August 5, 2011 Haiti
Update August 5, 2011
Thank you for praying… Tropical Storm Emily did not affect anything in our area. We kept in touch with our people throughout the time it was supposed to be at its worst and they continued to report that there was a little wind and the sun was shining! We praise God there was not a deluge of water in the tents in our city. He IS Faithful!
I must report on Invasion again. It’s fun to see these young men watch the numbers climb! Today, when I went to our YouTube back office, City on our Knees http://youtu.be/VuZIYkQWQXA was at 6,308 views and Break Open the Sky www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dfabs9u_CDc was at 1,799 views. We hope to have more downloads within the next week or so… Watch for them!
This experience with Invasion has been very revealing to us how far-reaching their ministry is. We have now been seen in every continent, in 65 different countries and in 41 States in the U.S.
We are only missing nine States. If you know people in Alaska, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Dakota, Rhode Island, Vermont or West Virginia, please send them the above links to these videos and let’s cover the entire United States! If you know others in other countries of the world, please send them the links as well. I’ll keep you posted!
I have had to look at a map to find where some countries are located! Today, we added Oman to our list! When I return to Haiti next week, I will take a large world map with me and, together with the guys in Invasion, will mark every country where they have been viewed and share it with the church! This is only the beginning of touching the nations with the life of Jesus from Haiti! It’s educational for them as well!
One day, we will post other groups from Church of Light on YouTube, along with drama presentations and the children’s choir. Our church must learn about a much bigger world that Jesus came to save!
He’s Alive, and we know it!
Cary
August 3, 2011 Haiti
Update August 3, 2011
I’m back! We have had many challenging days since I wrote an update… many days with no electricity, no diesel to run generators, much rain so computers dependent upon satellite don’t always work. Then, someone hacked into our website and it took some time to get that working properly again. Most Haitians are discouraged with their living conditions and it takes a lot to keep them up! We came home for a few days to catch up in Orlando and were scheduled to return on Friday. The airlines contacted us to re-schedule our flight because of the impending storm headed to Haiti and perhaps continuing its path to Florida. Isn’t life exciting?!!
I’m attaching July and August newsletters to catch you on the positive. God is at work among us and the Kingdom of God is advancing. Read on! Please continue to pray for us. We have great plans for the coming months and plan to expand our staff to help us carry the load of rebuilding a nation. We have been alone for too long!
Cary
July 2011
Dear Family,
We trust your summer is going well. In Haiti, it has brought heavy rains, and over 300 deaths from disease within two blocks of our house in Carrefour. Cholera centers are overcrowded.
To date, none of our members has been affected. Willem, one of our young men, was taken to the cholera treatment center after complaining of diarrhea and fever, but was found to have eaten something bad. People are in fear because the blowing dust has released a wave of new viruses and disease to our city. Extreme heat, along with the rain, is a breeding ground for bacteria and sickness. We must be ‘on duty’, declaring the Word of God that ‘no plague will come near our dwelling’ and ‘By His stripes we are healed.’
People are worn out and discouraged and change cannot come soon enough for most! Their temporary housing and daily struggles are getting old. Without encouragement from the Holy Spirit, we would never survive. ‘He who abides in the secret place of the Most High will not only survive, but rest in His protection!’ We are blessed with His Word!
President Martelly has a huge job to bring much-needed change to government. He and his wife are out among the people, encouraging them while investigations go on inside the government, exposing the corruption of past generations. Last week, at midnight, during a horrendous downpour, he and his wife went to the tent camps and helped physically move the tenants from the mud to higher ground! No one knew it was the President in the raincoat under an umbrella because he arrived with only two security guards in a truck, not a limousine! It was quite impressive!
Bringing order to this chaotic country is a huge challenge and the patience of the people is short after such a long wait. He is working on many different angles all at the same time, but people expect him to fix everything overnight. Please pray for him! He needs so much wisdom from God to move forward.
The church continues to grow spiritually! We keep our eyes on Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith… to the end. Our youth are rising up to God’s standard for living! This week, we have a Word seminar for our kids to encourage them to rise above peer pressure, bring understanding about Godly relationships, honesty and purity to their hearts. This is the generation that will lead this nation out of the old system into God’s way of living and thinking, Kingdom living! We have youth pastors and 25 teens from the States to spend four days with our youth. There is never a spare minute here!
We want to say ‘Thank You’ to you. You are the reason we have such a great impact in Carrefour! So many lives would have been lost without your prayers and giving. Please help us with your greatest gift today so we can continue to feed the hungry, treat the sick, house the homeless and put a new roof on our church. We must seize this moment to save souls!
God bless you as you keep us on the frontlines.
Terry and Cary
and…
August 2011
Dear Family,
Church of Light continues to grow in the power of the Holy Spirit. This summer has been a time of advancing the Kingdom of God. All of the departments of the church have been canvassing the neighborhood, praying for the sick and encouraging people not to give up hope… Jesus is their only answer! Many have been encouraged to continue in the faith as times get more difficult.
Our basketball team from FCA, now attend our church. We have 34 players, two teams, reaching the community. Many lives, including the players, have been saved and filled with the Holy Spirit. It’s so exciting to see them every time the church doors are open, sitting with notebook in hand, learning God’s Word. Several have commented that they never knew the Christian life could be so fulfilling! That’s our goal! When the team was put together, little did we know that we would ‘inherit’ them in the church. We are thrilled! They, too, are so blessed because they have support they have never known on other teams. Our people know how to pray… and in competition, they have done remarkably well not only because of skill, but because of prayer!
This month marks the graduation of our three staff members who went to Bible School in Singapore. They have done really well and we can’t wait to receive them back with a new level of training! Continue to pray for Olrich, Rodolpho and Sherly. They are counting the days until they see home again!
To date, President Martelly has had his hands tied to accomplish his vision for a new Haiti, plagued with the regime left over from Presidents Preval and Aristide who are still running the parliament. There still is no new Prime Minister. Each candidate presented by President Martelly has been rejected because he wants to get rid of the corruption. With many years of stealing and pillaging, the government corruption goes deeply into every facet of society
Financial aid has not yet been released to Haiti and the people suffer more. It’s hard on us! We are not controlled by the government and can advance with our own building projects, but our contributions are depleted and we find it difficult to maintain what we have started. At the same time, we cannot close our eyes to the severe needs of the people surrounding us.
We continue to plan for a new tomorrow, believing God for millions of dollars necessary to do our part to see His will done in Haiti. We see clearly that the government has affected the church for too long and it’s time for the church to take its stand and affect the government! We, the church, must set the example for a new mindset, break the spirit of slavery and show, by example, a new day dawning in Haiti.
We trust that in the coming months, we will be able to finish the church renovations, as well as the housing next to the church, purchase the surrounding land in the mountain so the beautiful housing development can begin! Nothing happens fast here. It really tests our patience!
We are currently working with an architectural team who are giving us their best so each phase can be done with great excellence! We are so excited about that. Teams of professionals will come for a 3-month stay before being replaced with a new team, trained to follow up with what is started. The companies where these men work have agreed to let them take the time off! They will not stop until the entire project is completed! God is good! It’s taken some time to get these quality workmen connected, but it will be worth it in the end. Please pray we can get materials out of customs easily. This, too, has been a hang-up since the old government still wants control of the customs and our previous connections there don’t have the freedom they once had to help us.
Pray for our people. With the rainy season comes much sickness. Malaria rears its ugly head and many suffer.
Every day is a challenge, but we know WE WIN!
From the frontlines,
Terry and Cary
May 14, 2011
Update May 14, 2011 Invasion
I got so excited about the Inauguration today that I forgot to tell you that INVASION has now been viewed in 41 different countries and 6 continents! Does anyone know someone in Antarctica? That would make our world complete!!!
City on our Knees has 4,186 views and Break open the Sky has 834 this minute. It keeps changing! These young guys can’t believe it as I keep the numbers in front of them.
For several years I have been preaching that ‘It’s time for the Haitians to go to the Nations!’ Little did I know that God would use Invasion on YouTube to touch so many continents! If you haven’t checked them out, here are the links again. Please continue to pass them on to those you know. We are working on two more dance routines as I write… Watch for them soon!
http://youtu.be/VuZIYkQWQXA City on our Knees
http://youtu.be/Dfabs9u_CDc Break Open the Sky
Cary
May 14, 2011 Haiti
Update May 14, 2011
It’s official! We have a new President in Haiti! Today at 7:00 a.m., Michel Martelly took the official oath of office. The people are ecstatic!
Former pop star, Martelly, with no previous government experience, is now taking the reigns of this impoverished Caribbean nation, still recovering from last year’s devastating earthquake.
He took office this morning on the grounds of the collapsed presidential palace in Port-au-Prince. A power outage put the ceremony into darkness, but it was the first democratic transfer of power from one party to another in the country’s history!
The 50-year old performer, known to Haitians as “Sweet Micky” won the election in March by a landslide. Before receiving the presidential sash, the President-elect Michel Joseph Martelly, made solemn the oath:
“I swear before God and the Nation, to faithfully observe the Constitution and laws of the Republic, to respect and enforce the rights of the Haitian people, to work to the greatness of the Fatherland, to maintain the National Independence and territorial integrity.”
Then, the outgoing President René Garcia Préval handed the presidential sash to President-elect Joseph Michel Martelly, who now is the 56th President of Haiti.
Thousands of people displaced by last year’s earthquake joined local and foreign dignitaries, including former U.S. President Bill Clinton, who led the U.S. delegation, to witness Martelly’s swearing in. Ousted ex-President Jean-Bertrand Aristide and one-time dictator Jean-Claude (Baby Doc) Duvalier, who recently returned to Haiti, were invited, but did not attend the ceremony.
Please pray for our new President. He faces the huge task of rebuilding Haiti’s infrastructure. He must work with a legislature controlled by the opposition party of. Preval.
International donors have withheld more than $10 billion in aid to Haiti until the new government can address the country’s deep poverty, earthquake-shattered infrastructure and a cholera outbreak.
Our new President asked Haitians today to join him in rebuilding their poor, earthquake-ravaged nation and said he would work to provide jobs, health and education.
“Haiti was sleeping and today Haiti is waking up … that’s the mandate you gave me and, trust me, things will change,” he said in his first speech after taking the presidential oath of office.
As they pressed against the railings of the crumbled white-domed presidential palace that was badly damaged in last year’s devastating earthquake, the crowd roared their approval of his words in Creole!
“Hand in hand, shoulder to shoulder, we’re going to change Haiti, rebuild this country to make it stronger,” he said. His speech was heralded by a ceremonial blowing of conch shells (the crude trumpets used by the black slaves who rose up in a revolt that led to Haiti’s independence from France in 1804).
Martelly also sought to reassure foreign donors who have pledged billions of dollars for Haiti’s reconstruction to trust him to see it used properly. He promised security and guarantees for investments and private property owners.
In his inaugural speech, Martelly repeated his promises to transform Haiti from a development ‘basket case’ into a new Caribbean destination for investment and tourism that will provide jobs and better lives for its people.
“We need to build a Haiti where health is not a luxury, a Haiti that is not made of slums,” he said, adding he would also work to provide free education to every Haitian child.
Martelly, who proposes restoring Haiti’s disbanded army to eventually replace the more than 12,000 U.N. peacekeepers in his country, said he would not tolerate unrest or violence.
He promised tight security. It will be safe to go to work, day or night. He told the people to respect themselves and they will be respected. “We can take care of ourselves. We are an artistic people. We don’t need to beg! We will work! We must change our reputation. We are not beggars; we are not stealers. No corruption! No stealing!”
“No more kidnapping, no more violence against women, no more injustice,” he said, ordering the police and judicial system to take a tough line against offenders.
In this small but volatile Caribbean nation, called Haiti, with a history of revolts and dictatorships, the inauguration marked the first time a democratically-elected Haitian president handed over power to a freely elected leader from the opposition.
“Everything I promised, I will do! God will help me to rebuild Haiti.” This statement from their President encourages the people of Haiti to trust a leader who can mobilize them! When they see the beginning of these promises coming true, they will rise up!
Today, a newly-elected-by-the-people President is saying the same things God has been saying to our church for many years… Haiti will rise!
Thanks for praying for us as we continue to guide our people toward a new Haiti. We know it won’t be an easy task for those in leadership, but as we pray, we know God will turn this upside-down little nation into the beautiful treasure it was meant to be!
Cary
P.S. I thought you might like the Official Schedule of Today’s Events. Here it is…
7:00 a.m.: Opening of the extraordinary sessions of the Constitutional oath of President-elect Joseph Michel Martelly
8:00 a.m.: Formal sitting in National Assembly during which the president-elect will make the constitutional oath.
9:30 a.m.: The President of the Republic, accompanied by the first lady will lay a wreath at the monument of the MUPANAH.
11:00a.m: Solemn Mass followed by “Te Deum” on the lawn of the National Palace.
11:30a.m: Address to the Nation of the President of the Republic on the lawn of the National Palace.
12:00 p.m.: Review of Units of the National Police of Haiti by the Head of State accompanied by the Director General of the HNP.
2:00 p.m.: Lunch offered by LLEE the president of the Republic and the First Lady in honor of foreign delegations at the Karibe Hotel.
4:30 p.m.: Private audience granted to heads of delegations who requested it.
April 27, 2011 Haiti
Update April 27, 2011
Every day presents challenges. This morning began with an English class with Invasion. We are in the process of preparing them for traveling as a ministry team.
If they are to travel with us, they must know English. It amazes me how quickly these guys learn a new language. I’m still trying to learn Creole!
We have invitations for Invasion to travel to the States to perform in churches, concerts and business events and, at the same time, they have been offered by a builder an opportunity to learn how to work as a building crew to put small cottages together!
This is just another opportunity that is available to these young men, ages 17-23. They have a bright future! Along with learning music and dance routines, they must come under strict discipline as well. This is, unfortunately, my job as I lead this group! Sometimes I have to find Terry for reinforcement! They don’t like the discipline, but it is necessary and little-by-little they are rising up!
When this group is well-equipped, it will be a tremendous example to the next generation of youth. These young men are learning who they are in Christ, they know how to pray, they know how to minister to the needs of others and are constantly being trained to represent Jesus Christ wherever they go.
Although Invasion is currently on the front burner, our days are filled with meeting the physical needs of the poor. Today, we gave out clothes and food to some of our mountain people who have nothing. Then there is marriage counseling, wedding planning, drama practice, worship team practice, counseling and settling disputes, running a church, a household and visiting teams.
Tomorrow, we will pick up a container of food from Friends & Family to be shared with two other pastors in our area. Our people are still hungry! Next week, we will paint the outside of the church, now full of political graffiti. Thank God for teams coming to help lift our hands and our paintbrushes!
Great is His faithfulness!
Cary
April 24, 2011 Haiti
Update April 24, 2011
I trust you all had a wonderful Easter Sunday, reflecting on the great love God showed to us when He sent Jesus to this earth…
He was born to die that we could live! The price Jesus paid for us was a huge sacrifice! Oh, that we would comprehend what He did to purchase our salvation. What a miracle it was when He rose from the dead! What an awesome thing it was when he ascended into heaven! Oh, the anticipation in the hearts of His people waiting for His soon return…
Our drama ministry, Illumination, performed the message of Easter to a packed-out crowd this morning! When they finished, Terry preached a powerful message and about 20 people were born again! That is always such a joy to us! Nearly every time the church doors are open, people are being converted.
At the end of the service, Invasion danced to Break Open the Sky and from that point on, the church went wild as we celebrated Jesus! Everyone left on a very high note!
I’ve been having problems with the computer lately. On Saturday, we have a work team coming to us. On this team is a computer expert who will be setting up a new system. Soon, there will be a new internet service in Haiti and maybe we can catch up with the rest of the world! What a blessing that will be for me! It takes so long to accomplish anything here!
Keep praying! He is the Lord of this nation! We continue to proclaim it! Pray for as we get ready for a new government next month. It is essential that the church influence the government, not the government influencing the church!
Cary
P.S. In case you didn’t get the link to Invasion on YouTube dancing to Break Open the Sky, here it is again… http://youtu.be/Dfabs9u_CDc I think you’ll love it! Between City on our Knees and Break Open the Sky, we have been viewed in 34 different countries. Awesome!
April 9, 2011 Haiti
Update April 9, 2011
Every day here is full to the max! Yesterday, we left our house at 5:30 a.m. to record the much-anticipated video by Invasion “Break Open the Sky”. It meant traveling through early-morning traffic to the highest peak of a mountain range above Port-au-Prince. The weather cooperated and we only had to do two takes! (It rained so hard last night that many people spent the night at our house or the church because they couldn’t get home from service.)
This group of young men is beginning to realize that this is a vital ministry from our church and they are more and more in demand. They are challenged daily to live a life worthy of His calling. Please pray for Joe, Ricardo, Mackingson, JP, David, Mackenzy, Christopher, Keby and Fabrisse that they will keep themselves pure and desire to be holy!
Here is the link to Break Open the Sky. Please watch it and let us know what you think. It really helps. Then pass it on to everyone you know. I really appreciate it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dfabs9u_CDc
Cary
April 7, 2011 Haiti
Update April 7, 2011
We have a new President! Michel Martelly, the former entertainer, won the election by a landslide!
We now know he was born and spent his early years in Carrefour and still has family here. He was the choice of the U.S. government and the Clinton/Bush Foundations as well as the U.S. Embassy. In fact, President Clinton was here today meeting with him, working with him regarding Haiti’s future. Everyone is excited and dancing in the streets! It means change, and that is what the whole population has been crying for.
The current government is now scrambling to try to show that they are doing something before they leave, although no one is impressed… It’s too late!
FCA Director, Andrew Gurrier, and his wife, Ruth, made great progress on the sports program! We are so excited to be partnering with them to see sports come alive again in Carrefour. They have acquired access to one basketball court already and were given permission to claim it for FCA. They even got a new paint job on their court!
I’ve been concentrating on Invasion’s new dance, “Break Open the Sky” by Toby Mac. We will tape their performance tomorrow. By this weekend, you should be able to see these young men on YouTube. Stay tuned…
Cary
March 30, 2011 Haiti
Update March 30, 2011
Days are full… Attached is the latest newsletter. Thanks for your prayers.
Cary
April 2011
Dear Family,
The last months have been busy with building, elections, church growth and sports.
We are in the midst of waiting for election results and tensions are rising. Just when things were tense, the current President Preval doubled the prices on everything, raised the already-high gas prices and doubled the salaries of the government workers. It seems like he is trying to create problems for the new incoming government. The people have been suffering enough and now are protesting and watching to make sure the government officials don’t leave Haiti without restitution. Everyone has been waiting for the government. Change, money and projects are stopped until a new president is in place. Pray for God’s leaders to be in place. This is Haiti’s opportunity to start to sail ahead.
The buildings next to the church are moving ahead. Eco Building Products just left Haiti after working with a team of men from Orlando, Florida to finish framing 13 buildings for our model village. Now we are waiting for the next container to continue progress. The young men in the church are excited to see what they have helped build come together. They are beginning to understand that this is the beginning to rebuild Haiti.
This village will stand out as a mini model to the country to see what can be and bring hope to the people to start working for a new Haiti.
The church continues to grow as new converts come for training and to find their place in the Kingdom of God. Hearts are being challenged and faith is strengthening as we push ahead in the Spirit, leaving old ways behind and learning to hear and obey the voice of God.
With the world in such chaos, we must know Him and keep our eyes on Him as never before. God is opening doors that no man can shut. We must go ahead and not look back but continue to stay on the straight and narrow road that leads to life.
God gave us a great door with the youth as Andrew Gurrier came to Haiti from Fellowship of Christian Athletes in Atlanta, Georgia to start a Christian sports program. Our contacts at the Carrefour Stadium opened the door for him to direct the entire sports program using sports to bring the Gospel to our youth. Many of our young people are helping him with the evangelism and follow-up of the new converts.
This stadium is the largest stadium in the Caribbean! Built in the late 1970’s, it houses a soccer field with stadium, multiple basketball courts, indoor gymnasium and tennis courts plus an Olympic-size swimming pool. This is just one more indication that God is giving us the city of 1.2 million to be a light to this nation!
To renovate this stadium will cost approximately $3 million. We are currently contacting businesses and businessmen with an interest in doing such a project. Our job is huge, and the training needed is overwhelming, but God is raising up His army to advance. Please call in the finances with us that are needed to do these projects.
Please pray for wisdom and discernment to stay close to Him as we press through these huge undertakings.
Pray for strength for us. We have been going non-stop since before the earthquake in January 2010.
Finances are at an all-time low, while needs are at an all-time high! Now, we see prices doubling in Haiti. I think you can understand we need a miracle. If we look at what is practical, we should leave Haiti for one year to generate new support to keep going.
Please consider planting seed in this fertile ground that promises to bring a huge return as we rebuild a nation, using God’s principles. The devil is pushing his last push, but we know we win! Push with us to see a new Haiti.
We love you and are praying for His blessing to overtake you.
Love from the frontlines,
Terry and Cary
P.S. Pray for Japan. The real issues are yet to hit the country. We are still reeling from an earthquake with no tsunami. It takes years to get back on your feet after such an ordeal. We understand in part what Japan is experiencing. The thing we had on our side was that most of the nation of Haiti knew of Jesus and immediately cried out to Him to save them, both temporarily and eternally. Haitians pray that Japan will take the lifeline we sent to them in prayer and will meet Jesus!
March 20, 2011 Haiti
Update March 20, 2011
Elections went off today seemingly without a hitch! Saturday night brought some sporadic shootings, but when morning came, it was again relatively calm. The results will be made known on April 16. There will be much opposition no matter who wins… and with Aristide’s return, we can expect threats of more disturbances. Please continue to pray for safety.
Another work team of nine men will arrive from Freedom Fellowship in Orlando, FL tomorrow. It will be a joy to have them on the ground, working with two more builders from Eco Building Products to finish framing the remaining houses and other buildings next to the church. Pray for Terry and me. These teams are a wonderful help, but we have been going steady since long before the earthquake and need rest soon…
We are really happy to be in step with the Holy Spirit as He sends help our way! We certainly couldn’t do it ourselves. He is FAITHFUL!
Thank you for continuing to support our expansion projects. Please continue to use PayPal. It is such a great help.
Cary
