by Jon Konnerup
Our missionaries in Haiti and the Dominican Republic have gone beyond the call of duty to help fellow believers and others to overcome such great devastation from the earthquake. With missionary Wes Lane leading our efforts, we have developed a plan to assist the churches in Haiti both immediately and long-term.
Our plan is three-phased: stabilize, assess, and rebuild. The stabilization phase will continue to meet the personal needs for relief. The assessment phase has already begun, determining rebuilding needs and where to start. The rebuilding will start with pastors’ homes and church buildings. This will enable pastors to minister to their people in a more effective way. This last phase could take two years or longer. The possibility of building a daycare/orphanage with an established ministry in Port au Prince is also under consideration.
By the end of February, the Mission Office has received $350,525.73 for Haitian Relief, of which $78,300 has been given toward the stabilization phase as requested. Churches continue to receive funds to send in that will be included. A large portion of funds received will be designated toward the rebuilding phase. There are two things we can do from this point. First, we can continue raising funds for rebuilding. Second, we can send and/or join building teams, medical teams, and clean-up teams. Please visit the Haiti Relief page on our website, www.bbfimissions.com, and sign up for these trips which will begin June 2010.
As a reminder, plan now to attend our first International Global Meeting, which will be hosted by Pastor Armie Jesalva and Bible Baptist Church in Cebu City, Philippines, February 21-24, 2011. The theme will be “Let the Nations Rejoice” as leaders and believers from all over the globe assemble to remember what God has done through the BBFI, rejoice in the opportunities we have today and how God is working, and renew our passion for the world by looking to the future with the intent of partnering with other nations to reach all the people of the world with the gospel.
To give you an idea of what God is doing through our efforts internationally, we have calculated the information from the work reports of our missionaries from September 2008 to September 2009. These should encourage all of us to do more, knowing we are a part of something great and eternal. I am glad to be a part of the BBFI!
Professions of faith 115,044
Baptisms 21,967
Leaders in training 10,323
New Bible studies/missions 2,638
New churches 924
Average attendance in new missions and churches 284,760
To God be the glory!