NOVEMBER TRIP TO HAITI

I have just returned from my 12th trip to Haiti teaching about 300 students in our school, The TLC Haiti Pastoral Training Institute, recently registered as a recognized school.  Duane Johnson, a retired pastor from the central California coast, joined me for teaching in Port au Prince and Les Cayes, where we taught the second half of a Basic Bible Doctrine class.  as usual, our host and liaison there, Gilbert Jules, had made all the necessary arrangements allowing us to concentrate on the teaching assignment we had.

This is an exciting time as we come to the end of our first session of course curriculum in may 2015, having taken almost six years to complete it. In May, 2015 we hope to graduate 250-300 pastors who have completed the 14 course curriculum we have put in place.  It is exciting to hear their testimonies how God is using them in their churches--churches of all sizes--to share the gospel.

Thanks for those who faithfull support us in prayer and for the financial gifts that allow this ministry to continue.  For more information, see our website at www.leadconnect.org/Haiti.

Dale Barrett, Director
TLC HAITI

May 11-16--Port au Prince and Les Cayes Seminars on "Basic Bible Doctrine", Part 1

Enlisting prayer today--in just 18 days--if things are as usually are in our classes--we will be teaching 400 plus pastors about Biblical theology--understanding what the Bible says about God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit--as well as a class on Bibliology--where did our Bible come from?

These topics are foundational to good preaching and teaching.  Our Haitian pastors and church leaders often have not had the benefit of a Bible college or seminary education.  These classes given in lecture style through an interpreter are a starting point in discovering what the Bible teaches about these vital subjects.  

We also provide textbooks made available from the Bible Training Center for Pastors--in French. Many of you helped us do this and we were able to raise the nearly $5000 for 400 textbooks and the customs charge to send them to Haiti.  THANK YOU!

Matt Hulgan, who has taught before, and Eric Flores, a videographer, will join me on this trip.  Eric will be helping us prepare a video presentation for usage in churches interested in our ministry.

We need you prayers!  We thank God for the door of opportunity He has opened for us through Gilbert Jules, our liaison in Haiti.  I'm excited!!!

They're back!

Our team returned forma  week in Haiti on Saturday evening.

It was a good week with about 400 participants in our first ever marriage seminar.  EMPOWER's material and personnel were a valuable part of the presentation.  Our own Doug Stevens and his wife, Nancy, led the team and contributed to the teaching/discussion format.

Thanks for your prayers for us...and for another opportunity to minister to and encourage church pastors and leaders and their spouses.

For more information about the seminar, visit our website at Leadconnect.org/Haiti.

It all begins on Monday!

We have been praying for the marriage seminar that begins on February 24 in Port au Prince and is repeated in Les Cayes February 27.  Over 500 have signed up...it will be exciting to see how many Haitian pastors and leaders actually are able to come with their wives, given the challenges they face in providing for their families.

Here are some people to pray for--Gilbert and Legette, David, Doug and Nancy,  Dennis and Kristina--the key personnel for the week.

1.  Pray that the logistics of appropriate space for small groups will work out.

2.  Pray that our translators will successfully communicate the principles being taught from the Word--there may be some cultural challenges but we are trusting the superintendency of the Holy Spirit to over-rule any potential misunderstanding.

3.  Pray for strengthened marriages and strengthened pastors-leaders to guide their congregations in helping marriages flourish and grow.

Thanking you for your prayers...

Dale Barrett, Director
TLC HAITI

Marriage Seminars in Haiti...pray now

On February 24-25 TLC, jointly with Empower, will hold a marriage seminar in Port au Prince, to be followed on February 27-28 in Les Cayes.  Over 500 pastors and wives are expected for this first-time event sponsored by TLC.

There are many logistical challenges we have faced in setting these seminars in places--finding small group leaders, translators, identifying enough space for break-out sessions, raising funds for materials, etc.--but God is providing and we are expecting a great teaching experience for our Haitian pastors and leaders and their spouses and an ongoing ministry to the families in their congregations.

Here are some specific ways you can support us...
1.  Pray for the ministry team as they prepare to teach larger groups than those they generally lead.  Pray that God will enable them to teach clearly and effectively cross-culturally.

2.  Pray for Pastor Gilbert as he helps regulate space for the participants and smaller groups.  He is the key person for making our arrangements and for coordinating the meetings.

3.  Pray for each pastor who comes--and for his wife as she leaves children behind--that there will be adequate resources for them to attend together.  The seminars are free but families have to find child care and transportation to the meetings.

Finally, pray for the financial needs of the seminar.  We currently have a $1500 projected shortfall.  We are confident God will provide.  If you'd like to help is, send your gift to TLC, 1717 North California, Suite 3B, Walnut Creek, Ca 94596.  Mark your gift--"marriage seminar".

Please pray now.  We believe God is in the details, as cumbersome as they seem.  To God be the glory!

Marriage Seminar February 24-28

TLC will be holding a marriage seminar for pastors, church leaders and their spouses in Port au Prince and Les Cayes on February 24-28.  EMPOWER will be joining us in this special presentation geared to encourage the building of strong marriages in the Haitian church.  PLEASE PRAY that God will use this in a special way as over 500 have signed up for these two classes.

We have additional funding needs for this week of $1500; if you would like to donate to this outreach, please mark gifts as "Haitian Marriage Seminar" and mail to 1717 N  California Blvd, Suite 3B, Walnut Creek, CA 94596.

MOVING FORWARD with your support

Our end of the year response to fund-raising for our 2014 budget was encouraging; about half of what we need has been raised or pledged.  We are grateful to God for His faithfulness and to those of you who have joined with us.

If you are still praying about your involvement, or, if you have just forgotten to let us know, be sure to contact me asap at 254 Foxen Bluff Lane in Arroyo Grande, Ca 93420 and let us know how God is directing you enable our ministry pastor and leaders in Haiti.

Thanks for praying for our ministry team in February who will travel to Port au Prince and Les Cayes holding marriage seminars for our ministry personnel there.  Doug Stevens, from TLC, will be traveling with them.

Reflections that bring a smile...

I smile a lot when I think about Haiti.

That may seem in appropriate given the suffering and sadness that has blanketed that country throughout its history.

But it is, nonetheless, true.  Why...?

...the Haitians pastors are hungry for the Word!  It makes me smile.

...the Haitian children have the look of hope in their eyes.  It makes me smile.

...Pastor Gilbert and Legette are tremendous leaders of the church and hosts for us when we are there.  It makes me smile.

...young men are common in our training seminars and express their eagerness to serve.  It makes me smile.

...we are invited to return.  It makes me smile.

And we could not go without you.  Your faithful support helps our ministry to continue to grow and makeS it possible for us to go!

IT MAKES ME SMILE!

New Testament Survey Part II

Imagine 250 pastors in an unconditioned building sitting for 8-10 hours, listening to a translated message in 95-100 degree heat--many of them having walked miles to participate.

That's where I will be teaching in two locations next week.  The subject material is an overview of the New Testament, helping young pastors to catch something of the depth and the breadth of the gospel as revealed throughout the books of the New testament.  This is Part Two--Part One was completed in May.

These men will come for two full days.  we will provide textbooks, meals and teaching--all because of the faithful prayerful and financial support of a network of family and friends who have stood with us.

Join us next week--Monday and Tuesday in Port au Prince, and Thursday and Friday in Les Cayes.  Pray, too, for Steve Wilhite and Matt Hulgan who will share the teaching responsibilities with me.

I'll be back in

a few weeks with a great report!

TLC Banquet

I had the privilege of speaking last Thursday evening at our annual TLC Fund-raising banquet.  It was exciting to share the compelling testimonies of Haitian pastors who are benefiting from our teaching and training there.  One wrote, "If I had money as much as the ocean I could not repay TLC for the teaching they have shared with us".  These are humbling words and remind us of the sacred charge and opportunity God has give  us.

As I leave November 9-16 to teach again, I ask for your prayerful support.  This will be our last ministry trip for 2013 and then I will be anticipating the challenges of the new year.  You will be hearing about our plans and our projected financial needs.  I hope you'll already be praying about how you can continue to be a part of this vital ministry.

Thankful for you,

Dale, Director
TLC Haiti

Pastoral reports...

Pastor Jean Fils Reynold has two children and pastors a small church in Gessier, near Port au Prince, Haiti. He has been a TLC student and is a future group leader for TLC, gathering twenty-five other Haitian pastors of training.  He summarizes the work with these pastors in these words--"They are all satisfied and they praise the Lord!"

Married with one child and pastoring in St.Helene, Les Cayes, Pastor Bernard Jean Dernier writes, "From TLC training we learn to be brothers and sisters in Christ.  We really used to work apart form each other; through the TLC group we learn to share, plan and practice together.  We sit down and train together with the materials from TLC."  He adds..."Please support TLC's training..."

Testimonies like these encourage us as we prepare to return November 9-16 to teach the second half of NT Survey l.  Steve Wilhite and Matt Hulgan, two fellow pastors, will be joining me for this class.  The cost of each class is about $4000 for meals, transportation, translators, etc.  If you would like to help with these costs in investing in the 500 plus pastors we are serving, you can mail your gifts to TLC, 1717 N. California Blvd, Suite 3B, Walnut Creek, Ca 94596.

thanks again

Any time I post a need for our Haitian brothers the response has always been incredible from my friends.

Thanks to you we were able to order the additional textbooks for our trip in November.  Now over 550 pastors will have access to the NT Survey textbook we are using that will guide their studies long after we leave.

Our next topic will be "Basic Bible Doctrine", to be taught in 2014,  At that time 550 textbooks will need to be ordered so you can already join me in prayer for that big project.  It will be the last class in our curriculum for those pursuing our diploma course.  It's exciting to think about these pastors, armed with the Word of God, teaching their own people.

Thanks again for your part!

More pastors...more textbooks needed

It is a great problem to have.  We have already supplied 500 textbooks to our pastors in Haiti for New Testament Survey...and we now need fifty more!!!

These textbooks are a link to further study for our pastors following our teaching classes.  We taught the fist half of NT Survey in May and are returning in November to finish the second half of the class.  The 12-15 hours we spend at each site each session are not nearly enough to adequately teach the class in the depth we would like.  However, the textbooks are excellent tools for continuing study and in-depth research of the study materials presented.  In a sense they are a portable tutor for the students to carry back to their villages with them.

You can help us purchase these @$10 each.  I am hoping to return with fifty of them in November.  If you'd like to help us, send checks made out to "TLC Haiti" with "textbooks" in the bottom corner.  Here is the address below.

The Leadership Connection

1717 N. California Blvd.

Suite 3D

Walnut Creek, Ca 94596

Att:  TLC Haiti

Thanks for joining us in prayer for our brother Haitian pastors as they seek to study the Word so they can teach it more effectively.

Dale, Director
TLC HAITI

Logan and Gilbert give great reports on Les Cayes...

In the last few days I have had opportunity to visit with both Logan and Gilbert about their class in Les Cayes, teaching Romans to 150 eager Haitian pastors and leaders.  Their reports are exciting because they highlight the importance of what we have purposed to do there--help to lay a good foundation in the Word so that these pastors can effectively teach their people.

On our TLC Haiti website--www.leadconnect.org/Haiti--you can read Gilbert's personal account of this event which he coordinated and also assisted with teaching and translating.  I hope you'll take a moment to read it later this week!

CAYES SEMINAR THIS WEEK IN HAITI

Logan Carnell and Gilbert Jules are teaching the Book of Romans is Cayes this week, the third largest city in Haiti.  This is a required course in our curriculum at the Pastoral Training Institute in Haiti.

I have been relocating in Arroyo Grande, California on the Central Coast so I missed this teaching trip--but know that the teaching is in "good hands" with Logan and Gilbert.  Please remember them in prayer August 5-9 as they share each day.

UPDATE ON MAY TRIP

Our website is a great place for staying up to date on our ministry in Haiti. heck it out at www.leadconnect.org/Haiti. Our trip May 11-19 was a wonderful success with 410 pastors participating in Port au Prince and Cayes.  It was exciting to share the textbooks printed in French purchased by many of our supporters for the pastors, enabling their further study.  New Testament Survey is an important class and I was assisted by my pastor friend, Steve Wilhite, in teaching the first part of a two part class.  We will return in November to complete the second half.

Our goal is to provide a curriculum that will help equip these pastors and church leaders to clearly teach the Word of God to their people.  We are seeing it happen right before our eyes as pastors testify to us about how they are able to use these materials to better teach their congregations.  It feels like we really are in this small part of the world fulfilling our goal to encourage kingdom leaders.

Dale Barrett, Director
TLC Haiti

PRAY FOR US

Steve Wilhite and I will be traveling to Haiti May 11-19.  We need your prayers.  here are some specific ways you can remember us.

*Pray for safe travel.

*Pray for good weather--it will be hot, but, we hope, not too hot!

*Pray for our Haitian pastors to be able to participate by attending our class on NT Survey l, one of our core classes.

*Pray for us as we teach this core class (part one) through interpreters, and utilize wonderful new textbooks printed in French.

*Pray for Pastor Rochelin, one of our pastors, recently seriously injured in a motorcycle accident.  One of his daughters was has died form her injuries.

*Pray for Pastor Gilbert and Legette--their load of work is large...and growing.

*Pray for our financial needs and God's faithful provision through our supporters.

We will give you a detailed report on our return, confident that God is going to do great things for His glory.

(For more information, check our website, www.leadconnect.org/Haiti.)

May 13-18...dates to remember

This site is additional to the more informative information I post at www.leadconnect.org'haiti that I update more often for those who following our work through TLC.  For those who may stop by here, here's some good news.

*GREAT trip for me to Georgia in February certifying me to teach some wonder materials printed in french for our pastoral training institute.  Read more about BCTP online.

*PRODUCTIVE February ministry team from California hiding eight VBS's .reaching over 3,000 children, as well as another leadership seminars led by Doug Stevens  with 225 pastors attending.

*EXCITING renovation of a church in Ballenger directed by Mike Stromberg, joined by a team from Iowa led by Pastor Mark Doll...with a VBS held while the rebuilding was going on!

*Development of "Partner witha Pastor" program, featuring an opportunity for individuals and churches to support pastors as they pursue their leadership training in Haiti for as little as $10 a month.  More information available at our website and through me, daleabarrett@gmail.com.

*Raising of $3500 for textbooks for our institute student for May!

Here's date to remember as you continue to pray...May 13-18

I will be joined by Pastor Steve Wilhite from Concord, California in teaching New Testament Survey 1in Port au Prince and Les Cayes.  This will be an exciting challenge as we teach the first part of this two session core class of our institute curriculum.  Pray for us as we prepare to go.  Each trip costs about $4000 to feed as many as 400 pastors, provide resource materials, pay for transportation and translators and to cover our costs in getting there.

Thanks for all you do to support this ministry!

Partner with a Pastor

Over 500 pastors are enlisted in our work in Haiti.  Whether participating in our pastoral training institute or a small group, they are committed to preparation for the vital job of shepherding their flocks.  Our motto--"EnCouraging Kingdom Leaders Worldwide"--continues to motivate us to assess the quality of what we are doing with a  growing quantity of pastors!

$120 a year, or, $10 a month, will help pay for one pastor's participation annually in our pastoral training program.  This provides for his study materials and meals at four semianrs as well as enrollment in our diploma program for the three year curriculum.  This covers, as well, the a part of the cost of teachers' travel to hold the teaching classes and seminars, as well as some administrative expenses in organizjng these at two locations in both Port au Prince and Les Caye.

If you would like to support a pastor in his training, you are invited to "Partner with a Pastor".  Our goal is to sponsor 500 pastors in the enxt two months.  Why not rpayerfully consider this as a part of your year-end givinmg as well as commitment to reaching the people of Haiti.  You can contact me at daleabarrett@gmail.com or www.leadconnect.org/Haiti.

Prayer request for La Cayes...

Another outbreak of cholera has swept ove rain-ravaged parts of sotuhern Haiti.  OPne of our local pastors there wrote this week to tell me he had been spending alot of time in the hospital with people who were suffering from cholera, and he requested we remember them in prayer.

Although cholera is preventable and treatable, Haiti continues to be hounded by this disease due to a lack of education, and at some levels, funding, for its treatment. 

Join me in prayer for Haiti...