Over the next year Grace will be serving on the ground in Haiti through our partnership with World Relief. To prepare folks to do that well, an active learning group is forming this month. Participation in the Learning Group is a prerequisite to going. In the group participants will experience community and experiential learning and will move toward holistic engagement in Haiti as an expression of faith. Topics in the curriculum include: (i) Introduction to Haiti; (ii) The Church in Haiti; (iii) The Life of a Child in Haiti; (iv) How Does Lasting Change Occur; and (v) What GFC Can Do.
Once we have a feel for the number of folks interested in this first Learning Group (over the next 10 days), we will schedule our first session. The curriculum we will use is excellent. We will probably have somewhere between 6-8 sessions this fall, with engagement and travel to Haiti next year (2011).
If you have an interest in engaging in Haiti, join the Haiti Learning Group. Contact Jim Gibbs at jdgibbs@gfc.org or Kevin Rossiter at rossiter@comcast.net
Why Haiti?
Scripture is clear on our role … We must ENGAGE.
“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ “The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.”Matt 25:37-40
How Does Haiti Fit into The Mission, Vision and Values of Grace Fellowship Church and International Ministries?
Engagement in Haiti is strongly in line with Grace’s third core commitment – to serve the poor and unreached. Haiti is by far the poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere, with most of the country’s population (9 million) living on less than $2 a day. Haiti was already ravaged by extreme poverty and instability when the earth quake struck in January 2010, the suffering was and in large part remains unimaginable. Serving in Haiti will help all of us (and particularly those called to be long term vocational field workers) to understand the Lord’s plans, ways and purposes, to bring His Kingdom to earth through the local church – in Baltimore, in Haiti and in our focus areas in Central and Southeast Asia.
Why World Relief?
In disaster relief and development situations, the very best way to engage is to partner with an existing relief organization already on the ground. Grace has decided to work with World Relief — a long-standing Grace partner which has had a 15 year presence in and commitment to Haiti. Grace and World Relief share an important value — working through and empowering the local church. We will direct our efforts and resources through them.
