Mission Update.....June 2008

        In late June we traveled to Port-au-Prince, Haiti, for a week of training young Christians in evangelism. One of the most dangerous cities in the world is also a place where the Gospel is changing lives.   Our friend John Thelus organized the training in Haiti.  John is a remarkable young man.  He and his four sisters lost their parents when John was a boy, and he became the breadwinner for the family at a time when most American children are still in elementary school.  He raised his four younger sisters, and has seen them all grow up to serve the Lord.  John is married and has twin girls of his own now.  Two of his sisters are married and have children, and all of the family is involved in doing the Lord’s work. Several times during the week, John and his sisters sang for us, and their singing really blessed our hearts.

         Traveling with us were pastor Jack Niedermeyer from Cleveland, Tennessee.  Jack is trained in street evangelism and has learned and taught Christian drama and puppet ministry. 

        Helping him and doing the recording and dubbing of the dialogue and music into Creole was Chris Hill.  Chris is studying for ministry, and is very skilled in recording and computer technology.  My friend Phil Ogle from Gatlinburg, and I, rounded out the team. It was thrilling to see these young Christians eager to learn how to evangelize their own communities.  I had the privilege of teaching a part of the course on the reason for evangelism, and the doctrines of repentance, justification and sanctification.  The questions were sharp and the the students were really enthusiastic. 

        It was a great blessing to work with these young Haitians. I truly believe that this ministry will bear fruit for many years to come. 

        We traveled to Jimani to visit the orphanage, and when we arrived we were met by pastor Miguel Olivas.  He was eager to show us the new car that Radio Bible Hour had purchased for the orphanage.  He even let me drive it around the block.  We believe the vehicle will really help pastor Miguel with his ministry in Jimani.    Their old car, which barely ran, was on the sidewalk with a “for sale” sign.  The children of the orphanage are doing well.  A mission group from Santo Domingo has donated bunk beds and more mattresses for the children, and that will really help. Construction of a new orphanage building has started on the Jimani Project grounds, and should be completed within a few months.  Radio Bible Hour is not providing funds for the building project, but will continue to provide the monthly operating expenses for the orphanage, and that amounts to about $4000 per month.  Because of your help, those children are eating and being protected, and they are growing up under the Godly teaching of pastor Miguel and his wife.

        On our last morning in Port-au-Prince, we traveled to a hospital for people who are dying.  All of the patients are very sick with tuberculosis, HIV, or other fatal illnesses, and are in the last weeks and days of their lives.  As we walked through those rooms, Phil, Jack, Chris and I knelt and prayed with many of the patients.  Although they could not speak our language, we held their hands or laid a hand on their shoulders as we prayed for them.  We also visited a mission hospital run by Dr. Marc Pinard in one of the very rough areas of the city.  Our hearts were touched as we realized this was the only medical facility for perhaps several hundred thousand people.  Dr. Marc does a great job, with almost no resources.  The pharmacy had fewer medicines than the average American’s medicine cabinet.  We resolved to try to do more to help these people.

        Once again we were saddened by the conditions we saw, but were encouraged by the power of the Gospel to change lives.  Even where there is no clean water and little to eat, the Bread of Life, and the Living Water have the power to renew and heal.  Pray for us as we continue these mission projects.

     Students who participated in

        the evangelism training classes.

                               Don Smith and two of his friends.

 Even among such extreme poverty in
   Haiti, a spot of beauty can be found.

                                                                                           Teaching Christian principles through

                                                                                           the use of puppets.

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