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