Report by Dr. Jeremy Gates
This is a very special time for me!! Yesterday marked the ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY of me coming to Haiti! Since Sept 5, 2014, I have had the joy of being here 5 times. If someone would have said to me a year ago that I’d be making five trips to Haiti in the next year, I would have graciously said “no way.” But you know, where we see impossibilities, God sees possibilities! The Bible clearly states that with God, all things are possible. I’m honored to be here with the team from Wright Baptist Church.
Kristin, Miranda and I continue to be available to the Lord for HIS purposes. We’ve been so blessed by God’s people, many of you reading this, who have invested in us and Truth Ministries. I’m thankful for our church family, Wright Baptist Church, that I have the joy of pastoring. I’m thankful that I have a church family who understands my heart for missions and supports me and my family in this. You can be sure that the gospel is being preached and lived out here in Z’Orange. It is our complete joy to be an extension of God’s love as we minister to the Haitian people.
This trip is also very special to me because one of my “sons” in ministry is with me. I met Joey 9 years ago when I had lunch in a cafe his family owned. Joey was my server. Over the course of the meal I learned that Joey was an addict who didn’t know Christ. Over a period of time, God grew my love for Joey and I continued to invest in his life. Eventually Joey gave his heart to Jesus! I had the privilege of marrying him and Jennifer, and later, dedicating their daughter Kendell to the Lord. Jesus gave Joey a new heart and new desires. This man who was once addicted to the things of the world became a Christ-follower, a godly husband and daddy, and is in seminary today preparing for ministry as God has called Joey and his family to the mission field! Joey, Jennifer, and Kendell are now with me and my family and the rest of our team, ministering in Haiti! As I listened to Joey preach this morning in church (Jerusalem I), my eyes filled with tears as I thanked God for another life transformed, and another Godly legacy being built!
This week we will be evangelizing, doing construction as we work on building soccer goals and preparing the soccer field on our new property, as well as painting and working on the outside classrooms of the school. We have a busy week ahead of us, and I can speak for the team when I say there is GREAT JOY as we labor together for Jesus.