Being the Worship Leader God Wants You to Be

We had about 120 participants in our fourth annual Worship and Music Conference held at the Bellvue Salem Baptist Church

The worship team from Quisqueya Chapel lead several of the worship services during the Conference.

Most of the presenters in the Conference were Haitian, but a small team from RJB Ministries assisted in presenting several sessions and singing/playing during the worship services.

Have you ever taken a few moments to talk to the worship leaders at your church about the joys and challenges that they face?  While it is a great privilege to lead worship, it also can be very tiring to manage all the details that have to come together for a worship service.  This year we set aside funds and time to put on the fourth annual Music and Worship Conference in partnership with Perspectives Reformees in Port-au-Prince, Haiti.  The Conference’s theme was “Being the Worship Leader God Wants You to Be.”  The first day we spent reflecting on the spiritual care and encouragement worship leaders need and often do not get.  We could tell by the faces of the participants that this was a timely subject.  During the second day, we discussed some practical issues of worship leadership like song selection, teaching a congregation to sing new songs, organization of the service, and other important topics.  We could tell that even in Haiti, there is a lot of conflict between worship leaders, church boards, and pastors with regard to worship service planning and execution.  Next time you have a chance, take a moment to thank and listen to your worship leaders.  It is a rewarding but very difficult task.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, 2016

Segaar-King December Update

Dear Friends and Family:

Greetings from Haiti.  God has been good to us in 2015, protecting and providing for our life and work in Haiti.  One of the biggest answers to prayer has been renewal after a painful conflict within the Christian Reformed Church of Haiti, a Haitian denomination with which we have worked since 2005.  It is great to be able to work with the churches and Haitian leaders of this denomination again.  A second answer to prayer is the recruitment of new missionaries to serve in Haiti.  Finally, we are thankful for your continued prayer and financial support of our ministry, two things which we will continue to need in 2016.

Please join us in giving thanks for:

1.   Our new missionaries, Cory and Lynn Grimm and family.  They will officially be starting with Christian Reformed World Missions in January, 2016.  It will take at least six months for support-raising before they can arrive on the field.

2.   A successful Worship and Music Conference in December.  Our theme was “Be the worship leader God has called you to be.”  We trained over 120 Haitian church leaders in practical and theological principles to help them become better worship leaders.

3.   A great visit from Larry and Faith Segaar, who spent about 10 days with us.

Please join us in prayer for:

1.   Visiting teams in January from Second CRC of Allendale and Lakeside CRC.  For the service component, the teams this winter will be helping us put an addition on our mission office to house Perspectives Reformees, the CRC media ministry.

2.   Stability in Haiti.  The Dec. 27 presidential election was cancelled.  The new date will most likely be in January.

3.   Zach’s final push to finish his Ph.d.  The final draft is due on February 15.

4.   That we would receive the metal trusses for a church we want to build.  The vendor is over three months late after receiving full payment and construction is delayed.

Please see the attached New Year’s greeting.

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, Vivian, Isaiah and Esther Segaar-King

Missionaries to Haiti through Christian Reformed World Missions 

Segaar-King November Ministry Report

Dear Friends and Family:

Greetings from Haiti.  Now that the Advent or Christmas season has begun, we can reflect on the meaning of Jesus’ birth from the Haitian perspective.  First, Advent reminds us that God loves poor, working people.  Jesus, the Son of God, was born not to royalty, but to a carpenter and his peasant fiancé.  Like Mary and Joseph, the vast majority of Haitians work hard with their hands to survive.  Second, Advent reminds us that God keeps his promises, especially his promise to provide for his people.  North Americans, for whom food, security, and medical care are but a phone call or credit card swipe away, struggle to understand what it means to trust God for “daily bread.”  But Haitians, many of whom wake up without a crumb in the cupboard, know about radical dependence on God’s promises.  

Please join us in giving thanks for:

1.   God’s provision for a new missionary family to come to Haiti.  We will be sharing the name of the new family with you in coming months.

2.   A safe trip for Zach to Guatemala.  He had a great time getting acquainted with several models of urban ministry.

3.   Progress made on a new material in November for Christian worldview training in the Timothy Leadership Training style.

Please join us in prayer for:

1.   Increased stability for Port-au-Prince in December and January.  Though the 25 October vote was a success, many candidates are accusing the ruling party of tampering with the vote counts.  As a result, there are nearly daily anti-government demonstrations in Port-au-Prince.

2.   The Worship and Music Conference on 11-12 December.  We will be reflecting on how to become a more God-honoring worship leader with nearly 100 participants in a local church.

3.   Our winter Service and Learning teams.  The first team, Second CRC of Allendale, arrives in Haiti in January.

4.   A safe trip to Haiti for Sharon’s parents in December.

Thanks for your prayers and support,

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

Missionaries to Haiti through Christian Reformed World Missions 

Off the Beaten Path

During a three-day training event in October (pictured above), several of the participants gave reports about what they are doing with Timothy Leadership Training (TLT).  The most interesting was a young man who, after taking the training module on Christian Stewardship, organized a pledge-drive to purchase a set of drums for his church.  If this doesn’t sound like a big deal, note that the average weekly offering in a Haitian church is not more than $20 USD while a set of drums in Haiti cost over $1,200 USD.  Because of the Spirit’s blessing, faithful promotion, and good planning, the church raised the full amount for the drums in only a few months.  Hope and trust in God’s provision radiated out of this young man’s report.  Because of this success, the church is now motivated to tackle some tough problems in its neighborhood it felt formerly powerless to touch.

Surprisingly, one of the greatest struggles we have in ministry in Haiti is finding out what is going on.  Haitian culture generally does not place a lot of emphasis on reporting and we don’t have a lot of money to hire staff to track information down.  Often, we find out about the greatest results of our work coincidently.  Recently, we made a proposal to Timothy Leadership Training (TLT) International to fund a small scholarship that will pay for the travel expenses of trainers who covenant to go “off the beaten path” and train in isolated communities.  The condition of this scholarship is that the trainers have to give a full report of the results of their seminars.  Six pastor/trainers (pictured below with certificates) have agreed to be part of the program.  One pastor, Obed Laventure, has already broken ribs trying to get to his training station on a motorcycle as there are no roads and bridges to the community.  Pray  that God will use these six trainers for his glory.

Election Update

Political slogans are not often well-formulated expressions of leadership vision.  Taking his cue from President Martelly (whose slogan is “shaved head”), the slogan of the leading candidate from the Martelly’s party is “The Plantain Guy” or “Nég Banann nan.” A plantain is basically a large starchy banana that is boiled or deep fried, a very popular food.  This slogan really captures the surreal political developments in Haiti since the second round of elections on October 25.  While many acknowledged that the voting itself was a success, the situation degenerated during the processing and publication of the results as different political parties hurled accusations of fraud at each other.  Specifically, the “Banana Guy” got many more votes than anticipated.  Please pray that the final election on December 27 will be successful in all aspects.  Pray also that political demonstrations would be peaceful and that school and ministry events can take place as planned.

Called to love...Cities?

Zach spent a week in Guatemala City learning about urban ministry initiatives in November.  This picture, taken from the municipal cemetery overlooking the city dump where thousands of people make their living picking through garbage, encapsulates the enigma of poverty afflicting both Port-au-Prince and Guatemala City.

Guatemala City has many talented graffiti artists just like Port-au-Prince.

Quite often those who live in cities wish that they don't.  First, cities are expensive.  Food, housing and transportation are many times more what they would be in a small town or countryside.  Second, cities are congested.  Traffic is horrible and it is hard to find living space.  Finally, cities often suffer higher rates of violence and crime because of both high population density and their attraction to those struggling to survive.  It is true that cities can sometimes offer more opportunities for economic advancement.  However, more and more people compete for the same opportunities in cities.  Our city, Port-au-Prince, is a good example.  With nearly ten times the population of Haiti's second largest urban area, Port-au-Prince is overwhelmed by the nearly constant inflow of new residents.  Port-au-Prince's roads and infrastructure were designed for a city one-quarter of its size.  In Haiti's countryside hedgerows of cactus keep goats and pigs out of gardens.  In Port-au-Prince fifteen-foot-tall block walls topped with razor wire keep thieves at bay.  Billowing waves of dust, diesel exhaust, the smells of 2.5 million people living without a sewage system daily greet inhabitants.  Why even live in the big city?  The answer?  2.5 million.  Jonah learned the same lesson at the end of chapter four when God said, "And should I not have concern for the great city Nineveh, in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who cannot tell their right hand from their left?"  God cares about the city because the city is where his children are being born, living, rejoicing, suffering, and dying.  As we are reminded in the story of Jesus' birth, God (or Emmanuel--'God with us') wants to be where his people are.  Over the next year, we plan to put more focus on urban ministry in Haiti.  Please pray for us as we seek to be God's witness in Haiti's largest city.

Segaar-King October Update

Deforestation and problems with land management have made the productive areas of Haiti much less so and the moderately productive areas (such as pictured above) almost completely useless for food production.

Dear Friends and Family:

Greetings from Haiti.  As the seasons change in North America, we are reminded to give thanks to God for harvest and shelter as we confront the beginning of a long, cold winter.  In Haiti, of course, there is almost no difference between seasons.  Unbearably hot gives way to uncomfortably hot.  However, in Haiti, we always give thanks for food.  Based on calories consumed, Haiti is consistently among one the ten hungriest countries in the world.  While there are many reasons for this, most of them are human-caused.  Injustice, inefficiency, lack of productivity and environmental degradation can be reversed when hearts and minds acknowledge the principles God has established for good and bountiful living.  While you give thanks this fall around your Thanksgiving tables, pray that the Gospel would turn Haiti from a land of want to a land of abundance.

Please join us in giving thanks for:

1.   A return to health.  In October we were slammed by a second strain of Dengue Fever (there are five).  Vivian missed two weeks of school. 

2.   A successful three days of Timothy Leadership Training.  We trained 60 participants, twenty of whom were new to the training.

3.   The seminary of the CRC of Haiti restarted again in October after a year’s closure because of conflict.  It was wonderful to start teaching Old and New Testament to the students again.

4.   Successful elections in Haiti on October 25.  These were the calmest and most orderly in a decade!  The final round of elections are set for December 27 (the run-off election for the president).

Please join us in prayer for:

1.   God to provide a new missionary family to come to Haiti.  While the need is critical, we have a prospective candidate!  Pray that God will guide the process.

2.   The creation of a new Christian Worldview training that we hope will address some of the social and family issues that make Haiti a land of hunger.

3.   Safe travel for Zach in November.  He will be going to Guatemala to learn more about urban ministry.

Thanks for your prayers and support,

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

Missionaries to Haiti through Christian Reformed World Missions 

A Bittersweet Moment

Graduates sing in honor of one of their professors who lost his life days before the graduation.

In Haiti it often feels like some of the greatest successes come at times of greatest frustration or heartache.  Last summer Zachary attended the graduation ceremony for a group of teachers and school administrators that participated in a several-year-long training program put on by the Consortium for the Reinforcement of Christian Education (CRECH).  This training program, supported by CRWM-Haiti, aims to make Christian educators more effective in the classroom.  Several weeks before the graduation ceremony, one of the program's trainers was abducted in Carrefour, a suburb of Port-au-Prince long troubled by crime.  During these weeks, the professor's students prayed unceasingly for his safe return.  For reasons no human being will ever understand, these prayers were not answered.  In the day preceding the ceremony, the body of this trainer was found.  As can be imagined, the graduation ceremony was very emotional.  While giving thanks for the successful completion of the training, many of the students lamented the loss of a beloved educator and friend.  It was touching to see just how influential this educator was as many graduates recounted how much they had learned from him.  We were reminded of the Apostle Paul's battle with God over the "thorn in his flesh" (2 Cor. 12).  While we don't know what troubled Paul, we know that he repeatedly and at length pleaded with God for its removal (12:8).  God's response was not to answer Paul's prayer, but rather to tell him, "My grace is sufficient for you, my power is made perfect in weakness" (12:9).  We don't know why God permitted this gifted educator to be lost, but Zachary saw evidence that God had used him in a powerful way to change the lives of a group of teachers and principles who will never forget his Christian witness.

One's Civic Duty

Campaign posters plastered over the side of cargo container with a goat on the hood of a car looking on. 

In Haiti October 25, 2015, is a day set aside for what Haitians call "devwa sivik nou" or "our civic duty."  The uninitiated in Haitian culture might understand this phrase to refer to picking up trash on the roadside or raking some leaves in the public park.  For a Haitian, however, this phrase refers to voting.  Today Haiti held its first round of presidential elections and second round of legislative elections.  The first round legislative elections held back in August garnered less that a 20% turn-out from all eligible voters.  It seems that Haitians are understandably cynical about the possibility that any particular candidate might turn out to be a conscientious and effective leader.  Many (if not most) Americans and Canadians often feel the same way about their own officials.  For this reason, most Haitians will not perform "their civic duty" on October 25.
In order to combat this cynicism about voting, we offered a bible study called "Choosing Good Leaders" which presented the biblical discussion of principles of choosing leaders.  Unfortunately, for the reason stated above, this bible study has had a hard time getting traction.  Many in Haiti just believe that they are condemned to have corrupt and self-serving leadership in government and business.  With one final presidential run-off election scheduled just after Christmas, we still have two months to promote "Choosing Good Leaders."  Pray that we will be successful in encouraging Haitian Christians to do "their civic duty."
On a positive note, it seems that today's elections were, for the most part, peaceful and successful.  Our neighborhood in Port-au-Prince was eerily quiet.  It will be some weeks before the votes are counted and we really know the results of the election.  Thanks for your prayers.

Guess What's on the Hood of Your Car?

One thing about living in Haiti--there is no end to the surprises.  Normally, one would expect to find a cat or possibly a pigeon resting on top of one's car.  However, in Haiti, the animals which can use your car to roost can be much larger.  Upon arriving at our office this week, we were surprised to find one of the local goats resting on the hood of a a public-transportation truck.  Imagine parking your nice clean car and coming out only to find it covered with hoof-shaped dents, round brown pellets, and one very crabby goat.  Ah....life in Haiti.

Segaar-King September Ministry Report

Dear Friends and Family:

Greetings from Haiti.  For many months we have asked for your prayers for the Christian Reformed Church of Haiti (CRCH), the Haitian denomination that we have worked closely with for the last ten years.  Since last fall the denominational administration of the CRCH has been closed because of a conflict between key leaders.  In September and October dormant ministries of the CRCH will restart, Lord willing.  During the last few days of September, Sharon has again begun mentoring women’s ministry leaders from the CRCH.  Next week the CRCH will restart the theological education program as well.  Of course, there are still many issues to resolve.  But we give thanks to God for some significant evidence of improvement.

Please join us in giving thanks for:

1.   Healing for our colleague Fevrier Cherubin who was nearly electrocuted in August.  Fevrier is back in the office and working on youth ministry projects.

2.   Zachary survived his second bout of Dengue Fever, a viral mosquito-borne illness that can be particularly painful and fatiguing. 

3.   Sharon’s opportunity to begin working with the women’s ministry of the CRCH.  There is much to do after a year of inactivity.

4.   Zach submitted his entire 420 page dissertation for evaluation in September!

Our colleague Fevrier Cheribin a few weeks before being nearly electrocuted in his home when he plugged in his computer.  Many people die from electric shock in Haiti because homes are not wired with a ground.

Please join us in prayer for:

1.   A three-day-long session of Timothy Leadership Training which will happen October14-16.  Pray that God will send willing participants.

2.   The theological training session that will occur the 6^th-8^th of October.  We will be teaching on the Gospels and the Pentateuch.

3.   Safety during the elections scheduled for October 25.  In addition to the second round of parliamentary elections, Haitians will vote for a new president.

4.   Wisdom as we make decisions about projects and visiting teams this coming winter.

A Church Can Serve Its Community?

At the end of a dusty road only a few miles from the even more dusty border with the Dominican Republic lies the community of Latranbley.  With the support of the Reformed Church of America (RCA), our partner, the Ministry for Christian Development (MCD), has been training a group of about sixty church leaders.  The training is primarily for deacons focused on practical ways the church can reach out to the needy in the community.  Recently, Zach visited the training with a representative from the RCA to talk with the participants.  What they said time and time again was how much they appreciated learning that a church could serve its community with its own resources.  This idea is counter-intuitive in Haiti since  for the most part churches only serve the spiritual needs  of communities.  Secondly, Haitian Protestant churches do not have a long history of community service.  Traditionally service is left to charitable organizations which channel the assistance of the international aid community.  Because of the training, these participants are convinced that their churches can provide concrete manifestations of God’s love in their communities with the resources available to them.  In Haiti, this is a radical declaration of trust in Christ and his provisions!

Zach congratulates a participant on her progress in the MCD training program.

Bumpy Road Ahead

Who will win an election in Haiti?  Candidates seem to believe that it will be the one who covers the most square-footage with campaign posters.

After living in Haiti ten years, we are beginning to have a general idea about what to expect.  This fall, the signs are saying,  “Bumpy road ahead.”  In Haiti, elections come with demonstrations, vote rigging, and increased instability.  Haiti is scheduled to have four elections this fall, the first elections since the beginning of 2011.  With every single public office-holder, from the President to the town constable up for election, there are plenty of chances for things to get prickly.  In addition to the stress and difficulty of elections, there is also the light-hearted side.  We appreciate how transparent some Haitian politicians are in their efforts to win votes.  Instead of a political platform and big promises, one candidate simply bases his campaign on his passionate love for the Miami Dolphins (professional football team) and plantains (a starchy banana-like food common in the Caribbean).  Please pray for transparency, peace, and especially security during this fall’s elections.

Starting the Engine

If you’ve ever left your car in the airport parking lot for several cold weeks in winter, you know that it can be difficult to start again.  After several false starts, it seems that the Christian Reformed Church of Haiti (CRCH) is ready to function again as a denomination after a year of conflict and six months of closure.  The parties centrally involved in the conflict have resigned or been removed.  The denomination has chosen a provisional committee to provide management and leadership. Also, we have secured the services of an auditing firm to get to the bottom of some money management issues in the denomination that appeared during the conflict.  What does this mean?  Beginning in October, the CRCH will restart church construction, women’s ministry, and theological training.  Pray that God would give the leaders of the CRCH wisdom and perseverance to restart ministries that have been dormant for many months! 

Progress on the Ministry for Christian Development Conference Center

For those of you who have been a part of the Ministry for Christian Development Conference Center construction project, we have published a new report on the progress of the project.

Here is the link:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B_UDAfU6Nj3fT3hrdWZRM0J3NkE/view?usp=sharing

Thanks for your partnership!

Guardedly Hopeful

The Christian Reformed Church's General Assembly in 2015 convened at the height of the conflict.  It will certainly be remembered as one of the most difficult moments in the denomination's history.

Over the last year we have asked for your prayers on several occasions for our church partner, the Christian Reformed Church of Haiti (CRCH).  After the election of a new president in July, 2014, the denominational administration became embroiled in conflict.  In the fall of 2014, these conflicts lead to a cessation of our financial support for the CRCH.  In the spring of 2015, the entire denominational administration was closed.  As is sometimes the case in church conflict, it seemed that the denominational board was powerless to bring any discipline and order. 

This situation changed in July.  The founding pastor of the CRC of Haiti who was living in Florida came to Haiti to visit his family.  After consultation with a number of leaders, he imposed a “last-ditch” solution on the denominational board which included the removal of the president’s responsibilities and the creation of an interim coordination committee to run the denomination until the next General Assembly meets in 2016 to vote on a new president.  The Executive Director of the CRCH also resigned to facilitate the implementation of this solution.

It is sad that the denomination’s elected leadership could not resolve this conflict. It is very possible that a number of churches will leave the denomination in response.  Moreover, this situation reminds us of the sacred duty that all church members have in the election of elders, deacons, and officers for their churches and denominations.  We must be sober and prayerful as we chose our leaders since they will have the power to grow or to harm our ministries. 

We are working now to reactivate our relationship with the CRCH and assist in restarting several ministries.  We are hopeful that over the next few months basic ministries can be restored.

A Sargossa Surprise

Segaar-King family on the beach-front walk of Jacmel.

Zach preaches at Cayes Jacmel Christian Reformed Church

Though you may have never heard of it, Sargasso is the last word that every manager of a beach-front Caribbean hotel wants to hear.  This summer, vast mats of the floating weed have started to pile up on beaches from Mexico to Puerto Rico.  Sargossa is native to the Atlantic Ocean and grows predominantly in temperate waters north of the Bahamas.  This summer, Sargossa has invaded Haiti, creating reeking piles up to five feet tall on some beaches.  At the beginning of August, we took a family long weekend trip to Cayes Jacmel to preach at a CRC of Haiti church and enjoy Haiti's beautiful beaches.  You guessed it.  After an early start and several hours in the car on Saturday, we raced down to our favorite beach in Cayes Jacmel to find it totally covered decaying sargossa weed.  Despite this inconvenience, we enjoyed getting away from the business of life in Port-au-Prince.  It was good to spend a Sunday with the people of Cayes Jacmel CRC as well.  We give thanks for this growing congregation and its witness in its community.

Haiti Election Update

One political party in Haiti's recent elections had Proverbs 6:6-9 as its campaign slogan: "Go to the ant, you sluggard."

Haiti's parliamentary elections happened on Sunday, August 9.  As expected, there were some problems, including a voting centers forced to close because of acts of violence and several deaths.  However, it seems that the majority of the voting centers were open and had voting materials at their disposition.  Given the fact that the vote was delayed for over four years, it seems that Sunday's vote would have to be considered a success.  Election results are supposed to be posted on the 19th.  However, in the past such deadlines are not often respected.  Please pray for peace on the day of the publication of results.  Typically demonstrations and blockades are more likely when the results are published as disgruntled political partisans voice their dissatisfaction with the process.

Transparency in Politics?

A Haitian Campaign Poster in Jacmel.  Translation: "Are you a fan of the Dophins?  Do you love to eat plantains?  Then  vote for Jacky Knawly for a more beautiful Jacmel."

Winston Churchill once said, “Democracy is the worst form of government, except for all the others that have been tried from time to time.”  Why would anyone who has drunk deeply from the fountains of democracy untainted by the pollution of tyranny make such a dour declaration?  Let’s be honest—such a declaration could only come from the mouth of one who has endured elections.  Elections in Haiti are full of all the senseless slogans, annoying advertising, and pandering politicians which we find in American and Canadian counterparts.  There are several differences. First, there is the political graffiti.  Those who repaint their exterior walls, doors, or gates before the Haitian election cycle can be sure that their pristine color scheme will be obliterated by political graffiti mercilessly spray-painted on all surfaces.  Second, every once in a while there appears an absolutely transparent piece of campaigning.  A great example is the above campaign poster.  The poster mentions no unrealistic platform and no empty promises.  It simply appeals to Dophins' fan in us all.  Seriously, Sunday's parliamentary elections are very important since Haiti has been without a functioning legislature since last winter.  Please pray that Haitians would pick the candidates who have a real desire to serve their communities and constituents.

Segaar-King July Update

Dear Friends and Family:

The Psalmist writes in Psalm 63, “O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you, my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no water.”  There are stages in life and ministry where it can seem like we are going through a desert.  Fortunately, God, who even can bring forth water from a dry rock, is walking beside us, before us and behind us.  Some of the most beautiful places in the world are deserts.  With God’s presence, we can find joy and strength in the deserts of life.

We have several special requests for prayer:

1.   The Christian Reformed Church of Haiti, which has been incapacitated by conflict for the last year, has finally come to a resolution of sorts.  The president, elected in July 2014, was removed and a provisional committee of four was put in his place to begin the long process of rehabilitation and healing until a new president can be chosen next year.  While we are thankful for a resolution, we know that there are many hurting leaders and congregations.  Pray that those leaders who opposed this decision would put the good of the church above their desire for payback.

2.   Pray for the church we attend in Haiti, Quisqueya Chapel.  It has just gone through a separation with its pastor and the resignation of a number of key staff.  Please pray for the congregation as it goes through a process of healing as well.  We have been called upon to give some assistance to the Chapel as well in this time of transition.

We give thanks for:

1.   A good visit from Kurt Selles, Back to God Ministries International’s director.  He affirmed his desire to remain in partnership with CRWM even though BTGMI’s French-language ministry, Perspectives Reformees, is in transition.

2.   A good visit from Luis Ruiz, the Latin America and Caribbean ministry leader for the Reformed Church in America (RCA).  We hope through his visit, the partnership between the CRCNA and RCA will continue in Haiti.

3.   Good health and strength to manage during a very busy time since returning to Haiti in June.

Thanks for your prayers and support,

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

Missionaries to Haiti through Christian Reformed World Missions 

A Little Moisture Would Be Welcome

the Bay of Port-au-Prince and the Chaine des Mattheax in the distance.

Since we've come back to Haiti is has been hot and dry in Port-au-Prince and all over much of Haiti.  In fact, in the entire Caribbean is suffering under a drought supposedly caused by the El-Nino cycle in the Pacific.  During the last two years, Haiti has not received a significant tropical storm system.  This spring, the rainy season was painfully short as well.  For these reasons, the dust has been so bad around our home that we have not seen a beautiful mountain-range to the north of our home called the Chaines des Mattheax in weeks.  One evening after a short rain-shower, these mountains again appeared in the distance as the sun set.  Please pray for Haitians who are suffering not only an historic drought, but a time of rapid inflation.  The Haitian currency, the Gourde, has lost a fifth of its value in the last two months against the dollar.  This is bad news since the vast majority of products in Haiti are imported in exchange for the USD.  It seems like everything is getting more expensive by the day.  As crops are failing across Haiti, increase in the cost of imports is especially troubling.

It’s a Bird! It’s a Plane! No, it’s a…..GENERATOR!

How do you know it's summer in Haiti?  After all, the weather is hot and sunny all year long!  You know it is summer in Haiti because it is in the upper 90s with high humidity.  You know it's summer in Haiti because the power has been out for 48 hours and there is not enough energy to run a fan.  You know it's summer in Haiti because its hot, the power is out, the Internet is not working, and your taking a sweat bath.  Thank God for generators!  Our office generator has been broken down for several months and we finally got a replacement.  The delivery of the replacement was not without hitches.  The crane operator nearly smashed our roof and crushed one of our office employees who was trying to guide it down.  In the end, however, finally have a reliable source of electricity to power our ministry through the inevitable days of blackout to come!  Now, if only the Internet would work....

Goodbye Lunise!

Our former World Renew Country Consultant, Lunise Cerin-Jules stands with our current office-manager, Massillon Coicou.

At the end of June we said goodbye to our friend and colleague of four years, Lunise Cerin-Jules.  Lunise has been serving as the World Renew Country Consultant for Haiti since 2011.  Lunise began her work during a time when our office was struggling with a Haitian government audit and a lot of internal disagreement about the developing disaster relief response to Haiti's 2010 earthquake.  As the daughter of a pastor, Lunise had a deep connection to evangelical Haitian culture.  Her perspective on the challenges posed by our work with Haitian church leaders was invaluable.  Lunise seemed to know so many people who could help us resolve the difficulties that we faced.  Finally, Lunise was a person of deep faith trained in community and organizational development.  She will be greatly missed in our office and in our ministry.  Her replacement, Troy Sanon, has recently begun working in our office.  Pray for Troy as he learns about his responsibilities and the culture of our organization here.

Segaar-King June Ministry Report

Since coming back to Haiti on June 7, we have had a chance to experience some of its beauty

Dear Friends and Family:

Greetings from Haiti!  On June 9 we arrived safely in Haiti with our whole family.  Honestly, it has been a challenging readjustment to life in Haiti.  Nine months is a long time to be gone.  Also, June and July are among our most busy and stressful months with teams and projects.  By God’s grace, we are readapting to life in Haiti little by little.  We would like to thank you for your prayers and also thank our colleagues in Haiti who worked so hard in our absence.

Please join us in giving thanks to God for:

1. A safe and successful trip for the youth team from Cascade CRC and Thornapple Community Church (Grand Rapids, MI).  This team of 34, our second largest team ever, had a busy and impactful week with us.  See our blog for more details.

2. Safe arrival and good health.  Though one of our children was traveling with strep-throat, we finally found the right anti-biotic to treat it.

3. A good reception from our colleagues.  We have been blessed by many phone calls and visits from our colleagues whom we have not seen for nine-months.

4. Lots of ministry needs and opportunities.  It is nice to feel needed!

Please join us in praying for:

1. Our greatest prayer request for the next year is that God would lead a new missionary family to Haiti.  It is critical that we find a qualified candidate as soon as possible.  Please help us spread the word.  The job description is posted at:

 https://re21.ultipro.com/CHR1005/JobBoard/JobDetails.aspx?__ID=*0BF55BF46DB8E951

2. The director of Back to God Ministries International (BTGMI), Pastor Kurt Selles, will be visiting Haiti in July.  BTGMI is the primary supporter of Perspectives Réformées, our French-language radio ministry.  Pray that Kurt’s visit will help shed light on the future of PR in Haiti.

3. Pray for the ongoing conflict within our partner, the CRC of Haiti.  Since part of the conflict is about money, we have engaged an auditing firm to analyze four years-worth of transactions.  We know an audit will not resolve the conflict.  However, pray that it will provide information that can help lead to a resolution.   

Thanks for your prayers and support,

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

Missionaries to Haiti through Christian Reformed World Missions