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A Letter from Manis
Hi <<First Name>>,
In April of 1996, we stepped into the destitute community with a firm conviction of God’s call, which moved us forward despite many unknowns. As Ginger and I reminisced about those early days we realized that while we had more questions than answers, we had a clear vision, the power of prayer, and a faithful God. Today it is a great joy for me to again be working with Ginger to write this letter.
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Twenty-one years after starting Lemuel, we continue to move forward with those same three pillars. Many of you have joined our prayer team, support team or ministry team in order to partner with God in reaching the destitute with the life-giving message of the gospel. Early on in this ministry, Ginger’s dad told me, “Manis, if you have a clear vision you will not get off track. Your methods may change, the strategy may differ from year to year but your purpose and ultimate goal will remain.” Those words have proven so true. So, journey with me through the years and see how things have changed and yet how the heart of Christ, clearly portrayed, is drawing people to the person of Christ.
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Our focus on education which was first manifested through the Orientation Center (lovingly called “the barefoot school”) in 1996, today is fleshed out through our state-recognized primary school on the Plateau. This coming year we will open the first year of secondary school – seventh grade. Our prayer is to one day provide a quality primary and secondary school education for the children in our area. This year we had 10 teachers under the leadership of Emmanuel Almais Jr, one of my early disciples (pictured above at right as a kid in Port-au-Prince). The teachers share time in the Word of God in order to pass on Truth to their students.
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Our desire to instill appreciation and care for God’s creation for which purpose we, in 1998, taught the children in Port-au-Prince to plant trees and tire gardens, has now developed into a full ministry. The once denuded landscape of the Plateau has begun to flourish with trees, flowers, and crops.
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Several years ago, Samuel Schafer, a short-term ministry partner picked up on my dream for a small forest of trees and a tree nursery. His work soon became fondly known as “Samuel’s Trees.” Now directed by another of my early disciples - Williamso Almonord, the community development/reforestation ministry (DDL), has continued to expand and reach out to our community in new and exciting ways. Some of these include:
The community has caught on and many are planting trees in their yards. A man passing through this area of the northwest made the comment to Ginger, “You drive through dust and thorns, evidence of the satanic stronghold, and suddenly you are in a place where you can see that Jesus dwells.”
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The focus on discipleship which fostered the spiritual life classes of those early years now manifests itself within the relationships we build as we reach out to the physical needs in our community. Years ago, we realized that in 1 Thessalonians 1 where Paul gives a brief history of the young church his comment about them in verse 9 is a two part reality: “you turned to God" – evangelism -"from idols" – discipleship. Helping people come to know Jesus as Savior is only the beginning of seeing change in the region. They must learn how to turn from decades of life controlled by the spirits.
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This is only possible through discipleship. As we disciple those who work in the ministry with us, they learn to disciple those who are in their world. This was clearly illustrated when one of our development staff began to disciple a man who was a practicing voodooist. Regilien cannot read or write, but he loves God. So, as he worked together with other men, he would share the truths that he had learned. One of those men was a drummer for voodoo ceremonies. Regilien showed him how his commitment to the spirits was a path to destruction, but how God, through His Son Jesus, longed to give him hope and a future. Today this man comes to church every Sunday. We pray that he will soon commit himself to Jesus as his Savior and Lord.
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Our desire to instill in my people a love for their country has also taken on a new face over the last two decades. Back then, we wanted the kids to learn to respect the flag, love their country, and look for ways to invest in their country. Today, the people of the Plateau are proud of what they have accomplished in their community, and many recognize that it was only because of God’s love for them that this has become their new reality. Youth once eager to leave for the cities, now want to return to be a part of impacting their part of the country to the glory of God. Young women, once easy targets for sexual exploitation, now learn how to make an income. For some it is learning the skills of embroidery and crochet. For others, it has been through a job in Lemuel or through a Lemuel outreach. One little 8 year old girl appeared at the tree nursery one day with her donkey loaded with manure. We found out that all week long she would gather the waste from her donkey so she could sell it as fertilizer to DDL. At one time, young girls on the Plateau were often nursing babies by their teenage years. It has been exciting to see girls this age now dreaming of being a nurse, a teacher, a secretary or some other profession. Some of the young women are even caring for their moms and younger siblings - giving them a sense of joy and self-worth.
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The early Sunday Services which met in a classroom of the barefoot school were designed to give our kids a knowledge of the Bible and a place to worship God together where they would not feel belittled or humiliated. Today the young Church on the Plateau meets in a building they built through their small tithes and hard work. This fall Thony Amady, another one of our early disciples from Port-au-Prince and a recent Seminary graduate, will be moving to the Plateau to help with the church ministry. It is exciting to sit in church and hear the people sing, watch their eyes open in delight as they learn Biblical truth, and see the change in those who once cowered before the demonic spirits and now enjoy freedom in Christ.
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Twenty-one years ago, we met the needs of those around us by providing medical care. Without medical personnel on site, we now seek to care for them by providing water. To this end, we have two wells, huge water catchment holes that provide water for irrigation and animals, and two water trucks that are able to haul fresh water from a distance.
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It has been said that the hand of God is moved by the prayers of His people. We are aware that without your faithful prayers over many years, we would not be able to do all we do. Your prayers not only help us appropriate the wisdom available to us in Jesus, but keep us strong for the tasks we face each day. So, this word picture is the story of what God has done through your prayers and the faithful giving of His children.
Thank you for your partnership which has allowed us to see satan dethroned on the plateau and Jesus highly exalted and seated on that throne. What God will do in the future is known only to Him, but we move forward with a faithful God, a clear vision and your prayers and gifts.
May God bless you,
Manis Dilus
with Ginger Muchmore
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Manis and Ginger on the Plateau in 2003.
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