Category: News (Page 72 of 100)

Jacky and Myrlande Gilles

This month we would like to introduce you to Jacky and Myrlande Gilles. Jacky (left) is the Haitian National Director of Child Evangelism Fellowship and Myrlande (right) works with the Ministry of Education in Haiti. This picture was taken after his graduation from CEF’s 12 week course and she had finished taking leadership courses before returning home to Port Au Prince the 18th of April.

Terry and I were able to spend several days with them, showing them St. Louis, the Arch, and of course Ted Drewes ice cream. For those of you who don’t know Ted Drewes ice cream, it IS St. Louis.

We also spent several hours talking and planning what we could do teaching the children in “our” villages. The experience and passion they both have for this program will be invaluable in our plans and her experience in the Ministry of Education will play a role in bettering our schools and the education our kids receive. All of our schools are licensed to operate but her insight will insure that they are being taught what the government requires, and that the teaching methods are what they should be. The fact they will see this from a Christian’s view makes it even better.

Since our friend Joe is no longer with us, Terry and I feel our meeting them is directed by God. We knew we would need someone with Jacky’s experience, love for the Haitian children, and his ability communicate clearly for our ministry to continue as it has. This is not to say the others who work with us don’t have those abilities, but Joe had leadership qualities, and that is what Jacky and Myrlande bring to this partnership. We can’t wait for them to get started. We hope you will pray for them, their safety, and their ministry in Haiti, along with ours.

As always, thank you for your prayers and for helping our friends in Haiti.

Serving HIM together,

Steve and Terry

Friends of Haiti:

Some of you may remember Steve taking a twelve week course through Child Evangelism Fellowship several years ago. The course is designed to enable a person to teach the Bible more effectively specifically to children, as well as adults. Although the course has helped, it has not had the effect we had hoped it would.

In Haiti, there are few, if any, children’s churches as we know them. Children attend the regular church services with their parents, so what they hear is not geared to their age and more than likely has little effect. Their main Bible teaching and learning come through the schools in the form of daily Bible lessons. While this teaches them to a point, it still isn’t what we have wanted. At least three of our schools are in areas where voodoo is regularly practiced, so they are exposed to voodoo more than they are to Christianity.

Recently we met with the National Director of CEF in Haiti about the possibility of them taking the responsibility for teaching the children in our schools. He is willing to meet with our school directors to set this up.

CEF would visit a school once a week or so, play biblical games, have a missionary story, memory verse and then have a lesson that is designed especially for them at their level. Each week would offer a Bible lesson with a clear presentation of the Gospel and an opportunity for children to trust Jesus as their savior. Each club also includes songs, scripture memory and review games focused on the lesson theme. Strong discipleship training to build character and strengthen moral and spiritual growth is also included.

We feel, as they do, this program will teach them much more than we ever could alone.  Since they are based in Port Au Prince we would want to help them with their expenses to the villages and back; we feel this would be money well used. At most it would be just a few dollars each trip, and they would supply the materials, although we could help some with that as well.

Our priority has always been the children in Haiti — the schools, the nutrition/vitamin programs or health care. We feel this is one more step we can take to help them have a better understanding of the Bible and what it means to them and for them. We hope you will include this in your prayers and as always, thank you for what you to do help our friends there.

Serving HIM together,

Steve and Terry