November 2017  Haiti update

Greetings in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ

Something to think about:

If you were put on trial for being a Christian would there be enough evidence to convict you?

October 17th visit to other areas went well.  

God is on the move.  2 more groups want to start, one area needs our prayers only 2 out of the many pastors want unity they are so inward focused.  God continues to expand our territory.

The ministry needs a motorcycle as soon as possible.  

As the groups continue to grow and we send pastors 2x2 to the other groups and to visit areas that don't have groups to help them get started, we put out a lot of money out each month to hire a driver and taxi.  To purchase, license and insure will cost $1,700.  If you can help with this need, please let us know as soon as possible.

Also still have a couple houses needing repairs and some church buildings since Hurricane Matthew in 2017 and some were damaged more from the smaller hurricanes since Matthew.

Pictures below: 

Basketball goal UMC Tipton donated for the youth boys that come each week.  They usually play soccer but are enjoying learning basketball.

Pastor Preference, one of the pastors in our Gold group that was in great need of a house was built in October.  Thank you  Poplar Baptist Church in Warsaw, Mo for providing the money to make that possible.  The family will be able to move in as soon as we get the doors and window on.

Pastor Tim, one of our pastor guests wrote:

Met with pastors of the Gold group one on one then in the afternoon met with all the pastors.  Taught on evangelism (how to share the gospel in different ways), leadership, took personal questions. A few days later I had them practice sharing the gospel with each other.

Went with them to the local market to evangelize and pass out a cup of water. 

Witnessed an interesting way of making coffee then what they used for a filter was even more interesting: A wire coat hanger to hold the cloth open and prevent it from falling in out the water.  A cloth "sock" in which coffee is placed to filter the water through the cloth into the cup or other container.  Then roll the cloth up in the wire to squeeze out the last of the coffee.

Some days they need sun to have clothes washed and dry.  If they dry to slowly, they get an odor and have to be rinsed again and put back in the sun. Rain is needed for gardens to survive. Daily needs we take for granted.

Another one of our guests pastor Greg wrote the following:

• I had heard the testimony of Routons and I was interested in exactly what they were doing and how the work was progressing so I made a second trip and this is what I found:

  1. They had intentionally made personal, close relationships with pastors in their area. This was the key for the future of what they would be able to do.

  2. They had been in each church that the pastor had come to the group, visited individually with each pastor as to how they could be of service, and had made relationships with the people.

  3. They had started a weekly pastor’s training/fellowship time each Friday, a class for the wives, a children’s program each Wednesday, VBS in the summer, and avenues for helping families when in crisis. (Pastors literally walk for

  hours to attend the weekly meetings as well as the daily conferences.) There is a booth at the weekly market for the purpose of giving water and giving evangelistic conversations as opportunities come. 4. There were constant knocks at their door each day from people/pastors who needed to talk, people who needed to help, and people who were passing by and just wanted to say “hello”. 5. Pastors were very open to talking to them about family problems, church problems, and struggles in dealing with the false teachings spread from people practicing Voodoo, from other religious groups, from the long traditions of man, and from the larger churches that tried to put unbiblical principles/practices upon the smaller churches. 6. I saw the Routons functioning and practicing the ministries of what Directors of Missions might encounter. Every day was a new day with new encounters and opportunities. 7. As a pastor and knowing the stresses of ministry, I saw them experiencing the same kinds of overwhelming stress, having the same constant concern for people, and doing everything with the resources they had to make provisions in each situation. Like Jesus, there were times they needed to come apart before they came apart. They made sure there were times of refreshing so they could be ready for whatever came their way.
• 8. The Routons truly have a calling to this ministry. They have gone from one pastors group to eight, some of which are hours away. They personally go to these groups to provide training and have trained local pastors to go and train them as well. Training leaders to be leaders.

  9. Pastors are in contact with each other and keep the Routons informed of important needs. When the Routons are away, some of the lead pastors take

  care of issues while they are away.

  I would encourage anyone who can to make a personal trip to Haiti to see first-hand what ministries are in place there. You will be the one who will come away blessed as you seek to bless the Haitian people.  

  
  Psalms 133 Haiti Ministry

  Terry and Carolyn Routon