Monday, October 28th, 2019
The phrase, “Boots on the ground” usually refers to active ground troops in a military campaign, men or women who are physically present and fighting in a war zone. In ministry, it’s also important to have boots on the ground. Though Haiti is currently virtually paralyzed, the ministry of Source of Life is definitely NOT PARALYZED. One example is the very active ministry that Pastor Miguerson is leading to reach the community of Gressier.
It was the dream of Jean Merine to build a church on the Source of Life property to extend the ministry of Source of Life outside the gates of the Children’s Home to the surrounding community. That dream came to life when Pastor Jeff Riedel’s Haitian Christian Projects Ministry sponsored the building for Legliz Christienne de Jovin, which means Christian Church of Jovin (Jovin is the name of that area of Gressier).
When the church opened in March of 2017, the choice for a pastor was an easy one to make. Miguerson Haitis had grown up in Gressier and had worked with Pastor Jeff Riedel for many years. He was well known in the area by nearly everyone who lives there, and his life-style clearly demonstrated the principals of God’s Word. Miguerson had not pastored previously, but he had begun attending classes at Institut de Thèologie èvangelique Haiti in Carrefour and was preaching in various churches in the area. He is currently in his third year of classes and will graduate after two more years.
This past February, he married his wife, Erline; they live 30 minutes walking distance from the church. (How many pastors do we know who measure the distance they live from the church by how long it takes to walk it???)
Pastor Miguerson is a very busy pastor, ministering to both the needs of the congregation and many people in the surrounding community. He reports that the congregation has grown to over 100 people. His comment was, “as you know, we have a lot of things to do here!”
- “We
have many church services,” Pastor Miguerson noted.
- Sunday morning church service 8:00 – 11:00 am
- Sunday evening youth activities 5:00 – 7:00 pm
- Wednesday children’s meeting 4:00 – 5:30 pm
- Wednesday evening worship service 5:30 – 7:30 pm
- Thursday morning prayer time 8:30 – 10:00 am
- Thursday evening youth Bible study 5:00 – 6:30 pm
- Friday evening Bible study 5:00 – 7:00 pm
- Saturday evening cleaning & worship practice 5:00 – 7:00 pm
- Sunday morning church service 8:00 – 11:00 am
You can see from this schedule that the Christian Haitian community is centered around the church. They value their time together worshiping, praying, learning God’s Word, and encouraging one another in the faith!
- The people who attend Legliz Christienne de Jovin are living in extreme poverty as the majority of Haitians are, yet Pastor Miguerson is teaching the congregation to give financially as much as possible toward the needs of others. He mentioned that he keeps food in his desk in order to be prepared to give to someone if they do not have food!
- Pastor Miguerson is operating a ministry called, “Hungry Souls.” With the help of Haitian Christian Projects Ministry, he purchases and delivers food on a monthly basis to the poorest in the community.
- Pastor Miguerson has been working with the youth in the church (approx. 30), developing them into leaders in the community. He teaches them principals of Biblical leadership, teaching them to be led by the Holy Spirit and to follow the instructions of Galatians 5:13 to serve one another in love.
- Pastor Miguerson and the youth often visit people who are sick or in need at their homes in order to encourage and pray for them. Sometimes he is able to give the sick money to buy medicine, and he and the youth usually take food to give to those who are visited.
- Since schools have been closed in Gressier due to the dangers of the ongoing protests against the government, Pastor Miguerson has been inviting the children from the area to come spend time together at the Children’s Pavilion or outside. He and his team do Bible studies and sing with the children.
- Christian Church of Jovin has many special events during the year. For example, recently Pastor Miguerson and the young people had a meeting to talk about what they should do to “help some poor people” and to plan a week of revival services and a Christmas party. During the summer, Pastor Miguerson distributed solar audio Bibles that contained the entire Bible plus sermons in both Haitian Creole and English. Can you imagine the blessing these are to a person who cannot read or write?
We have only given an overview of some of the ways Pastor Miguerson and Christian Church of Jovin have been reaching the area of Gressier; there are many other events during the year. God has not stopped working in Haiti! Pastor Miguerson recently noted: “You can help bring hope to a place that looks hopeless. Life is hard, but God is good! Nothing can stop God’s plan for your life.”
“For the Lord Almighty has purposed, and who can thwart Him? His hand is stretched out, and who can turn it back?” Isaiah 14:27
Note: If God tugs at your heart to contribute toward any part of the work of Legliz Christienne de Jovin, just note that your gift is for “the church.” To give online, click the “donate now” button at the top of this page. To give by check or money order, mail it to: Source of Life Ministries, c/o Jacques Merine, P.O Box 96, Hanover, PA 17331