Help Haiti
Church of the Holy Spirit is praying for and actively assisting the people and nation of Haiti. Here are ways you can help us help this desperate nation...
Helping Haiti: Face to Face
CHS Haiti Mission in March 2010 to La Croix New Testament Mission
Letter from Pastor Pierre Reporting on Revival in Haiti! (from 2/10)
Tom Pokorni's Mission and Ministry to Haiti
Haiti Mission 2010
Led by John Nuzum
John led a team of nine including CHS members John Hickey, Syd Fearing, and teens Ryan Wenkel and Zeb Fearing for a short-term mission trip from March 27 to April 3, 2010, to the Lacroix New Testament Mission located about 90 miles north of Port au Prince. The purpose of this trip was several-fold.
- To fulfill the Great Commission “to go and make disciples.”
- To help the poorest of the poor in the Western Hemisphere to build new housing. Pastor Pierre has a program in place to help those without housing.
- To serve the adults and children of the area. Pastor Pierre feeds and educates over 3,500 children each school day. There will be many opportunities to share, teach, pray, and befriend those the Lord puts in our path.
- To see what God is going to teach us as we serve Him to meet the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of the people."
-John Nuzum (jdnuzum@hotmail.com)
To see two wonderful videos about the LaCroix New Testament Mission and Pastor Pierre, click on the mission's link here http://www.lacroixhaitimission.org/ and scroll down to the bottom of their home page.)
Photo Gallery
Easter Sunday, April 4
The Northern Virginia Team arrived safely this morning at Dulles at 9 am.
Everyone arrived a bit tired from the long travel, but it was evident to every team member that the Lord made a way each day of our trip, as well as providing us with His protection, love, and grace.
Each team member was excited to be home and go tell what they had seen and experienced. It was a wonderful time to be with the Lacroix New Testament Mission and we look forward to doing it again.
Friday, April 2
Saturday we leave for home….we are on the road by 6 am. We have to cross the border by 3 pm and head to Santo Domingo , DR. Our flight to NY leaves at 2 am. We arrive at Dulles on Sunday morning at 9:30 am….Our mission has been successful. We have accomplished what the Lord sent us to do---our projects, minister to the people, and introduce the ministry to new churches. Each Team member has seen what God is doing here, through Pastor Pierre and the Lacroix NT Mission . We look forward to coming home to our family and friends. We have been blessed with your love and prayers.”
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
From a call from Syd and Zeb Fearing Tuesday night: The team is working on several projects at Pastor Pierre's compound including building benches and desks, distributing food, and plumbing projects. Working on some plumbing yesterday, Syd roused a tarantula that had made its nest in the works! They caught the spider and released it outside the walls of the compound. The teens will be going out on Wednesday to distribute food packages of beans and rice they put together yesterday.
Monday, March 29, 2010
Good morning everyone,
We are safe and well this morning recovering from brutal and grueling travel to get here. We arrived yesterday at Lacroix around 6 pm. We had a breakdown with one of the vehicles as we climbed to the top of a mountain. A miracle took place in Jamini, DR (vehicle was fixed) which allowed us to cross the border without incident and meet Pastor Pierre as he was traveling towards the border. Our cell phones would work and then they would work.
Last night we attended our first worship service which was very enthusiastic as worshiped with the Haitians. Everyone got a good nights sleep and have had a breakfast of pancakes, juice and Starbucks coffee.
Our teens are working with Pastor Tom Plunkette to bag beans for distribution this afternoon. I will update you this afternoon.
Please continue to pray for us.
Blessings in Christ Jesus!!!
JN
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Per text messages from John May. The team left Dulles early on Saturday morning. They were held up for several hours in San Juan Puerto Rico but eventually made it to Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic where they had dinner and spent the night in a hotel. They arranged for private transportation for the roughly 200 mile trip to Port au Prince. According to John, the roads are unbelievably bad and they were making poor time but were hopeful of still being able to get on a van from Port au Prince to LaCroix (about 80) miles. Pray for endurance and patience for our mission team!
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Speaking to Pastor Pierre in Lacroix, Haiti (Yes, he has a cell phone that works from there) I was told several other mission teams had had the same experience. Delta will hear from me when I get back.
Kit McSweeney at World Travel Services in Leesburg, VA did an outstanding job finding us 9 seats on one aircraft today. Since it is Spring break and a last minute booking she had a very difficult time finding a plane that could take everyone to Haiti.
Team members and friends were earnest in asking God in prayer to part the red sea and make a way for us and He came through mid-morning on Jet in Blue with 9 seats. The itinerary is strange, but it will work. Washington Dulles Saturday morning to San Juan, PR then to Santo Domingo, DR arriving Saturday evening. The team will spend the night and try to take a bus to Port au Prince Sunday morning and meet Pastor Pierre there. Then another 2-3 hour ride to Lacroix which is about 80 miles north of Port au Prince. We leave Santo Domingo at 11 am and arrive in Lacroix late afternoon.
Our team is: Zeb F, Ryan W, Kris R, Syd F, Guy G, John H, John M, Jim C, and me, John Nuzum, team leader. Our mission group has Guy, Syd, Jim, Zeb, and myself with previous mission experience.
We will report to you as often as we can about our experience so you can be with us in mind and spirit as we work in the Lord's Vineyard in Haiti.
Tom Pokorni's Mission Trip and On-Going Ministry to Haiti
Recent Postings - Contact Tom at tompokorni@gmail.com
2/25 I’ve posted the short slide show I showed in church on YouTube. You can watch it at Haiti Slide Show.
2/16 Some web coverage of our trip to Haiti... Evens Jean is a CCC church member who came with us, and who's felt God has called him to move back to Haiti to minister to the youth. Click on this link: http://www.mediamakechange.org/blog/2010/evens-jean-helps-build-a-new-haiti and check it out.
Background
"I’ve felt a strong call since I heard the news to go down and help. I’ll be traveling with Eddy Gervais, now the pastor of Miami’s Community Christian Church, and Mike Nozile, their head elder, who I also led to the Lord many years ago during my 20 years of ministry to Haitians in south Florida and Haiti. (For more about Tom and the church he started in Miami's Little Haiti area, watch the Documentary on YouTube.)
We’ll be leaving Miami January 25th, and will be there for about a week. We are gathering medical supplies and money to help the many families, churches and ministries we know in Haiti. I GREATLY COVET YOUR PRAYERS – for protection, good health, and wisdom."
Haiti Trip
Many thanks for your prayers for my trip to Haiti! It was a long, emotionally draining week, but now I’m safe back in Miami.
We flew into Santo Domingo last Saturday and endured a bumpy, 8 hour bus ride to Port-au-Prince. What we saw there left us drained and sobered. The pictures on TV hadn’t prepared us to see the squalor and poverty.
Hundreds of thousands of families have lost everything. Block after block of buildings are flattened, as in the attached photo of the rubble of a 3-story apartment building. Over a million people are now living in tents, which are often little more than sheets stretched over sticks. I shudder to think of what will happen when the rainy season begins in a few months.
During the week we saw almost no food distribution by any agency. But we were able to give more than $9,000 in cash directly to victims of the earthquake, in addition to distributing medical supplies. I was constantly amazed at the resiliency of the Haitian people. I don’t know how they’re able to pick up the few pieces left of their lives and continue to go on.
In truth, things are so bad that if I didn’t know God I would say there is no hope for Haiti. Every government building is crumbled, and millions of people have no jobs, no hope for jobs, no visible assistance, no working government, no food – nothing!
But I do have faith in God, and so I want to do more for Haiti. I must do more for Haiti. I am praying for God’s direction so that I can be as effective as possible. I think that with my unique background in politics, teaching and pastoring I am uniquely qualified to help shape a new Haiti in some small way. I am praying for God to open the right door(s), and covet your prayers, too.
As Haiti slips out of the news, I would humbly ask you to set aside some way to keep these precious brothers and sisters of ours in your thoughts and prayers. God loves them as much as you and me, and I believe He is pleased to see how much those of us who are among the more fortunate in the world have done to help “the least of these” thus far. Let’s keep it up.
The task of meeting even the basic needs of Haitians is nearly overwhelming. Over a million are homeless, half of them younger than twenty years old. Most are living under makeshift tents made out of sheets and blankets stretched over sticks. There is virtually no heavy equipment to clear the mounds of rubble everywhere in the city, let alone to begin to rebuild housing for those now sleeping in fields.
Thanks again for your prayers, your support, and your encouragement. Your partnership with me in spirit means more than you know!
Future Plans
Tom plans to purchase a facility or some land in or near Port au Prince to start a permanent ministry in Haiti to help the children, particularly the orphans, of that nation.
If you’d like to contribute financially to Tom's ongoing ministry to Haiti, you can donate thru CHS's e-giving page (just click on the link at left to get to the E-Giving Login. Then, if you are not a user on e-giving, just clik on Guest Transaction. Complete the form and put in the comments "Haiti Tom Pokorni". Or, send a check to CHS offices (21555 Schoolhouse Ct., Ashburn, VA 20148) made out to CHS with Haiti-Tom Pokorni in the memo line, and it will go toward Tom's ministry.
Anglican Efforts
From the Anglican District of Virginia: Thanks to all ADV members who have reached out in love to those who have been affected by the 7.0 magnitude earthquake that hit Haiti's capital city on January 12. Bishop Bena is urging all of ADV to continue to be in prayer for those in need over the next several weeks and months as the rebuilding begins. If you'd still like to contribute to the relief efforts, ADV is encouraging donations to Falls Church, Va.-based CrossLink International to help get medical supplies including antibiotics, aspirin, surgical and hospital equipment to Christian medical teams in Haiti. Payments can be processed online at CrossLink International and checks can be mailed to CrossLink International, 427 North Maple Avenue, Falls Church, VA 22046. In addition to Crosslink, the Anglican Relief and Development Fund (ARDF) is coordinating disaster responses from Anglican congregations all over North America. To donate to the ARDF, send checks to The Anglican Relief and Development Fund, PO Box 3830, Pittsburgh, PA 15230-3830 with the word "Haiti" in the memo line.
Letter from Pastor Pierre of La Croix New Testament Mission on Revival in Haiti!
(Pastor Pierre is on the right in this picture)
Dear and Precious Friends:
Greetings. I know it's been a while since I sent you update, please accept my apology.
Beside the devastation of the earthquake some progress have been made that need your attention.
The first week of December 2009 during Pastor William Spriggs ministry in Paul, a lot of people accepted Christ as their Lord and Savior. There were about 70. Among them is a witchdoctor whose name is Magre. You can pray for him. He is walking with the Lord since and he is growing in his faith. We support him financially for we don't want him to be tempted to go back to witchcraft. We are thinking about giving him a micro business to support himself. The church there is growing.
The earthquake is like a wake up call for the Haitians. Since then a lot of people have come to accept Christ as their Lord and Savior and all christians are more serious in their walk with the Lord. The attendance in church has increased considerably.
A young man 23 whose name is Ralph Raymond has become a Christian about four years ago. He was a witchdoctor. He was initiated in witchcraft at the age of 6. He is now an evangelist. I was stunned when I heard his testimony. Then I invited him to come and preach to the congregation at Lacroix. He is now preaching a revival in Perisse. I am amazed at the result. Many many have accepted Christ as their Lord and Saviour beside the many who had commited their lives one more time to the Lord. His testimony help Christians understand the power that our God has. The revival started on Sunday night and up to last night there are about 100 people who have given their hearts to the Lord. This is happening nation wide. We are taking the opportunity to evangelize because people are ready . There is not a single day since the earthquake that one person does not come to Christ. As we said in our language Strike the iron while it is heart. While I am writing this update a group of people is meeting in the church to fast and pray.
Haitian President Rene Preval appointed today Feb 12 as a day of rest, the one month anniversary of the 7.0 quake that devastated Port au Prince. Immediately local church leaders added their voice for a three day fast of prayer and repentance to seek God's mercy. I believe God has inspired this national three day fast and God will answer His people with a miraculous ourtpouring of His Love. It starts today, tomorrow and Sunday.
I have never seen haitians so motivated. Wherever you go they talk about it. Even laborers come to tell me Pastor Pierre we are not coming to work on Friday and Saturday for it is a national day of prayer. People are ready for whatever God is up to. Even Patients at the clinic. I told the staff that they should come because they had given people rendez-vous. You know what they called this morning to tell me that no patients show up. Usually they would have come. This is to tell you how every one is motivated. There is no traffic either.
Earthquake is not good and the devastation is awful. Every one in particular has a finger in it one way or another. Every one is sad. Another thing that proves the sadness of the Haitians is the cancellation of the Carnaval celebrations. This is something that they don't negotiate. Those of you who have been here during carnaval can understand if they can cancel this great event the earthquake devastation has affected them greatly. God is using this event to pour his Spirit over the nation. Revival every where in the country. If the earthquake had caused more than 230.000 deaths, in a positive way it will bring more than 230,000 new souls to the Lord. People who were voodoo worshipers are and now turning to God. This is what the country needs. It is not money, it is not jobs, it is not reconstructions of houses, it is a not a new government, It is God. When God is put in place every thing will also fall in place. Mt 6:33 "Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you."
I am so glad that the Nation realized that, all saved and unsaved. It is a miracle. Please continue to pray for haiti while you continue to reach them financially.
Next week we are going to start a revival in Paul because there are a lot of people who moved back from Port au Prince. Last Sunday I was in Paul for church for I wanted to experience the growth personally. Two people accepted Christ during the service. One of them was in the earthquake and she said she would like to live the rest of her life for God. I am very encouraged by what I am seeing these days. We are taking Ralph up there to preach and to witness to the people since the people there are deep in voodoo.
It took an earthquake to awake the Haitian Nation. I pray that they stay awake and the spiritual leaders keep them on their toes.
I take this time to send you this update and I ask the church permission to do that.
Thank you so much for your help.
Let me leave you with this joke:
Yesterday I asked my wife, " Why do you love me so much?" She said "you think so?" I said yes it is very evident. You love me more than ever. She laughed. I told her that is what I was looking for. I keep expressing to her how grateful I am to God for her. She stood by me during the hardest moment in my life. Her mother was very ill with a terminal disease and I was also at the same time. She choose to be by my side versus her mother. I thank God for my wife every day. I put some light on her face the other day when I saw her laying in bed during the day exausted. I said honey I am sad to see you laying in bed like that for if you die before me I'll be darned. I added who will take care of me if I get sick the way I was two years ago. She gave me a big smile.Keep the love going with your wife. She is your treasure.
God bless you all and thank you for your support.
For Calvary Cause,
Prosperpierre
