CHE Training spreads to the mainland

As a result of our March mission trip, we have a team of CHE trained leaders from Pastor Agones’ school traveling to the mainland to Ste Michelle to host a 5 day training for local leaders. As Pastor Agones says, “Everyone on La Gonave knows about CHE!” So now we will spread the word to the mainland where Pastor Joseph has 40 churches. We introduced the CHE program (Community, Health and Evanglism) back in March, and this team will now continue in depth classes. It is important for the Haitians to be teaching other Haitians, learning that they have the ability to change their lives for the better. They do not need to wait for relief or handouts. Another team, led by Pastor Gabriel, will be going from Ti Palmeste’s Church of the New Jerusalem to the village of Segur for the same purpose. God’s Face Haiti Mission is funding these outreaches with transportation and lodging costs. In reciprocation, Pastor Joseph is sending a team of evangelists to Ti Palmeste for a crusade/revival for 4 days. This community is struggling spiritually after the death of their leader and church founder, Pastor Amboiz. He was a very well respected man in this community, and he is sorely missed. Our plans for the future include returning to do Pastor training and Bible study, an area where there is much need. The young man taking over from Pastor Amboiz are still in seminary training, and many pastors of small churches in the area have very little training. Our prayers go with Pastor Agones and Pastor Gabriel as they travel.

Mission Accomplished on Latest Trip

The view was incredible, to the right a sheer drop down the mountain, to the left, another sheer drop. We were on a narrow road that snaked along the very top of the mountain. We had been climbing up mountains and descending into valleys with streams running through for several hours now as we explored a new area of Haiti, the northern Artibonite River Valley. When viewed from afar the mountains looked brown and inhospitable. We labored up the sides on rocky switchbacks, but what a sight when we looked back! There were green valleys and hillsides dotted with crops. Amazing! On one large hill our truck shuddered to a stop after hitting some rather big rock. Looking down, the last village was a long way away. Looking up, the next village was seven or eight miles. Ugh. We prayed, and waited, thinking of all the abandoned vehicles we had seen on our travels. The truck cooled off, and then started. Thank goodness, as there is no AAA out here! We never even saw another car or truck the whole way up this mountain, just a few motorcycles. Pastor Joseph did a great job driving, as we traveled with him for a week, visiting many of the churches he had started over the last 35 years. Arriving in Nan Paul, we spot a very pink house with a newer vehicle out front, and hope this is Pastor Sainvil’s home. We had met Pastor Sainvil in Naples where he is a pastor of El Shaddai church of Grace at Covenant Presbyterian Church. We were there to do a two day training in CHE for leaders from Pastor Sainvil’s church and also from Pastor Joseph’s churches. There were 53 in all, and they were really connected to what Ed was teaching. CHE stands for Community, Health and Evangelism, and is a holistic approach to third world countries who need the basics of sanitation and community development. After traveling with the Youth for Orphans group on Pastor Agones sailboat over to la Gonave, we headed up the mountain to check on Ti Palmeste. Things ok here after the passing of Pastor Amboiz, but the people seem sad. It was hard to lose such a popular leader. Pastor Gabriel took good care of us for the night and we have a good meeting with his CHE team. They are excited about the moringa tree and all that it can do to improve the health of the people, even starting micorbusinesses selling the powder in the market! They will make great trainers for the people over on the mainland. And Pastor Joseph had a great idea. He will send a team of four evangelists over to spend several days in Ti Palmeste visiting people and holding a revival. They need spiritual nourishment right now. In return, Ti Palmeste will send a team to Segur, Pastor Joseph’s home town to teach CHE. What an awesome exchange of ideas and resources. This is what CHE is all about, sharing of information so all may have a chance to learn and improve their communities. Meeting with Pastor Agones’s CHE leaders, we presented the plan to them about traveling to the mainland to Ste Michelle to train the leaders of Pastor Joseph’s churches there. As Pastor Agones said, ”Everyone on La Gonave knows about CHE!”

Mission Update January 2014

Despite the passing of Pastor Amboiz last summer, the church of the New Jerusalem in Ti Palmeste is doing well. The goats are flourishing, and the school which is now supported by the goat farm, is growing. We have been invited by the pastors to visit the four other mission churches they have started. Two young men share the church leadership, and are attending seminary classes in Port-au-Prince. In Baie de Tortue, Pastor Agones’ school is doing very well, and they will graduate a fifth grade class this year for the first time! He now has 7 grades, pre-k through 5th. This success is due to the support of teachers salaries we have provided over the last four years. This support has been necessary because of the severe lack of education in this area. It will take a little time to improve the conditions here. Several leaders are teaching the others in their community using the CHE method, which we introduced two years ago. Already they have improved sanitation, added many more latrines, and started several micro businesses. Of special concern here is the termination of Pastor Agones’ lease in May. He owns a piece of land and has donated it to the school. There is a project underway to build a combined school/church. Mattituck Presbyterian Church on Long Island, NY is taking the lead in this, and is sending a team this month to do a video which they hope will raise a portion of the needed funds. We will partner with them, along with Estero UMC and South Dade Haitian UMC to make this a reality. A new aspect of our mission will begin next month when we travel with Pastor Joseph of Naples Goshen Church of God, who has been praying for us to help in his area for several years . We will visit the Artibonite River Valley area where many of the churches he has started are located. ( he has over 40 in total) We will meet up with Pastor Sainvel of the El Shaddai of Grace Church, and do a combined CHE program for the people they have selected as leaders. This is an area of very great need and much suffering of the people. We visited the site of this new church in Petit Rivere in June of 2010. It now has a roof, but is still in need of a floor. CHE stands for Community, Health and Evangelism, and is designed for Haitians to help other Haitians. Instead of handouts, our mission offers mentoring and development of their communities. One of the things we do provide when we visit is a hot meal to all who attend the all day trainings. This is CHE, we must feed, develop community and teach God’s principles and how they can change their lives. It is not enough to offer food, and no encouragement, or to preach the gospel when the people are starving. All three aspects must be addressed in a holistic manner. The three legged stool will stand. Our goal is to show them they can solve many of their problems themselves. This has worked really well in Ti Palmeste, where we have been involved for five years. They have become a model for others to follow, which was our plan.. We will use leaders from this area to help teach others. For more information on any aspect of our mission, visit our blog at godsfacehaitimission.blogspot.com or call us. We would love to talk to you about it! Thank you for helping us share God’s love to the beautiful people of Haiti. Ed and Sally Ritter Ed-239-404-0934 Sally-239-595-7283 gfhaitimission@gmail.com