Truth Evangelistic Ministry, Inc.

Unless otherwise specified, all reports are from Brother Chuck

This morning was a much easier morning than the last two–Chuck G said he even got to finish his coffee. After breakfast Will, Simon, Chuck and I went to Port au Prince to take Will back to the airport, and we had to go to Digicel (cell phone company) to get my account straightened out. (This was the fourth trip I have had to make since January.) This is not just a short ride to Port. It is more downtown, and the traffic is horrible. Of all things, the President of Mexico was coming into the country today, and they had several streets blocked off, making the traffic much worse. I was pleasantly surprised at how quickly we got out of Digicel. I know a lady there who speaks perfect English, and that makes a big difference. The trip still took us five hours.

By the time we returned, the Pastors’ Conference was over, and Chuck, Simon and I were starving. We quickly made sandwiches, then Mark, Sean, Chuck and I went to the market. It’s a very busy market, with everyone selling their vegetables, clothes, baskets, hats, etc. I love to watch the blacksmiths. It’s like going back in time a hundred years; two blacksmiths forging the metal and swinging sledgehammers in perfect rhythm. After going through the market, we went up to Jerusalem IV to look at some property next to the church that the owner is talking about selling. We are going to pray about buying it, and see what God wants us to do.

When we returned, I asked Sean and Mark if they would change out some ceiling fans that we have in the mission house. Sean wanted everyone to know that without his electrical and mechanical engineering knowledge and expertise, the ceiling fans would not be working today. I am sure that everyone who knows Sean would agree with this.

Tonight Sean will be preaching, and it will be the last night of the revival. Tomorrow will be the last day of the Pastors’ Conference. It is amazing how quickly time flies when you’re working for the Lord.

Thank you for all your prayers for the people of Z’Orange and the Pastors’ Conference. Our Lord has heard your prayers.

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Entry by Pastor Mark

When Sean McMahon, the Executive Director of the Florida Baptist Association, first asked me if I wanted to go to Haiti, I immediately began to review in my mind the pictures I had seen surrounding the earthquake here. I remembered the stories and thought, “Hey, I can go help there, maybe.” Sean told me about Chuck Martindale, who leads Truth Evangelistic Ministry out of a place called Z’Orange. I still thought, “Oh yes, I can do that.” Chuck came and met with our church, FBC Carrabelle, shared his testimony of salvation and how God continually moves through the ministry of TEM in Haiti, and I was excited! Chuck is quick to say that it is not his ministry, but HIS ministry. LSS, I came…I am overwhelmed.

We have been involved in the Pastors’ Conference this week, and I am continually amazed at the passion of these pastors. They have come from all over to learn and be sharpened in the ministries God has given them. I am still processing the culture differences here, but one thing I do know–God is moving! The people walk each night to come to church. I guess this would be like our revival services…but they walk…and God moves. You haven’t experienced a worship service until you have been in the congregation of Jerusalem Baptist Church and heard them sing the familiar songs of the faith…in French.

We have visited Sylvest, who came out of voodoo when he received Christ. He is a dear brother in the Lord. There was another man we visited who is still a voodoo priest. We prayed with him, and continue to ask God to deliver him from the darkness of voodoo.

I have met the TEM team made up of Simon and Wisney (our interpreters) and Ginette, who is a culinary artist and has successfully kept me from losing weight all week. BTW, I didn’t know that southern could be interpreted, but Simon and Wisney have successfully done that for me this week. I only had them turn to me twice this week and say “Sir?” (that means “what did you say?”). Then there is Chuck G, who is an amazing source of constant encouragement. He loves the Lord and all those whom the Lord loves. I have been refreshed often in my conversations with Chuck G.

I am learning about the realities of mission work from Chuck Martindale. He has given his life’s passion to Haiti, and has become respected here. I realize it is important to talk to people who are “there” before we strike out for “there” from “here” and try to do missions. The reality is that God loves these precious people, and they don’t need me–they need Him. That is what Chuck M does in Z’Orange by the Lord’s design and provision. It is an amazing place to be. If you get asked, just go! It will change the way you interpret God’s Great Commission.

Mark Mercer, Pastor FBC Carrabelle

Unless otherwise specified, all reports are from Brother Chuck

This morning we got up to a typical day in Haiti. One of our toilets had leaked like the last time we were here and drained all the water out of our cistern. The good news is that now that we have a well and pump, we can just roll out the generator and pump directly up to our cistern–that seems easy enough. But no–as we began to pump there was a leak in the pvc underground, so we had to stop pumping and dig up the area where the leak was. There was a large crack in the pvc, so after digging and finding it, Chuck G repaired it and then we were ready to pump. Wrong again! When Chuck started to pump, a spark and smoke came out of the pressure valve, and there was an arc between two wires.

After rewiring it, the pump would still not work, so we thought it was the fuses. I called down to David Heady’s (he installed our pump), and he said he had some fuses I could come and get, but that we should first check our fuses with an ohm meter. So Will checked them, and they were okay. We tried again, with no luck, and then Chuck saw that the breaker on the generator had clicked off. We tried it again and–Hallelujah!–it worked. You learn to thank God for everything here–there are no small miracles.

After all that, Lane started the first session of the Pastors’ Conference. Chuck G, Pastor Mark, Simon and I went to Cabrera (a little town about 45 minutes away) to pick up some lumber for tables, some cluster block for the well house, and some tin to cover up the in-ground cistern. It seems like after almost 13 years of working in this country, I would learn to check and make sure I get all the right supplies, but I guess I will never learn. I just assume that what I order and pay for will be put on my vehicle. We know not to assume anything. I needed four 8-foot pieces of tin to cover the cistern. After we got back to Z’Orange, I realized they had given us four 6-foot pieces. Will and I had to piece together the tin to cover the cistern. It’s not real pretty, but it works and looks Haitian!

Will preached tonight and, as usual, he didn’t get to start until after 9 p.m. He preached a great message, and we had a good time as always.

Unless otherwise specified, all reports are from Brother Chuck

Today was the first day of the Pastors’ Conference. When we started there were about 10 people, and by the end of the afternoon there were over 45. Not all are pastors; some are deacons or Sunday school teachers. We were supposed to have more, but the government changed the dates for school after Easter. Most pastors teach in schools to make extra money. The schools were supposed to be closed the week after Easter, but they are now open, so most of the pastors who were supposed to attend could not. We may have more tomorrow–only God knows. I do know that the people who are here are the ones God wants here. I welcomed everyone, and Pastor Sean taught the first session; then after a break, Pastor Mark taught up until lunchtime, and Lane finished the last session.

Around noon, Chuck G, Simon and I went to Port au Prince to pick up Will Tiller. When we arrived at the airport, I told Simon to tell Will that I couldn’t make it, and that he was there to pick him up on his new motorcycle. As I parked and Simon got out to meet Will, Will called and I asked him where he was. He told me he was outside walking around but didn’t see me. I told him that I couldn’t make it, but Simon would pick him up, and then I hung up. Chuck and I laughed, because we knew Will must be thinking, “What do you mean you sent Simon?”–Will knows Simon doesn’t have a car. When Simon saw Will, he told him he had a big surprise for him–he was going to get to ride on the new motorcycle! Will didn’t know what to say. I know he had to be thinking, “There is no way I’m going to ride a motorcycle in Port au Prince, then up that rocky road in the mountains.” When he came out I saw him looking around for a motorcycle, and Chuck and I started laughing again–we got him! (Everyone who knows Will knows he is the jokester.)

By the time we got back to the mission house, Lane was finishing the last session. Pastor Mark, Pastor Sean, Chuck G, Simon and I went down to Sylvest’s house (converted voodoo priest). He actually attended the Pastors’ Conference. Slyvest came to the Lord about two years ago, and he had been asking me to come and visit. I knew he needed some batteries also for his radio. We had a great visit and, as always, he was very glad to see us.

After our visit we had dinner and got ready for church. This was Pastor Mark’s first time preaching in a Haitian church. First there was a couple of hours of music, then he did a great job–the Haitian people loved him!

Unless otherwise specified, all reports are from Brother Chuck

Just a quick update to let you know that Pastor Sean, Pastor Mark and Lane have arrived and are at the mission house. We just had supper prepared by Ginette, and now we’re listening to the beautiful sound of rain on a tin roof. It has been raining hard for about 30 minutes, and I pray that it continues. Sean is supposed to preach tonight, but church could be cancelled due to the rain. People are not going to walk in the rain and mud in the dark to come to church, and I don’t blame them. This rain is more of a blessing than they could ever get. It’s God showing them He loves them.

Tomorrow starts the first day of the Pastors’ Conference and, as always, we never know how many people will be there. That’s God’s business–ours is just to show up.

Unless otherwise specified, all reports are from Brother Chuck

On Easter Sunday morning Chuck G, Simon and I had to go to Port to buy some groceries for Madame Do for the Pastors’ Conference. Thank the Lord, I had asked Taric at One Stop Market if they would be open Easter Sunday, and he told me they would be open only from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. The traffic was not bad at all, but I was surprised by the number of outdoor markets that were open, and the number of people in the markets; it was just another day to so many people. We were able to get everything we needed and get back in time for the Easter service. As in the States, many of the little girls had new dresses and the boys new suits–they were so precious!

After the service, Ginette prepared lunch, then Chuck G and I decided it was Sunday nap time. We slept until about 2:30, then Chuck G went for a walk, and I started working around the mission house. Pastor Do had asked me to preach on Sunday evening, so I worked on my sermon, also.

Before we knew it, it was 6 p.m., and Ginette had supper ready for us. This is the first time Haiti has ever observed daylight saving time, and now it doesn’t get dark until almost 7:30. After all the singing in the church service, it was 9 p.m. before I started preaching. We got out of church around 10 p.m.

Tomorrow Pastor Sean, Pastor Mark, and Lane will be arriving. We are going to have a great time with the Lord during the Pastors’ Conference. This is one of the most important events we hold here. Please be praying for this conference.