Mission Bon Berger

                             Milot, de Haiti

 

                                                                                         March 17, 2008

 

 

“Let us not be weary in well doing”

 

“And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not” - Galatians 6:9

 

In February, while I was in Haiti, I spent some time sharing thoughts with Ron Smith, whom many of you know.  I indicated frustration at how the country seems to be frozen in time, unable to pull free from the spiritual bondage it has been in for over 200 years. Like most Americans, I am programmed to expect instant results. The thing that Ron impressed upon me was that in a country like Haiti, change comes slow. The work of the gospel requires years, even decades of perseverance. We do see wonderful changes in the lives of individuals. And we rejoice in that. But as we yearn for the nation of Haiti as a whole, change will take time. In our personal lives, sanctification is an ongoing work that continues through the years. And so it is for a nation. The gospel has been and continues to be planted. Yet it takes time for the society and culture as a whole to begin to reflect the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. So we persevere in the work. We have a long view. We are in it for the long haul. And by His grace, we will not grow weary, and we will not faint. And in due season we shall reap. We pray that God would take what may be the most spiritually oppressed nation in the world, and demonstrate His redemptive power before the eyes of a watching world. Please continue to pray with us for the redemption of individuals. But also pray with us for a national revival, a mighty move of the Holy Spirit across this land.

 

 

“The Work of the Gospel”

 

Here are some of the things that have happened since our last newsletter …

 

The DAILY MORNING WORSHIP & BIBLE STUDY with the staff continues to be a dynamic and spiritually fruitful work. Attendance is good. Lives are being changed. This is discipleship at its best. God’s Word is changing lives!

 

The CHRISTMAS BAG MINISTRY was a wonderful experience again this year. It is a very exciting time for the children and the adults. And as always, we have the great opportunity to tell the children the story of Christ’s birth, and His mission in coming. Thank you to all the churches, individuals, and Pamela Pickett, that made this ministry possible.  With your help, we anticipate another great year in 2008.

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Our ANNUAL BANQUET at Harbor City Baptist Church in January was an exciting time. It was well attended by around 150 supporters. A local Haitian church prepared a delicious supper for us. The fellowship and reunions were very uplifting.

 

 

 

 

We completed another MEDICAL CLINIC in February. The team had a great week. Ron Smith evangelized the 640 children we saw. Our doctor and nurses prayed with everyone to whom they ministered. There were 14 first time professions of faith. Read a testimony from one of the team members elsewhere in this newsletter.

 

 

 

 

Another great blessing that has happened is that the Lord has provided a BRAND NEW TRUCK for the ministry ! A group of 6 churches saw the need and worked together to accomplish this. It is a Daihatsu Delta. This truck is specifically built for the rigors of 3rd World service. It is the vehicle of choice for this purpose. The old van has served us faithfully, but it is literally falling apart and has finally expired. Pray that GSM enjoys many safe and trouble free years of service with this truck. And, may He accompany us with His blessing and protection everywhere we go.

 

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“The Fruit of the Gospel”

 

We want to continue introducing you to some of your Haitian brothers and sisters in Christ. So here is our biographical sketch for this month. Meet …

 

                            Christian Lavaux

 

 

Born May 20,1968

 

Married with 5 biological children

- 2 girls and 3 boys -

 

Also raising 4 other children

- 1 girl and 3 boys -

 

Lives in Milot, Haiti

 

On staff with GSM

 

 

 

 

 

    Christian’s parents died when he was 6 years old.  An older brother took care of Christian for a year, but then gave Christian into the care of an aunt.   By the time Christian was 8 years old he was brought to the orphanage at GSM. This was before Good Shepherd Ministries began to develop the schools.  Christian went through primary school at the Philippian Baptist Elementary School.  After that he attended vocational school in Cap Haitien. There he learned to be a welder. After three years he returned to Milot to work for the mission, and remains there to this day as Director of Maintenance.

    His religious training began with his parents. He  remembers how they took him to church each Sunday and daily prayed with him and taught him the Bible.  After his parents died and he began living in the orphanage, his training continued with the daily schedule of Bible teaching, prayer, and church attendance.  When he was 10 years old he attended  revival services led by Pastor Senatur, and was saved.  He remembers Pastor Senatur as having a great zeal for souls and used to go everywhere sharing the gospel.  Christian is now a leader in the daily Bible study we have at the mission, and a member of the Mission Bon Berger Evangelical Church. The picture to the right was taken in 1976. Christian is middle child in the front row. Pray for Christian as he continues in the Lord and raises 9 children.

 

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A Medical Team Testimony

          by Julia Maddox (pictured)

 

   Words will not be enough to tell you about the medical mission trip I went on in February. God revealed Himself to me in so many ways as I prepared for my trip, during my trip, and He continues even since I have returned home.

   Some men from my church had been to Haiti before. I had seen their pictures, heard their talks, and even done some research on the internet. I had also met Bill and Sandy Younger when they spoke at our church about the mission in Haiti. Our church has sent Christmas bags to the children in Haiti for the last few years. So I thought I knew what to expect from my trip. Boy was I wrong! I never dreamed there could be so much poverty in one place. I also never dreamed that I could get a wonderful blessing from going to such a place.

   From the minute we all met each other, my teammates, that is, it was like we were all old friends getting together for a reunion. It was truly a team that God put together to work for Him. It was amazing what we accomplished by letting Him work through us.

   We treated 640 children in 3½ days. My friend Cindy and I were the pharmacists. We worked so well together. It was a blessing to be able to talk with the children, even just for a couple of minutes. Our translator taught us how to say “God bless you” and “Jesus loves you” in Creole. We tried to say this to all of them. They were all so polite and most of them were smiling. Our translators were wonderful. We asked each of them if they were Christians and they both are. One of them even leads four choirs in Haiti. It was so sweet when we would look up at the nurses or the doctor. I don't think they let one child leave their station without having prayer with them. And Ron Smith (the White Haitian) was amazing to watch and listen to as he witnessed to the children in Creole. Fourteen children accepted Christ during the 3½ days. Praise the Lord!

   Haiti is a beautiful place and the people all were very nice to us. I'm praying that God will do a great work in Haiti. I know He is able. I thank Him for the opportunity to serve Him in Haiti. It was a week I will never forget. On our last day of clinic the children put on a program for us with songs and poems. This really touched my heart. They told us that they did not have the words to thank us, or the gold to pay us with, so they thanked us with songs and poems. This was the best pay I have ever had. I cried throughout almost the whole program. It humbles me beyond belief. I needed that. This trip has shown me how blessed I and my family really are. Thank God I live in a country that gives us the freedom to worship and serve our God. He is teaching me so much about how to serve Him by serving others. It is our duty as Christians. He wants us to share Him. 

   The first question that people ask me about my trip is if I had fun. I'm not sure I would say the whole trip was fun, but it was wonderful in so many ways, I'm glad I was chosen to go. I know I was with the people that I was supposed to go with, and I will always remember this trip. I thank the Lord for leading me through this trip and if there is any glory gained from it, it all belongs to Him.

 

                                                                            Your teammate,

                                                                                                        Julia Maddox

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Other Important News & Matters

 

 

SOME VERY IMPORTANT NEEDS

in order of urgency

 

 

1)  GENERATOR -  this is a critical need! Our generator at Milot is barely hanging on. It is over 50 years old !  It started making a very bad and loud internal noise last week. Bill has always had to work hard to keep it running. Parts are getting difficult to locate. And much like the old van, we have squeezed about all the service we can out of it. Bill really believes it is going to expire in the next few days. There is a dealer in Cap Haitien that will deliver, install, warranty, and service a new 38kwh unit that will satisfy our needs for $14,500.00.  This is a very urgent need. Please pray with us that God would supply this need within the 1st week after this newsletter goes out.

 

 

2)  ROOFING TEAMS - we need roofing teams of 6 – 10 workers to install metal roofs during the weeks of June 17 – 24, September 16 – 23, and September 30 – October 7.  A church or group of churches could take one week. Or you may be an individual who feels God leading you to serve. If so, call us and we will put you on a list to form up a team. The fall dates are a bit flexible, but the work in June needs to be the week of the 17th. Please pray with us that God would call people out to supply these teams.

 

 

3) NEW LATRINE FOR MILOT SCHOOL  - we are working on plans for new bathrooms for the school in Milot. We are not sure how much right now, but it will require funds to accomplish.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

        Haitian Children working together with a

       machete and rock to make spinning top toy

 

 

 

                                                               

 

 

 

4)  FEEDING CENTER – a feeding center for the school in Milot is another of our goals for 2008. At this time we are only feeding the children at Savanne Carre. Bill & Sandy have a vision to expand our feeding program to include one meal a day for the children at our Milot school. The first two things that are needed to move toward fulfilling this dream are two special ovens to equip the center, and a new roof for the building we will be using. $4000 will supply the ovens, and a good roofing team June 17th can keep us dry.

 

 

5) PAINT TEAM – we need a team of 6 to help complete work on the vocational school at Milot. We have new computers and sewing machines to equip the school, but the building isn’t ready. The work dates are negotiable.

 

 

6)  MEDICAL TEAMS – our May team looks fairly strong. But we need to hear from people God is calling to staff our November 4 – 11 medical team. We need a doctor, nurses, and several lay support personnel. Please pray with us that God would call people out to supply this team.

 

 

 

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             OTHER

 

1)  UPDATE INFORMATION -  as always, help us keep our newsletter mailing list current. If you don’t want to receive our newsletter anymore, or need to update your address, or are getting multiple copies, please call 334-365-5219 or e-mail gsm@lwol.com  .  Thanks!

 

2)  DO YOU NEED A SPEAKER FOR YOUR CHURCH OR GROUP ?  - Lamar Lyon, our Director of U.S. Operations will be glad to come and share a nice multi-media presentation about the country of Haiti and the work of GSM. Call or e-mail to set a date: gsm@lwol.com   office  334-365-5219   cell 334-301-4764

 

3)  SUPPORT – we are continually thankful for those God is leading to support His work among the Haitian people. You’re faithfulness keeps the wonderful work of GSM going. May God richly bless you as your generous support blesses the Lord and His people in Haiti.

 

“Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.” – Math 26:40

 

4) OUR CHRISTIAN SCHOOLS – our Christian schools remain the core of what we are doing. Everything else flows out of this work and the great host of relationships and activities this offers. Pray for our teachers and principals. We are thankful for their faithfulness. We want them to grow in their ownership of the missionary vision of GSM. Pray for Bill & Sandy as they continue the daily work of maintaining and improving our 3 Christian schools: changing hearts - changing children - changing a nation – one child at a time.

 

PRAY

 

1) for our Keswick Bible Conference July 4-6. We are expecting over 1000 people to attend our simultaneous meetings in 3 villages with 6 evangelists. Pray that these meetings would spark revival among the Haitian people.

 

2) that God will provide for a new Generator within one week after this newsletter goes out

 

3) pray daily for our Haitian staff, victory in the daily struggles of the work,  protection, teams that come in to serve, the daily worship, and that God would abundantly supply the needs of the ministry.

      Haitian children with toy cars made from

      discarded plastic bottles (caps for wheels!)

 

 

So until next time, thank you for your continued prayer and support …

 

                         In Christ’s glorious service,

 

 

                                                                                          &

                                Bill & Sandy Younger                                                  Lamar Lyon                                              

                                            missionaries                                                                  administrator                                                                                             

 

please send gifts & correspondence to … Good Shepherd Ministries, Inc.

P.O. Box 360963 Melbourne, FL 32936-0963

334-365-5219  334-301-4764  321-752-0072

 

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