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Blessed Hope International Mission, Inc. &Chaplains for Christ International MissionCaribbean MissionTrip to HaitiThe Call:
By the grace of God we had the privilege to visit the country of Haiti between thedates of May 30 and June 5, 2009. It was an answer to an email receivedthrough our website, but not only that, we believe it was ananswer to the call of God for us to visit Haiti. BrotheConstantin received an email from a pastor with which therewas no previous contact. Previously we made plans to go toEl Salvador, but the doors did not open for ministry there.The Spirit of God in pulsed Constantin’s heart to go to Haiti.
Introduction to Haiti:
Haiti is located in the Caribbean on the island called Hispaniola and it shares itwith a wealthier neighbor: the Dominican Republic. It is the most denselypopulated and the poorest country in the West Hemisphere. After Columbus discovered the island in 1492 it became a Spanish Colony.The hard work and new diseases brought by the Spaniards killed mostnative Indians: Arawaks. In 1697 it became a French colony and itbrought more wealth to the French empire then India to England.Slaves imported by the hundreds of thousands from Africa did most of the work. The atrocious treatments of the slaves lead to a revolt thatresulted into an independent country called Haiti in 1801. It was the firstindependent black republic.The revolution wrecked Haiti's economy and it was succeeded by yearsof strife between the light-skinned mulattos who had all the wealth andthe majority black population. Later dictatorships and AIDS epidemiccaused more havoc to the weak economy and specially the touristindustry. From 1904 to 1941 Haiti accepted U.S. customs receivership and thepresence of US Marines brought stability. US left Haiti just to return in 1994 asthe leaders of the UN keeping forces that reestablished democracy and peace.In 2000, the UN keeping forces left only to go back in 2004 during a full blownarmed revolt. The revolt was followed by Hurricane Jeanne, which ravaged Haitiand killed 2,400 people. 2008 brought multiple hurricanes that destroyed parts of the country and killed hundreds.Literacy rate is less then 50%, 60/1000 babies die and people live on average 57years. The Catholic population of 80% is decreasing with the Protestantbelievers increasing rapidly, but more than 50% of the country still participates inVoodoo practices.
 
Our Trip:
We read in the book of Acts that the disciples of Jesus Christ acted asthey received guidance and leading from the Holy Spirit. This is true today as itwas at that time because God is the same yesterday, today,and forever. This trip to Haiti was a proven testimony that theHoly Spirit empowers, gives guidance to all that obey Him. InActs 16 we read that Paul was led through a vision to go andhelp people from Macedonia. The same Holy Spirit thatworked then, impulsed my spirit when I received an emailfrom pastor Joseph Jules Jasmin who I never heard of or metbefore. I sensed in my spirit an urge that I need to go thereon the day of the Pentecost. I did not understand all this guidance but by faith inGod, I rushed to buy the tickets and made all the arrangements to arrive therebefore the Pentecost day.When I arrived at the airport on May 31
st
and our contacts waited for us ina 4Runner truck and we headed to Gonaives. We arrived in a city close toGonaives around midnight and rested that night. On Sunday morning, the day of remembrance of Pentecost, we left early in the morning to reach the churchservice at New Covenant Christian Church in Gonaives, Haiti. The church waslocated in an area that was greatly affected by last year’s hurricane storm. Eventhe old church was demolished and now the church held a service in a rentedhome. The leaders of the church welcomed us and the pastor who speaks Creol,French and English, introduced us to the church and translated our message.The church was established and founded a couple of years ago. Theywere very open and sincere people. They worshiped God with all their hearts and know His Word but they did not have experience of theevent of Pentecost, which means manifestation of the baptism in theHoly Spirit.There we were on that special day to inspire them and teachthem that the experience of the baptism in the Holy Spirit can be real tothem as it was real for the disciples of Jesus in the upper room. There I could understand why God prompted us to gothere on that special day because God knows their spiritualdesires and needs. We prayed with them and asked them toseek the Lord’s face and not give up until the Lord Jesus willbaptize them all in the Holy Spirit. The pastors and leaderswere touched by the message and a fire burned in their hearts. After the church service, we went to the local prisonfrom Gonaives City. The deacons had already purchased colddrinks, food and hygienic products for about 300 inmates withthe money that we gave for that purpose from the mission. Wearrived at the prison that was surrounded by United Nationpolice from Pakistan that was very friendly to us and to the localpeople. One prison cell had about 140 inmates. We ministeredto them from the Word of God, prayed for them andencouraged them to seek the Lord; the only way, truth, and life.Some of them were very sick and laid down at the gate of theprison with wounds on their bodies which broke our hearts. Weministered to about 300 inmates and about 6 guards and gave
 
them goods and food. In the afternoon we visited pastor Jasmin’s family and gave them a love offering.In the morning, we visited the part of the city that was verydevastated by the hurricane. Families that lost their homes or had their homes with many feets of mud lived there in less damaged homes. Weprayed for them and encouraged them to seek the Lord who can help them andkeep them healthy. We see the youth’s desire and need to have a school in thatcommunity but we could not accomplish that need. Instead we prayed for themand asked that God would supply them with a school because many of themwere completely illiterate. They looked at us as an answer to their needs but wetold them we are simply messengers to show them that God cares for them andloves them. At night, we had an evangelist service in open air outside the churchand invited all the people in the area to come. Over 100 people and childrenattended and listened to the messages and worship team.Tuesday morning, we had a seminar where we presented thechaplains for Christ materials for inspiration and informationabout jail ministry to provoke them to reach people in theprison. Also, another part of the seminary was a presentationof the Holy Spirit baptism and manifestation. The purpose of this was to ignite the fire in them and especially in the leadersand pastors that they might continue the ministry with passionand full of the Holy Spirit. After the seminar, we visited pastor JeanInera’s home and prayed for his family. We had an evangelisticmeeting at night at the church of Marose where Jean Inera is pastor. Itwas a blessed night where God presence manifested in that crowd of adults and many children. They were singing to God with all their heartin the same way that the crowd was singing when Jesus enteredJerusalem. Jesus said, “...Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings youhave perfected praise?”
[Mathew 21:16]
Early Wednesday morning, we drove to visit the prisonof St. Marc in the state of Artibonite, Haiti. There we wentfrom cell to cell to minister to about 250 inmates and guards.We purchased about 148 bibles and distributed to them alongwith other necessary products. The guards and director of the prison were very friendly and invited us to come again.There were a few inmates that committed to change their life.One of them was a young boy and he stayed there for 4 years and nowthey want to release him but there was an amount of money to be paidand I asked the director of the sum and if it was true. He answered, “If $60 can be paid this inmate can be free today.” And so we freed him. Aformer chaplain was also incarcerated for another sum of about $2,800but we could not honor that and the director said the sum is only to sethim free sooner, and not a requirement. This reminded us about our salvation, we were all prisoners of sin; deserving eternal punishment, but Jesuscame and paid the penalty for the wages of sin. We don’t have to suffer theconsequences of our sin, because Jesus has paid for it so that we can be freeand whom the Son makes free, is free indeed. “For the redemption of their soulis precious, and it ceases forever”
[Psalm 49:8]
After this we headed to the capital of Haiti, Port Prince. At Port Prince,George and Fanuel Greab lodged at a hotel built by an American Missionary. Icontinue my trip to Jacmel, Haiti. In this area, brother Ionel Negrila from
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