Praising God and Focusing on Service 

See on this Page: 1. General Information, 2. Opportunity Planning, 3. Options for Giving 

1. General Information:

The news and pictures from Haiti continue to sadden our hearts. Out of the unimaginable disaster that suddenly struck the country, the Lord has in many instances intervened miraculously. Read below to have a sense both of the devastation and the goodness of God:

• Pastor Maxime Pierre, chairman of the Haitian committee for the Creole Translation project, childhood friend and colleague in ministry of Director Dr. Hantz Bernard, escaped from the crumbled building at the seminary where he teaches. All students, except two, were safely evacuated.
• Rev. Daniel Telfort, chief translator of the Creole Old Testament translation project, was in Jacmel; he and his family are safe. He reports that the price of food has doubled. Many in the churches have died or have lost loved ones.
• Rev. Dieupie Cherubim, chairman of CEBI, the association of churches that grew from the ministries of Baptist Mid-Missions (BMM) missionaries in Haiti, is also safe.
• Most members of the families of Dr. Bernard and his wife are accounted for. One sister-in-law and her family have not yet responded to repetitive calls.
• Dr. Jerome Prinston, cousin of Dr. Bernard, planted Christianville University about 15 years ago just outside Port-au-Prince. Almost all the buildings on the campus have crumbled: the high school, seminary, professors’ living quarters, etc. Thank God no loss of lives is reported. Many other religious institutions, churches, and other buildings crumbled in the same way. Some of them were holding services. Dr. Prinston was a member of the committee for the translation of the Creole New Testament.
• A member of one of the churches lost her father when his house collapsed. They had to bury him in their yard because there were no services at all available. That gives a picture of what our fellow believers are enduring presently in Haiti.
• Roy and Ruth Shelpman, the only BMM missionary couple working in Haiti at the time of the earthquake are now safely back on US soil.
• Many friends of Dr. Bernard who were members of the public, religious, commercial, and political administration of Haiti have perished under the rubble of such important buildings as: DGI (equivalent to the IRS in the US), the central bank, the parliament, various offices of public secretaries, Teleco (one of the buildings of the government telecommunication company), private banks, churches and other religious buildings, etc. 

1. Opportunity Planning:

A year ago, BI devised a plan to produce literature specifically adapted for world crises where BI conducts ministry. This is our first step: 

• Members of the staff of BI are working together to facilitate the immediate production of brochures to be used in witnessing opportunities in Haiti.
• One hundred thousand (100,000) comfort and witness brochures are being produced right now to distribute in Haiti. The Biblical passages in the brochure come from the Creole NT translation produced by BI; the text of the brochure contains verses about God’s goodness and faithfulness and an explanation of the plan of salvation. Names of at least two Baptist churches in Port-au-Prince that are associated with BI will be given as references. Please, pray that the brochures might be printed on time. More will be printed as needed.
• Dr. Bernard plans to travel to Haiti on Wednesday, January 20. He can carry very little with him for the moment. Pray that the stock of brochures might arrive in Haiti soon.
• Pray for comfort and assistance for our partners in ministry in Haiti.
• Pray as we strategize for pro-active ministry in the short and long terms through the Bible translation committee. Please pray that God would bless the work of our hearts and of our hands.

“For a great door and effectual is open unto me, and there are many adversaries” (1 Cor. 16:9). 

1. Options for Giving: 

There are three ways by which you may contribute: 

• You may donate for the comfort and witness project and for the Creole Bible translation ministries at Bibles International: 609 36^th St SE, Grand Rapids MI 49548. Gifts may also be given through PayPal, at www.biblesint.org. Please designate the gifts to the Haiti Creole Project. You may call us at 616-942-7712 with any questions.
• You may donate to the World Relief Fund-Haiti at Baptist Mid-Missions, www.bmm.org, or PO Box 308011, Cleveland OH 44130-8011. Questions or telephone calls may be addressed to Mr. Larry Beckman’s attention at 440-826-3930.
• Good News Baptist Church (GNBC) in Grand Rapids, Michigan, has set up a Haiti Relief Fund as well (www.gnbcgr.org) at 6830 Eastern Ave SE, Grand Rapids MI 49508. The funds will be distributed by GNBC in cooperation with the leadership of BI for the interests of BI and BI related-people in Haiti. Questions concerning this opportunity may be directed to the senior pastor, Karl Pike at 616-455-0420. 
 

Thank you for your interest in our friends, brethren, and partners in ministry in Haiti during this, one of the most trying times in their history. Pray with us that this disaster will open many opportunities of ministry. “It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness” (Lam. 3:22, 23).