VIDEO DESCRIPTION:

Play, download and edit the free video Chain Breaker.

An update from Jake our manager at Fleri Restaurant and Bakery. Fleri in the midst of adversity is keeping people employed and ramping up production to feed a community burdened with food scarcity:
• Do you want the good news or the bad news first? •
A seemingly innocuous question is inescapable and more ominous here in Haiti as of late. You are inundated with news of suffering, all the while God's blessings and provisions are patiently waiting to be discovered. You want to share to make others aware of the suffering of those in your second home and at the same time worry what image that might cast upon the people you have called your brothers and sisters these last four years. You want to share of God's blessings and provisions during these trying times but worry doing so might sweep the suffering under the rug. I understand the privilege I have of holding an American passport and the availability of options at my fingertips, and yet I still maintain a level of stress for the businesses and people I am responsible for.
Our bakery had one of its best days ever on Friday. We put out over 25,000 pieces of bread alongside a flurry of pastries, pates, and cookies people in the community resell for a profit. That success is partly due to the scarcity of food in the area and the rising prices of produce. Regardless, I praise God for putting us in the position to be able to provide an alternative option for a hungry population while allowing our resellers to earn a wage. The other reason for the increase in production is that our restaurant staff has more time to help out in the bakery. I am sad they aren't putting out as much tasty food as they used to (bad news), yet happy they are still employed and contributing to Fleri's success (good news). Not as lucky are our servers and bussers who were more reliant on demand to be put on the schedule and receive tips for their impeccable service.
I miss the fellowship the restaurant brought. The locals, missionaries, tourists, and teams kept me entertained, encouraged, and excited about the future of Haiti. Sales have suffered in the restaurant as a majority of our customers travel by car from surrounding areas and aren’t able to get to us because of roadblocks, or they aren't even in country anymore. And yet we occasionally still get the Haitian family who has saved their wages to come in and celebrate their daughters first birthday. The family who shares a portion of food and drinks we as Americans would consider insufficient, yet they are reveling in the moment and memory they have just created as a family. I mourn for these lost moments and yet am thankful the staff that has made these moments possible are still employed, still providing for their families, and still investing in myself and Fleri.
There has been two months of country wide shut down now. Two months of kids not being able to go to school, young adults not starting university, hospitals and clinics shutting down, gas shortages, and scarce food alongside rising prices. Three or four times a day my staff will knock on my office door to inform me, "someone is here to see you at the front gate,” and I shrink into my chair already knowing I will have to tell someone we don’t have any more jobs available. I will tell them to put their faith in God and not in myself or Fleri. I truly mean it and believe it, but worry it comes off as lip service to the hungry soul gazing into my eyes. I don't know why, but some days it hurts more than others. There are certain merchants, that while scrounging up their dirty and worn Haitian Gourdes (currency) to place an order, make me want to just break down and empty out my wallet. I know I can’t, shouldn't and won’t be able to provide or fix everyone’s situations, but I so badly wish I could.
The bad news is that times are tough and life is heavy. The good news is that our God is bigger and stronger than it all. Regardless of which order you take that news in, the truth remains that our God is bigger and better than anything life will throw at us, even if it hurts like hell.
"Even when my strength is lost
I'll praise you
Even when I have no song
I'll praise you
Even when it's hard to find the words
Louder then I'll sing your praise"
- Even When It Hurts, Hillsong United

Download, play and edit free videos and free audios from Chain Breaker using RedcoolMedia.net web apps