HomeWhat We DoSTEVE & KATHY FITZPATRICK’S TRIP TO HAITI UPDATE

STEVE & KATHY FITZPATRICK’S TRIP TO HAITI UPDATE

Submitted by admin on Sat, 02/27/2010 - 12:30
PRAYER MEETING
Seven months ago Pastor Pritchard and Dana Adams had invited the Fitzpatrick’s to come to Haiti and speak for their 20th Anniversary Celebration in February. What they did not know is that just before they were scheduled to go, one of the world’s most tragic catastrophes would occur: the 7.6 magnitude earthquake that annihilated the area around Port-au-Prince, Haiti, devastating the region and killing well over an estimated 250,000 people. So they went, trusting that God had ordained the timing and events that would take place upon their arrival. During their stay they were able to bring comfort and hope to the people, visit the earthquake region and give financial assistance to nine pastors and the people in their churches, send toys and supplies to children hospitalized as a result of the earthquake, and to train some 42 pastors and leaders in a three day seminar. Here’s how it all happened:
 
We arrived in Cap Haitian on Friday morning, February the 12th and spent the day getting settled in. Cap Haitian is the largest city in the northern region of the island and by and large unaffected by the immediate effects of the earthquake some 200 miles to the south.

The Celebration
On Saturday Steve visited the weekly leadership meeting that Pastor Prit has with 50 of his leaders. In a church of over 1,000, and a day school of over 1200 children, it takes a lot of leaders to make sure the program runs well. We anticipated great services on Sunday, and the Lord did not disappoint us. In the middle of a driving tropical rain the morning service was soon packed with over 1,000 people. What a great spirit of worship descended on the church, and even in the midst of a national tragedy the people were lifting their praises to God. Steve and Kathy prayed and prophesied with several clear words of knowledge over the six pastors who were in the meeting. It was a dramatic time in the Spirit as the church was challenged to rise up and be the light God had called them to be. That night the people returned for a time of musical celebration as the five choirs performed and rocked the house!
 
The Earthquake Region
On Monday Steve and Prit were able to get on one of the few flights going into Port-au-Prince. Since Prit had both lived and ministered in the city years before he had many contacts we wanted to search for when we arrived. Tom Brumbley met us at the airport and acted as our guide for the day. Tom drove us through the devastation and narrated the ongoing story of tragedy and survival that faced the people every day since the quake. Tom and his wife Bev have served in Haiti since 1972 and were well acquainted with the people, places and situations in the region and so became an excellent source of information. Building after building was leveled and indeed whole city blocks were damaged beyond repair. With no electricity and no running water the people are struggling for even the basics for survival. Many now live in makeshift tent cities that have sprung up all over the area. Some actually live in tents provided by international aid organizations, but most just grab what they can to make a shelter while trying to camp near others for protection and the possibility of assistance that might be given out in those areas. After several hours of driving around in this the senses became numb. Every turn in the road revealed more hurt and pain than imaginable. Yet the people plodded on. When we came to the center of the city we found that almost every single government building had been damaged or destroyed, thus crippling their ability to govern. We were also able to track down a young Pastor whose church had stopped meeting because of the instability of their meeting hall. While Brumbley offered him a tarp we were able to give him enough money to buy a sound system and some supplies. He was so excited knowing that he could re-gather his people and resume meetings the next Sunday. His parting smile made the day worthwhile as he hurried away to make the preparations for resuming church! It turned out that the Brumbleys had experienced almost $300,000 worth of damage to their main ministry building that housed a church, school, and a Bible College. They also give oversight to 11 other churches throughout the region. Of these churches only one had suffered extensive damage estimated at around $10,000 for repairs. And again, not one of these churches had suffered the loss of life! Now here was fertile soil in which to sow financial seeds. We also found that Tom has the capability to receive funds through simple bank transfers. As we left that day we realized that we had seen the hand of the Lord intervene in such a short time to help strategic pastors and make ongoing contacts in which to sow more seed.
 
Cap Haitian Ministry
For the next three days Steve held a seminar on end-time prophecies with a group of 10 Pastors, 32 Bible College students and church leaders. They so appreciated the teachings that they asked Steve to return soon as an adjunct professor for their Bible College. During the week Kathy was able to visit several other missionaries in the town and see their needs first hand. She encountered one medical missionary who was ministering to a young man named Joshua. Joshua looked about 10 years old, but was in fact 16 and was suffering from starvation which is why he was brought to the missionary. They fed him and took him to the clinic where he was diagnosed with aids. He was so thin that his arms were only about 2 inches across. Kathy prayed with him and spoke the words of God into his soul and money was given for his care. Kathy later said that she was deeply affected by this encounter. Poverty and lack is the normal for this region of Haiti and it seems just too big to think that one person can do anything about it. However, Kathy could do much for one young hungry and sick boy. Kathy also heard of opportunities to help some of the church members start small businesses, such as bread bakeries, that will help change the situation in that region and she is developing a strategy to gather the resources.
 
Haiti’s Future
In the midst of tragedy God works in wonderful ways. One church that the Brumbleys oversaw had been running about 250 before the quake. In the four weeks since then they have seen 103 conversions! And this is happening all over the country. The churches are being added to almost daily. Tom Brumbley said that like there are no atheists in a foxhole, the day after the quake saw many voodoo followers in the streets with hands raised calling out to Jesus for mercy! The churches saw the open door for what it was and since the quake there have been frequent “Jesus Marches”. These Marches will typically have several hundred believers march down the middle of the street singing hymns and witnessing to all who will listen – and everyone is listening now. The missionaries all agree that there has never been a time for preaching the gospel like there is right now. The future will see explosive growth within the churches even while the future of the government remains as uncertain as ever. 2010 just might change the history of the entire nation as God moves upon the nation with a spiritual revival unseen before in their history.

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