So many good things are happening in Haiti with But God Ministries! God is blessing in very real and tangible ways. This update highlights just a few of the many great things taking place as we continue to share the love of Christ through building sustainable communities.
Water, Water, Water!!!
For a long time, the pipes that flow from a spring at the top of the mountain bringing water to the village of Thoman have been broken. The people have had to walk miles down the mountain to a river to get water in their buckets and then carry the heavy buckets back up the mountain to their homes.
But now, thanks to the generosity of some donors and the efforts of some hard working Haitians, the pipes have been repaired. The water is flowing and the people are rejoicing. Praise God!
Water flowing in Thoman
New Church in Thoman
I have preached and worshipped at Pastor Mathurin’s church in Thoman many times. It’s always a wonderful experience. The building where the church worships has been there many years and and every week is completely full. It has served the community well but now it is too small to accommodate the numbers of people attending. In addition, it has a low ceiling and few windows, thus making it dark and stuffy.
Thanks to the generosity of FBC Brandon, MS, as well as funds provided by Pastor Mathurin’s church, we have begun construction on a new church building in Thoman. The new building will be almost twice the size of the old structure and will have high ceilings and an abundance of large windows. It will look very much like our church in Galette Chambon.
We anticipate the new building will be used for many, many purposes including weekly worship, discipleship classes, pastors’ conferences, VBS activities, community meetings, and, possibly, a secondary school.
Footings have been dug for the new church building in Thoman
Sponsoring Children
My wife, Jewell, and I recently started sponsoring a little girl in the local school in Thoman. Her name is Jusmithe and she is precious. For $37 per month, the child gets to go to school, her tuition and books and supplies are paid, and she gets to eat lunch every day at the school. In addition, three other children receive a meal because of the sponsorship.
The sponsorship program was begun by Terry and Kathy Warren, our missionaries in Thoman. A year or two before they officially joined our team, they formed a non-profit organization called Friends Loving Friends in Christ (FLFC) to sponsor children. Today, over 120 children are being sponsored.
Within a month or so, because the Warrens are now part of our team, we will be folding this sponsorship program into But God Ministries. The board of FLFC will still be actively involved in the details of the sponsorship and we will work together.
In the meantime, if you are interested in sponsoring a child and changing his or her life, click HERE to go to the FLFC website. Then click on “Sponsor a Child” and choose a child to sponsor. Some of the children may seem young, but the school is for 3 year olds through 6th grade.
Later this summer we will begin the same sponsorship program in Galette Chambon.
I visited with Jusmithe a few weeks ago at the school.
New Housing
Every person in every country needs appropriate shelter. We all need a house in which to sleep safely at night.
Several houses have been built over the last few weeks in both Galette Chambon and Thoman.
This family of six was homeless (two children were at school when this photo was taken a few weeks ago). They were staying with neighbors and relatives and bouncing from hut to hut and house to house. Thanks to a team from Palmetto, GA and Brandon, MS, they now have a home of their own.
Palmetto/Brandon team working on the new house
Last year, 16-year old Chandler Russ of Natchez, MS went to Haiti with us along with her mom, Jennifer, who is a pediatrician. She saw the sad living conditions of so many and went home with the desire to raise $5,500 to build a house for a family. Chandler worked very hard and raised all the money herself. This week, a family that has been living in a tin shack (see below) is getting a new house. Way to go Chandler! Praise God!
The family living in this tin shack is getting a new house this week!
Touching Hearts and Sharing Love
Our ultimate goal is to share God’s love and see people come to faith in Christ and then grow in their new faith.
Monday of this week, the lady in this photo accepted Christ into her life as her Savior and Lord. Tony and Junior prayed with her there at the Hope Center in Galette Chambon.
A team from FBC Madison, MS brought these robes for our church choir in Galette Chambon. The choir members were overjoyed as they picked out their robes and immediately began an impromptu concert that was beautiful.
A team from FBC Madison, MS brought these robes for our church choir in Galette Chambon. The choir members were overjoyed as they picked out their robes and immediately began an impromptu concert that was beautiful.
Economic Development
We received a great report today from Mickie West, one of our missionaries in Galette Chambon. This morning, she shared the following:
“This is one happy and thankful man!! Maquil is grinning like a proud papa because he just hatched his first group of baby chicks solo! He incubated this group of eggs by himself and he has watched and waited for them to hatch every day. Today not only is he celebrating new chicks, but his biggest sale of chickens ever! He sold 20 hens today!!! This business is growing by leaps and bounds! Hallelujah!!”
Maquil with his chickens and eggs
Medical Care
Several weeks ago we had a large medical team from Broadmoor Baptist Church in Madison, MS that was led by Dr. Mike McMullan. This team stayed in Galette Chambon and had two cardiologists, ten 4th year medical students, nursing students, and others. They saw hundreds of patients and worked with our Haitian doctor in Galette Chambon.
Medical team preparing for their first day of clinic
Remote clinics
Last week, the team from Palmetto, GA conducted our first ever mobile clinic to the remote village of Mathias! The team saw dozens of patients, provided salvation bracelets as a way of sharing the gospel, and had about 10 people profess their faith in Christ. What a great day that was!
This building in Mathias serves as a school and a church
Teams Galore
We love the mission teams that travel to Haiti each week. They bring energy, ideas, prayer, encouragement, resources and many other things.
This year we have 50 trips on the calendar with several more being planned for later in the year. We’ve already begun accepting trip dates for 2016. In fact, we already have 13 trips scheduled for next year. If you are interested in going with us in 2016, don’t wait too late to sign up!
Haitian Staff Promotions
One of our strategies for building sustainable communities is to have Haitians in positions of leadership within our organization in Haiti. Thus, we are thrilled to announce that Vladimir Theogene and Junior St. Juste have accepted new positions with BGM.
Vladimir has been with BGM as a full-time translator since 2011 and is well-loved by all our visiting mission teams. Effective June 1, Vladimir will take responsibility for the mission team services portion of our organization. He will oversee all translators, cooks, and transportation needs for our mission teams in Galette Chambon. Vladimir’s title will be Mission Team Supervisor- Galette Chambon.
Junior has been a contract Team Member since 2013. He has served in many roles as a maintenance employee, electrician, and translator. Junior has played a key role in sharing the gospel to clinic patients as a translator and mentor. Effective June 1 he will assume the Role of Project Supervisor. Junior will take a leadership role in establishing the Community Garden project, a 4+ acre terraced section of the village for families to raise vegetables for personal consumption. In addition, we will establish a co-op to market excess production. He will also oversee the new filtered water station business, the chicken business of selling eggs, and the chicken hatchery of selling month-old chickens in the marketplace.
We congratulate both Vladimir and Junior for these well-deserved promotions.
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, 1440 North State Street, Jackson, MS, 39202.
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