Dear Friends and Family:
I have returned from Haiti! A team of 9 people from The Baptist Church of Concordia, KS came back to the states, however I believe most of us longed to stay. Here’s a snapshot why.
Our church recently partnered with a pastor of 7 churches in Haiti. Pastor Marcel ministers to 7 different congregations and six schools in the region of Saint-Marc, Haiti. Saint-Marc is about 60 miles northwest of Port-au-Prince. Their ministry, Evangelical Living Water Ministry of Haiti, has a three-fold mission: bring people to Christ, educate them, and provide healthcare (in that order). I strongly encourage you to visit them online at www.emevi.blogspot.com.
Not much has changed in Port-au-Prince since the devastating January 12th earthquake. Video of the tent cities and destruction can also be found at www.molliemoore.blogspot.com. In the meantime, here are the highlights of what God did for the Haitian people through your gifts and prayers. Highlights will explain how the team grew mentally, physically, and spiritually.
The team grew mentally: God is so good! Before we left, I mailed a letter asking for support. I wanted to see God send me there without one cent from me so I had no reason to boast of myself. He raised enough for each team member to be able to pay for the airline ticket, food and lodging ($13,500 total for the whole team), and then God went farther. He raised approximately another $26,000 for us to give to the EMEVI Ministries. As the team leader said, “I need to raise my expectations of God.”
The team grew mentally (part two): The “Moms” of our team helped the doctor hold a clinic while the men helped build classrooms and church pews. One 18-month-old baby boy suffered from pneumonia. His parents had left and his 12-year-old aunt brought the lifeless, floppy child to the clinic. We watched him overnight, and he the next morning he walked and drank water. Had our Father not given us the chance to see him that day, he may have not made it through the week.
The team grew physically: The team drove 3 hours, flew about 1,500 miles, rode motorcycles for 30 minutes, and walked. And walked. And walked. For 5.5 hours. And we arrived in a special place called Bateille. Situated in the mountains, Bateille is one of many communities the government does not know about. In fact, they refer to themselves as the “forgotten people.” The team accomplished building 12 pews for a church where people sat on the dirt floor or the largest rocks they could find. Our teammate was the first doctor to be in Bateille as long as anyone could remember. 46 of the 47 people seen had malaria.
The team grew spiritually: God challenged me to read Isaiah 54-56 each day. I started to memorize Isaiah 54. The most prominent lesson I learned came from Isaiah 55:11. “…so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.” Even if the people of did not understand English, God will use me. Even if I feel empty and ineffective, God uses my hand to plant His seed. If I am listening and doing what He asks, I am blessed and He is glorified. And that’s all that matters.
So I challenge you with this thought: Now that you know, what will you do? I praise God for the support of prayers and money that you lovingly gave so that you too could serve the Haitian people along side of me. And with that praise comes the request that you consistently remain obedient in the future.
Mollie Moore
“Wake up, O sleeper…Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.” Ephesians 5:14-17
No comments:
Post a Comment