John Newton here on behalf of the Haiti team. I wanted to say a big "thank you" for your prayers and generous support. Because of you we will be able to take a suitcase full of medicines to Pastor Benoit and the other leaders of Chambellan Baptist Church. It's not too late to donate. This Sunday we will have the donation basket once again by the exit doors of the lobby. As a point of remembrance, we need tablet antacids, Tylenol (generic or brand), aspirin, ibuprofen, gauze, band-aids, medical tape, cold medicine tablets/gels (NyQuil or equivalent), and healing ointment (Neosporin or equivalent). We can't take liquids, though. Medicines like these are vitally important in Haiti and can serve as a powerful ministry tool for Pastor Benoit and his church. The ability to take care of their own congregation, medically, and offer help to the town is beyond value. Chambellan isn't a city and medical help is not easily accessible. So your donations are an amazing blessing to our sister church and its community.
In other news, our seven-person team is continuing to prepare for the week-long trip southeast. Our team consists of Sheldon Sanders (trip leader), Kenin Lynes, Mike McMaster, Kent Baxter, LJ and Ruth Scott (longtime Haiti vets), and myself (trip pastor). Other than LJ and Ruth, Sheldon has been several times to Haiti and I've been once (in 1995). The other guys are rookies. They have no idea........ how blessed they will be.
We have several other gifts for our sister church and one major task in which to assist. We're bringing new dishes for the pastor and his wife to use as they host church and community gatherings, a few personal items for the women of Chambellan Baptist Church ("CBC"), hand fans for the congregation that have wording on them commemorating our church partnership, and a few other items for the school. One major item is a plaque that we've purchased for Pastor Benoit to hang on a church wall. It also commemorates our 20 years of partnership and our love for them.
Our mission is also to assist in the repair of the auditorium's roof, damaged badly by a hurricane last summer. We're not sure how much actual labor we'll be doing but our presence there makes a statement about our care and love for the church. In the tropics, a good roof is a necessity, especially during hurricane season. Interestingly, we will be in Haiti during the traditional peak of the Atlantic hurricane season (September 10th), — when Caribbean storms usually develop. There's a prayer request for ya!
PRAYER REQUESTS —
- Language Learning. We are all scrambling to grasp the Creole Language before we go. So far we've got a few phrases and common greetings down but communication is always key to a successful trip. Pray for us and our interpreters.
- Travel Safety. I wish I could say the voyage to Chambellan was routine and perfectly normal but we will be boarding three airplanes over two days and driving across the mountainous Haitian peninsula on our journey to rural Chambellan. Last time I was there the drive was eight hours of four-wheeled boulder hopping. LJ tells me it's a little better now. As always, please pray for a smooth trip.
- Our Health. Any time you're in a different culture, especially in a third world country, immunities are tested to their max. And sometimes they fail. Please pray for our immune systems and for our ability to endure the travel, long days, and weather.
- Our Sister Church. We love our brothers and sisters in Chambellan. The church is a real light in what could be a very spiritually dark place. Haiti is known for its Voodoo, animalistic religions, and overall spiritual darkness. Chambellan Baptist Church has not only remained steadfast in its mission to reach and disciple the people of Chambellan and its surrounding area but it has grown and flourished in the midst of great hostility. It is an overseer for several small mountain churches and its school is amazing. Please continue to pray for Pastor and Madam Benoit and the deacons (like our elders) as they shepherd the people and seek the Lord's will for His church.
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