The Best Investment of All

Our New Missionary Orientation Group meeting on the Segaar-King's balcony.  Picture by Cara DeHaan.

New missionary participants appreciated participating in our pilot group.

Everyone who has gone to Sunday School knows that Jesus and Paul had disciples like Peter, John, James, Timothy, Titus, Silas, etc.  Was there a deeper reason why Jesus and Paul chose to invest in training others while doing ministry?  We think so!  Last year as we were praying about the possible transition of our family back to North America, God convicted us that we needed to translate all our struggles and learnings in Haiti into a participative training that we could offer to new missionaries.  Zach and Assembly of God missionary Dan Carl both felt called to lead such a group.  Dan and Zach know from experience that many new missionaries step off the plane with no plan or intention to seek out orientation to ministry in Haiti.  Those who do get orientation often receive a generic introduction to cross-cultural ministry before arrival and little thereafter.  Dan and Zach took six months to put flesh on a Haiti-specific orientation to missions addressing personal spiritual growth, self-care, interpersonal relationships, money, conflict, and many other key issues.  Zach and Dan took turns hosting the training on Sunday evenings for a group of eight to ten new missionaries for eleven weeks.  The group finished in January and Dan and Zach are already planning for the next new missionary orientation group which will be co-lead by a veteran Southern Baptist missionary couple.  It was a huge blessing to co-lead with Dan who has a wealth of experience, education, and passion for missions.  While Zach was developing his portion of the material he was often surprised by the great and sometimes painful lessons in leadership and ministry God has taught us during our twelve years in Haiti.  Please pray that our new missionary orientation group will continue to bless families and individuals who are coming to Haiti for the first time.  There is no better investment in God’s kingdom than to make disciples—something Paul and Jesus understood well.