Partnership
Light & Peace Mission in Trois-Mats, Haïti
and
Grace Lutheran Church in Teaneck, New Jersey
In the Spring of 2008 Grace Lutheran Church and the Light & Peace Mission Congregation in Trois Mats, Haïti, have formally entered into a mission partnership, which will be marked through regular human contact as well as mutual support through prayer, visits, and financial and material resources.
For the purpose of this mission Grace Church is associated with Dayspring Ministries, which is working hand in hand with the people of twenty-nine Light & Peace Missions in Haïti. The New Jersey based Dayspring Ministries is led by Carol and Bruce Hawthorne. The Light & Peace Missions in Haïti are chiefly led by Pastor Ronald Lefranc.
Mission Trips to Haïti
Fred Lewis, Kay Roseen, and Pastor Reinke visited Haïti in 2008. They visited not only with our partner congregation in Trois Mats, but also the main church in Bon Repos, the Light & Peace Orphanage, the Light & Peace School, and a home for widows. Fred and Kay left on Saturday, November 15, while Pastor Reinke followed them on Tuesday, November 18. All three returned on Friday, November 21.
In 2009, the team included Fred Lewis, Susan Papera, Kay Roseen, and Pastor Reinke. It was the first time that Grace Lutheran Church went on their own to visit with the people in Trois Mats, Haiti. The itinerary was as follows:
Fri, Nov 27 - Flight to Port-au-Prince, overnight in Bon Repos
Sat, Nov 28 - 3-hour-trip to Trois Mats, begin Health Clinic
Sun, Nov 29 - Worship with people of Trois Mats, continue Health Clinic
Mon, Nov 30 - Farewell in Trois Mats, visits to Orphanage in Bon Repos
Tue, Dec 1 - Visit to Light & Peace School, Flight back to New York
Mission Projects:
A new Church, School, and Community Building
A Cistern for clean Water
A Sponsorship Program of the Children
In talking with Pastor Merové and other leaders of the Trois Mats congregation the most important project to support was to help raise funds for the rebuilding of the church. The old building was destroyed by Hurricane Ike, the second storm in a series of four hurricanes that passed through Haïti in the fall of 2008. The church building is a community center that serves not only for Sunday worship but also for daily morning devotions, the school, and many other community activities. A small structure built out of sticks and reeds served as a temporary building. On October 5, 2009, Pastor Ronald Lefranc visited Grace. During his visit we were able to give him a $6,000 check to begin construction of the new building. When the 2009 Mission Team visited Trois Mats the foundation to the new church was already visible. At the end of 2009 the full amount of $12,000 in total was collected and sent to Haiti. With that the new church building can be completed.
The next most important project was to raise $3,500 for a cistern, which will provide water for the community. Presently, people will have to walk 30 to 45 minutes to get water. With the cistern, the church will be the source of "Living Water." On January 3, 2010, we completed raising those funds.
Our next project, which will soon be unveiled, will be a Sponsorship Program for the school children in Trois Mats. This program will enable the community in Trois Mats to develop a fully recognized school with a staff of 3 to 4 teachers, school books, supplies, possibly uniforms, and hopefully a lunch program. More information will soon become available.
Preparing for Third Trip to Trois Mats
Months have gone by since the earthquake struck the urban areas of Haiti. While many relief efforts have been undertaken much is yet to be done. The Light & Peace Church in Bon Repos is still unusable, the school yard is being used by hundreds of people for worship, and the Our Fathers House Orphanage still houses many people in tents in their large compound.
However, we were very glad to hear that there was no damage to the foundation of the new church building in Trois Mats. The mountais were much less affected by the earthquake. While the building of the new church had to take a break because all the energy was diverted to the devastated areas in Port-au-Prince and Bon Repos, it was resumed a few months ago. The donations sent by Grace for the new church ($12,000), and for a new cistern ($3,000) are nearing their completion.
A team from Grace is planning to travel again from Friday, November 26, to Tuesday, November 30. As in the past year, the first night will be spent in the orphanage in Bon Repos. On Saturday we will make our way up into the mountains where we will offer our health clinic. On Sunday morning we will be part of the festivities when the new church building is dedicated. What a joy! We will return to Bon Repos on Monday, and travel back to New Jersey on Tuesday.
This year's trip will cost $300 plus airfare (about $375), and every person will bring a family tent to leave there as a donation. Persons interested in joining this year's team should contact Pastor Reinke, and plan to attend our first team building meeting on Tuesday, September 14, 2010, at 7:30 PM.
