Below is a copy of our latest newsletter update with some information and pictures from our summer in Haiti during 2017. (If you’d like to view it online, you can visit here to see it.)
We have been back in the USA for almost two weeks, and we are working hard to settle back in after being out of the country for just shy of three months.
Including our times on the street and other places evangelizing or in churches preaching, 42 souls were saved to the Glory of God. If one person would have been saved or simply discipled to know Jesus better, it would have been worth the time, suffering, trouble and money to stay there for this duration. What a privilege it is to serve with you to see so many Haitians give up on the old life and embrace the new that is found only in Jesus! We cannot thank you enough for your partnership in sharing the Gospel in these areas!
We shared many of our adventures through the summer on Gospel for Haiti’s Facebook page and tried to summarize some of those posts on our website (www.GospelforHaiti.org), so you can catch several bits of news there. A very rewarding time was when we had the privilege of meeting with 4 pastors and some neighbors during our weekly Tuesday morning prayer times. This was a power-packed time to lift up the needs of the churches, sign hymns, and encourage one another. Because of this, we were able to build and strengthen many mutually beneficial relationships with pastors and their families. Whether it was preaching in church, leading someone to the Lord, or building relationships, we were so delighted God was helping us through it all.
We look forward to the day when we will have a church building on the Gospel for Haiti property in Tinot. As some of you know, the manager of the empty building we have been using for the past year announced he will not open the door for the church to meet there anymore. This caused us to quickly build a temporary bamboo structure on the Gospel for Haiti property for use by the church. Now we are moving forward to build a permanent multi-purpose building to be used for a church building as well as other Gospel for Haiti outreaches and training events. One day, we hope it will serve as a school as well. Though the church is happy about the bamboo structure (it’s not much to look at), we eagerly anticipate breaking ground for the foundation — Lord willing — this fall.
Please pray about 3 aspects of this project…
1. Pray the Church would grow in faith during this transition time.
2. Pray that the purchase of the additional acre would go smoothly (it’s under contract right now.)
3. Pray that the project would be funded by churches here who want to partner with the church in Haiti. Based on the bids we have received, $20,000 should fund all of it and finish the outdoor bathroom we constructed this summer.
We are hoping to return in September and finish the contract on the additional one acre of land, mark out the exact location of the multi-purpose building, perhaps pour some footings, and, of course, preach and share the Gospel.
Until the whole world hears,
Darrell Tonsing
