Missions Blog for Churches

This is an interview between MTW missionary Esaie Etienne and the Advance Needs Assessment Team when they were in Haiti following the earthquake. It is both heart-wrenching and encouraging to hear Esaie describe the situation and needs. Pray for Haiti!

So far, we have seen primarily rescue and medical work in Haiti. But the work that is before this wrecked nation is much larger and will last many years. MTW now has a form you or your church may use to indicate your interest in going to Haiti to help continue the rescue and rebuild. I say “rescue” because there are still thousands trapped by homelessness, improper wound care, and disabilities. On top of that, thousands of jobs were obliterated. And then there is the emotional entrapment of so many. Children who have lost parents, parents who have lost children, and all who have seen more than any human would ever want in the way of pain and death.

Yesterday, we heard an update and discussed how so many Haitians are afraid to go into buildings. Esaie is still sleeping in the back of his pickup truck. I’m not sure how many building I’d want to hang out in after seeing this. So there is a huge need for people to go and love on these hurting people in the process of rescue and rebuilding. Churches should seriously consider getting folks into Haiti to help. Use the form to indicate your interest even if you don’t know how you will do it or if you have enough people. MTW can coordinate and help with that. The form is located on MTW’s website here.

The financial needs are tremendous as well. Currently, the cost centers around medical supplies, tents and other temporary shelters, and clean up. That will expand into the rebuilding process. By supporting MTW, you are committing to working through the church, Christ’s body in Haiti. This will create true meaningfulness to our kind acts because body of Christ is the ordinary means by which the Gospel is proclaimed. And working through the church establishes sustainable help that will continue, even after we Americans have forgotten or are distracted. You can donate online by clicking here.

MTW’s Advance Needs Assessment Team arrived back in the US yesterday afternoon. The need is tremendous. If you’ve watched the Twitter feed (posted on the left of this blog) you know that medical teams are preparing to go in. The challenges are mounting for these teams. Not only are there many medical needs among wounded Haitians, there is growing desperation which may endanger relief workers. People are hurting and hungry. And thirsty. Pray for safety for these teams. And pray that God would bolster their courage and faith in Him. They are going to witness horrible things. They are going to see death over and over. One recent report came back, “Tell the teams to be ready to see dead bodies.”

One of the many needs right now is for tents. People have no shelter and tents, although temporary, can be immediate. Rather than have tent drives and have to work out logistically how to get them there, consider supporting MTW which can get these and other supplies into Haiti quickly.

Dear partners in Christ,

Thank you very much for all your prayers and your mobilization behind us in these very difficult times. Since yesterday we have an assessment team of four from Mission to the World, which includes a dentist, a trauma nurse, an engineer and a counselor. Their purpose here is to assess the situation in order to better coordinate their relief effort. I believe this is a very strategy because this looks to the long term. We have gone around the city of Port-au-Prince and we have seen scenes beyond imagination, and we have talked to people and the priority now is a medical team because the injuries are so overwhelming. Please help us financially to support this relief effort and to help continue our ministry here in Haiti.

In Christ,

Esaie Etienne
MTW missionary to Haiti

Team is healthy and well.

On Sunday, they were able to assess Dikini Camp, a tent city outside of Port-au-Prince. With this new information, they feel that medical teams should serve there. At Dikini Camp, team will run a full-fledged clinic rather than wound care only. Therefore, there is a need for a full team of 14. Recommend for first team to stay 9 days followed by a second team for 9 days. The first team will be led by Dennis Hamilton, the second team leader will be Dan Jenny.

The team will be based at Quisqueya School, which is now the Quisqueya Earthquake Crisis Center (QCS). They will most likely sleep in tents and eat meals there. Because of safety, they cannot stay overnight in the unofficial refugee camp. Tom was able to make a contact with American Airlines, who are helping get medical teams into Haiti. There is room for a 14-person medical team on a relief flight out of Chicago at 7 am on January 29 that the office is researching for a possibility.

Please pray for the team that they can get a flight out of Port-au-Prince today, for safe travel, and continued logistical planning.

Please also pray for the DRM staff as they coordinates the logistics, travel, and medical supply procurement for the medical teams.

MTW’s Director of Mercy Ministries, Oscar Aylor, gives an update on the efforts in Haiti.

January 24, 2010
Haiti Update #2

ANAT Team is healthy and well and progressing with their assessment. They repaired Esaie’s truck and assessed his home, which is not livable. They also assessed Notre Dame del Lourdes hospital; there is some surgical capacity and a dental clinic there. Another hospital they assessed had been completely destroyed. The team has had to wear masks; removal of the deceased still happening.

They have determined a need for a first medical team of approximately 8 people, hopefully departing on January 29 for nine days in Haiti. Team Leader will be Dennis Hamilton, with a focus on post-op wound care. The ANAT team will discuss with personnel at the Quisqueya School to finalize recommendations for how to best staff and focus the clinic.

The team will stay at Quisqueya School, where the ANAT team has been located. Unsure yet if team will stay in tents or if there will be room in buildings. Quisqueya School has become more than just school grounds. It is now the Christian coordination center, being run by people who know Haiti very well and almost every mission group in the country sends their children here or has in the past. Teams will need to fly into Port-au-Prince.

Please pray for the team as they meet with Charles Amicy in Caberet on Sunday, January 24 after church and for their final assessment as to how to best implement DRM teams and how to best use the Minutemen resources. Please also pray for their continued safety and health,
and for safe departure as the ANAT team hopes to fly home on January 25.

The first report is in from the assessment team. They are struggling jjto avoid being drawn directly into ministry rather than assessment so that ministry can be far more effective. Please pray for clear direction.

Team made all flights with baggage to Florida. Slept 2 hours in Palm Beach airport. Have not had a real meal since Thursday noon. Thrilled to finally eat PB&J on arrival.

Trip from Cape Haitian airport took 6 1/2 hours with one 20 minute stop in Gonaives to look at hospital and a 15 minute repair stop. Currently staying at Quisqueya School which does have electricity, water, and sanitation. There is no electricity or water in the city. Cell phones work to send texts. 90% of hospitals, 80% of schools are closed. Esaie and another pastor are currently leading worship services at 6 am and 4 pm.

The team is on the ground. Flight plan was for Cape Hatien rather than Port-au-Prince. Now it begins. Pray for Tom, John, Dennis, and Greg. Also for Esaie Etienne and Charles Amicy. A grateful shout out to King’s Wings and pilot Tim. Also to MTW missionary pilot Craig Gahagen who helped arrange the flight.

To read more visit www.mtw.org/caring/haiti.asp.

The first choice in any journey is determining the direction. When that decision is not a deliberate one, the journey is really more like a stroll: there is no clear destination. But when the goal is clear and the journey is underway, the group looks to the leaders to set the pace.

Similarly, a church’s mission ministry may or may not have a clear direction. If not, the articles in Laying the Foundation and Setting Your Sights will be helpful. Once churches have determined the direction for their missions ministry, they will want to mobilize their members towards that goal. However, many churches find that the number of members engaged in world missions is relatively few. Perhaps missions is seen as a distinct department, an annual event, or a ministry to be started in the future. The challenge facing these churches is inspiration. The articles in Setting the Pace are designed to help missions leaders engage their members in the Great Commission. While there are many ways to motivate members in missions, they will include efforts to educate, involve and focus your members.

The Great Commission is also a Gracious Commission. Some have incorrectly concluded that Reformed theology is a discouragement to missions, with its emphasis on God’s initiative. A proper understanding of Reformed theology, however, has had the opposite effect: countless numbers of Christians have committed their lives to missions, in response to the gracious love God has shown them and in the security they have that God is working in the lives of the people they serve. The article on Global Missions encourages Christians to stand on the theological foundations of the Great Commission.

Do not limit missions education to formal teaching, however. It has often been said that the gospel is more caught than taught. Thus, create opportunities for members to talk with missionaries, hear of the power of the gospel to change lives, and learn more about other cultures and what God is doing there. The article in Laying the Foundation on planning a missions conference may also be helpful.

PARTICIPATION
A critical element for missions mobilization is congregational participation. Church members cannot be allowed to drift into the error that missions is for a select few or a department of the church. Missions leadership must encourage every member to see missions as their personal responsibility, through praying, giving and going.

Praying: Help your members understand that through their prayers, they are sincerely and meaningfully engaging in world missions. The article on prayer will help you encourage prayer for missions throughout your church.
Giving: Your members should also be challenged to support missionaries financially. Giving through faith promise or other means will deeply connect your members to world missions.
Going: Short-term missions projects can have a transforming effect on your entire congregation, as participants return with stories of how God worked in and through their lives. Select projects in keeping with your overall vision, as the participants will develop a heart for the people and ministry. And in keeping with Acts 15:4, be sure to create ways for returning participants to tell the congregation how God worked in and through their lives.

FOCUS
Missions is all about relationship. And the more lasting the relationship, the more members will get behind efforts to develop those ministries. To that end, missions ministries have increasingly discovered the motivating power of selecting one or more sites for on-going emphasis and involvement. Many missions leaders desire a greater impact for their efforts and have found a long-term focus helps accomplish this goal. This direction can take many forms. For example, churches may choose to send members on short-term trips to the same site for several years. Missionaries and national leaders from these sites may be able to visit the church, increasing the direct relationship. Giving and education may be more concentrated. Finally, many churches are joining with other churches to coordinate and collaborate their efforts towards a shared vision. The articles on partnership will introduce your ministry to such initiatives.

FOR FURTHER STUDY
Under the titles of the following articles, the “theme” refers to one of the essential elements of successful missions ministries listed in Window to the World. This list is included in the following pages. A fruitful exercise for your missions committee would be to evaluate your ministry according to each of the twenty themes and begin to strengthen undeveloped areas.

This article is available in PDF format for easier reading and printing by clicking here.