Contact us at Love of Christ Church 1971 Pine Cone Rd St. Cloud, MN 56303 Phone 320-253-7453 Email info@loveofchrist.org www.loveofchrist.org
Mission to Haiti 2015 Page 1
Engage Love of Christ Lutheran Church in Global Ministry through face-to-face relationship building in the name of Jesus Christ. Take the Love of Christ to share with the children of Haiti. Haiti Mission 2015 Specific Activities: Purchase materials from Haitian merchants and work alongside local Haitians to build 100 student desk/benches in Jeremie and out-lying villages so free public schools may re-open and over 500 hundred kids may go to school and learn basic literacy. Train to test Haitian children and adults for inadequate vision and hold clinic in Jeremie to match donated eye glasses with the individuals who need them in order to have better sight. Hold Vacation Bible School Day Camp for little children in out-lying villages. LOC missionaries will provide craft supplies and fun activities to teach and show the Love of Christ. Mission to Haiti 2015 Page 2
Candice Bicondoa, 30 Career: Teacher at Prince of Peace School Why going on Mission? Several years ago I was blessed to go on a mission trip to Kenya, and I got to interact and witness the Kenyan faith in action. Since this moving experience, God has continued to lay upon my heart a desire to serve our international brothers and sisters in his name. What can you offer Haiti? As an elementary teacher, I love to work with children and understand how to bridge language barriers in reaching out to children. I am skilled in organization of programming, so the Vacation Bible School experiences will be fun for us as volunteers and the Haitian children. How will Haiti benefit? We will be aiding the Haitians to reopen schools by building student benches; they welcome this because they know that their children need to be in school. In a country where voodoo is widely practiced, it is vitally important for children to learn from us the truth about their Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. All involved will be blessed! Chris Bergman, 42 Married 4 Children Career: MN Army National Guard Why going on Mission? I have always enjoyed being in the company of a group of people that share a common goal in Jesus love for others, helping people in need and exploring other cultures. I hope this Mission Trip will motivate me to be even more involved in the future. What can you offer Haiti? I am experienced in new construction and remodeling with vast experience in teaching and guiding others how to do this work. I will be sharing my desire to help them to have a better life as generously as I can. How will Haiti benefit? They will see us as a group of motivated volunteers who are visiting their villages to help with our goal being simply to share The Love of Christ. This will have an everlasting impact in their own faith hike with Jesus. Joe Rygh, 33 Married 1 Child Career: Federal Aviation Administration Why going on Mission? This is clearly an opportunity for personal growth for me with my own faith. By seeing and being among Haitians in their daily lives, I expect to gain a new perspective. I know ahead of going that my faith will be impacted because my eyes will be opened as to what is important in life. What can you offer Haiti? I have a wide base of skilled trades and know how to train others. Our few and actually very simple acts will absolutely help improve the lives of others. Just think, by building the desks, hundreds of children will be able to go to school and learn for the first time in their lives! How will Haiti benefit? By Taking the Love of Christ to Haiti, we will bring the people we interact with hope, joy and a better understanding of what God s work means. Mission to Haiti 2015 Page 3
Laura Schmidt, 45 Married 2 Children Career: Independent Hair Stylist Why going on Mission? I admire my fellow Christian friends who so openly and purely trust in the Lord. So, I feel that I am ready to step-out-of-my-safe-comfort-zone and answer the call to go and reach out to those who don t have the resources that we have in America. What can you offer Haiti? I am working daily on being more dedicated to prayer for third world countries. I am preparing myself to be sensitive to whatever it is that I encounter there, and I will be ready to work side-by-side with strangers from a perspective of Christian love. How will Haiti benefit? By our actions and our open sharing of the Bible, they will know that Jesus loves everyone! Lin Walker, 67 Widow 4 Children 12 Grandchildren & 7 Great Grandchildren Career: Retired Owner Coast-to-Coast Trucking & Retired Restaurant Owner Why going on Mission? Chance to live my faith and obey our Lord who said, Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Matthew 28:19 What can you offer Haiti? I will happily serve people there in a loving, caring manner. How will Haiti benefit? We will teach the children about Jesus with Bible studies and crafts created just for them. We will build 100 new desks for students to go to school for perhaps the first time in their lives, and we will set-up an eye glasses clinic to give free glasses to the poor. Paul Hennings, 37 Married 1 Child Career: Pastor Love of Christ Church Why going on Mission? It is a major goal of mine to see as many people as possible from Love of Christ Church bring the gospel to others by serving on a mission trip. I also want to personally continue to serve locally and globally whenever I can. What can you offer Haiti? I have been serving on mission trips since I was in high school. I have lead mission teams of youth throughout the continental US, Mexico and most recently Kenya. My experience in reaching out to diverse populations, lets me share how to be comfortable in being in mission. It is my privilege as pastor to join my brothers and sisters in Christ to serve the physical and spiritual needs of Haitian people. How will Haiti benefit? My hope is that not only will we change Haitian lives through the message of the gospel, but that God would change our lives as well in the process. Mission to Haiti 2015 Page 4
Estimated Expense Description Estimated Revenue Description Airfare Minneapolis to Port-au-Prince $780 per person for 6 missionaries $4,680 Airfare Port-au-Prince to Jeremie $210 per person 6 missionaries $1,260 Airfare for Mission Coordinator Miami to Port-au-Prince to Jeremie $960 Lodging @ $80 per person per day for 7 days for 6 Missionaries & 1 Coordinator $3,920 Two licensed drivers @ $50 per driver for 7 days $700 Two rental cars @ $150 per day for 7 days $2,100 One interpreter @ $50 per day for 7 days $350 Security Guard at cost of $400 while in Port-au-Prince $400 Daily meals plus drinking water @ $55 per day for 8 days for 6 Missionaries & 1 Coordinator $3,080 6 Missionaries "sign-up" personal contribution @ $250 each paid prior to 8-15-14 $1,500 LOC funds from 2015 budget allocated to 2015 Haiti Mission Trip 10% of total cost $2,000 Thrivent Matching Funds pledged for 2015 based on team raising $4,500 to merit $1,500 match $1,500 LOC First-Sunday Care Offering to be designated for Haiti for 2 months $1,050 Mission Team proceeds from fund raising events prior to 6-1- 2014 $1,200 Team sales of hot dogs & brats @ 7-19 Car Show and Coborn's 8-22 & 23 $700 September 28, 2014 Pancake & Sausage Breakfast $800 November 1, 2014 Community Holiday Market & Auction $6,500 Valentine's Day "Sweetheart Dinner" February 14, 2015 $1,500 Gasoline funds plus costs of building materials required to purchase in Haiti $2,550 Easter Sunday Breakfast April 5, 2015 $1,000 Adopt-A-Bench contributions @ $45 each $2,250 TOTAL $20,000 TOTAL $20,000 Mission to Haiti 2015 Page 5
Day One is a travel day with the LOC Global Mission Team driving to Minneapolis and flying to Atlanta. They will connect with their Mission Guide from Holding Hands With Haiti to fly to Port-au-Prince and stay over-night. This is when the car drivers, security guard and interpreters become their essential travel companions. Day Two the Mission Team flies to the village of Jeremie, gets settled into living accommodations and begins all the preparations for doing their actual mission work projects. The next five days the Mission Team is very actively busy implementing the plans to build desks, conduct eye clinics and hold Vacation Bible School Day Camp. Plus, they will be open and welcoming to the people they meet and share the Love of Christ especially with the young Haitian children. Their final day will be a long one full of travel back to St. Cloud for the Mission Team. As a Team and individually, they will bring along an abundance of faith stories and adventures to share! Once settled at home the LOC Global Mission Team will schedule time to make community presentations regarding the Mission Team Haiti 2015 experience. Our Haiti Mission Trip 2015 Guide, Sue, has participated in 3 Haitian Mission Trips since 2010. Her sponsors have been Lutheran Church Charities and LCMS World Relief. To become more intentional in their efforts to help with desperate needs, the Urbana, IL Trinity Lutheran Church established its own Haitian Mission Ministry, Holding Hands With Haiti. Mission to Haiti 2015 Page 6
Q: Why have we chosen to go to Haiti? A: We will have the biggest impact on children from our Global Missionary Activities. Located in the heart of the Caribbean Sea, Haiti gets ravaged by hurricanes which leave this third world country often devastated and over-whelmed with human needs. In the small deserving village of Jeremie (see arrow on map above) their only free public school was destroyed by hurricane. There are huge needs: 92% of the population is unemployed. There is no free public school. To attend the existing school, the annual cost is $100 plus the cost of books and uniforms. The average annual family income is only $400. A building is available to be used as a public school, but the government requires desks/benches be in place before opening the school. The LOC Missionary Team plans to build 100 of the required desks/benches while there in June 2015. This single Mission Work Action will result in over 500 children being able to return to school and receive a free public education. They will no longer be illiterate. The LOC Mission to Haiti 2015 will have a positive life-long impact on these children! LOC Will Help Haiti Children Before Arriving in Their Villages We are collecting personal care items for hygiene bags to distribute to children and families. LOC children will stuff the bags and include colorful notes of good wishes. We are collecting reading and picture books appropriate for children along with craft and activity supplies to entertain Haitian children with simple fun. Mission to Haiti 2015 Page 7