Earthquake Crisis Update (see News Updates at right and below...)
Heartbreak Tent City
"I have surely seen . . . and have heard their cry . . .for I know their sorrows."
(Exodus 3:7)
Hopelessness looms in the tent cities for thousands. Sadly enough, there still does not seem to be any large master plan in sight. If it were not for the spiritual aspect of this disaster, many of us who are ministering spiritually in Haiti would not be able to bear it! There are wall-to-wall tents, many of which are pitiful! Latrine facilities are pitiful! And their food for the most part is pitiful -- plain rice and beans with little to no seasoning! Where do the children play? Where do the people wash? Where do they do anything?? However, our aching hearts are sustained with confidence that the Father of mercies is working out His plan for the multitude of homeless souls. Please pray that God will raise up a "Nehemiah" for Haiti!! Please don't stop praying for this heartbreaking situation!!
Mission for Haiti and Operation Renewed Hope have combined efforts to minister relief in a greater way to the homeless in Hosanna Ministries in rebuilding destroyed homes. Some homes can be rebuilt for as little as $3000.00, but prices on building materials are going up. We anticipate that most of the work will be done by the nationals as we supply the cement, sand, and roofing materials.
The number of salvation decisions throughout Hosanna Ministries and their sister churches since the quake has exceeded 500. Double Sunday morning services will be starting soon because of the huge overflow into the church yard. There are new convert classes held weekly, and a new convert "adoption program" is underway to assimilate these new believers into Hosanna's church family for mentoring purposes. Recently, Pastor Cherubin held a two-day seminar on the oceanfront campsite property for over 340 new believers on the theme of "How to live your new Christian life." Please keep these new believers in your prayers.
PEASE PRAY FOR HAITI!
Links to further information and ways you can help:
The backbone of the ministry is the vibrant Hosanna Baptist Church, which is led by Pastor Dieupie Cherubin. The Church is a landmark institution in the Jacmel community. Pastor Dieupie's zeal for the Gospel and the outreach into this town has produced a number of opportunities to spread the Good News. In addition to the evangelistic services, Bible Studies, Sunday schools, and teen activities, Hosanna has uniquely positioned the church to reach into the community and influence families that would not normally attend the regular church services. These opportunities come in the form of establishing sister churches into the outlying areas, Christian schools, Christian seminary, camp ministries, vacation bible schools, sports ministries, and music camps.
Hosanna Baptist Church
Hosanna Baptist Church has a membership of over 500 members. It is not unusual for the deacons to gather up chairs from the school and the seminary for the overflow crowds that sit outside under the trees.
Sister Churches
There are eight sister churches located in the surronding area
Hosanna Elementary Schools
Hosanna Elementary school has an enrollment of over 350 students in Grades K4 - 6th grades.
Hosanna Christian High School and the Baptist Theological Seminary of Haiti
The Baptist Theological Seminary of Haiti finished its first year with a freshmen class of fifteen students. The Pastor is expecting more than twenty new freshmen for the 2009-2010 year. The second story of the building has four classrooms for the new High school that is planned for September 2009. We hope to enroll over sixty students for the first class of seventh grade.
2010 opportunities include construction projects, music camp, vacation Bible schools, sports camp, special
training seminars, Bible conference, and selected community projects.
When?..........................................Summer 2010 thru January 2011 go for 1 week or 2 weeks.
What will it cost?............................approximately $950.00 per person
What skills are required?...................None, we have jobs & tools for every skill level
Will I need a Passport......................Yes.
Can I get more information................Yes, Go to the "Contact Us" page.
What about shots............................Call your local health department for recommendations.
The Earthquake cottages contain 300 square Feet
Earthquake cottages can be built in 6 working days
Project "Earthquake Cottages"
MFH has begun our rebuilding program. We will go as far as we can with the funds you have given. Thank you for the sacrifices you have made and continue to make. God is using you to make this possible. The prices on building materials have gone up, so please pray that much will be accomplished.
Option #1
We need churches that would be willing to send a team of at least 6 men with $4,000.00 to build a cottage for a Hosanna church family who lost their home to the earthquake. Six men can build a 12' x 25' cinderblock home with a metal roof in five to six days.
Option #2
Challenge your church to raise $4,000.00 for the materials to build a 12' X 25' cottage. This includes a concrete floor, doors, windows and a porch.
Option # 3
Would you consider pledging a monthly gift toward building a cottage over the next 24 months? $166.00 per month will provide a safe cottage for a family who is living in a tent. We will qualify the family under the supervision of the church committee so you can be assured that your investment is protected.
Option # 4
Simply send a gift marked "Project Earthquake Cottage" (any amount) and we will build a cottage every time we accumulate $4,000.00.
***Go to missionforhaiti.org and donate through the web page or donate directly to Misson for Haiti, Inc.
As the crowds swelled to almost 5000 by the end of the five day crusade, hundreds came forward for salvation and rededication. The counselors moved throughout the crowd to record as many of the decisions as possible and make sure that everyone understood the decisions that they were making and encouraging them to sign up for discipleship opportunities that were being offered. There was no way to get to everyone because of the size of the crowds so we ask that you pray for those, who for whatever reason, were not recorded and who are in need of counseling and discipleship.
This was one of the three streets that intersected in the downtown Jacmel area where the crusade was held each night.
One of the trophies of God's grace is when a prominent witch doctor comes forward for salvation. This witch doctor eagerly took the Word of God and wanted the town to know about his dicision to forsake his witchcraft and seek the God of true salvation. He was quoted as saying "I am not ashamed to let people know that I will no longer worship Satan". The musical team from Greenville, South Carolina gathered around him and Pastor Cherubin. Their performance was the key that got the community out to the crusade and the Gospel convicted many Christians to come forward for rededication and the lost to come to Christ. Our prayer is that God will be merciful to this community that has suffered great loss and that out of great suffering the Lord will raise up a community of believers who will change the course of this town's future.
The Crusade is over and our church grounds are serving as a triage center and a temporary home for many of our members who lost their homes and must deal with the reality of the monsoon season that starts in April and the hurricane season that starts in July. Tents will not be able to endure rain, heat, and wind over these seasons of weather. Please pray that God in His mercy will protect these homeless individuals and families from the weather and that permanent housing will be available as soon as possible. Mission for Haiti has teams already scheduled to build permanent housing units that will house large families or two families at a time for less than $5000.00 each. We are hoping to match churches and individuals that will raise $5,000.00 with teams that will travel to Haiti and build the houses. We are also planning for training sessions that will train Haitians to construct their own homes as MFH supplies the raw materials. Christians helping Christians!
"COME TO JESUS," was Pastor D's (Pastor Cherubin) passionate and persistent plea to a crowd of more than 2000 people standing in downtown Jacmel on February 15 - 18 (in the very spot where Mardi Gras Carnival is held yearly), and his invitation penetrated all of the downtown area. The crowd grew to almost 4000 strong Tuesday night. Many (160+) came to Christ for salvation during the four nights of meetings, and hundreds more came for individual prayer because of what they suffered during the earthquake. Three witch doctors accepted Christ during the week, one of whom is well-known in town and was not timid to announce his decision publicly. "I want to have a future with God . . . the demons have no future, and I know that," was one of the statements he made the evening before he came to Jesus. A woman witchdoctor who came to Christ on Wednesday evening asked that we come to her house and burn her fetishes in the presence of her witchdoctor father as her testimony to him. By Friday, he had turned to Christ also.
The people of Jacmel could not stop talking about the meetings. Those who were not in attendance heard the service over the radio. It was the talk of the town. Comments such as the following were heard throughout the city: "We have never publicly had anything like this in Jacmel," and "Jacmel has never heard the Gospel like this," and "Glory to God!" GOD WAS GLORIFIED - though the enemy exercised his best efforts to frustrate us and do damage to the Gospel message. God used Pastor D and our musical team to confront the enemy head-on, and the grace of God was manifested in our team beyond our expectations. Their spiritual ministry became the governing spirit - even beyond their musical contribution. We don't even care to mention the enemy's subtle and blatant tactics because we are so overwhelmed by God's grace and power that covered us - and our hearts bow before Him in awesome wander!! Only in the annals of Heavenwill we have an accurate record of what actually was accomplished spiritually in Jacmel. Our team was made up of Frank Garlock, Shelly Hamilton, Susan Jones and Lynsey Haught.
MFH wants to take this opportunity to thankthe thousands who interceded before the Throne of Grace for these meetings. The power of God was at work in ways that could not be seen. "While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal." (II Corinthians 4:18)
The work of the Holy Spirit continues daily. Since the quake, Hosanna Ministries has seen the salvation of over 325 souls. Their church building and yard cannot even accommodate these in a Sunday worship service. Likewise, the follow-up on all these converts is becoming very difficult. In shortandabove everything else, we covet your prayers for Pastor D and the over all ministry!!
In grateful praise and thanks to God, Tom and Sarah Bennett.
