Training the Trainers

Edouarnus Estivil, one of our Timothy Training Coordination Team members, teachings the Timothy facilitators how to develop good "Action Plans" which are at the heart of Timothy Training.

Larry Luth, Zach and Sharon's colleague, introduces himself to the facilitators that came to Port-au-Prince for the "Training the Trainers" Event on Dec. 6, 2013

If you have followed our ministry in Haiti at all during the last five years, you know that our core activity is leadership training.  We believe that the key to making a lasting change in Haiti is training leaders who give direction to their communities.  But who should be the one training the Haitian leaders?  Perhaps you would assume it would be us, or other missionaries.  While we love teaching and consider it our calling, we are always trying to find Haitians to teach Haitian leaders.  Why?  Haitians themselves are best placed to teach their peers important ministry skills and contextualize them for their students.  On Dec. 6 we hosted a "Training for the Trainers" event for Timothy Leadership Training.  We had a special blessing to have Gary Schipper, the Regional Coordinator for Timothy Leadership Training International (TLTI), present for the meeting as well.  During the training, we helped the Haitian TLT facilitators (our name for the trainers) from all over Haiti learn the skills necessary to lead TLT groups, assist participants to make work plans (after each lesson, participants must make a plan to say how they will use the training), and develop their own regional coordination teams.  One of the participants, Pastor Tardieu, shared his plan to start TLT in 350 churches in the Jean Rabel region.  In order for this very ambitious plan to come to reality, Pastor Tardieu will have to train 60-70 TLT trainers to go out to all the churches in the Jean Rabel region.  We could tell Pastor Tardieu was paying close attention during our event because he will soon be duplicating it in the Jean Rabel area.  But it is not only Pastor Tardieu that has a lot of work to do.  Gary Schipper shared his vision to have at least 50% of all Haitian pastors trained in TLT by 2023.  Please pray for our Haiti Coordination Team as we consider how this dream can be realized.

"Examine Yourselves to See Whether You Are in the Faith"

There is a tension in Scripture between accountability and grace.  It is clear that "It is by Grace that we are saved, though faith....not by works, so that no one can boast (Eph. 2:8-9)."  And yet, Paul writes in 1 Cor. 13:5, "Examine yourselves to see whether or not you are in the faith; test yourselves."  How do we fit these together?  First, we know that God does not decide to forgive us and make us his child based on his evaluation of our life--we are all unworthy before God.  However, after he has saved us, God does call us to constantly evaluate how obediently we are living the Christian life and to work with the Spirit (Phil 2:12-13) to live more obediently.  Because of this conviction, Sous Espwa (the ministries of the CRCNA in Haiti) does an evaluation of its partner ministries every three years.  Last week Zachary organized an evaluation of the Christian Reformed Church of Haiti (CRCH).  Such evaluations are always bittersweet.  We witness the great things God has done in the last three years (such as growing the CRCH from 32 to 45 congregations and increasing the membership) but also noting some of the organizational weaknesses that must be rectified.  The biggest weakness we found was a continuing dependency on mission funds for the national administration of the CRCH.  At the end of the evaluation recommendations were made to leverage strengths and remedy its weaknesses.  Please pray for the problem of dependency as it is an epidemic in the Haitian church.  Pray that Zach and other staff can find strategies to help the CRCH become more financially independent.  Pray also the CRC of Haiti leaders will recognize the problem and seek other sources of income for important ministry initiatives.

The Battle

Life in Haiti is a battle.  But not just for us.  It seems like every creature, from human beings to the ants are constantly and forcefully battling for survival.  Last week we noticed a mouse running in kitchen.  While not unexpected, mice are definitely unwelcome since they get into your food and generally make a mess.  After two days of efforts, we got rid of all the mice, except one.  We heard rustling on the counter top and tracked it to the toaster.  Sharon picked up the toaster, reached her hand inside and touched what you see above--a mouse's tail!  After having a good scream and plenty of lamenting, she put the toaster in a cooler, closed it, and the next day we took it apart.  We found about nine large cockroaches and one mouse in our toaster which we were using every morning!  How such animals survive in a toaster is beyond us, but why they are in the toaster is obvious--bread crumbs.  Life is a battle here and animals are willing to live in the most extreme environments for food--even a toaster!

Segaar-King November Ministry Update

Dear Friends and Family:

“He threw himself at his feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan.”  Thus Luke pointed out that only one of the ten lepers came back to give thanks after Jesus healed him of leprosy (Luke 17:11-19).  The one who returned was a Samaritan, a race hated and excluded by Jesus’ Jewish peers, and yet he found the will and words to give thanks for God’s grace.  If the leper was so thankful for physical healing, how much more do we, who have been healed body and soul, have to give thanks?  This Thanksgiving let us return to the feet of Jesus to give thanks like  the Samaritan.

Please join us in giving thanks for:

-Our lively and growing family that brings us so much joy so far from our original home.

-A daily opportunity to give our full-time efforts to ministry because of your generous support.  So many foreigners with the desire to serve can only stay in Haiti a few weeks a year because of their vocations!  We stay all year round!

-Love.  This simple, yet profound word was what our four-year-old daughter carefully spelled out first on her list of what she was thankful for this year.  We are thankful for God’s love, love from others and love that we get the opportunity to express toward others.

-A successful five-day evaluation of the last three years of work done by the Christian Reformed Church of Haiti.  There is much for which to give thanks!

Please join us in praying for:

-God to raise up visiting teams from our supporting churches that would like to come to Haiti and help us to complete the Ministry for Christian Development Conference Center this spring, 2014.  If you are interested, contact us as soon as possible.

-A good start to the Savannette church construction project.  By the end of first week of December, the construction team will break ground.

-Generous support during this Christmas season for the upcoming seminar, “Obstacles to Ministry and Biblical Solutions,” which we are holding in March, 2014, to assist pastors with the challenges facing them in ministry. 

 

 

PLEASE SEE OUR ATTACHED DECEMEBER NEWSLETTER!

FOR MORE PICTURES, STORIES, AND INFORMATION ABOUT OUR MINISTRY AND FAMILY, PLEASE SEE OUR BLOG AT segaarking.blogspot.com

Thanks for your prayers and support,

Zachary, Sharon, Hannah, Isaiah, Vivian and Esther Segaar-King

Missionaries to Haiti

Christian Reformed World Missions

 

A Christmas Gift for a Pastor

Pastor Jean-Baptist, has a difficult life.  He rises at 4:30 a.m. for devotions, to prepare his children for school, and to catch the overcrowded bus.  Much of the day is dedicated to his paying-profession of construction because, like most Haitian pastors, his congregation does not compensate him.  By 3:00 p.m. he is exhausted but heading to the hospital to visit a parishioner who nearly died of pneumonia.  After a quick stop at home to put on his tie and jacket, he is off to the evening prayer meeting at church where he will be asked by several parishioners for loans to pay school fees.  Pastor Jean-Baptist finishes the day hungry, exhausted and with empty pockets despite a full day of work.  Pastoral ministry in Haiti (and throughout the world) is fraught with dangers of burn-out, sexual and financial temptation, and even the loss of faith.  On March 26-28, Perspectives Réformées of Haiti (PRIHA) will be holding a conference entitled, “Obstacles to Ministry and Biblical Solutions,” to help pastors navigate these challenges.  Pastors Paul Mpindi, Zach King and Jacky Chery (PRIHA’s coordinator) will be presenting.  It is critical that we raise  $5K for the conference by January 15, 2014.  If you would like to support the project, please send checks to CRWM (at the address below with “PRIHA PROJ 805904” in the check’s memo line).  This is a great gift to give a pastor this Christmas!

 

Haitian pastors, like the ones pictured above, need all the help they can get to face the challenges of ministry.

Haiti and Typhoon Haiyan

In Haiti, located in the Caribbean's "hurricane alley," we are used to receiving devastating tropical cyclones.  Our last hurricane, Sandy, came at the end of the hurricane season last year.  Perhaps you will remember Sandy from the destruction it wrought upon New Jersey and New York.  When it hit Haiti, Sandy was had winds of 70 mph.  Typhoon Haiyan, which made landfall last week in the Philippines, had winds of 200 mph.  For us, there was a connection between Haiti and Haiyan.  Jeff Cosico, our colleague who has been working for the World Renew Disaster Response program in Leogane for the last several years, is a native of the Philippines.  In fact, he was in Haiti when the Typhoon hit his hometown on the other side of the world.  Jeff had a very difficult time getting into contact with his family in the Philippines for several days due the destruction of the communications infrastructure in his area.  However, he finally received a message that his family was not physically harmed.  His house, however, was another story.  Although his contractual employment with World Renew in Haiti was to end at the end of this month, Jeff felt compelled to return to the Philippines as soon as possible.  Please pray for Jeff and his family as they rebuild.  As we so well know, going through a natural disaster can be traumatic and discouraging.  Pray also for the relief operation that is underway in the affected areas of the Philippines.  Also, please give thanks that Haiti was spared a disastrous hurricane this season.

Jeff sent us a picture of his house in the Philippines.

The Land of Tri-Level Bicycle Parking

Three level bicycle storage at Amsterdam Central Station

Bert Jan Peerbolte, Zach's Ph.D. supervisor, who is Professor of New Testament at the Free University

The one of the main academic buildings at the Free University where the Theology Faculty is housed

Last week Zach took his annual trip to Amsterdam for consultation with his Ph.D. supervisor, Bert Jan Peerbolte, from the Free University of Amsterdam.  The trip was the capstone of an unbelievably busy October in which we received a number of visiting delegations, wrote a new strategic plan for 2014-2017, and did ministry training.  Thankfully, this time Zach had something to present--the first two chapters (about 97 pages) of his dissertation on eschatology and missiology in the parables of Matthew, Mark and Luke (which he wrote last summer in Grand Rapids).  Zach was pretty nervous about how they would be received since he has been out of academics for nearly a decade.  However, Bert Jan was happy with the chapters and only suggested some minor changes.  While at the Free University, Zach wrote 27 pages of the third chapter as well.  Zach's objective is to graduate in 2016 and do most of the writing in 2014 and 15 (during four months of study leave).  While in Amsterdam, Zach stayed with Brenda Heyink and Matthijs Kronemeijer at the Gemeenschap Oudezijds 100 Christian Community.  Brenda is a former colleague from CRWM and friend from Calvin Seminary.  Her husband, Matthijs, works for the Chaplain Service of the Dutch military.  The community is located in the heart of the "Red-Light District" in old Amsterdam, where tourists come from all over the world for legalized pot, prostitution, and a lot of drinking/partying.  Oudezijds 100 Community is a light for Christ in a place where the churches are museums and spiritual darkness is palpable.  Please pray for Zach as he tries to be faithful to God's calling for him to deepen his knowledge of Scripture so that he can better teach those God has entrusted to him.  It is very, very, very hard trying to find time to work on this project in Haiti!

Dear Friends and Family:

 Greetings from the Heathrow Airport where I (Zach) am on my way to Amsterdam for my annual trip to meet with my Ph.D. advisor.  October has been an unbelievably busy and incredibly successful month for our ministry despite some very challenging moments.  During this month we have dedicated two new churches, done a three-year strategic plan, held a three-day-long TLT training conference for 60 church leaders, received a visiting delegation from Back to God Ministries International to discuss the future of the Perspectives Reformees ministry in Haiti, received a visiting team from Lakeside CRC (Alto, MI) for a week, and completed our first quarter reports.  For the next 10 days while Zach is in Amsterdam, he hopes to “burn the midnight oil” to complete a chapter of his dissertation. Honestly, we are completely exhausted.  Please pray for grace and patience to make it through this very challenging time.

Please give thanks for:

-A successful Timothy Leadership Training Conference in October where 60 leaders dug deeply into Scripture to learn key ministry skills.  Please see our blog for pictures and stories about this event.
-A blessed visit from a team representing Lakeside CRC.  We visited Thomassique and witnessed the dedication of the Gwo Kajou church building, saw many newly dug latrines, talked with beneficiaries of the programs.
-The development of a new three-year Strategic Plan for Sous Espwa.  This month we redid our vision, mission, and strategic objectives which is no small achievement for a team as diverse as ours.
-Good health and safety for our family and all our visitors.

Please pray for:

-We have felt “under attack” in October by many strange coincidences (including a generator breakdown and a poisoning of our dogs) that have attempted to steal our peace of mind this month.  Pray that God will give us peace and trust in his provision.
-The three-year evaluation of the Christian Reformed Church in Haiti which will occur in November.  A big part of our job is working with this Haitian denomination.  Pray that God will bless the evaluation.
-Our ministry team as we struggle to come up with our 2014-15 budget.  As always, resources are limited and the needs are great.
-Safety and blessing for our family while Zach is gone to the Netherlands and Sharon will be single-parenting.

 FOR MORE PICTURES, STORIES, AND INFORMATION ABOUT OUR MINISTRY AND FAMILY, PLEASE SEE OUR BLOG AT segaarking.blogspot.com

Thanks for your prayers and support,

Zachary, Sharon, Hannah, Isaiah, Vivian and Esther Segaar-King

Missionaries to Haiti
Christian Reformed World Missions

 

Calvary Assembly of God gave bunk-beds to our family!

Hannah enjoys mummy-wrapping at her birthday party in October.

The twins celebrate their 8th birthday,

Timothy Leadership Training Advances

This October we brought together about 60 leaders from all over Haiti for our biannual Timothy Leadership Training (TLT) Conference.  We had our largest graduating class of 11 (two in level two and nine in level one).  It is not easy to graduate from TLT as graduating from level one requires completing at least one year of training in the local church and completing many practical work-plans that the participants develop to apply what they learn to their ministry context.  We were really excited by the story of Doris Falante, a youth leader in Jacmel.  After completing the material on Christian Stewardship, Doris decided to organize the youth in his church to hold their own “gastronomic and artisanal fair” in Jacmel at time when many tourists visit.  The youth, who are almost all unemployed, discovered gifts they didn’t know they had in cooking and art and many wares and much food was sold.  Also, Doris decided to teach the church leadership about the importance of Christian giving, planning to increase the overall offerings of the church by 15%.  After Doris’ efforts, the offerings increased by 30% and there was money left-over to organize church activities.  Furthermore, Doris developed a plan to encourage young people to visit the sick and home-bound.  Doris got his whole youth group involved in the visitation which was an unbelievable encouragement to the suffering of the congregation who never expected that the young and healthy would take time to visit and pray for them!

Looking for a Few Good Teams!

We are looking for a few good teams!  An important part of our ministry is recruiting and receiving volunteers for Service and Learning Teams and Church Partnerships teams.  These two kinds of teams are vital to our ministry for several reasons.  First, they inform our supporters of how to better pray and lend a hand to our ministry in Haiti.  Secondly, they provide visitors an opportunity to learn about themselves and their own faith through the lens of developing relationships with people from another culture who share their faith in Christ.  Thirdly, teams are an important mechanism for funding our special construction and development projects in Haiti.  Service and Learning teams are focused on learning about Haitian culture and ministry.  They also have a service project which has a construction component as we are trying to complete the conference center for our partner, the Ministry for Christian Development.  Teams that are interested in Church Partnerships often visit from 5-7 days and spend focused time learning about our ministry and a community in Haiti.  We hope that after several visits, such teams will undertake a church-to-church or a church-to-community relationship that will include communication, visits, and eventually, shared projects.  We are so thankful for a team from Lakeside CRC of Alto, MI that visited us in the month of October.  They have developed a relationship with the CRC of Haiti churches from Thomassique over the last three years.  It has been an awesome growing experience for both Lakeside and Thomassique.  Currently, Lakeside is doing a project in Thomassique that includes church construction, latrine construction, a justice program, a leadership training program and microcredit.  Please prayerfully consider how your church would like to participate in sending a team to Haiti!

One of the Lakeside team members on the motorcycle that they helped purchase for the CRC of Haiti

A picture of the team that visited Haiti in October, 2013

The interior of  the Savann Plat church that Lakeside will assist the CRC of Haiti to construct.

Things You’ve Never Seen on a Motorcycle

After living in Haiti for eight years, we’ve seen a lot.  But here’s one thing we’ve never seen before-- motorcycle carrying a coffin.  Actually, coffin-making is a pretty big business in Haiti.  In fact, the organization that made all of World-Renew’s 3,500 houses for earthquake survivors in Haiti used to make coffins and cabinets before the 2010 earthquake.  Also, it is very common to find carpenters making coffins by hand throughout Haiti.  It is normal for Haitians to take massive loans and exhaust their savings to pay for a funeral for a loved-one.  We have often thought how ironic it is that the dead burden the living with such crushing debt.  However, there is a social expectation that the family of the deceased will provide a significant amount of food for family and friends.  Of course, funerals are big-business in North America, with families often resorting to insurance policies to cover the burdensome costs of a funeral.  However, regardless whether we are buried in a tuxedo in a beautiful casket or in an a wooden box (or urn), the one thing that matters most about dying is what will happen on the day that Christ returns and the dead are raised.  On that day, only our eternal security in Christ will matter!

Volunteering for the Glory of God

A group of PRIHA volunteers, Zachary, and two representatives from the BTGMI office, Nzuzi Lukombo and Curt Selles.

No matter where you are in the world, trying to run an organization through volunteers is pretty much like the famous cartoon of a caveman pushing a cart with square wheels.  It can be difficult to get things going!  But, there are a lot of advantages to volunteers.  For one, you can be sure that, in the absence of a monetary incentive, volunteers have a vision for the work that they are doing.  Second, with volunteers, meager resources can be greatly stretched.  Our media ministry, Perspectives Reformees Internationales d' Haiti (PRIHA), a ministry of Back to God Ministries International (BTGMI), runs almost entirely on volunteers.  There are volunteer promoters who recruit students for PRIHA's bible-study-by-correspondence.  There are volunteer graders that correct each answer of the more than 1500 participants' bible studies.  There are the volunteers that listen to Pastor Paul Mpindi's messages on each of the 30+ radio stations that broadcast Perspectives Reformees throughout Haiti (the volunteer listeners fill out a report and send it back to the PRIHA office to inform us whether the stations are broadcasting the messages as contracted).  There are volunteers who bind and staple thousands of photocopies of the bible study to be distributed.  In the end, volunteers such as the ones pictured above, carry the load of ministry and dramatically decrease the funds needed to reach Haitians through media with the live-saving Gospel message.  Thank you, volunteers!

September 26, a Day of Disaster for Haitian-Dominicans

On September 26, the Supreme Court of the Dominican Republic (DR) issued what is nothing less than an absolute legal disaster for persons of Haitian descent living within its jurisdiction.  The Court handed down a ruling stripping citizenship from descendants of Haitians who entered into Haiti illegally from 1929 onwards.  Haitians and Dominicans share a common history of colonialism, with the French settling Haiti and the Spanish settling the DR (originally the entire island of Hispaniola, including Haiti and the DR was under Spanish domination, until the western third of the island was ceded to France as part of a treaty).  During the twentieth century, the DR came to dominate Hispaniola economically and politically as Haiti descended into political and social turmoil.  It was during the early twentieth century that hundreds of thousands of Haitians entered the DR (either voluntarily or forcibly) to work in the vast Dominican sugar-cane plantations where they became effectively indentured servants.  In fact, on many occasions, Dominican cane-cutting bosses abducted or tricked Haitians into crossing the border, only to later forcibly remove them at the end of the cane-cutting season.  Other Haitians were trapped in the plantations, where they and their children became stateless refugees living under deplorable conditions.  Today, the children of undocumented Haitian immigrants in the DR are not issued birth certificates, barring them from legally marrying, attending school, working, or obtaining voter registration and driver's licenses.  The DR's 2010 constitution denied citizenship to descendants of Haitians born to undocumented parents.  However, the Supreme Court retroactively applied this principle to persons born in the DR since 1929.  Underneath the ruling is the continuing fear among the Dominican political establishment that the Latin American country will be engulfed by its Kreyol-speaking neighbor.  And quite honestly, there is a considerable amount of old-fashioned racism against the predominantly African Haitians among Dominicans today.  What does such a ruling mean to the hundreds of thousands of persons of Haitian descent living in the DR, many of whom are second and third generation citizens?  First it means that such persons can have their legal documentation confiscated and can be deported at any moment.  Secondly, due to the impossibility of deporting so many of its citizens, the Dominican government will only be able to selectively enforce this ruling, giving opportunity for extortion, bribery and all kinds of corruption.  Please pray that the Dominican government would change course and protect the descendants of Haitians who cannot be held accountable for the decisions of their parents to immigrate illegally or otherwise (the Supreme Court's decision cannot be repealed).  Pray also that God will break down the barrier of hate between Dominicans and their Haitian neighbors. 

Segaar-King September Ministry Report

Dear Friends and Family

Greetings!  Yesterday was a great day of celebration on the Haiti field.  After nearly a quarter of a century of trying to purchase property and build a church, Jacquet Christian Reformed Church, one of the founding congregations of the Christian Reformed Church of Haiti (CRCH), celebrated the dedication of its new church building.  We had many special visitors present including representatives from Trinity CRC of Goderich, Ontario and SON-BEAM International, two key donors.  Also, the founding pastor of the Jacquet Church, Obelto Cheribin, came from Orlando with his entire family, to participate in the event.  Finally, two former CRWM missionaries who played a key role in the early life of Jacquet Church, Dan Vanden Hoek and Ray and Gladys Brinks, made the trip from Michigan to Haiti.  Early on Sunday morning, several hundred members, well-wishers and a delegation of the board of the CRCH, departed the old Jacquet building in the company of a marching band, and marched through heavy traffic to reach the new building which is half a mile away.  Upon arrival and the cutting of the ribbon at the door, we persevered through a six-hour church service (eight-and-half hours including the processional), which was a record for us.  In addition to the donors, Zach was presented with a plaque for his work in coordinating the effort which resulted in the new church.  Finally, the building was dedicated and the hungry attenders feasted on chicken, rice and beans, and many other Haitian delicacies.  Please see a few pictures attached below.

 

Please pray for:

-Wisdom and unity for our combined country ministry team as we develop a new three-year strategic plan in October.
-Timothy Leadership Training on 16-18 October.  We are presenting a new material on community development.
-A visit from a delegation of Back to God Ministries International representatives (including the director) to see the work of Perspectives Reformees (the French-language radio ministry).
-Safety as Zach travels to the Netherlands for his doctoral work at the end of October and patience for Sharon as she will be very busy with work, children and home.

FOR MORE PICTURES, STORIES, AND INFORMATION ABOUT OUR MINISTRY AND FAMILY, PLEASE SEE OUR BLOG AT segaarking.blogspot.com

Thanks for your prayers and support,

Zachary, Sharon, Hannah, Isaiah, Vivian and Esther Segaar-King
Missionaries to Haiti
Christian Reformed World Missions

Isaiah and Vivian Turn Eight

Isaiah and Vivian dodge sparks shooting from their birthday cakes during their Sept. 20 party.

Isaiah clears a ball from near the goal

Isaiah and Vivian at the Michigan State University Botanical Gardens

 We will never forget our visit to the gynecologist in the spring of 2005, only a few weeks after accepting the call to serve with Christian Reformed World Missions in Haiti.   It was Sharon's first ultrasound.  Everything was going according to plan when the jolly and playful medical technician uttered those words which shall remain forever etched in our memory, "Oh, it looks like double-trouble!"  Thus began the adventure of starting life and a new ministry in a foreign country with a set of new-born twins.  We number our days in Haiti by the age of our twins, and they are turning eight on September 24.  We give thanks to God for their lives.  Vivian is enjoying school, has several good friends, and is joyfully  (most of the time) learning the violin.  The violin is the perfect companion for Vivian's petite hands and small frame.  Isaiah is also enjoying school with several of good friends and is playing soccer with zest.  He seems to take pleasure in every bruise and scrape obtained while playing goalie (apparently he almost always chosen as goalie because of his energy and reckless abandon).  On Friday, 20 September we had a party for Isaiah and Vivian with 15 children at our home.  It is a blessing to see our children grow up in Haiti as they get to have so many experiences and develop so many relationships that would have been impossible if they were raised in the USA!

 

Be exalted, O God, above the heavens, let your glory be over all the earth....Psalm 57

A mountain road cutting through the red soil of the Furcy area

The steeple of a church hidden in the mists that often hide the mountain tops in the Furcy area

One of the many waterfalls in the valleys of the Kenscoff mountains where Zach did some hiking.

Pic la Selle (2,680 meters) or 8,800 feet), the highest point in Haiti, hidden in the clouds

Throughout the history, God's people have often sought solace and comfort in the handiwork of the Creator.  In fact, Christian theologians from all schools of thought have taught that while Creation cannot reveal a "saving" knowledge of God (i.e., teach us how God became man, in Jesus Christ, and died for our sins, etc.), it can reveal some very important aspects of God's character (for those of you theologians....this is called 'natural revelation').  The Creation shows us the power, the majesty, the purity, the grace, the love, and the humor of God himself.  Zach had a chance to receive the message God communicates so powerfully through is Creation several weeks ago during a day spent hiking in Haiti's beautiful countryside.  Many don't realize the beauty of Haiti's rugged and mountainous land, but hopefully the pictures above will convince you!  Zach them in the Furcy area just south of Port-au-Prince.  It was amazing to enjoy the powerful evidence of God's majesty and love for us.  One thing that was very interesting is that even among this great natural beauty, there is so little opportunities to hear the message which cannot be communicated through the nature--the message of Jesus Christ communicated in Scripture.  After hiking and driving many miles through the Furcy area, Zach saw only one church, a small Catholic church.  The reality is that in the isolated rural areas of Haiti, there are very few evangelical churches.  Pray for the efforts of many Haitian pastors (like the ones we train and encourage) to plant churches in these isolated parts of Haiti so that people can see the beauty of God's creation and learn about the salvation he offers in Christ Jesus.

Making Our Worship More Pleasing to God

Haitian musicians use their talents in the daily worship services which punctuated the Conference. 

Participants take notes as the basic movements in a worship service were explained.

How do we make our worship more pleasing to God?  Although this is a very pressing question that all worship leaders must grapple with, in the normal course of ministry questions like this are often not asked.  Instead, congregations and leaders "go through the motions," making sure that things like announcements, offerings, worship practice, and all the other tasks of service-leading are plugged in and performed every week.  Our annual Worship and Music Conference (29-31 August) was an attempt (the only one like it in Haiti as far as we know) for the Haitian churches to take their worship to the next level.  We welcomed 100 participants from across a broad spectrum of Haitian Protestant denominations (Episcopalians, Baptists, Methodists, Pentecostals, and Reformed).  For many of the participants, it was the first time they had ever received any training in worship planning and leadership.  We discussed the meaning of worship, the role of the worship leader and the parts of the worship service.  Music was also a major focus of our conference, as we delved into the principles underlying the selection of music and songs for the service.  We ended by challenging the participants to put together their own worship service on a biblical theme (Joshua 1:1-9).  The Music and Worship Conference was an invigorating opportunity to reinforce the capacity of Haitian churches to honor God in their worship.  Special thanks to RJB Ministries which donated a portion of the proceeds used to provide refreshments and food for the Conference.

Sharon discusses how certain songs can contribute to the basic parts of the worship service.

 
 
 

Young Haitian vocalists led the worship services of the Conference.

Zach leads a devotional on the third day of the conference.

Segaar-King August Ministry Update

Dear Friends and Family:

 Ten years ago we attended a Sunday service in Edinburgh, Scotland, in which we were informed by one of the Presbyterian congregants that only the Psalms were chanted (without accompaniment)!  From the 29^th-31^st of August, we held our second annual Music and Worship Conference for 100 participants which came from a variety of Protestant Christian backgrounds including Reformed, Baptist, Episcopal, Pentecostal and Methodist.  It was amazing to see leaders from so many different traditions growing in the knowledge and practice of worship.  We discussed the meaning of worship, the parts of the worship service, the place of music in worship, children and worship, and many other key subjects.  Of course, being Haitian (and not Scottish Presbyterian), the conference attendees had no problem with “lively” worship using everything from base guitar to Congo drums!   

 

Please join us in giving thanks for:

-An excellent Music and Worship Conference.  We are confident that the attendees will return to their own congregations better equipped to plan and lead worship that is edifying and glorifying to God!

-Hannah’s healing after surgery to remove four moles from her skin.  The biopsy showed that two moles were normal and two were atypical, meaning that they were as the surgeon’s office put it, one step before cancer.  Thankfully these were removed completely during surgery.  Now she will have to attend regular check-ups to keep an eye on her skin for more threatening moles.
-A good start to the school-year.  Our youngest, Esther, started all-day Pre-Kindergarten this year.  All of our children seem to be enjoying school, though it is definitely challenging to get back into the routine.
-A successful 14^th General Assembly for the CRC of Haiti.  Several new pastors were ordained, new church plants were celebrated, and 218 baptisms were reported in the 38 churches of the denomination.

 Please join us in praying for:

-Safety in the heart of hurricane season (September and October).  While Haiti desperately needs the nourishing rains of the season, pray that the destructive flooding and wind, which often accompanies hurricane season, would not affect its shores!
-An important team-building event the first week of September.  Pray that our cross-cultural team will be strengthened for the critical tasks of ministry!
-The kick-off of a new three-year group of students for the Reformed Theological Training Institute of the CRC of Haiti.
-The dedication of the Jacquet Church on September 29 and many visitors including a visit from SON-BEAM International, the organization that has helped to provide grants for building material purchases and church construction.

 FOR MORE PICTURES, STORIES, AND INFORMATION ABOUT OUR MINISTRY AND FAMILY, PLEASE SEE OUR BLOG AT segaarking.blogspot.com

Thanks for your prayers and support,

Zachary, Sharon, Hannah, Isaiah, Vivian and Esther Segaar-King
Missionaries to Haiti
Christian Reformed World Missions

Surprised by Beauty

Recently we returned to our home in Port-au-Prince after six weeks.  Since coming to Haiti eight years ago, we have amassed a considerable number of plants which are so readily available here as a hobby.  While I was poking around our garden, I found this unexpected flower budding out of one of our many tropical plants.  I was confused because I know this particular plant sends out stalks of tiny white flowers, but only after it is three or four years old (the plant pictured is only one or two years old).  When I looked closer, I realized that the flower was a rose!  It turns out that a slender stalk of a nearby rose plant had stealthily wound itself around its larger, leafier neighbor and sent out one small bloom that matched the variegated color of its leaves.  The beauty of Haiti often surprises those who have preconceptions of the country as little more than a dilapidated and over-populated dust-pan.  So also, the beauty of God's creation often surprises us in our cynical and jaded moments.  We are reminded that despite the deprivations we unleash on ourselves, our neighbors and our surroundings, the loving hand of our heavenly Father dispenses grace in unexpected and unforeseen places.  This is the kind of discernment we need to live with joy in our world, whether it be Haiti or Hawaii!

Safe Arrival in Haiti and Prayer Request Update

Dear Friends and Family:

Greetings from sultry Haiti! Last night our thermometer read 96° F in our bedroom at 11 pm, so we are having a bit of an adjustment from our last six weeks of cool summer weather in Michigan. 

We are writing to inform you all of two things.  First, we give thanks to God for our safe arrival back in Haiti with six members of our family and ten pieces of luggage.  We found everything in order at our house, so we give thanks to God.  Secondly, we wanted to let you know the results of the biopsies done on tissues surgically removed from the skin of our oldest daughter, Hannah, on Tuesday the 6^th of August.  Last Friday we learned that none of the tissue was cancerous, though two (out of four) samples were “pre-cancerous” (which means that Hannah will probably have to have moles surgically removed from her skin the rest of her life).  Hannah, and the rest of our children, are enjoying their second week at Quisqueya Christian School in Port-au-Prince, Haiti.  Since our youngest, Esther, started school last week, it is the first time in a decade in which we have no children at home during the day.

Thanks so much for your prayers!

Segaar-King July Update

Dear Friends and Family:

 

Greetings from Michigan!  We hope you are having a good summer!  We have been in Michigan the last five weeks now and are planning to leave for Haiti on August 9.  We are sorry if you haven’t heard more from us this summer.  It has been very busy catching up on a year’s worth of medical appointments and business.

 Please join us in giving thanks for:

-Some good news regarding our family’s health.  Sharon’s knee is healing well.  Unfortunately, we just found out that Hannah will have an operation on August 6 to remove three suspicious moles from her skin.

-Zach is making good progress on writing his dissertation—about 75 pages written!  All the time to do research and study Scripture has been refreshing.
-A great opportunity on the 27-29^th of July for spiritual renewal.  We spent the weekend at the Hermitage Community, a spiritual retreat south of Kalamazoo, MI.  We prayed, meditated and spent a lot of time enjoying good food, rest and God’s creation.

 Please join us in praying for:

-Hannah’s operation on August 6 (see above).
-Our safe return to Haiti on August 9 and the new school-year which begins on August 12.  Esther will be starting Pre-Kindergarten!
-An unbelievably demanding August filled with ministry events.  We will be teaching our theology students, hosting the second annual Music and Worship Conference, and attending the annual General Assembly of the CRC of Haiti.  Please pray for the Music and Worship Conference—many of the preparations need to be made in our absence.
-Our supporter and former pastor at Fuller Ave. CRC (who ordained us and baptized our children), Rev. George Vander Weit.  He has been missing from his home in southeast Michigan since the 5^th of July.

 FOR MORE PICTURES, STORIES, AND INFORMATION ABOUT OUR MINISTRY AND FAMILY, PLEASE SEE OUR BLOG AT segaarking.blogspot.com

Thanks for your prayers and support,

Zachary, Sharon, Hannah, Isaiah, Vivian and Esther Segaar-King
Missionaries to Haiti
Christian Reformed World Missions

Pastor Merisier Bruneus

Merisier Bruneus, the pastor of Savannette Christian Reformed Church, standing beside his church

Savannette is located dangerously close to a river (which is prone to flooding) at the bottom of a u-shaped valley at end of muddy two-track several miles from Haiti's border with the Dominican Republic.

Pastor Merisier Bruneus, the pastor of the local Christian Reformed Church in Savannette, is a symbol of his village.  Savannette is a small unassuming place a few miles from the border with the Dominican Republic.  Barely five feet tall, Pastor Bruneus has a wiry and muscular frame from decades of climbing up and down the mountains lying between his fields and his house.  Most of the people in Savannette of Bruneus' generation are short--possibly a genetic trait, but more likely the result of a low calorie diet (i.e., a famine) in young childhood.  Like his neighbors, Pastor Bruneus' cement block house is always full.  It is full of his own children, nieces and nephews, and friends and other family members.  Pastor Bruneus' church, made of sheet metal roofing and a rough-hewn wood frame, resembles many of churches in Savannette too.  At noon on Sunday, near the end of the church service (which started around 8 AM), the interior of the church feels like an oven as the heat radiates off the burning hot metal sheets and roasts the 100 or so people packed into it.  Pastor Bruneus has planted four other churches in his community.  If you ask him where they are, he orientates himself to their locations by pointing at waterfalls visible on the opposite side of the valley.  If you ask him how long it takes to get to one of the churches, he will say five hours on foot, and then correct himself by noting it would take a person like you more like seven hours.  Pastor Bruneus is humble, openly pointing out that study is not his gift.  If a task requires a lot of reading, he will push forward his son, Bruneus Killick, who teaches at the local primary school, to take his place.  Pastor Bruneus is a quiet leader.  Sometimes you won't hear him say a word during the course of a three-hour-long meeting.  But among all the pastors that we work with, Pastor Bruneus is one of the ones we respect the most.  He doesn't make a fuss.  He works hard and gets the job done.  He is loved by his parishioners and respected by his community.  Please pray for Pastor Bruneus and his congregation as we are hoping to provide some funds so that he can build a new church.  He will need a lot of patience to organize the work and to find volunteers for the building.  We will need to find a donor willing to cover the budget of around $22,000 USD.  Step by step, God is building the Christian community in Savannette, both physically and spiritually.  Pastor Bruneus and his family have an important part in that construction!

Segaar-King June Update

The Segaar-King family pose for a photo by Sous-Zabet (trans: The spring of Elizabeth).

Dear Friends and Family:

 Greetings from Michigan!  We give thanks to God that we arrived safely in Grand Rapids after a long trip from Port-au-Prince to Chicago, from Chicago to Macomb, IL (for a funeral service for Zach’s grandmother) and from Macomb, IL to Grand Rapids.  We will be in Grand Rapids until Aug. 9 for Zach’s continuing study.  We will have to keep up with some ministry activities from Michigan as well.

Please join us in giving thanks for:
-A good visit from Peace Community Church (Frankfort, IL) in June.  The team of three helped the Haitian construction team pour one third of the roof of the Ministry for Christian Development conference center. 
-A good report from the orthopedic doctor for Sharon.  After an exam and several x-rays, her doctor in Michigan believes that her kneecap is not broken after all.  Instead she has a bone spur and a large hematoma (bruise) that needs physical therapy.
-A good visit from a group from Calvin CRC of Holland.  Randy Bouwer from Calvin CRC will be helping us lead music and worship conference with several of our Haitian colleagues when we return to Haiti in August.  Please pray for the conference as most of the planning will have to be done in our absence!
Please join us in praying for:
-The annual women’s conference in Belladere, Haiti.  The event, which was planned for the end of June, was cancelled because the local leaders could not get the event organized on time (one leader delivered a baby prematurely and the other became seriously ill).  The event was rescheduled for July 19-21.  Pray that the participants would not be discouraged.
-Focus and energy for Zach to work on his dissertation on New Testament Missiology while balancing a number of family and work obligations.
-Healing for injuries untreated in Haiti and refreshment for our return to Haiti in August.

 FOR MORE PICTURES, STORIES, AND INFORMATION ABOUT OUR MINISTRY AND FAMILY, PLEASE SEE OUR BLOG AT segaarking.blogspot.com

Thanks for your prayers and support,

Zachary, Sharon, Hannah, Isaiah, Vivian and Esther Segaar-King
Missionaries to Haiti
Christian Reformed World Missions