JeanDenis at the Pastors Conference

Mike and JeanDenis

 

 Hello,

The Pastors Conference went really well. Thank you for your prayers, they appreciated them. Today was mostly filled with meetings with Samuel, the Children's Village director, and Lemeque, who is the director over our churches. They also had meetings going over the business plan with the staff for the Market place, and spent time in Gonavies pricing out wholesale goods, frozen product, transportation and rent. Mike also spent time with our older boys in the transitional ministry getting their school supplies, books and uniforms ready, as high school starts in the morning. 

Tomorrow, Wednesday, Mike will be teaching the bible study in Marose. He would love it if you would join us in prayer for open hearts and understanding, along with some good dialogue. Then on Thursday they will be passing out more Bibles.

Mike also spent time visiting with JeanDenis, our pastor in DeForce, which is part of Pass Rien. I wanted to share his story with you.

JeanDenis was born 5th of 9 children. By the time he was in 9th grade he was on his own. He went to school in Gonaives and worked for family friends in construction. He knew he did not want to return to DeForce and he knew he needed to get more education, so while attending his 13th grade he also attended professional school to become a mason. He had a difficult time paying for both schools and helping to support his family, which is expected of you if you get any kind of work. He was kicked out of school for non payment a few times. He also had a hard time passing  the final exam given by the government because of the schooling he missed. He did pass on his 2nd attempt.

During this time he had friends that kept telling him he needed to come back to DeForce because of a new church. He eventually went back and saw his spiritual life grow dramatically as he saw people in his village get set free, walk away from voodoo, and share amazing testimonies. Then he witnessed the battles between our church and the Madame, who was a Boko, one of the top witch doctors in the country. He was amazed that God kept winning the victories. He said any other organization would have put her out, but Mike invited her to the ceremony changing the name of DeForce to Bon Berger Place de Lumiere, she stood up and gave her life to the Lord and then asked the villagers forgiveness for all the bondage she had created.

He said that sometimes he was uncomfortable with all the miracles and deliverances he saw, but he said "when I shut my eyes I could feel that it was the Holy Spirit and I knew He was leading me in the right direction". He said every one complimented him on how motivated he was, but he said "really people did not know how scared I was, until I began to worship God, then I had no fear, only peace". People started telling him that he had the gift of leadership on him, he said he kept shrinking back because he thought he was too young. He helped with the sound system instead and even though he had no music training, worship moved him and he began to learn worship, because it made him feel close to God. After a time it became apparent that it also moved others, so a few years later he found himself leading worship.

JeanDenis also applied to be a teacher at our school, but once again failed the test. On the 2nd try he passed and was offered a job as a teacher when another teacher was disqualified. A few years after that, in his words "God turned a light on and I realized that I had romantic feelings for a girl who had grown up in my village and was my friend. Then Pastor Nathan and Pastor Mike said I should get married." He bought a little piece of property to build a small house on that was extremely inexpensive, because a Boko, witch doctor, had owned it and everyone one was afraid of it. After he built and was okay, others decided to build around him and now he is in a nice little community of other church members. He has shown such leadership skill that he has been appointed as the pastor of our church, but he considers himself as part of a team of 6 other members who lead the church.

JeanDenis has a strong vision for community growth in Deforce to be a place of light for all the surrounding villages. He is happily married with a baby girl and feels very blessed. He is a joy to be around. We consider him a treasure to the ministry. Please lift JeanDenis and his family, along with the church leadership up to God in prayer.

Blessings,
Chris 

JeanDenis in the red shirt

JeanDenis at the Pass Rien School

 

Carlos and His Sister

 

Carlos

 

 

Good evening, Thank you once again for your prayers, we really appreciate them. Tomorrow morning, Saturday, the Pastors Conference starts, we would love it if you would join us in praying for Nathan as he leads worship and Mike as he teaches. Please be pray for understanding and impartation. Also, please pray for the Pastors to catch vision and be encouraged. We would also appreciate prayer for Sunday. Mike will be preaching in Poteau in the morning and then in the evening in a village called Canabra, it is between Marose and Gonaives. Please pray for soft hearts and a hunger for the Word of God. I also wanted to share about one of our older boys. His name is Carlos, he and his little sister first came to us about 10 years ago. They came from a larger village called Arcahaie. Both their mother and father died during the same month from different circumstances, which left them as orphans. When they first arrived at our Children's Village it was a difficult transition for him to go from a family to being an orphan, he was very protective of his little sister. Fast forward 10 years, Carlos has spent the last few years living in our boys transitional home, which is attached to our home in Gonaives. The home is for boys who have aged out of the Children's Village, and have potential, but have not yet finished high school. Because of the boys transitional home, he has had the opportunity to finish high school with honors. He has attained what very few are able to attain in Haiti. Here are some stats regarding Haiti and education:  In Haiti there are no Food Stamps, Head Start, Medicaid, Medicare, Public Health Care, Aid to Families, Job Core, Emergency Food and Shelter Program or Public Housing.  The enrollment rate for primary school in Haiti is 57%, and fewer than 30% of the students reach 6th grade. Secondary schools enroll 20% of eligible-age children. Haiti’s literacy rate is 52.9%. Haiti ranks 177th out of 186 in the world for national spending on education. The Government has advocated the creation of a free public and universal education system for all primary school-age students in Haiti, but there is no government funding program available now or appropriated in the near future to provide for free public education for all children in Haiti. International private schools are primarily operated and funded by American and Canadian missions and churches and they educate 90% of the students. This summer Mike and Jonas worked with Carlos in regards to his desire to further his education and it looks like he will be attending the University of Notre Dame in Haiti. We are so very proud of him. He is a strong Christian, a hard worker, and very faithful. He will be working towards an Engineering degree. He hopes to be able to open his own business when he graduates and would also like to help our ministry. We are so excited for him. Thank you for partnering with us and supporting our Children's Village.  Please pray for Carlos as he continues walking out his story. Blessings, Chris

"God through her life be glorified"

 

 Hello,

We want to thank you for your prayers, Mike made it to Gonaives safely. He has been spending time visiting the different areas of our ministry.

Today, Mike shared "it is obvious by the response, that I was intended to be here now. I have been very impressed by their handling of the ministry in my absence.
I have been encouraging the staff that they don't just have a job, but a ministry, called and equipped by God for the people of Haiti .
It's more than that they are glad to see me. It's like they have been waiting to show me how well they have been doing, and (wanting to know) what messages I am bringing to them".

Thank you for your coming along side of us to help the Haitian people help themselves. God is allowing us to see the fruit of the seeds planted for the last 13 years. While living in Haiti God blessed us with being able to see the fruit of salvations, healings and deliverances as we came along side of Him. Something not all missionaries are blessed to see during their time serving Him. Now, incredibly, we are so very privileged to see the years poured into prayer, sacrifice, ministering, discipling and leadership training begin to come into fruition. We are so grateful for your part in this. My heart is reminded of the words in a song

"Beyond the burial there’s a resurrection
Your will be done in me
In the stillness all around
You are working all the details out
What’s in me will grow someday
I trust Your timing and Your ways" 

In the chorus are the words:

"He holds the time that I will rise... God through my life be glorified".

May God be glorified through their lives. 

If you are interested in listening to the song here is the link

https://youtu.be/BpyP4HR8FBQ

Blessings, Chris

 

 Good evening,

As you may know Mike's and my trip to Haiti in July was canceled due to the assassination of the Haitian President. Shortly there after, there was an earthquake in the southern part of Haiti. After talking with pastor Nathan we decided it was not a safe time to travel. While safety has not yet returned in Port-au-Prince, Mike and Nathan feel it is safe for Mike to be in Gonaives. So Mike will be flying to Haiti tomorrow, Monday, evening.

It is on Mike's heart to go and encourage our leadership in Haiti. It is the heartbeat of our ministry to inspire and empower the people of Haiti. Please pray for safe and on time travel. Please pray for health, discernment and Godly wisdom. Also, please pray for vision as Mike and Nathan meet and plan for the ministry. We both need and appreciate your faithful prayers. Thank you for coming along side of the people of Haiti.

Blessings, Chris