A man in the church said, “Big sacrifices were planned for that night, but not even an ant died!” That man also shared with us another interesting report. He said that some time ago (within the last 2 years) sacrifices had been made at the tree by two witchdoctors in order that during a worship service a fire would break out in the church to kill the pastor and any believers worshipping there. Not long after that, both of the witchdoctors died, but the church is still standing and the only fire that has ever burned in the church (besides the Holy Spirit) is at the cook stove in the kitchen where they make rice and beans every day for the kids who attend school in the church building.

The Devil is indeed a roaring lion, loud and sometimes frightening, but it’s all smoke and mirrors. As Revelation 12:10 and 11 says, “...For the accuser of our brothers, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down. They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; and they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death.”

When we were in the Dominican Republic, we were able to witness first hand the power of God in a Haitian Refugee Village. Our Mercy Ship teams built a church for the Christians to worship in. We also taught agriculture, had a health care clinic and solar oven seminars.

Denise and I thank each of you for the investment you make in our lives. Through your prayers, letters of encouragement, phone calls and financial support. We are truly blessed, to have each of you as our support team.

We were doubly blessed this month of August as our youngest son Jeff was married to his lovely wife Valerie on the 28th. This was a time of celebration and reconciliation for our family. Denise and I were unable to attend, but were blessed to have Denise’s father (Pop-pup), family friend Vivian, and Aunt Dawn and Aunt Donna with her daughter, Erin, come from Maryland and Delaware to honor Jeff and Valerie. This was answered prayer and made Jeff and Valerie feel loved and honored. We would like to thank all of our friends and extended family members who helped to make this a special day for Jeff and Valerie; we realize that many were unable to attend but held Jeff and Valerie up in their prayers. Thank you! Aunt Dawn took nine rolls of pictures and is sending them to us after they are developed. We’ll be anxious to forward some of these along to each of you, our family and friends. We love each of you and feel your love for us.

Our prayer for each of you is, “May your life be as wonderful as it was in the mind of God the day He made you”.

God’s blessings,
Rob and Denise
Mercy Ships, m/v Caribbean Mercy

Ship’s phone: 504 739-5193
Cabin ext: 246

Email: denise.miller@mercyships.org
robert.miller@mercyships.org

website: www.mercyships.org

Postal address:

Rob and Denise Miller
Mercy Ships, m/v Caribbean Mercy PO Box 2020 Garden Valley, TX 75771-2020