“In all my prayers for all of you, I always
pray with joy because of your
partnership in the gospel from the first day until now.” Philippians 1:4-5 (NIV)
Jean-Paul (named changed) was recently deported and living on
the streets of Port-au-Prince. Even though he was returning to the
country of his birth, it was a country that he really did not know. He
was broken and broke as he wandered the streets of Port-au-Prince and slept
wherever he found shelter. But that warm Thursday morning, there was an
irresistible urge, an overwhelming prodding in his heart that forced him to
enter the First Baptist Church of Petion-Ville. There inside, behind the
pulpit he heard an American passionately speaking, in a language he was
familiar with, about the struggles he went through with drug addiction, and how
a merciful God delivered him from this addiction and its consuming pain.
Jean-Paul broke down. He needed to speak with someone. He
knew he needed Christ. Pastor Acene, the senior pastor, and myself met
with him and shared the good news of the Gospel.
What Jean-Paul walked into on that September morning in
Petion-Ville was a seminar being held for 300 pastors and church leaders on “A
Renewed Life- Overcoming Addiction.” A couple days before, the same
seminar was held in Goniaves where 200 pastors attended. This program was
well-received by the pastors and Christian leaders, and is being implemented in
about 300 churches.
Here’s a brief summary of what God is doing through ESMI as we
focus on the four E’s:
EVANGELISM
Leadership Development and Church
Planting
-Teaching Elder (TE) John Kinser did seminary training on
Eschatology and will return twice a year.
-Dr. Neal Hegeman of Miami International Seminary (MINTS) continues to work
with our pastors in writing a complete commentary in Haitian-Creole on the
books of the New Testament
-Sean Martin of Leadership Resources has been training twenty of our key
leaders for the past three years. Once these leaders graduate, the goal
is to open three sites in other parts of the country.
Leadership
Resource Training with 20 Key Leaders from across Haiti
August 2018
-This summer, after much perseverance, ESMI received the final
documents recognizing the Reformed Churches of Haiti (MERH) is
a national denomination. As God provides, the pastors plan to
gather for General Assembly next May.
-
Working on establishing the fifth presbytery in
the Southeast Department/State. In September, the credential committee of
MERH met with several pastors from that department interested in becoming a
part of the denomination.
Developing
Southeast Department Presbytery-the fifth presbytery, September 2018
-Over the past nine months, ESMI constructed nine new church plants and
hope to do seven more before the year ends. We praise God for making this
possible as each of these sixteen church plants will have at least 200
congregants.
-On December 8, 2018, by God’s grace, the University of Jeremie will have its
first graduation of 85 students including 16 seminary students ready to do
church planting in 2019.
EDUCATION:
In the last five years, over 250,000 Haitians from ages 20-35 have migrated to
Chili, Brazil and many other South America countries. Our country is
loosing the next generation. For this reason, ESMI has established a
secondary school in Les Cayes, South Department with an emphasis in the
curriculum on training and equipping the next generation to be ambassadors for
Christ and their country. We want them to be agents of transformation
with the Gospel. In September, 960 students enrolled in this new high school.
This gives us the opportunity to reach 800 families. As part of the requirement
for enrollment, parents/guardians must attend the monthly meeting. It is
in these meetings that the administration will dialogue and give ideas to the
parents on the importance of encouraging their children to develop a heart for
their home land. Pray with us toward that goal for these 960 students and their
families.
960
Students assemble for morning prayer and pledge to the flag-September 2018
-In August, with the assistance of the University of Iowa,
Professor Dimy Doresca, University of Jeremie, graduating Agriculture student,
Sylvain, attended a three-week seminar on entrepreneur/business
development. This was a great encouragement to not only Sylvain and his
family but to his community.
Professor
Dimy Doresca (left) from the University of Iowa with University of Jeremie
student, Sylvain (right) in Atlanta, GA-August 2018
EMPATHY
Our hearts are in prayers for the many victims of Hurricane
Florence, the earthquake and tsunami in Indonesia, and now the devastating
hurricane called Michael. In the midst of these, on Saturday, October 6
at 8:11pm, almost two years after Hurricane Matthew, a 5.9 magnitude earthquake
struck northern Haiti, about 14 miles from Port-de-Paix. One of ESMI’s
church plant in that city was affected. The children at the Fayeton
Village, Gonaives felt it. We praise God that they are all safe, but
there was some damage to the Fayeton buildings. Out of fear, the children
have been sleeping in the classrooms. Pray for me as I will visit this
area on Monday, October 15.
Over the summer, three of our girls died: two in a tragic motor accident in
Jeremie and one, in Fayeton, succumbed to an illness. Please pray for
family and friends as they continue to grieve.
Thankful for ministry partners who work tirelessly to raise needed funds to
care for the children at the different sites: Ride 4 Orphans
(www.ride4orphans.com) to install solar systems at the village sites; Mt.
Carmel’s (www.emmanuelhaiti.org) annual 5K for the Emmanuel Village; Haiti Hope
Alliance (www.hha.com) annual gala for the monthly Mirebalais pastoral training
and the Lundi Village; Chicago Friends of Haiti for Cavaillon Village; and Give
Hope with their annual gala for Cambry Village. On Saturday, October
27th, Give Hope will have their 5th annual gala. For more information: http://www.givehopeglobal.org
Grateful to all our summer teams who ministered
to the children and the medical needs of the communities in Cayes, Jeremie, and
Gonaives.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
We are still seeking funds to rebuild the chicken farm that was
destroyed during Hurricane Matthew in Jeremie. This project provided
employment for 40 people.
Prayerfully seeking someone to oversee the business aspect of the ministry
CHURCH PLANTING USA
While this deserves a newsletter of its own, I would ask for
your prayers for wisdom and continued strength as we plant churches in Central
Florida, and seek to connect Haitian leaders in the continental USA with our
PCA denomination.
Pray with us for the:
1. University of Jeremie graduation on December 8th
2. Monthly leadership training on four campuses: Cambry, Jeremie,
Gonaives and Mirebalais
3. Development of the new presbytery in the Southeast Department/State
(Jacmel)
4. Thankful for the funding of five new church plants to be done in
Goniaves, Jeremie, and Port-au-Prince
5. Need for an office and training center in Central Florida for
leadership development. Again, we thank you for your faithful prayers and financial
support for our family as we do ministry both here in the USA and Haiti for His
glory.