Amazing, life-changing, ministry continues to take place every day in both of our locations in Haiti. I was blessed to spend last week at our Thoman location with a team of 30 from Colonial Heights Baptist Church (Ridgeland, MS) where I recently completed a one-year interim pastorate. The team engaged in a wide variety of ministry that can be seen below:
Standing in front of the Hope Center in Thoman
Team devotions each morning
Dental Care
Dr. Ron Caloss, an oral surgeon, pulled hundreds of teeth.
Working on a patient. So many arrived with a mouth full of aching teeth.
Painting the School
Many team members painted the inside and outside of the school where we sponsor over 220 children. Previously, the school was a drab gray. Today it is a bright pink and the entire atmosphere has changed!
Painting inside a classroom
Looking good!
House Construction
Part of the team spent the week building a house for a family that includes a husband and wife and numerous children. They have been living in a hut in the mountains. The husband’s name is Vertille, and he was very excited for his family.
Team members moving block
Vertille worked harder than anyone!
Life Changing
While we were building the house for Vertille, a lady came each day to pick up rocks and toss them in the pile for the footings. She was a volunteer and asked nothing for her labor. I soon learned she was a widow with two children and no income. Simply surviving each day is a struggle.
While taking a break, I asked her to show me her house. It was a pitiful mud hut. Then I remembered the amazing couple from Colonial Heights that had saved $5,500 to build someone a new house. Immediately, I knew Elismeme should be the recipient!
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Elismene adding rocks for the foundation
Sitting on her bed in her hut. She uses her Bible as a pillow as she sleeps on an old blanket on the concrete.
Elismeme receving the great news that she will be getting a new house! She was very excited and said, “Praise Jezi! Praise Jezi!”
Ladies Bible Study
Several ladies from Colonial Heights led a Ladies Bible Study each day at the Hope Center.
Enjoying sweet time with one another
Hunger
We are not what I call a “give-away” organization where we simply give people something every day so they become dependent on us. However, due to a months-long drought, most of the crops have failed and many people have no access to food. Members of Colonial Heights came together and provided food that was distributed to 100 hungry families.
The team unloading bags of rice
100 bags of rice ready to be distributed to hungry families
Free Enterprise
We came upon a lady baking bread in a very primitive kind of way. The team members decided to make her day by purchasing each biscuit for $1. This was far more than she normally makes per biscuit and she was thrilled to have such a good day of sales!
Baking bread in her oven
Sad News
Terry and Kathy Warren moved to Thoman, Haiti in November of 2014 to serve as full-time missionaries with BGM. They have done an incredible job! Kathy has set up and organized the clinic and treated countless patients while Terry has hosted every team and worked tirelessly throughout the community.
Now, they have announced they will move back to the States full-time in February 2016. We will never be able to thank God or the Warrens enough for their amazing service. They will always be the ones who helped start the Hope Center in Thoman and began our full-time presence there.
Fortunately, Terry and Kathy have committed to continuing their work with BGM in both the States and Haiti. They will speak at various churches who are interested in Haiti, continue to work with the school sponsorship program, and spend several weeks each year in Haiti giving our missionaries much needed breaks.
Happy News
While we will miss Terry and Kathy, God has raised up another couple who will be moving to Thoman to serve as our full-time missionaries beginning in February of next year. Their names are Andrew and Laura Rader. They have been to Haiti numerous times including an entire month-long stay this past summer.
Like the Warrens, the Raders are from Northwest Arkansas. Andrew is a graduate of a Bible college and has served on the staff of a church in Arkansas. Laura is a Registered Nurse and has worked in the medical field for many years. Their children are all grown and living on their own. We are very excited about the addition of Andrew and Laura to the BGM team!
Andrew and Laura on a recent trip to Haiti
And finally . . .
As you can see, God is using But God Ministries in marvelous ways. Also, as you are aware, it takes a great deal of resources to do what God has called us to do. Would you please consider financially supporting BGM and our work in Haiti? Your gift will go a long way in helping us share the love of Christ in very tangible ways in that poverty-stricken nation.
You can give online HERE or send a check to: But God Ministries, 400 Fontaine Place, Suite 103, Ridgeland, MS, 39157.
In addition, I ask for your prayers for wisdom and energy for our Haitian staff, our American staff in Haiti, and our Board of Directors.
Can’t Wait To See What God Does Next,
Stan Buckley
Executive Director
But God Ministries