I feel like a youth pastor

For the first time in almost 13 months, I feel like a youth pastor.  Planning for a summer missions trip to Pittsburgh, PA, VBS, the Free Will Baptist National Convention, summer camps, weekly lessons for youth and children, choir, etc, has been the norm.  But, for some reason, I feel like stuff is getting done as of late.  It’s pretty sweet.  That wife thing has lots of benefits.  

So, since I’ve bought my Haiti ticket, I’ve been all in Haiti mode.  I can’t help but sit and think about the next couple of months as God begins to prep my heart and others to go and serve.  The week of Vacation Bible School is huge for the mission as it is a chance to reach many people.  It’s amazing to me how during the day, we’ll have 400 people which is a lot.  They are all in for the week going to classes, lessons, chapels, games, etc.  Then, at night, we’ll have 700-800 people cram into the church.  It’s a community event.  To be a part of it makes me feel so blessed.

I have lots of huge ideas for the mission I’d like to undertake.  It has been a long time vision of mine to set up some sort of adoption program through our orphanage.  Not a literal adoption program, but one of monthly support for our kids.  I don’t understand everything through the orphanage, but I do know that not all of the kids there are orphans.  One of the churches in our mission is in a little village called Montan Terribe (I hope I spelled that right).  It’s about 12 miles from Saut d’Eau, where our main compound is.  But, those 12 miles is usually a two day journey because it climbs like 2000+ feet.  Nonetheless, in the entire village, there is no school, so our mission has taken in some of the students to live at the compound, work, and get a free education, so in turn, they can go back and our mission can begin a school.  These students need support.  Likewise, I am sure we have some that are actual orphans, but due to my amazing Creole ability, I can only learn through a translator, and last year, the idea came to me and didn’t really follow through with it.  So, this year, my goal is to get all of the student’s information, and then come back looking for individuals to support our orphanage students.  (Yes, much like that of World Vision and Compassion).

Another thing I’ll be working on while I’m down there is trying to set up a promotional video.  I don’t mean something that really captures our trip in memory, but actually sit down with interviews with our missionaries, those who are going, and hopefully some of our Haitian pastors.  Video editing has been a long time interest and hobby of mine, and I’d like to use it to begin gaining more support for our mission and for the people of Haiti.

Finally, I haven’t been able to get a lot of work done lately, either. I’ve been in the office, not doing much.  There’s not tons of pressing stuff, but it’s Haiti mode time, so I find myself reading blogs and looking on YouTube.  God has used this place to fill a hole in my heart.  It is one of the most important places to me in the world.  I ask, and ask, and ask for your support.  Words, pictures, videos…they’re all worthless to describe the true reality of Haiti.  There are needs there that can be met by your donations.  You can see pictures of malnourished children, parents with tumors, grandparents without limbs, dirty streets, mud huts, and a number of different disgusting things.  Those pictures can move you to tears.  But sometimes, I feel that Americans have missed the point of why those pictures make it online in mission blogs and whatnot.  When I post them, I want people to see the need.  The need to help our brothers and sisters in Christ.  Not to have a life of six cars, eleven bathrooms, etc, but instead, to have a life period.  God has called us to care for others, and Haiti is an avenue in which you can easily do that.  There are NUMEROUS ministries down there doing amazing works.  I post pictures on here in hopes to pique someone’s curiosity to study more.  Or ultimately, to visit and allow God to move their heart even further.  

Be in prayer for our trip in on August 22.  Between now and then, I plan on setting out on many different adventures in order to prepare for going.  I want to come back and really begin to gain support for Mountain Faith Mission.  I want people to see the need and then act upon the need.  If you’re interested in helping, please, please, PLEASE email me at ryanakers@mountainfaithmission.com