Report from JT – June 2020
Greetings! I am particularly greatfull to be able to communicate with you once again . I want to thank you for your prayers and support and times like these. Hope you are doing well in the Lord. With this brief note I plan to give you an update about us in Haiti.
After the turmoils in Haiti last year, we started the first two months of 2020 with great plans and activities. We had record church attendance at Delmas, and several baptisms.
Working under a state of siege and quarantine due to the worldwhile pandemic: Starting in March the Covid 19 entered Haiti’s shores. The government issued restrictions on Church meetings. We were asking is this the end of the world? Should we not be offering God the worship he truly deserves? Aux grands maux les grands remèdes (big illness requires big remedies). People in the community were looking to our church for the best way to deal with the matter. Protestant and Catholic Churches shut their doors, but the Delmas Church of Christ decided to operate with a reduced number ( 10 ) per service. We broadcast this decision to the people via Radio and TV. The service is live on Facebook. We also promoted worship in groups of ( 10 ) in several Christians homes. We broadcast two radio programs to keep our services alive. We thank God for his wisdom, because our ministry is receiving more appreciation than ever before.
Church involvement: Our church is a center of good in the community, so we decided to embark in health education, distributing face masks, sanitizing, and providing food to people in need. The elders, doctors, and nurses in our congregation felt very good about this endeavor.
Health: I had to have an eye surgery on March 11, plus a run to emergency room for high blood pressure and diabetes. The doctors panicked over me getting a heart attack but God is good, I am okay now.
Preaching School: The Preachers’ Training School (supported by The Haiti Fund in Greenville, South Carolina) continue to amaze. Our students are receiving the training through virtual, What’s App , phone conference, and zoom . This class is still on schedule to graduate in December 2021.
Funeral for Madanm Gereel: God is glorified in spite of death A special goodbye was said to sister Gereel Pierre, wife of the preacher for the Chambellan Church of Christ. Chambellan stood as one body to say goodbye to our beloved sister on June 16 at 10 AM.
Minister Gereel and his wife planted several Churches of Christ in the area surrounding Chambellan. After Hurricane Matthew in 2016, the entire village of Chambellan “adopted” the Church of Christ there as a symbol of hope. The Haiti Fund, other Christians in the U.S., and Christians at Delmas sent funds to rebuild the Chambellan Church, which had been destroyed in the hurricane. At the inauguration of the new building over 3000 people came to dedicate the building to the Lord 4 years ago.
On June 16 the church and the entire community came out once again, this time to bid goodbye to this minister’s wife, mother, benefactor, and missionary lady, Sister Gereel Pierre. Ministers came from everywhere to pay their respects to this legendary woman. I commend all the ministers, brothers and sisters from Haiti for their solidarity with this family. The funeral service was conducted by ministers Emmanuel Mytil (Delmas), Reginald Borgella, Rolin Mompremier (St. Michel), and Jean Rony Pierre (minister at Hinche, and son of Jean Martel). The Mayor of Chambellan and some other local authorities also gave special addresses at the ceremony.
A special thank you to The Haiti Fund, and all those who contributed financially to make this celebration a possibility. May our good God continue to sustain Gereel’s family in this time bereavement.
With Love,
JT
(Photo at top: The Chambellan church building, the day of the funeral)
