Seeds of Support: Fall 2022

And so, after much prayer, listening to God and each other, we are pleased to share a new international mission trip experience from August 5-12, 2023, to Belize! This opportunity comes about through a partnership with Service Learning Camps, which is the same organization that took our middle school students to Duluth last summer. They partner with local organizations to help mission trip groups focus on projects they find most worthwhile.

Like Seeds of Support, Service Learning Camps places a high level of importance on relationship building, fostering sustainable local partnerships, and the long-term enhancement of local ministries (e.g. congregations, programming, pastoral support). Examples of projects include construction, wellness clinics, education, children’s ministry, coffee growing, and community development. We will also have the chance to partake in tourist activities such as snorkeling on the famous barrier reef and seeing Mayan ruins!

We hear from Kerlange, Jorel and Joseph, and they are managing despite the current environment in Haiti. We continually look for ways to partner with them in mission outreach to be our hands and feet of Christ on the ground.

• Kerlange: Kerlange and Armstrong welcomed a daughter, Hannah Annika Norisca, earlier this summer. They are managing, but they are struggling with the same issues all Haitians are dealing with right now—inflation, food and gas shortages, and school closures. Their son, Zeke, is at the age to start school, but schools have not opened yet this fall due to the unrest in the country. Kerlange continues to pursue mission opportunities on our behalf, especially at area hospitals to deliver necessary supplies to patients. The roof of her new house is finished, and the family will hopefully be moving soon, giving them extra security and a place to call their own! In all of the challenges, Kerlange remains faithful and praises God for things like her phone so she can communicate with us and others.
• Jorel: After some health concerns this summer, Jorel’s family is doing well. His son, John, who had hoped to come to study in the United States, is now in Turkey! He shares that he is working on getting his student residency card and is currently in his fourth session of Turkish language classes.
• Joseph: Like all Haitians, Joseph has faced challenges with the rising food prices and day-to-day cost of living expenses. Since his living arrangements did not have a kitchen or stove, he had typically been purchasing most of his meals from street vendors. Of course, that has gotten significantly more expensive as inflation presses on. Seeds of Support recently helped subsidize the cost of a small propane stove for him so he could cook at home and reduce his food expenditures. He is also pursuing work in the Dominican Republic, but opportunities have become more limited for Haitians to stay in the country due to the current environment. Joseph also maintains his love for God and our partnership.