A few weeks ago I preached at our home church, Crossing Community Church. At the end of the sermon I urged people to obey the Bible’s command to believe in Jesus:
1 John 3:23
“And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us.”
Afterwards I was introduced to a couple who had been attending Crossing for a while, but had never trusted in Christ. They explained that they both were not feeling well that morning and almost didn’t come. Michael, the church member who introduced me to them told me afterwards that he had been doing a Bible study with this couple and that they were former students of his.
The next week, Michael told me that this couple had trusted in Christ on the same Sunday as I preached! God’s Word touched their hearts, and they believed!
Please pray for them as they grow in their faith.
Saturday, March 24, 2012
Friday, March 23, 2012
Video of a player, Darwins
Jon Ortlip, Director of Ambassadors in Sport International, interviewed one of our players who just trusted in Jesus.
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Working with recovering addicts in Kensington, Philadelphia
We're on Home Ministry Assignment now, until the end of July. Here's and update on something I've been doing here in the Philadelphia area.
Our home church, Crossing Community Church, has had a close relationship with Cornerstone church in Kensington, a rough section of Philadelphia. One of the para-church ministries that Cornerstone refers addicts to is called Adonai House. They help addicts recover through a three-level Bible-based program and have had good success. Tim Smith, the pastor of Crossing Community Church has been leading a Bible study for these men for a few months and invited me to meet them. Afterwards, he asked me to lead the study for two weeks while he was away on a trip to Israel and again when he was out of town to conduct a funeral.
So I shared my life story with them one week, and what I do in Haiti the second week. Through sharing my story I found out that I have a lot in common with most of the guys: My Dad was murdered when I was 11, I was raised by my Mother who remarried when I was 16, I struggled with depression and low self-esteem, and have faced death several times in my life.
It turns out that one of the guys named Bob has coached soccer for many years and was very interested in our ministry in Haiti. I had some work to do at one of my Mother’s rental properties, so I spent a day working with Bob and Rich who are both in the second level of the program and have been clean for 6 months. We got a lot done, and had some good conversations during the day.
Although their life stories are tragic in many ways (Bob’s son was killed by a drunk driver), God’s grace has brought them safe thus far, and by God’s grace they will go on and help others who are suffering from addictions, with a little help from Pastors like Tim!
We plant the seed, and God makes it grow!
Our home church, Crossing Community Church, has had a close relationship with Cornerstone church in Kensington, a rough section of Philadelphia. One of the para-church ministries that Cornerstone refers addicts to is called Adonai House. They help addicts recover through a three-level Bible-based program and have had good success. Tim Smith, the pastor of Crossing Community Church has been leading a Bible study for these men for a few months and invited me to meet them. Afterwards, he asked me to lead the study for two weeks while he was away on a trip to Israel and again when he was out of town to conduct a funeral.
So I shared my life story with them one week, and what I do in Haiti the second week. Through sharing my story I found out that I have a lot in common with most of the guys: My Dad was murdered when I was 11, I was raised by my Mother who remarried when I was 16, I struggled with depression and low self-esteem, and have faced death several times in my life.
It turns out that one of the guys named Bob has coached soccer for many years and was very interested in our ministry in Haiti. I had some work to do at one of my Mother’s rental properties, so I spent a day working with Bob and Rich who are both in the second level of the program and have been clean for 6 months. We got a lot done, and had some good conversations during the day.
Although their life stories are tragic in many ways (Bob’s son was killed by a drunk driver), God’s grace has brought them safe thus far, and by God’s grace they will go on and help others who are suffering from addictions, with a little help from Pastors like Tim!
We plant the seed, and God makes it grow!
Monday, March 12, 2012
YABT Haiti's Business training activities for the next 6 months
Following up on the success of our training before Christmas, 2011, we are now training entrepreneurs in Leogane. None of the participants have ever had any training in how to write a business plan, so we are using a very simple curriculum in Creole. Our new Interim Director, Stanley Albert, is heading up the training and has 3 teachers helping him: Two of the graduates from the training of Trainers course held in December, and Monite Mettelus, who works part time with YABT Haiti.
Daniel Jean Louis, one of the board members of YABT Haiti is looking into how we can become one of the members of the “100,000 jobs for Haiti” initiative so that we can get preferential financing for the entrepreneurs we have trained who qualify.
Other plans we have are to launch entrepreneurs clubs that will meet monthly at Fondation Espoir, Quisqueya University, Notre Dame University and Haititec.
Finally, we have a new web page: yabthaiti.net, and will be working on updating it with pictures and descriptions of our activities.
Daniel Jean Louis, one of the board members of YABT Haiti is looking into how we can become one of the members of the “100,000 jobs for Haiti” initiative so that we can get preferential financing for the entrepreneurs we have trained who qualify.
Other plans we have are to launch entrepreneurs clubs that will meet monthly at Fondation Espoir, Quisqueya University, Notre Dame University and Haititec.
Finally, we have a new web page: yabthaiti.net, and will be working on updating it with pictures and descriptions of our activities.
Starting a business in Haiti
In spite of many challenges, we have finally started selling cell phone time electronically in Haiti. We have agreements with all three of the major cell phone companies in Haiti to sell minutes electronically. It was a lot of work visiting Digicel, Voila and Natcom to sign the agreements and purchase the time so we could start selling. Our products are cell phone minutes and Natcom SIM cards, Cell phones, and internet USB antennas.
Initially we are working with 25 “Business Consultant” who will visit schools, organizations and businesses and try and help them solve their communication and internet problems with the products we can offer. This is a much different strategy than most retailers who stand on street corners and wait for people to come to them. About 15 of our consultants are graduates of a discipleship course that I just finished on January 29th.
To help our business consultants get started we have loaned them the equivalent of $150 US in product. They have 3 months to pay this loan back at no interest. If they do not pay it back they will not be able to continue in the program. All participants will meet each Saturday to compare notes and encourage each other.
I have left the business in the capable hands of two Haitians: Josue, the administrator and Monite, the accountant. They will keep me informed via email of how it is going.
Please pray for this endeavor as each person needs to keep their end of the bargain for it to succeed! Our hope is that we will be able to replicate this program with our 250 volunteers all over Haiti.
Initially we are working with 25 “Business Consultant” who will visit schools, organizations and businesses and try and help them solve their communication and internet problems with the products we can offer. This is a much different strategy than most retailers who stand on street corners and wait for people to come to them. About 15 of our consultants are graduates of a discipleship course that I just finished on January 29th.
To help our business consultants get started we have loaned them the equivalent of $150 US in product. They have 3 months to pay this loan back at no interest. If they do not pay it back they will not be able to continue in the program. All participants will meet each Saturday to compare notes and encourage each other.
I have left the business in the capable hands of two Haitians: Josue, the administrator and Monite, the accountant. They will keep me informed via email of how it is going.
Please pray for this endeavor as each person needs to keep their end of the bargain for it to succeed! Our hope is that we will be able to replicate this program with our 250 volunteers all over Haiti.
A finalist in the MEMA business plan competition
Eleven participants enter the first round of the MemeHaiti business plan competition!
From the end of November until Dec. 15, 2011 we partnered with Fondation Espoir (Hope Foundation) in Haiti to train 55 young Haitians how to write business plans.
Part of the graduation requirements was for them to enter an on-line business plan competition sponsored by the Clinton/Bush Haiti fund called “MEMAHaiti”. We are pleased to announce that 11 out of the 55 we trained were chosen to participate in the first round of the competition which is additional training in how to start a business.
This training, sponsored by MEMAHaiti, is free for those who take it, and prepares the participants to improve their business plan and present it for the second step of the competition which chooses the finalists.
We congratulate the teachers, participants and Foundation Espoir for these excellent results – 20% of those who entered from our group were chosen.
The results of the second round have now been published and at least one of our group has made it! He wants to start a Fresh-squeezed fruit juice and fast-food business. Please pray that he will be one of the winners.
From the end of November until Dec. 15, 2011 we partnered with Fondation Espoir (Hope Foundation) in Haiti to train 55 young Haitians how to write business plans.
Part of the graduation requirements was for them to enter an on-line business plan competition sponsored by the Clinton/Bush Haiti fund called “MEMAHaiti”. We are pleased to announce that 11 out of the 55 we trained were chosen to participate in the first round of the competition which is additional training in how to start a business.
This training, sponsored by MEMAHaiti, is free for those who take it, and prepares the participants to improve their business plan and present it for the second step of the competition which chooses the finalists.
We congratulate the teachers, participants and Foundation Espoir for these excellent results – 20% of those who entered from our group were chosen.
The results of the second round have now been published and at least one of our group has made it! He wants to start a Fresh-squeezed fruit juice and fast-food business. Please pray that he will be one of the winners.
Amputee soccer team commemorates the earthquake
On January 12, 2012 the people of Haiti mourned the second anniversary of the earthquake. Many fasted and prayed and remembered the many who died that day.
One story I recently heard was of 8 people who were inside a multi-story on a mission compound. A mother and child were able to run out of the building before it collapsed, but the husband/father was killed. A couple was in their room packing to go away when the earthquake it. The wife was asking her husband what to pack and the next minute she died as rubble engulfed her. Meanwhile, her husband was trapped in rubble, but somehow found a way to breath for the hours it took for him to be rescued. His body was crushed in several places, and yet he has made a miraculous recovery and can still walk. But his heart will never fully recover from the loss of his dear wife.
The last person who was saved in the same building was a young lady in her 20’s who now teaches at Quisqueya Christian School. As the building fell, she remembered the instructions she had learned as a child and scrambled underneath a table. It was this that saved her life. She was still badly injured and both she and the husband mentioned above were airlifted to Cuba for emergency treatment the next day after they were freed from the rubble.
In the afternoon of January 12th, I went to attend the final of an Amputee Soccer Tournament. The final game was between some of the members of the Haitian national team and another team called “Zaryen” meaning Tarantula in Creole.
The game ended in a 2-2 tie, and was decided by a penalty shootout! It was great to see all my friends on the team again.
This anniversary reminds me of how short life is and how we never know when we will die. That is why I am making Rev. 20:12 my verse for this year!
One story I recently heard was of 8 people who were inside a multi-story on a mission compound. A mother and child were able to run out of the building before it collapsed, but the husband/father was killed. A couple was in their room packing to go away when the earthquake it. The wife was asking her husband what to pack and the next minute she died as rubble engulfed her. Meanwhile, her husband was trapped in rubble, but somehow found a way to breath for the hours it took for him to be rescued. His body was crushed in several places, and yet he has made a miraculous recovery and can still walk. But his heart will never fully recover from the loss of his dear wife.
The last person who was saved in the same building was a young lady in her 20’s who now teaches at Quisqueya Christian School. As the building fell, she remembered the instructions she had learned as a child and scrambled underneath a table. It was this that saved her life. She was still badly injured and both she and the husband mentioned above were airlifted to Cuba for emergency treatment the next day after they were freed from the rubble.
In the afternoon of January 12th, I went to attend the final of an Amputee Soccer Tournament. The final game was between some of the members of the Haitian national team and another team called “Zaryen” meaning Tarantula in Creole.
The game ended in a 2-2 tie, and was decided by a penalty shootout! It was great to see all my friends on the team again.
This anniversary reminds me of how short life is and how we never know when we will die. That is why I am making Rev. 20:12 my verse for this year!
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