Haiti Hospital Renamed and Rededicated

Sunday afternoon (June 3) was the rededication ceremony for our Pierre Payen, Haiti medical facility--now renamed the Victor Binkley Hospital. Today is the official grand opening after seven months of planning and hard work between Project Help and our partner OSAPO. 

Donna Binkley, widow of Dr. Vic Binkley, is shown cutting the ribbon as people wait to tour the renovated facility.

Last year, Project Help entered into an agreement with OSAPO (Organizasyon Sante Popile) to provide the administrative and medical management of our Pierre Payen healthcare center. This was the result of lengthy conversations over many months. The goal was to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the medical ministry on behalf of the Churches of God in the USA and Haiti. The Victor Binkley Hospital will remain the property of the Churches of God/Project Help with OSAPO providing the  day-to-day management expertise.

OSAPO is a non-profit organization founded in 2007 with mobile clinics near Montrious that resulted in the establishment of a "first class" health care center in Rousseau (above Montrious).The organization has connections with German-based donors who have generously invested in the development of the Rousseau project, which has been widely recognized for the quality of its care.

Two of OSAPO's staff leaders--Dr. Jean-Gardy Marius and Dr. Sterman Touissant--were mentored by Dr. Binkley at Pierre Payen during their formative medical training. Their desire is to honor his life by continuing to improve the medical ministry which he founded. Dr. Touissant was also a product of our Pierre Payen Church of God.

We give thanks for OSAPO and the relationship which has already produced positive benefits on behalf of the Haitian people.

CONGRATULATIONS TO DR. SIRCAR !

We are pleased to announce that Subhro Sircar successfully completed his oral defense on April 18th and has earned his Ph.D in New Testament from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, KY. 

Dr. Sircar will return to India in August and rejoin the teaching staff at Serampore College (founded by William Carey) on the north side of Calcutta, West Bengal. Through the years, he has been a close adviser and friend to Samir Singha, our Churches of God Mission field director in Uluberia. He and his family attended our IMPACT convention in Findlay in 2007, and that year's special IMPACT offering was designated for his tuition expenses. Further assistance has periodically been provided through CC 2817 Ethnic Scholarships which was designed to further ministry leadership training.

Dr. Sircar is appreciative of the encouragement and support provided by the CGGC. He states, "The journey on this road was not smooth. Yet we, as family, have an occasion to rejoice in this accomplishment. We have experienced God's steadfast love and grace and answers to many of our prayers. We lived by faith one day at a time. Your prayers played a great role in our lives. Thank you for your prayers and encouragements and support along the way."

His wife, Susanna, will complete her M.Div in Biblical Counseling at SBTS in December. Daughter Gracia has been accepted at Campbellsville University in Kentucky. Son Jonathan enters high school next year and has been accepted at Oneida Baptist Institute with full scholarship. Please pray for the family as they continue to make sacrifices in their preparation for more effective service for Him.

 

Recognizing PA Latino Leaders

 On Tuesday, the Eastern Regional Conference of the Churches of God recognized several Latino leaders with new ministerial credentials. 

Pastors Caleb & Christina Acosta of Lancaster, PA received Life Ordination. The Acostas pastor the Sanidad Divina Church in Columbia, PA and serve as Latino Ministries Directors for the CGGC. They are spearheading the multiplication of Latino churches in the USA as well as Venezuela, Dominican Republic and other Spanish-speaking countries.

Pastors Julian & Elizabeth Sanchez received Annual Licenses. They pastor the Iglesia de Dios Unidos en Christo which worships at 2150 New Holland Pike in Lancaster, PA.

Pastors Ricardo & Jeanette Perez received Annual Licenses. They pastor the Betesda Casa de Misericordia which worships at the First Church of God facility in Middletown, PA.

Pastors Jose & Ana Aquino received Annual Licenses.  They pastor the Iglesia Evangelica Nueva Vida which worships at 251 N. 9th Street in Reading, PA.

Pastor Octavio Canela also received an Annual License. He has begun a new Latino church plant which worships at the West Poplar Street Church of God in York, PA. 











We congratulate these Latino leaders for this achievement and for their commitment to glorify God through faithful service.

Shipping Small Items to Haiti

Through the Rays of Hope ministry in Grand Rapids, MI, the Churches of God now has an easier shipping method for sending smaller items to Haiti. The process is simple:

·   Purchase a 5-gallon bucket (about $4) with lid from Lowes, Menards, or Home Depot

·    Fill the pail with items (suggested list below)

·   Complete an Avery-like shipping label and stick it on each pail

·   Transport the pails to Rays of Hope in Grand Rapids

·   Pay just $10 to Rays of Hope for each pail.

Rays of Hope ships by sea container directly to their warehouse in Port-au-Prince. They take care of all international paperwork, customs declaration, and other particulars associated with shipping. Our Project Help staff then picks up the pails at no extra cost.

            Go to http://raysofhopeforhaiti.com for shipping information under the tab “Get Involved.”

            On Labels:  write “Ship to   Project Help-Haiti                                                                                                                             Agent Steve Mossburg 509-3-805-3491                                                           Edgard Miliace 509-3-720-3912                                             

            Suggested items to be packed (and listed separately on the “manifest packing slip” found on the website) include: school supplies; backpacks; medical supplies; hygiene kits; baby, children, or adult clothes; tools; towels and linens; etc.

            Rays of Hope ministry also welcomes volunteers to assist at their warehouse. Contact information is found on their website.

Kapaku Authors Children's Book

We all say to each other, "I love you," but the Martin family has their own tradition to tell each other how they really feel! Their response, "I love you more," is sure to excite everyone and remind us just what family is about.This powerful expression will become habit in your own house after you read David Kapaku's I Love you; I Love You More. The book is ideal for children ages 5-8, but all ages will enjoy it with parents and grandparents.

David Kapaku is an ordained minister with the Churches of God, General Conference in Findlay, OH. He and wife, Kenda, live in the Honokohau Valley, Maui. 

I Love You; I Love You More can be purchased from CGGC Publications for $8.99 plus shipping. Contact Kris at publications@cggc.org to place your order. For those wanting the book in digital format, it is available from the publisher for $7.99. Go to http://www.tatepublishing for that information.

 

FREE Book for Missions Teams

The book How to Operate an Effective Missions Leadership Team in Your Church by David Mays is a helpful resource for local church missions committees. Not so long ago, CGGC Publications offered it for sale. It is now available as a FREE PDF file. Go to http://www.davidmays.org/teambook.pdf to download your copy. 

Making a Difference in Bangladesh

Our Churches of God Mission in Bangladesh includes 158 churches, 18 schools, and two medical facilities. The Khanjanpur Medical Health Services is in a strategic location providing Christ's loving care to tribal peoples who are economically disadvantaged. Dr. John Costa is our chief eye surgeon there who demonstrates a servant spirit in all he does and provides a great example to the staff as well as patients. Here are some examples of the work:

  


Patients often travel to the hospital by bus...coming as far away as 120 miles.

 This lady in the middle was divorced verbally when she was discovered to be blind after the wedding. She was poor and returned to her father's house to live for over a year. A nurse (left side of photo) and a paramedic (right side of photo) found her in an eye camp and brought her to Khanjanpur for an eye operation. She got her full sight again, and the medical staff convinced her husband to accept her back again as his wife. She is now enjoying a wonderful life.

This lady was so poor she could not afford the cost of an eye operation. She sold her last possession--her bed--and came to the eye hospital where Dr. Costa operated on her without cost. She is now enjoying her eyesight again.

This husband and wife were found 105 miles away at an eye camp. Both were suffering from glaucoma. She was able to see, but he was not. They were brought to Khanjanpur where Dr. Costa operated on them.

Dr. John Costa is pictured here with a boy who was blind and stopped going to school. The boy was brought to Khanjanpur where Dr. John operated without charge. He is now back home and has returned to school.


We give thanks for dedicated staff persons such as Dr. Costa who are making a difference for the poor people of Bangladesh.



If you would like to assist Bangladesh Medical Ministries in giving sight to the blind, please send your contributions to CGGC, Box 926, Findlay, OH 45839. Be sure to designated your gift for CC2710 Bangladesh Medical Ministries. Or you may go to http://secure.cggc.org/AVP/Catalog/?a=p&cid=36&pid=120 to make an online contribution. Thanks so much!!