Praying for Haiti

We are watching the events unfolding in Haiti and praying for a peaceful solution to the election issue.  Pierre Esperance, of RNNDH human rights, confirms that there was massive fraud in the election process.  The people know their government is at the root cause of most of their problems.  They want change, and not just more of the same with a different name.  They are aware that there is substantial help awaiting for them to begin rebuilding, and they will not see it until their government is accountable.

We must pray for resolution, and for Christian ideals to be honored by the new government.

PRAY FOR HAITI  !

Village School East

     We had a great visit to Pastor Agones's school, Ralph C. Tuthill, which we have nicknamed the Village School East after the North Naples UMC school decided to help the students with donations of uniforms and school supplies.  They also sent letters and cameras, so the students in the two schools can correspond with each other.    Thankfully, there are six more boxes of uniforms on the way in a container, as there are now eighty children enrolled in school.
     Pastor Agones does a wonderful job  here educating the poorest of the poor in this area of Ansagale called Baie de Tortue.  Pastor Agones grew up here and was fortunate enough to have received a college education, which enables him to give back to these children.

The children of Ralph C. Tuthill  (Village School East) in their new uniforms

     LOOKING GOOD!!
 

A Successful Trip Completed! Praise God!

     The team returned home from La Gonave the day before the election, which was last Sunday.   What an awesome trip beyond our expectations.   For three days we held classes in the church.  Pastor Floyd Costello with Pastor Agones as interpreter led 23 pastors in Bible  and pastoral training.  They closed the three days with the installation of a new  Deacon at our church, followed by a laying on of hands.  These men were truly grateful for the opportunity to ask questions and receive valuable insight into  God's word.

The Pastors

The community leaders learning CHE

     Ed Ritter and David Ames  with Aunel Bellany as translator, led 24 men in CHE training:
Community Health, Evangelism. 
Using the CHE teaching methods, these young men realized that they had the answers to many of the questions and problems facing their community.  The dramatizations really helped bring home the essential point that we are there to help and to guide, not to provide all needs.  While discussing integrity they studied the Bible and many expressed an interest in more Bible study.  Our work has only just begun!

The women's group

     Sally Ritter and Janice Coffey led a ladies Bible study with over 20 women.  Nixon, our translator, did a wonderful job and the ladies opened up and shared with us.   The lesson was based on the Apples of Gold,  focusing on Kindness, Loving our children and Loving our husbands the way the Bible instructs.  The women did not know the Bible could instruct and guide in this way.  Many other subjects opened up along the way.  We closed with reading the Fathers Love Letter in Creole.  Each lady received a journal with all Bible verses listed in Creole.

David and Aunel explaining about the moringa tree.  The crushed seeds absorb and clean even the dirtiest pond water.  The moringa tree grows all over La Gonave.

 

Ed teaching the men and women combined about treating their drinking and bathing water

Pastor Daday and Pastor Ambroz with Pastor Floyd Costello

Janice teaching the ladies about loving their children

The team, David Ames, Rockny Senat, (Pastor Ambroz's son), 
the cooking ladies,  (Eve Rose in orange),
Ed Ritter, Floyd Costello,  Pastor Daday, and Pastor Ambroz in back;
Sally Ritter, Janice Coffey and  Aunel Bellany in front

We have a dream!

Aunel Bellany, one of our partners, has family owned property adjacent  to the New Jerusalem Church in Ti Palmiste.  This land already produces some crops, but can produce a lot more.  The idea is to plant and harvest peanuts, a common crop on La Gonave, sold raw, but made into many products including manba (peanut butter)  There will be a secure  area so the peanuts can be stored until a later date.  All of the crops mature at the same time, and prices are very low at harvest.  By waiting to sell, the price will be higher, and this profit will be used to start the school in the  church, a need expressed by the congregation.  They want their children educated, but they want a Christian school.  They understand the importance of God in their children's lives.  This is what community building is all about!

This is exciting to see business and agriculture flourish.  Sometimes just a small bit of help is needed to get micro businesses off the ground.  But what a difference to the lives of those working these businesses!

If you would like to help sponsor this project, we would love to hear from you! Please email Ed Ritter at GFhaitimission@gmail.com

Your tax exempt donation may be sent to:  
Haiti Mission/Peanut Project, 
North Naples United Methodist Church, 
6000 Goodlette Rd., Naples, FL  34108. 

We feel this is the best way to help the people of Haiti, to enable them to become self sufficient.  They are eager for an opportunity and they know the future is in educating  the children, and the future is in God.  Amen!

This is going to be an Awesome Trip!

The "D's" of the Devil are piling up!.  First the concern over unrest that may occur the week before the election, then the cholera outbreak that is spreading so wildly.  Then hearing that three cases were reported on La Gonave.  Praise God they are isolated to the hospital in Ansagale.

The devil is working on us.  Doubts about timing of the trip, Discouragement over the situation,  possible Delay (postpone the trip?), Diversion (the weather is nice, great for sailing!)BUT, we will not give in to the last "D: which is Defeat.  Praying every step of the way we have peace in our hearts about this trip. The leadership training, the Safe Water training, the Bible study are all so needed.

The devil=FEAR but GOD=PEACE!!!!!!

If God is with us, who can be against us?

Pastor Agones re-opens the Ralph Tuthill School October 4th

The Ralph Tuthill School at Baie de Tortue re-opens

October 4th with 80 children!  

What a blessing!  There is now a pre-school class  for the first time.  Many of these children received shoes and clothing sent over by our mission in June.  Eight more boxes of clothing have been loaded on a container to ship within a couple weeks.  Pastor Agones just returned home to Haiti after a very successful visit in the United States.  He spent five days in Naples FL with Sally and Ed Ritter and North Naples UMC.  He then traveled on to Long Island to visit his long time friends Rev. George Gaffge and Mark De Santis of the  Mattituck Presbyterian Church, Long Island, NY.   Pastor Agones summed up New York in one word, "surprising".  We cannot wait to hear the details! 

Pastor Agones has such a heart for the children of this poor area of Ansagale, having grown up here himself.  We look forward to a long relationship with him.  The UMW of North Naples United Methodist Church has begun a mission fund to help support the school, and the Village School is beginning a cross cultural exchange of letters and support.

God's Face Haiti Mission- New Partnership

God's Face Ministry

Our plan, to be a multi-church ministry to the island of La Gonave, Haiti.  Presently four churches are involved, North Naples United Methodist, Naples FL (founding church), South Dade Haitian Mission Church, Homestead, FL,  First United Methodist Church, Naples, FL and Mattituck Presbyterian Church, Long Island, NY

Our Mission Statement:

To empower Haitians to help Haitians through community development, health and education, and evangelism.  We will step out boldly to declare spiritual warfare for the people of Haiti 

to bring them to Jesus Christ.

Our mission team of seven traveled to La Gonave  June 4th to 12th, 2010.  There were four from North Naples UMC, Ed and Sally Ritter, Becky Beckett and Linda Scott, and three from So. Dade UMC, Aunel Bellany (who grew up on La Gonave), Nesly Joseph and Ephraim Floreal.  Our main goal was to bring the good news of Jesus Christ to the children of La Gonave through games, music, Bible stores and crafts.  Every child received a hot nutritious meal as well, as we fed their bodies as well as their souls, and gave them hope.  Life is very hard for these children, even in the best of times, and they need to hear of Jesus' love for them.

The group put on five children's programs in five different locations (over 1500 children total) starting with Gran Souce on Saturday (600 kids), then Terra Sech on Monday (300 kids), and then on to Ti Palmiste and our sister church, the Church of the New Jerusalem  (300 kids) on Tuesday.  

Leaving the mountains on Wednesday, we headed back to Ansagale to stay at the Wesleyan Compound, meeting Pastor Lowell Adams and his family, full time missionaries on La Gonave for four years.  On Wednesday we put on a program at Pastor Agones school in Baie de Tortue.  On Thursday we took our "show" to the orphanage where we hosted 60 precious children who sang us Bible songs in English!

At TiPalmiste, volunteers were working night and day to lay the concrete floor and stucco the outside wall of New Jerusalem  Church.  Heavy rains hampered their progress, but it was substantially complete when we arrived.  Pastor Ambroise informed us that we are winning here as the devil has been forced to flee this area.  Many people are coming to Christ, and many small area church groups are joining New Jerusalem.  Praise God!

One of our major goals here has been to create a community with strong leadership from the church.  The church can be involved in health and sanitation issues, as well as evangelism.  The church leaders would like to start a school this year in the church.  It is certainly large enough!  We lift up as a joy the fact that all of the work done on the church building was by church member volunteers.   Church members also cooked for us at the Guest House. We had a very productive meeting with their church council, identifying some future leaders and planning some leadership training for them.

Money alone will not rebuild Haiti.  True change CAN be affected by the fellowship, support and encouragement of fellow Christians.  True change CAN start with the children.  Just read 2 Chronicles 7:14;  "If my people who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and I will forgive their sin and heal their land."