It is exciting to say that on June 30th SOFM is bringing a team down to Haiti to spend 8 days in the Ounaminthe and Lac’ajue area. This summer’s team consists of 14 members from NJ, SC, CO and Alaska! This is our first multi-state trip which includes some first time family members. Karen’s mother -in- law along with my mother -in- law, sister -in-law and niece & nephew will be heading down for the first time. Four other first-timers from Fellowship Chapel of Brick and Calvary Presbyterian Church of Allenwood will also be joining us. It is equally exciting to see some returnees [Nicole, Sophia, Karen and Patrick] who combined have traveled to Haiti 12 times. Spending time in Haiti for the first time can be challenging, so having a team of seasoned members will be helpful.
With our continuing partnership with Aslan Youth Ministry, our time spent in Lac’ajue will allow us to be involved with many areas of service and ministry.
Our team will provide a 4-day Bible Club for many children and by doing so we will also provide a meal each day of rice & beans for not only the children but also those older helpers (see right) and our interpreters. With out these wonderful Godly individuals, we would not be able to provide this type of camp for the rest of the children. The theme for this year’s Bible Club is “The Fruit of the Spirit”. With the aid of the Evangel Cubes, we will be able to tell the story of Jesus and show the Gospel message clearly to all in attendance. An unexpected blessing that Joseph shared with us a few weeks ago is that we will experience the first baptisms from the growing church community in Lac’ajue and witness 24 people outwardly expressing their faith in Jesus through baptism.
This baptism will be memorable since only a handful of year’s ago, those attending the church services were mostly children. Over the past couple of years the children have brought the Gospel back to their families and now many adults are turning from the practice of voodoo to the saving relationship with Jesus Christ.
Along with the Bible Club we will have a nurse and her daughter (who is going to school to be a nurse) serving in the Medical Clinic. It was only 3 years ago that this ‘beacon of hope’ was put together on the property. Since last July the clinic has been open weekly, allowing the Haitian medical staff to see and diagnose many of the Lac’ajue residence who would otherwise go without any medical attention.
Some of our team members (Patrick and John) will be concentrating on various work projects including hooking up an additional electrical panel to the generator room, as well as seeing to some needed repairs and upkeep on the clinic and other aspects of the property.
Our week will include other ministry opportunities such as distribution of supplies in the village, taking graduates to the beach and meeting, greeting and distributing rice & beans through our Grains of Grace Feeding Program.
We are also excited to be joined by Craig (Aslan) and some people through Aslan Youth Ministry so that we can combine efforts on all the above mentioned activities. This partnership of the two ministries has proven to be nothing short of amazing since 2007. So many people have been brought to Haiti and so many more are continuing to pour into this country in many ways due to our efforts together.
We will also take a trip to Danita’s Orphanage to see our friends and hear about the growth of the ministry there. It is always a blessing to see the children who receive the nutrition supplements each year and yearly new shoe collection that many of you have supported over the years.
Please pray for our team and the time spent in Haiti. We will be arriving back in NJ on July 7th. Thank you for all your support of this ministry and all your support for those who are going this year!
There will be a lot to share once we return!