Back To Jimani

    Seven men will be traveling to the Dominican Republic and Haiti on February 15^th.  We are  hoping to accomplish much before we return.  Dr. Clint Doiron, attorney Mike Bowling, businessman Chris Keylon, building contractor Orville Brackett, youth pastor and medical tech Chuck Copeland, businessman Phil Ogle, and I will be inspecting the Jimani Center Clinic and Christian Training Center, which we hope to dedicate and open in about two months.  Right now we hope to open the Center at the end of April, and that means there is much to be done.  We have to buy furniture, and begin getting the staff ready to serve. 

    We are working with a small orphanage in Jimani which was started by one of our pastor-trainees from the Dominican Republic late last year.  His name is pastor Miguel, and his wife’s name is Sylvia.  We got word last week that they have taken in a new two-week old infant girl.  They have almost no infant care supplies, so we will be getting the baby bottles, infant formula, and diapers for this new child while we are there.  We will be taking a load of medicines and medical supplies donated by Dr. Neil Barry.  Because of illness in his family, he will not be able to go with us this time.  Pray for this little orphanage; one of the things we will be exploring is how we can help them get a larger facility that will serve the needs of the children better. 

    Getting ready for a mission trip involves a lot of planning, and a lot of list-making.  I’m always afraid that I will forget something essential, but mostly it involves just remembering that God is in control.   So often we want to control events, or make things turn out just the way we have planned.  The Jimani Project started with a simple desire to construct a small mission hospital, and from that seed, the project has grown into something much larger than any of us could have predicted.  The needs are so great; I only wish we had enough resources to do all that is needed.  Realistically, we have to make choices about whom to help, and which needs to try to meet.  Having to turn down a request for help is the hard part. 

     Eventually the Jimani Project will include a medical training center, a pastor development and church planting center, and other projects to improve the spiritual condition of that region.  All of the projects are established on the principle that only Jesus Christ can make a real difference in the lives of people.  All of the medical, educational or economic and agricultural development projects are going to be done in the name of the One who has made the difference in our own lives. 

     Pray for this trip; there are many decisions that must be made, and we will need the Lord’s wisdom and guidance to make the right choices.   I look forward to sharing what we see and hear with you when we return.