TEAM REPORTS
Team Report - October 2010 Team
Construction, evangelism, children's ministry and organizing took up the days of work this team did while in Haiti. The time was short but they accomplished a lot. The experience was excellent and the spiritual growth was encouraging to see.
When it was time to go home everyone knew each other and had a great time of fellowship along the way. Nothing bonds people together like a team. This was the first time for many of these folks to put together a personal testimony of how they came to know the Lord. Doing this and sharing it first with the orphans and then out on the street was hard but a highlight for everyone.
Thank you to Bob Stretch from Wahoo, NE for teaching the pastors about family life and being a male leader in the home. He also did a lot to put this team together, either knowing them from years ago or from being in his church!
Medical Team - June 2010 (Cindy Heyne)
We had a great trip to Haiti and a great time of fellowship and sharing with Bonnie and Ray. There were 6 people on this team who had never been to Haiti. We prayed with all 738 people at the clinic and treated many ailments. 20 people came to know the Lord, which is the greatest gift God gave us on this trip. The feeding program at the church is just amazing. Yet there are so many people who still need food but don’t get it.
There are so many older people who are now taking care of their grandchildren due to the Port-au-Prince disaster. We had some sad stories of older people who are hungry. One little lady told me, “I would work if I could find work and then I could take care of myself.” She was 80 years old. But there is no social security, no Medicare and no help many times from the family. Lorrie took care of a lady that said, “God didn’t know I didn’t have food, but he does now.” This is heartbreaking and is the plight of the elderly and the children in much of Haiti. It is wonderful to see 300 people get fed every week by Ray and Bonnie, and the church there and thanks to all who donate corn, beans, rice. Great is your reward in heaven.
Gregory Berean Church, Gregory, South Dakota – Sister Church - January 2011
In January the Gregory church made their second trip to the Boucan Michele church up in the mountains. It is a 6 hour hike over rugged terrain but the time spent there is fantastic. Pastor Scott McClellen is committed to this sister church relationship and has seen their church grow in its desire to be involved in missions and help their sister have an impact in the surrounding area. It was in this church that they said that “You are the first white people to visit our village!”
Monroe E Free Church, Aroura, Nebraska - Sister Church Research February 2011
Visiting the small church in Aucul showed the discouragement and challenge that these people face. The church has been without a pastor for some time and the building was broken down because the rafters simply rotted away. Ten people were present. One lady had come to see Paul that Sunday morning to ask if he could do anything to help their church. She had no idea we were coming out that Sunday morning.
Making friends at Acul
God has worked. The Monroe church has accepted the challenge of taking on a sister church. A pastor has been hired to minister there with the funds they will supply. Ministry equipment in the form of a sound system, generator and lights is on the way. It will be excited to see what the Lord will do in bringing this all together and getting this broken ministry on its feet.
Paul Romeus meeting with church and team members at Acul
Auburn Berean and Sterling Berean – Sister Church exploration – March 2011
Two churches helping with the same sister church is a new idea. Both of these churches sent representatives to the Pilote Frozin church to see the progress of the church spiritually and physically. After a small amount of help this church has made big progress spiritually.
In 2007 there were only a few people attending a broken down wood building. Now there are over 200 people and the building is partially done with only about a third of its roof done.
Service at Pilote Frozin
As a result of this visit, both churches have adopted this church and are making preparations to raise funds and send teams next year. No doubt this effort will result in many new believers and an encouraged zealous church.
Pilote Frozin Team
First Baptist Church – Carthage, Missouri – Sister Church exploration - April 2011
Dexter Friesen is one of our board members and has had a burden to get involved in Haiti. His church sent a team to visit the Gonieve church to see about the ministry possibilities. They found a group of about 60 people meeting under a makeshift roof, surrounded by a partially constructed framework for a future building. Spiritually, they saw a group that has grown in the word and is reaching out into the community.
Checking what it will take to finish the church building at Gonieve
The city of Gonieve has been hit by several major floods in the recent past and there is much poverty. The need for a church in the area is great! Please pray for the Carthage, Missouri church as they make decisions about the future. Included now in the decision is the major tornado that passed through their area. Some of their people were affected by this tornado.
Gonieve Team in church service
Marysville Berean, Marysville, Kansas – Youth team – Sister Church – June 2011
Taking a youth group to Haiti involves a lot of planning. The Marysville church is a sister church to the Carmathe church in Haiti. The thing we stress is “flexibility”. True to this word, all they planned to do changed when the rains came and washed their plans away. One night they had 8-12 inches of rain. However, with the key word in mind, they continued to work in VBS, skits, art, evangelism and showing love to the people.
Kieth Vacha states that, “The kids are excited about going back. They loved ministering and working for the Lord at the church in Carmathe and Savin Carree. The team members grew and were encouraged. We felt like we encouraged the church in Carmathe and built a great bond with them.”