I first met Phil and Verna Smith more than a dozen years ago, and we quickly became acquainted. While I was visiting in their home one night, Phil told me that he had recently heard a message at his church that affected him deeply. “It’s time to get out of your comfort zone,” his pastor had challenged. “Move out of your comfort zone and make a difference for the sake of the gospel.” That message resonated…
While still in Haiti on her team’s last visit in 2012, Verna Smith added "new ping pong table" to her project list for 2013. A few weeks prior to coming to Haiti this year, she asked for a 4’ x 8’ sheet of plywood to be ready so the table could be built. Armed with a set of good ping pong paddles, a supply of balls and a net, she boarded the plane hoping that ping pong would provide some fun, especially…
Dear ICDM Friends and Supporters: Welcome to the 2013-14 school year. I hope you have experienced a summer of enjoyable activities and quality time with family and friends. As ICDM enters its twenty-fourth year of ministry, our staff is anticipating an exciting and busy academic year. Here are a few highlights as we begin the new school year: In June this year, we sent 38 of our graduating sixth graders for…
Though school is out for the summer, our ICDM school campus in Bayonnais is a busy place!From mid-July to the end of August, we organize VBS and other activities for our students during their summer break. Five days a week, they gather on campus to learn about God’s word, play soccer and other games, and take part in a variety of social and cultural activities. Each day, they receive a nourishing meal…
Dear Friend of ICDM: With profound sadness I write to tell you that Faustin Pierre, the director of our school in Bayonnais, Haiti, succumbed to kidney failure and died on January 22, 2013. He was 41 years old, and leaves his wife, Julienne, three sons, Jimslet, age 19, Jimspsy, 17, and Djindy, 23, and daughter Djina, age 9. Though we know that Faustin is with the Lord, we deeply grieve the loss to…
“And you are to give him the name Jesus,because he will save his people from their sins.”Matthew 1:21 Dear faithful ICDM partner:What incredible news the angel brought to Joseph! The baby growing in Mary’s womb was the promised Deliverer who would set people free from their sins. It was Joseph’s advance notice of the “good news of great joy” the shepherds heard on the night of Jesus’ birth. For believers…
Cooking and serving lunch for our school children in Bayonnais just got better. After years of waiting, we finally have an indoor kitchen and dining hall, and our cooks are using propane stoves instead of open charcoal fires on the ground. A big thank you to Calvary Chapel of Leesburg FL, which sent a team to install the indoor kitchen, complete with piped-in water and propane. Through the vision,…
When Hurricane Isaac hit Haiti last week, it left great damage and destruction in its wake, particularly in Port-au-Prince where thousands of families were still living in tents since the earthquake of January 2010. Although the government issued alerts of the coming storm, people had nowhere to go for shelter. The big wind destroyed their tents and left these vulnerable people exposed to the ravages…
Things didn't always go as planned but God was in it all the time and He made good out of bad situations. He promised He would do just that, for people who put their trust in Him. Our situations did not change but our ability to count it all joy was there. Defaulting to Jesus is where we want to be in our new walk! Our bus broke down in Port au Prince when we were picking up windows Yvan Pierre…
Dear Praying Friends of ICDM:I am writing today to update you on the health of Brother Faustin, the director of our school in Bayonnais, and to let you know about some very important upcoming events.FaustinAs I wrote you previously, Brother Faustin Pierre entered the hospital in Gonaives about three weeks ago in urgent need of blood transfusions. His body rejected the transfused blood, however, and…