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Twenty-six years ago I was hanging around the Country Club, I was modeling then and waiting for my “shoot.” I could not have even imagined that one year later Jack and I would start one of the greatest adventures of our lives, and that it would center around the poverty stricken country of Haiti. We were ‘catching a vision’ for the poorest of poor. A few years later, after experiencing their abject poverty first hand, we sold our things, left our home and gave everything to ‘the cause.’ Our commission was to speak up for the poor and see that they received justice. Proverb 31:9

I could never have imagined that we would be involved in the orchestration of one of the largest missions in Haiti. I think about the ship we had (Sonship) carrying cars, trucks, medical supplies, & food to Haiti. On one trip we took 8000 Snickers bars for the Haiti children. We were very popular with the local missionaries then too. I could never have imagined pushing a wheel barrow full of cookies up the mountain, speaking to a poor women’s group or sleeping in a hut with all the creekers, feeding 300 babies in our nutrition clinic and helping to pull teeth. Many a Sunday we sat in Church with the goats and chickens running in and out. One time a donkey popped his head in the window (I laugh just to think about it). I cannot believe that after 23 years of ministry my husband would leave me with all those children and go to heaven, but he did. Soon after his departure the adventure continued, Jesus became my husband, He’s rich and Jewish you know, and He has never failed me.

In the 4 decades since I began this journey I have had one experience after another. I have passed out bread and water, clothed the naked, fed and educated children by the thousands, nursed many back to health, rescued orphans, ministered love to the oppressed, shared my wealth with the poor. I have been through drought and famine, war and peace, seasons of laughter and seasons of tears. In all my hands have accomplished I have come to understand this underlying principle; serving the “least of these” is to serve Jesus Himself.

Did you know that 60% of the world is hungry today; we see children crying, mothers desperate, and fathers frustrated with no jobs. Jesus tells us to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, visit those who are sick and in prison and when we do so we are doing it unto Him. We look forward to the most wonderful years of ministry starting today, yet ahead of us. We are truly blessed with our devoted team of leaders, pastors and teachers in Haiti. We are truly blessed with such a devoted and faithful group of sponsors and partners.

Yes it is true; sitting at the country club years ago I could never have imagine such an adventure.

Still Glowing, Bettie

Reflections on the Journey

Brian Booth

Leading up to our week-long January trip to Haiti, I tried not to have too many expectations. In fact, I really didn’t know what to expect at all. My wife and I, newly married, had felt led to go on this trip instead of a “regular” honeymoon. In the months prior to the trip, God worked through several unlikely circumstances, guiding us toward this opportunity to work with GLOW ministries. To be honest, I didn’t understand why God was leading me to Haiti, a country I didn’t know much about and a country seemingly forgotten by much of the world. Looking back now, after returning and reflecting on our experience, I feel extremely grateful. I’m grateful that God is in control and that He led me to the country of Haiti. I am grateful that I got to meet so many amazing people and that God has changed my life as a result of this trip. And as GLOW continues faithfully working in Haiti to spread the life and hope of Jesus, I am especially grateful to have been a part of it.

We arrived in Port-Au-Prince to sunny blue skies, 90 degree temperatures and the rolling mountains surrounding the city. We spent the first several days of the trip visiting GLOW schools and villages. Some were close by and others required all day excursions up into remote mountain villages. Despite the differences in location, all of the schools and villages shared a few things in common. We were always welcomed by beautiful, smiling children who sang wonderfully for us. In all of the schools and villages, I was amazed, having never met any of these people, how welcoming they were. Even when we made an unexpected stop in a small village, the people gathered around and had us sit under the tree where they worshipped God every week. They welcomed us with gratefulness and generosity, as if we were their family. A few days later at the GLOW school in the mountainous village of Gadier, we brought over 100 pairs of new shoes for the kids. After being fitted with a new pair, one little girl came out of the building with a beaming smile. She began dancing out in front of the church, showing off her new shoes to her friends and radiating joy and gratefulness. It was in times like these that I began to understand why God had led me here. I learned that although much has happened in recent decades to dampen the spirits of the people, hope shines through in Haiti. We saw a good example of that hope at the GLOW school in Grand Gode. While visiting the classrooms, we asked a few the boys in the 6th grade class what they wanted to do after they finished schooling. Two of the boys wanted to become engineers, one a doctor, and the other, a pastor. In a country where so many dreams have been crushed, it brought us joy to see these boys filled with hopes and dreams for the future.

There is so much for us to learn from the Haitian people. In only one week of spending time in this beautiful country, I filled 24 pages of my journal with teachings, prayers and thoughts that God brought upon my heart. One thing I learned is that relationships always come first in the Haitian culture; and people always matter more than anything else. Many of the people we met were very poor in the eyes of this world. They had no possessions, very small houses, and no money. But at the same time, these were some of the richest and wealthiest people I have ever met. What I mean is that I saw a richness and wholeness in their lives that you don’t often see in North America. Their lives were filled with friends, family, relationships, and Jesus. All during the trip, we observed an amazing, beautiful simplicity in the life of the Haitian people, and I learned a lot from it. I believe that many of the Haitian Christians we met were filled with the love of Christ because their lives are not clouded with so many empty things. Many times I find myself striving after things that leave me empty instead of striving after the One who will make me complete. In my continuing quest for completeness, I am now trying to understand what Paul meant when he said, “to live is Christ and to die is gain.” Jesus is all we have, and He is all we need.

One event on the trip affected me more than any other. One day after eating breakfast at Phil and Bettie’s house, we were visited by a young man named Jonas, who shared his story with us. Jonas regretted having to come to ask for help, he said, but had been having horrible stomach pains. Because he spoke some English, he

told us his life testimony. He had a doctor appointment scheduled that week to try to fix the stomach problem but didn’t have the money to go. He told us how he wants to become a pastor, but has 2 classes left of his secondary education, and doesn’t have money to pay. Jonas told us how when he was growing up, his father was a prominent voodoo “witch doctor”. When his father became very sick a few years ago, Jonas pleaded with him to pray and accept Jesus in his heart. His father agreed to bring over a pastor to pray with them. After 2 hours of prayer, Jonas’ father accepted the love of Christ into his heart and later that night, he died. After this experience, Jonas was inspired to be a pastor and teach others about the amazing love of Jesus. As he sat there holding his stomach in pain, he told us that we will have hard times in this world, but “don’t worry, you’ll be going to be with Christ,” he said, pointing towards the sky. Here is a young man who is severely sick and poor, and he was telling us not to worry and assuring us of Jesus’ love and salvation. Our group placed our hands on our brother Jonas and prayed over him. Praise God that GLOW, through its medical benevolence fund, was able to help Jonas go to the doctor and pay for his school, helping him continue his dream of becoming a pastor. I continue to pray for Jonas, who impacted me more than he will ever know.

Among the many truths that I was shown in Haiti, I learned to always look ahead to the future hope of Jesus’ return. This trip has brought me back to living in the present, while still looking ahead to Jesus, who will come to take us home. This world is not our home, and this life is not all there is. I can’t wait for the day when we, along with the Haitian people and all the other followers of Jesus across the world, stand in awe of God’s throne and praise Him together with one voice.

Before going on our trip, many people we told didn’t understand why we would go to a place like Haiti. All they had heard about Haiti were negative things, that it was a poor and broken country. If I didn’t understand the reason for God leading us on this trip before, I am at least partly beginning to understand. My wife and I grew much closer by sharing this experience, and my faith has been renewed and given a fresh perspective. As a result of this trip, I not only have a better understanding of who I am, but more importantly, who Christ is within me. I pray for guidance, trusting God to lead me on this adventure of following Him, and I pray that the path leads back to Haiti in some way.

When I try to live by my own sight, it is easy to see a world filled with pain, sorrow, brokenness and death. All of these things are realities in life, but the good news is that they are not the only realities. I think God calls us to walk by faith, and to take a deeper look at our world. I believe that the same thing can be said for the country of Haiti. From the outside, it’s easy to see Haiti as a place filled with pain, sorrow, and darkness. Although all of these things are still present, I think they are gradually being pushed out as the love of Jesus is being let in. When we take a deeper look at Haiti, we not only see the darkness, but the light shining through it. We see the beauty coming through the broken, the joy coming through the pain, and healing coming through the hurt. For me, it was a blessing far beyond any expectations to see how GLOW is continuing to bring Jesus’ love to the people. God is truly shining through the darkness in Haiti.

Beni swa l’Etenel!

Some of you might recognize Evans in this picture. Evens is a unique fellow, he has quite a story to tell, some day I will write about him but not today. Today I will write about his wife Rose. Rose is smiling in this picture I took Friday the 29th of February but she isn’t happy. I wouldn’t be happy either if I were in her shoes. Rose fell down a few months ago, November 3 I think it was, she broke her arm between the elbow and the shoulder. I saw the x-ray, it’s not a clean break. The bone broke but a section, almost like small dish shape piece of bone broke off the side. Rose sought medical attention at the main hospital in St. Marc and met a doctor who “fixed her up,” he actually casted her arm from wrist to shoulder.

Rose made all of her appointments with the doctor who would generally relieve her of most of her money and some of the pain, the break though, only got worse. By January Rose was fit to be tied so I suggested they see another doctor and get a second opinion.

The new x-rays revealed that the bone had not mended, but worse yet, both the shoulder and the elbow were now “frozen,” she can move her elbow only about ¾ of and inch. This new doctor has recommended that Rose come to stay in Port au Prince, the Capital, for several weeks to several months and under-go daily therapy, at $30 per day. He speculates that perhaps they can get her joints limbered up and eventually re-set the bone, but this could take months.

About the time this letter will be going through the printing process (Monday) I will be in Port au Prince, with Rose, getting even more x-rays and seeing another doctor. We are praying for a better diagnosis but it could go either way.

Rose cannot possibly afford all the medical care that will be required to get this arm fixed. GLOW has come alongside Rose and will see that she gets the best care available and that hopefully there will be no permanent damage. We have a special account for Medical Benevolence but this situation would probably wipe that fund out. I am hoping someone will step up and help us out financially with Rose over the next few months. Donations designated to Medical Benevolence this month will be used. If you would like to inquire further please email me, Phil, at glow_usa@yahoo.com

If we don’t help Rose chances are pretty good she will be permanently disabled. I’m praying for the best and trusting she will be picking up her 2 year old daughter again before too long.

Board of Directors

On February 23 the last of our ‘founding fathers’ passed the baton on to a new Board of Directors. We felt it would be good to have a majority of our Board in one geographic location so we’ve been meeting with potential candidates consistently for over a year and a half. Amber, Bettie and I are the last of the founding members still on the Board of Directors. I would wish to extend a HUGE thank you to Ray and Carol Renner and Frank and Marilyn Zebedis for the past ten years of service to GLOW and the unfathomable assets they brought to the table all those years. Our new Board member are: Chuck (VP) and Ellen Klynstra, Zeeland, Dave Dozeman (Treasurer), Joel and Teresa (Secretary) Prange, Jason Gargala (Director), Zeeland and Judi Kruz (Director), Holland. We anticipate these changes will help us be more effective and efficient in our vision and ministry. Please keep us in your prayers as we continue to grow together. Pray that we will continue to develop unity and like-mindedness in the corporate arena while we strive to be the best we can be.

Photo’s Cuortesy 0f:

Luke Renner - Fireside Pictures