Dear Friends and Ministry Partners,
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Our full-time ministry in Haiti is drawing to a close, but our full-time engagement in global missions continues. Here's the story...
As the tale goes, some years after Bilbo Baggins returned home from his adventure, his old friend Gandalf paid him a visit. Bilbo remarked how the prophecies in the old songs had turned out to be true and Gandalf replied:
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Surely you don't disbelieve the prophecies, because you had a hand in bringing them about yourself? You don't really suppose, do you, that all your adventures and escapes were managed by mere luck, just for your sole benefit? You are a very fine person, Mr. Baggins, and I am very fond of you, but you are only quite a little fellow in a wide world after all!
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In Tolkien's story-telling, this is a "divine passive," where God's sovereign designs are alluded to, but not overtly stated. Thankfully, the greater and true story recorded in the Bible, from which Tolkien drew his inspiration, makes God's will clear for us.
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A prophecy about the Messiah given through the prophet Isaiah around 700 B.C.
"It is too small a thing for you to be my servant
to restore the tribes of Jacob
and bring back those of Israel I have kept.
I will also make you a light for the Gentiles,
that you may bring my salvation to the ends of the earth."
Isaiah 49:6
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Jesus Christ is the Light for all peoples of every nation. We might be only quite "little fellows," but it is God's will to make Himself known through all who follow His Son, the Lord Jesus. This is why Heather and I are missionaries. We followed Jesus into Haiti in 2009 and we have always said that we will only leave when Jesus leads us out. It looks like that time is soon.
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Why leave Haiti?
- Missionaries are mobile and they go where they can "fill a gap." Our Haitian colleagues are doing an extraordinary job at the Bible school.
- Our next phase of ministry involves more travel, study and communication, all of which are much easier to do from the U.S.
- We believe it is best for our family that we live in the U.S. for the next few years.
What's Next?
- Teaching in the Caribbean--so you're leaving the Caribbean to do more in the Caribbean? Yes. It is much easier to travel from the U.S. than from Haiti. Sean will continue to provide church leadership training in the Caribbean and visit other World Team fields as a leader in the organization.
- Immigrant Ministry: World Team has asked Sean to help facilitate new church planting teams to reach the nations next door -- that is, immigrant communities in Canada and the U.S. from areas where missionaries aren't allowed.
- Mentoring Missionaries: Sean will also help with training new missionaries and developing "continuing education" materials for current missionaries.
In short, Sean and Heather will remain full-time with World Team!
Click here for a more complete explanation of our reasons and our next phase of ministry.
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We bought this house at 900 Sycamore Ave, Columbia, SC. It's a cute bungalow that works for our current needs.
We do plan to return to Haiti in October for about six months.
We still have ministry to do there and we want to say good "goodbyes".
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Ellie has enjoyed being back with her friends in Columbia since early August. She's taking voice lessons and singing in the CIU Ambassador Choir for one more week, then some travels and back to Haiti. Heather is homeschooling her for her sophomore year.
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Joey graduated in May from high school--a year early! He got his driver's license this summer and started college at CIU. He's double majoring in Bible and Sports Management and loves the social college life.
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Erik is a junior at CIU, majoring in Bible and minoring in Philosophy. He and Abigail were paired up in two college plays last year, so they decided to date in real-life. Erik worked for Abigail's dad this summer painting houses.
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Ian was one of CIU's first recruits to the new E-Sports program and he is the assistant to the director--with a job and a scholarship. Not bad! He likes to tell us how all those hours of playing video games is now paying off. This is his final semester in his Philosophy Major / Education minor, but he's thinking grad school at CIU next semester. He and Christine are still dating and enjoying every minute.
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Many of you are familiar with our friend Joab Telusma, who spent his teen years growing up with our kids. Two weeks ago in Ohio, he married Trinity Walder, a Haiti MK who also grew up with our kids! Ian was the best man and Erik and Joey were groomsmen. Heather and I filled the role of "parents of the groom" since his parents were not able to travel from Haiti to attend.
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In the midst of our hectic summer travels, we had some downtime and sweet visits with family and friends. Since August we've been working to settle into our new home so we can leave and return to Haiti where we're going in order to prepare to leave there, so we can come back to where we're leaving from. Yeah that.
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The latest assessment of MEBSH properties with damage from the August 14th earthquake is 278 churches, schools or parsonages, with a conservative estimate of $2 million US dollars to repair or rebuild. In a country without insurance or government assistance, that is a massive burden.
Click here to learn how you can help.
Sean will be managing World Team's reconstruction efforts in partnership with MEBSH. |
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Prayer Requests
- Pray for Ellie as she looks forward to going back to Haiti, but she is saying goodbye to her friends and her brothers here and she doesn't have friends her age in Haiti anymore.
- Pray for Erik who has been sick for the last 9 weeks. He has ongoing fatigue but every blood and parasite test has been negative. It is discouraging and difficult for him. Pray for Joey too, who is dealing with stomach issues for the past few weeks.
- Pray for each of our kids (and two girlfriends) to grow in a deeper and more intimate relationship with Jesus and for each to find a godly, spiritual mentor.
- Pray for Sean and Heather as we navigate these life transitions and as we discern the priorities that God has for us while in Haiti and afterwards.
- Pray for the people of Haiti, for God's comfort, God's peace and God's order in their lives and in the nation.
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