For many people, Haiti has fallen off the radar screen of their attention. Personal issues, family responsibilities, jobs, hobbies, and America’s economic/political woes have all conspired to draw our attention away from the heartbreak that still consumes the people of Haiti. Others may have forgotten, but the people of Fort Caroline Baptist Church have not.
We have been presented with an incredible opportunity to show the love of Christ to our neighbors in Haiti. As you know, Haiti has been devastated over the decades through political turmoil, grinding poverty, and natural disasters. On Tuesday, January 12, 2010 a catastrophic magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck near the capital city Port-au-Prince. Tens of thousands lost their lives and millions were affected. Our association of churches, the Jacksonville Baptist Association (JBA), was on the ground in Haiti before and after the earthquake. In 1998 our churches established JBA Haiti and opened the Cabaret Baptist Children’s Home in the city of Cabaret. Our desire is to help the Haitian people experience the love of Christ through practical ministries and through the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Our church has been led by God to send a team of eleven members to Haiti to serve the children of the orphanage, the school, and the people of the surrounding region. I am a part of the team. We will leave on August 1 and return on August 8, 2011. We have the opportunity to:
- Minister to the children of the community and orphanage.
- Aid with construction projects.
- Train Church leaders.
- Preach the Gospel.
- Share the Gospel with individuals.
I covet your prayers for this mission trip. Specifically pray for:
- The team members as we prepare ourselves physically and spiritually.
- For opportunities to share the Gospel.
- For strength to complete the assignments and ministry projects.
- For safety.
- For each team member to raise approximately $1,000 to cover his or her expense.
Will you prayerfully consider contributing to this important trip? The cost for the entire team of eleven missionaries is around $13,000. If you sense God directing you to help financially, you can make a check payable to Fort Caroline Baptist Church. Do not write a project name or individual name on the memo line. Simply enclose a separate note stating that the check is for Haiti. Your gift is tax deductible. (IRS guidelines prohibit the church finance office from giving you tax credit for donations designated for individuals.) For more information please call the Financial Secretary, Lori Gray, at 904-642-2288, ext. 14.
Questions: Have you ever served on a mission trip? What was it like? Have you ever been to Haiti? Leave a comment below. I would love to hear from you!
