A New Chapter

 Hello! 

It’s Keely again with an update on the Sheppard family's journey as they navigate a period of transition, alongside Linda's ongoing health challenges.

After a return to Haiti to pack up their home and the gymnastics school, Linda has safely returned to the United States. Her journey was marked by unexpected twists, as her back deteriorate in Haiti and had to divert through the Dominican Republic for urgent medical care. Now, she is back home with her family in North Carolina. Regrettably, her health necessitated back surgery in mid-September. While there's a demanding road to recovery ahead, Linda remains grateful for the sustaining power of your prayers and trusts in God's divine plan for her healing.

The shipment of gymnastics equipment from the Haitian school to its US counterpart, Union County Gymnastics, arrived shortly after Linda's return. The equipment is already set up, eagerly awaiting new students. In the coming months, the focus will be on fostering connections and refining program designs, charting the course for the partnership between Haiti and the US gymnastic programs.

Linda and Ron are deeply committed to education, recognizing it as the catalyst for transformative change for young Haitians. Post-Linda's recovery, their efforts will be concentrated on collaborating with their Haitian staff to identify schools for potential partnerships and initiating the expansion of their educational initiatives in Haiti.

The visa application process for Leanne's entry into the US has been set in motion. Though it's a long process, there is a steadfast trust in the system and a belief that God holds the ultimate plan.

Today, we humbly ask for your prayers for the following:

Linda's swift recovery and enduring health

• The Sheppard children as they transition and adjust to new beginnings of their own

• Guidance and wisdom as the development of the Haiti-US gymnastics sister program takes its formative steps

• Open doors for partnerships in the gymnastics program

• A seamless visa process for Leanne

• Strength and safety for the Haitian staff, who serve as the eyes and feet on the ground

• Tranquility and rejuvenation for Haiti

Thank you for your continued support and prayers. Together, we stand as a source of strength for the Sheppard family during this pivotal chapter in their lives.

The Sheppard Family Transition

Greetings! My name is Keely, and today I'm honored to share an update on behalf of the Sheppard family. Recently, I've been in close contact with Linda, offering my support as she faces the incredibly challenging transition

of leaving Haiti and returning, full-time, to the United States. Having experienced a similar move myself, I understand the difficulties involved, and my aim today is to convey their current situation while allowing them space to focus on their most pressing tasks.

A decade ago, the Sheppards embarked on a journey to Haiti, purchasing 14 one-way tickets.

Now, Linda finds herself alone in Haiti, packing up their family home, bidding farewell to loved ones, and loading a container that will be shipped to the States. Meanwhile, Ron is holding down the fort in North Carolina.

Their family has grown and thrived in Haiti, experiencing countless "firsts," birthdays, Christmases, and more during their time there. However, now they are each following different paths. Eight of the children have settled in North Carolina, including 13-year-old Naomi, who was just a baby when they first made that life-changing journey. David is in France, and the remaining five are spread across Oregon and Washington state.

Haiti has become increasingly unstable due to gang violence, kidnappings, and limited resources, which has compelled the Sheppard family to relocate to the US. Even though God physically took the family to safety, their hearts remain committed to Haiti's service. This transition has been more challenging than anyone could have anticipated, but it also holds hope for new opportunities and fresh beginnings. God has presented them with various avenues to continue supporting their family, friends, and community in Haiti.

The Sheppards are continuing to offer support to Leanne, who remains in Haiti, and are actively working to secure a visa for her to join them in the United States.

They are also devoted to providing school support for the children in the communities they leave behind in Haiti.

Furthermore, Linda has worked through countless obstacles and challenges to get a container full of gymnastics equipment from Haiti to North Carolina.

This will enable a partnership between Haiti gymnastics and Union County Gymnastics to take shape. The sister-school program will facilitate an exchange, allowing Haitian students to come and train, as well as compete in North Carolina. The connection with coaches having strong ties to the university opens up countless opportunities for the students involved. While the details are still being worked out, the Sheppards are confident that this is all part of God's plan.

As always, we believe that God has a plan for them, and we humbly request your prayers for various aspects of their journey:

• Pray for the Sheppards' transition, both in terms of their physical well-being and emotional healing as they navigate their new life in the United States.
• Pray for peace and restoration in Haiti, and especially for the Haitian families who are facing daily struggles for survival.
• Pray for the ministries that the Sheppard’s are committed to supporting in Haiti.
• Pray for guidance on their upcoming projects in both Haiti and the United States.
• Pray for the safe delivery of the container as it makes its way from Haiti to North Carolina, and for the success of the gymnastics sister-school program, as it opens new opportunities for students on both sides.
• Finally, pray for healing and hope to prevail throughout their journey.

Thank you for joining us in prayer and support for the Sheppard family during this crucial period of transition. Together, we can make a difference and bring positivity and empowerment to both their new life in the United States and their continued dedication to serving Haiti.

Therapy in Guatemala

Yes, we are still very active in Haiti. We have not given up HOPE for the people of Haiti and we appreciate everyone's continued prayers for the unrest and continual crisis in the place we call home. We would like to give more updates, but it's very depressing and continues to get worse and worse. Please keep praying for our staff in Haiti, their families, and that they will be safe. We still feel displaced in North Carolina with our hearts in Haiti and our home and dogs and so many friends we consider family.

But for this post, we want to talk about something positive. In the meantime, Linda continues to minister in Guatemala yay!  She lead a mission trip a few weeks ago to Santa Maria de Jesus with a joint medical and mental health training/therapy team. 

 

It was an amazing experience, especially getting back into her specialty which is trauma work and mental health. Linda has been a trainer for Crisis Care Training International for many, many years, but as things got worse and worse in Haiti around 2018, mental health training aspects and doing therapy began to take a back seat. 

Linda personally was really burning out. But just look at some of these amazing photos of the training in Guatemala. It was such an uplifting experience! Previously, it was so hard to live in the middle of crisis nonstop and work in the field of crisis (rape, hostage, shooting) and also be a parent to so many traumatized children. We had much trauma ourselves as well as secondary trauma, but God is good and we are healing. 

In Haiti, God called us to make a transition into physical fitness and gymnastics to assist with long term physical and mental health and also as a way to provide HOPE to the suffering who only saw trauma and unrest all around them. The Lord opened doors and it was truly amazing. We began to see a wide range of ways to serve the needs.

Onto the year 2023, and we are not currently full time in Haiti. Most of our children are now grown. Linda is in a better place mentally to venture back into some mental health trainings again. And what a JOY it has been :) 

We have another team traveling to Guatemala August 19-26, so please contact if you are interested. It will be a joint medical/mental health trip as well. 

We also did medical care with the elderly in a group home and also with our amazing friend Brenna who has an amazing ministry with homebound elderly. 

At the school, we were able to work with 160 children with doing a module on trauma. We also did fluoride treatments for all the students and provided some medical care some of the students as well. What a tremendous blessing to be able to serve in such a way!

Unfortunately, Linda had some pretty significant back issues in Guatemala and ended up being brought to the ER herself and had to get an MRI and was sent to a brain/spine specialist. She was in a TON of physical pain and has since been following up with doctors, PT, and surgeons in the Florida as well as North Carolina. Please pray for healing without surgery!

She is trying to do what she can to avoid a cervical spinal fusion, so please keep us in prayers regarding those details as well as expenses involved in all of that. We appreciate all of you so much and pray for you and your families. God is good, but life is HARD. We pray that all of us will feel presence of the Lord and that we continue to turn to the Lord with confidence and strength knowing that He will meet all of our needs. 

"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go" ~Joshua 1:9

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