The Newsletter of Light and Life Evangelical Ministries, Inc. Our Mission: Support churches in northern Haiti by helping Haitian pastors and evangelists win souls to Christ and minister God s word to them Board of Directors Plan for Next Year At the Annual Meeting of the Ministry s Board of Directors on July 10 and 11, several significant initiatives were approved for the coming year. The more significant initiatives are summarized here, and some Rev. Saintil and Directors at the Annual Meeting will be described in more detail in articles on the interior pages. A New Church Added The church at Cardinot, located about 12 miles south of Cap-Haitien, was approved for a one-year probationary affiliation. See the article on page 2 for more details. For the coming year, the only expense will be the pastor s salary beginning September 1. A New Pastor for Bas-Fossé Pastor Ange Dorvil was named to be the pastor at Bas-Fossé, replacing Pastor Maneson n Pierre. Pastor Ange lives in the nearby town of Limonade, and will be able to work full-time in the Bas-Fossé community. Pastor Pierre, who has a full-time job as a clerk in a Government office, will be retained as a member of a Ministerial Discipling and Teaching team to assist all the Ministry s pastors. An Evangelist Added The Ministry s National Director, Rev. Claude Saintil, recommended hiring Wilfort Edmond as a second evangelist to enhance our outreach to the lost people in northern Haiti, and the Board approved. Evaluate an Assistant National Director Rev. Saintil reported to the Board that he may have located the man to be his assistant. A pastor he ISSUE NO. 29 August,, 2015 has known for a long time, and who was a fellow graduate from seminary with him, came to him recently saying that God had led him to be associated with our Ministry. In the coming months, he will be evaluated for the Assistant National Director position prior to any formal offer. No New Church Building? For the first time in several years, no new church building is planned. However, the situation at Limbé may dictate otherwise. The lease on the building in which the church meets will expire in June, 2016. The church leaders in Limbé are looking for either a building that can be converted to a church, or a vacant lot upon which a new building can be built. Facility Improvements With no new church buildings in the offing, the board identified some facility improvements for our traditional annual construction work teams. These include better ventilation for the Cap-Haitien church, improved water drainage from our dormitory, and install a culvert on the entry to the La Suisse church which is continually muddy from the artesian well there. Another possible construction project is a covered pavilion at Bas-Fossé for holding classes out of doors. The high enrollment at the Bas-Fossé school overflows floor space available within the church building. None of these projects has been budgeted, however, and further study will be required. Enhance the Medical Ministry The Ministry will explore partnering with two NGOs to enhance the Medical Ministry. Medical Ambassadors International has an active program in Haiti called Community Health Evangelism. Blessings International provides medicine and medical supplies to organizations, like ours, who promote community health at places where basic health care is lacking. Complete Water Wells One goal is to finish the water well begun at Savane Carree last year. A well driller is being sought to complete the well in the rocky ground there. The well dug at Ceciline early this year will get a pump. Director Ken Howard has a well-drilling and pump team hard at work in DeKalb, TX, for future wells, as well.
LifeLines Page 2 August, 2015 The New Church at Cardinot At the Annual Meeting of the Ministry s Board of Directors in July, Rev. Claude Saintil, National Director, proposed adding the church at Cardinot to the Ministry. Cardinot is a rural community approximately 12 miles due South of Cap-Haitien The Church at Cardinot Rev. Saintil reported that the pastor of the Cardinot church, Decesse Bien-Aime, had been attending the weekly meetings he has with the Ministry s pastors for nearly two years. Pastor Decesse had completed an application for affiliation with the Ministry which was reviewed and approved by the board. The Congregation at Cardinot Rev. Saintil has had a long association with Pastor Decesse. He was a member of Rev. Saintil s church when Rev. Saintil pastored at a church in Biclaire about 10 years ago. The church currently meets in a very rustic building with a dirt floor and leaky roof, but Rev. Saintil says he loves their spirit. In his visits there he said they were very friendly, and he saw how much they loved God and want to serve Him. Attendance at the church is around 80 at each service. In a future issue of LifeLines we will print a photo and give a profile of Pastor Decesse, including his testimony. Boutique Closing Blesses Our Pastors & Their Wives Roy and Mary Curtis own Mrs. C s Clothing & Accessories in Murfreesboro, TN, a clothing store for well-dressed men and women. Their boutique is in a store-front building owned by Rutherford County, and is scheduled for demolition to make way for a new judicial building for the county. Thus, the store must be moved or closed. Mr. & Mrs. Curtis have chosen to close their Part of the Boutique Clothing Prior to Shipment store, and, in the process, contacted our Ministry to say that God had told them to donate whatever clothing could be used by our staff and their families in Haiti. These are all brand new items, and are in styles that appeal to Haitians. During Rev. Saintil s visit to the U. S., he and Ministry President Gerry Molitor selected 20 men s suits, 47 women s outfits, 17 men s shirts, 10 pair of shoes, 5 pair of men s trousers and an assortment of accessories for men and women. These have now been shipped to Haiti. Each of our Ministry s pastors in Haiti was able to be fitted with a new outfit, except Pastor Renel who wears a smaller size. The photo above shows Pastor Parisien, pastor of the church in Savane Carree, in his new outfit.
LifeLines Page 3 August, 2015 Vacation Bible Schools Draw Large Attendances Last year, the Ministry began a program of having a weekly Vacation Bible Schools at each of the churches during the summer break from school. The program consists of teaching Bible stories to attendees, feeding each one with a generous plateful of rice and beans, and periods of games and crafts. The program draws many children from the churches neighborhoods who do not attend our churches or our Christian schools. The churches VBS programs have proven to be a very effective evangelism outreach. Rev. Saintil reports that thirty children were saved in the first month of the VBS program: 11 from Bas-Fosse, 5 from La Suisse, 5 from Limbé and 8 from Savane Carree. The photos below show the popularity of the program at three of our churches. La Suisse VBS An Outdoor VBS Class Lunch Plates Prepared for VBS Attendees Savane Carree VBS Very Good VBS Attendance! Limbé VBS One of the VBS Classes A Bible Lesson in Progress Enjoying a Hearty Rice and Beans Lunch
LifeLines Page 4 August, 2015 Dr. John Baker Joins Our Board of Directors Dr. John Baker was elected to the Ministry s Board at its annual meeting on July 10, 2015. John received a B.S. from Suthern Illinois University, Carbondale, a M.Div. from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Ft. Worth, TX, and a D.Min. in missions from Westminster Theological Seminary, Philadelphia, PA. He has served on the mission field in Africa as a bible professor, church planter and administrator. He is currently Director of Missions for the Nine Mile Baptist Association. He and his wife, Cynthia, both speak French, one of the two official languages in Haiti and very similar to Haitian Creole. They have five children. Dr. Baker had previously served as the Ministry s Executive Director for one year. He stepped down from that position in August of 2014 due to his work load in the Nine Mile Baptist Association. However, at that time he expressed a desire to continue to support the Ministry in a less demanding capacity. His extensive experience in the mission field and his skill in speaking French are a welcome addition to the board. Update on Rev. Saintil s Medical Tests As reported earlier, Rev. Saintil has been experiencing periodic bouts of severe back pain, at times preventing him from conducting his normal duties. It was unclear whether the pain was skeletal or indicative of an organic problem. During Rev. Saintil s visit to the U. S. in late June and early July of this year, our Medical Director, Dr. Kendra Belfi, arranged for a series of medical tests for him in Fort Worth, Texas. Dr David Capper conducted X-rays and blood tests, and Dr William Ranelle and Dr Ann Ranelle did a thorough eye examination. The good news is that the tests indicated only one internal problem for Rev. Saintil: the X-rays showed some arthritis in his spine. Dr. Capper gave him some exercises to do which should alleviate much of the problem. Rev. Saintil s eye examinations by Drs William and Ann Ranelle, however, did detect eye problems that The Ministry s Annual Report Ready for Distribution need immediate attention. It was confirmed that the cataract in his right eye requires surgery, and that he has glaucoma in both eyes. He must take medication regularly for the glaucoma, and he was given more than a year s supply. Unfortunately, the cataract surgery could not be performed while he was in the U. S. due to scheduling issues. However, Rev. Saintil s sister, Jocelyn, recently had cataract surgery performed in Cap- Hatien and is doing very well, so we are optimistic that his surgery there will be equally successful. He has had the preliminary screening done in Cap-Haitien, and is on the waiting list for an open date for the surgery. Please pray for the surgery s success and for his vision in general. Light and Life Evangelical Ministries, Inc. The 2014-2015 Annual Report is now being printed, and will soon be mailed to every contributor to the Ministry during the year (July, 2014 to June 30, 2015). The 14-page report covers the accomplishments of the Ministry during this period, gives a financial overview for the year and gives the goals that have been set by the Board of Directors for the coming year. If you are not scheduled to receive a report, we would be happy to send you one. Just send your request to the Ministry s office or to Clyde.Nevins@Juno.com, and you will be mailed a copy at no charge. 2014-2015 Annual Report
LifeLines Page 5 August, 2015 Wedding Dresses Needed Again In the Haitian culture, a proper wedding cannot be held until (a) The groom-to-be has a decent residence for the couple once they are married, and (b) the bride (and groom, to a lesser extent) have formal clothes to wear at the ceremony. Three years ago we made known our need for wedding dresses, and five wedding dresses were donated to fill this need. These five have now been altered and reused multiple times, and are no longer serviceable. The lack of a wedding dress is again putting several Scholarship Money Sought for Haitian Students Rev. Saintil has two nephews, David and Hermano, who have worked hard for the Ministry for several years. They were orphaned upon the death of Rev. Saintil s brother about four years ago. In the past few years they have been indispensible when hosting work teams and helping out when Rev. Saintil has been laid up with illnesses. These two young men recently completed their high school studies and would like to study at a university: one in theology (David), and one in agriculture (Hermano). In Limbé, a small city about 10 miles west of Cap-Haitien, there is a private and non-profit autonomous institution, Université Chrétienne du Nord d'haïti (Christian University of Northern Haiti; web site: weddings on hold and is causing no little stress to couples wanting to be married. We are again praying for wedding dresses in a range of sizes that could be altered and lent to the bride for the time of the ceremony. With one or more dresses, in small, medium, and large sizes to choose from, minor alterations should allow one of the dresses to be worn with dignity. It would be a great blessing to receive several wedding dresses in good condition to fill this need. Can you help us? http://www.ucnh.org) that provides higher education at a reasonable cost. The university offers four-year degrees in Theology, Administrative Science, Fine Arts, and Education, and a five-year degree in Agriculture. A twoyear, post-graduate Seminary program is also offered in Theology. The cost for an academic semester for 2015-2016, including instruction fees, dormitory and cafeteria, expenses comes to about $660 U. S., plus there would be additional outlays for books and materials. Your contribution to these scholarships would be a big morale boost for Rev. Saintil, since providing them was high on his list of priorities for the coming year. Note: IRS regulations do not permit you to designate scholarship money to a particular student if you want to claim the donation as a tax deduction. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Contribution Form Light and Life Evangelical Ministries, Inc. Donation amount Designated for Circle One $ Use where needed most one time / monthly $ one time / monthly Name: Telephone: Address : E- Mail: Please cut out this form and mail it with your contribution to the address shown on page 6 of this newsletter.
Praise... 1. For the good reports on the state of Rev. Saintil s health from the examinations undergone during his U. S. visit. 2. For the one-year reprieve on the lease for the Limbé church building. 3. For the large attendances and decisions for Christ at the Vacation Bible Schools this summer. 4. For the donation of new clothing for our pastors and their wives. 5. For a potential candidate for the position of Assistant National Director. 6. For the growth of the Ceciline Church in their new building. Please Pray 1. For spiritual victory over Satanism, voodooism and demonic beliefs that are so prevalent in Haiti. 2. For the successful cataract surgery on Rev. Saintil s right eye. 3. For the location of a new meeting place for the Limbé church, or for a reasonably priced and well located lot to build a new building. 4. For the economic repair of both of the Ministry s two vehicles, neither of which is now in running order. 5. For wedding clothes needed for church couples wanting to get married in Haiti. 6. For God to provide a man to be Executive Director for the Ministry. 7. For scholarship money needed for deserving young Haitians. Light and Life Evangelical Ministries, Inc. Office Mail Address: 351 Joy Lane Readyville, TN 37149 Web Site: www.haitilightandlife.org Office Phone: 615-563-8525 Office E-Mail: Molitor@dtccom.net LifeLines Editor: Clyde.Nevins@Juno.com