Barnabas Partnership to Hold Fundraiser Prior to Haiti Mission Trip

SUBMITTED BY ANDY RINER (JOYHOUSE AREA REPRESENTATIVE) –

The Barnabas Partnership is coordinating its annual mission trip with JoyHouse Ministries in Gressier, Haiti. Our team of ten will travel to Haiti on December 17 and remain there until December 23.

For those who are unfamiliar with it, JoyHouse Ministries is a successful, established ministry that has supported a conservative, evangelical Haitian church for more than a decade. JoyHouse Ministries has requested that our team return to teach Pastoral training, English as a Second Language classes, Hygiene classes, Vacation Bible School training, and other similar ministries while in Haiti.

The newly formed Barnabas Partnership works in Haiti under the authority of JoyHouse Ministries. God’s Kingdom is advancing in Haiti because of strong Haitian churches, and we are thrilled to be enlisted to help them!

Because Ouachita Baptist Association teams have consistently traveled to Haiti in recent years, we have established a partnership with a Haitian church ministry called Dorcas Ministries. Our Haitian partners established Dorcas Ministries to care for the poorest and widowed members of their local church. The prayers and financial support of churches in the Ouachita Baptist Association and Polk County played a pivotal role in the inception of Dorcas Ministries.

But Haiti’s greatest challenges are her greatest strengths.  It is lamentable that there is no social safety net in Haiti, but this weakness allows the Haitian church to fulfill its Gospel mission while helping the poor in Haiti. Our churches and community can have a role in this mission.

For our 2016 campaign, we have been asked to supply food for 400 people as a part of a hurricane relief effort. We are hoping to raise $10,000 to provide food packages for these families during Christmas and the New Year. The food packages contain beans, rice, flour, oil, and sugar and cost $20.00 each. As many of you know, hurricane Matthew recently devastated portions of Haiti, and damaged Haiti’s already fragile infrastructure. Because of this crisis, many Haitians lost all of their possessions and many find themselves without adequate supplies of food and water. JoyHouse Ministries is actively working in the hardest hit areas to provide relief. Please consider partnering with TBP as we partner with the Haitian Church to minister to their many needs this Holiday Season.

The team will host a Haiti BBQ Fundraiser on Saturday, November 19th at Hatfield First Baptist Church from 4:00 – 7:00 p.m. We are inviting the community to join us for the come-and-go dinner. Take-outs will be available. Andrew Beck will be smoking the meat and his Aunt Sue Kesterson will be heading up the meal for the fundraiser. There will also be live entertainment from a local church vocal group.

All donations are tax deductible. If you are unable to make the dinner and would like to make a donation you can send your gift to The Barnabas Partnership and include on the memo line what you want your gift designated for (i.e. Food Packages x2) and mail it to 2805 Midland Drive, Mena, AR 71953.

Team members are Lamar Austin (Team Pastor), Andy Riner (Team Leader), Barry Godwin, Candace Riner, Breanna Lewis, Nguyen (Felix) Duy Duc, Lara Herrlich, Autumn Liles, David Chaney, Blake McCourtney, and Jacklynn Minton. We covet your prayers for our team and the work we will do in Haiti.

The Barnabas Partnership is a local 501(c)(3) non-profit organization partnering with the Haitian church to equip and encourage ministry and discipleship for the glory of God. The Board of Directors are Lamar Austin – President and Co-Founder, Andy Riner – Vice President and Co-Founder, Becky Austin – Treasurer and Candace Riner – Secretary. For more information about TBP find us on Facebook at The Barnabas Partnership or email thebarnabaspartnership@gmail.com. For information about JoyHouse Ministries visitwww.HaitiJoyHouse.org.

About Author

Jeri Pearson

Jeri is the News Director for Pulse Multi-Media and Editor of The Polk County Pulse. She has 10 years of experience in community focused journalism and has won multiple press association awards.

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