Back to Life Ministries
One child at a time…one dollar at a time… one trip at a time- a partnership that will impact us more than them!
Pictured above is the "Teaching" team that went to Haiti this past November.
( L-R) Lucy Crackel, Kristy Agliolo and Jesse , Karen and Neil Montgomery.
The teaching team left McKinleyville on November 16 and returned on Thanksgiving day. They brought lots of love & goodies to the kids and plenty of educational materials to the teachers. They had a wonderful trip and learned so much about the love of Jesus from these beautiful people of Haiti. Please continue to pray for Back to Life ministries.
Back to Life ( BTL) ministries is a program in one of the poorest countries in the world and THE MOST impoverished nation in North America. Back to Life ministries has a vision to transform a community for the Kingdom of God by rescuing and protecting children from slavery. The children are poor, hungry (many times literally- starving) and many will be given into slavery. Slavery is socially acceptable and desperate parents often give up one or two children because they simply cannot feed them. They know that the family they give them to, though they may treat them poorly, will at least feed them. If one or more children in a family are given into slavery, the thoughts of the parents are that the rest of the family may have money for food. Slavery is full of abuse, neglect and work that will harm and forever change those children. Many of the children never see their families ever again. Imagine….
Through a faithful 20 year partnership, it is the belief of the leadership of Back to Life and our team at New Heart that the community of Mirebalais and Port a Prince can be transformed into a sustaining and growing country through education, discipleship and food. By taking on an array of various projects from providing funding of infrastructure, sending work teams and medical teams, WE CAN make a difference. One child at a time…one dollar at a time… one trip at a time- a partnership that will impact us more than them!
Pastor Thimothee Guerrier is the founder and director of Back to Life. Pastors Thimothee and Nahum are working to bring their vision to the children of Haiti. They are concentrating on two areas of the island. The project first started in Port-au-Prince in 2000 but relocated to the small village of Mirebalais- which is approximately 40 miles northeast of the countries capital Port a Prince.
BTL moved to Mirebalais because of a great need that arose there and to partner with Joseph “Nahum” Bledney who was starting Gilbert Christian Church. Since the devastating earthquake of 2010 the leadership of Back to Life desire to extend their reach back to the children of Port-au-Prince. A second BTL site is in the works.
New Heart’s Pastor Neil has visited BTL ministries two times. His first visit in November 2009 confirmed in his heart that this is a mission that needs to be supported. He brought back information to the church and has since visited the country again, in May 2011, with four other members of the church. Pastor Timothee was able to visit our community in February 2011.(see the bottom of this page to hear his sermon about TIME.)
To see some pictures and get more information of what is happening in Haiti, visit:
www.facebook.com/backtolifeministries
Vision:
o A DIRECT PARTNERSHIP with an “ends of the earth” ministry.
o We know the poor will always be among us. It is our desire to focus resources on one location to maximize our impact.
o To walk with and bear the burdens of our brothers and sisters in Haiti.
For New Heart:
o Desire to put a face to Missions…to develop a LOVE RELATIONSHIP with real people…to feel their needs and to share with them in reaching people.
o To focus resources for greater impact.
BTL Vision:
o The reason for slavery is that families can’t afford to feed their children. Their only alternative is to give them to another family- in hopes that they will survive. Ofthen the family moves away,never to see their child ( children ) again.
o Back to Life believes that if they can help families keep their children in the home, they will curb the tide of slavery. We can help restore families and at the same time transform a country.
o How do they do this?
§ Food
§ Education
§ Discipleship
Opportunities with Back to Life
Prayer-prayer is the work…the beginning and the foundation to sustaining all that goes on there, don’t ever underestimate its power.
o Prayer focuses our attention on God and it reminds us that He can do anything - even in a struggling economy. Money is simply a tool and obstacles are opportunities. Trust and unity are built through prayer.
Go-we plan to take groups of people to BTL to build loving relationships.We will provide a global perspective for New Heart that will change us. Our passion for God’s work here and abroad will be ignited.
Bring-it would not cost much to bring the director of BTL to our church and to meet him.We want to hear his heart and get to know him. Cultivating a relationship will be good for the both of us. We were blessed with Timothee’s presence in our church this past spring, 2011. (see the bottom of this page to hear his sermon about TIME )
Support
o Every dollar goes a long way…every penny. I’ve never seen a people use money so efficiently.
Priority Project Goals:
o FOOD-currently BTL goal is to provide one solid meal a day for 300 children, six days a week.
o EDUCATION- A Teacher could be supported fully at $200/month.
o Transportation-Motorcycles are $1,500 a piece.
o Ministry Ideas:
§ Mission Vacation to capture vision.
§ Fill a storage container. This is a great project for a church of business. Almost everything in Haiti is imported. Filling a container with much needed supplies is a great encouragement.
§ Medical clinics are available but families can’t afford them. If we take a team down there for basic hygiene and basic medical- wouldn't that be amazing?
§ Organize a group and go. Builders, teachers, workers,nurses.
§ School benches…20 X $4 = $80
§ Be in touch with Thimothee for ongoing opportunities. backtolifekids@yahoo.fr
o Wish List
§ School supplies-benches (can be built there), chalk, boards, brushes, etc…
§ Computer Equipment
§ Audio Equipment
§ Medical…
§ Digital Camera…to help communicate vision
§ Security Strategy
§ Uniforms
Project Priorities November 2011
Back to Life
Mirebalais and Port a Prince
These needs are not in order of priority or all the needs. Costs are estimates when given. These also came from comments from both Timothee and Pastor Nahum, pending requests for them.
Needs: Port a Prince (not including prayers for ministry or prayer for BTL needs- which can take care of these)
- Roof for Thimothee’s House $7,000-$10,000 would put a cement roof and additional material for capturing rainwater.... As of September 2011, we have finsihed his roof! PRAISE GOD.
- Added batteries and Solar: $1,200 As of October 2011, we have been able to provide this for them-PRAISE GOD.
- Internet Access -$35 per month
- Internet Access allows BTL to communicate with the outside world, access resources for feeding, educating and discipling and to keep partners more readily informed.
- Building for Feeding program –idea of purchasing the property and two buildings leading up to the street. Thimothee is going to track down the landowner and find out what it entails. To do that and pay off his existing property…best guess is upward to $30,000 project.
- Shelter for feeding program -see above.
- Ongoing Money for feeding program –Budget needs to be worked out with leadership.
- Complete Underground Water tank to capture rainwater ( and then store in cistern).The electric pump up to roof. $1,000-$2,000
- Vehicle =$2,000 being wired to Nahum…Thimothee was offered the Rodeo for $4,000. He is negotiating a lower price. (Both pastors now have vehicles, PRAISE GOD )
- Salary for Thimothee- $100/mo. would give he and his family something to count on.
- Water Well $8,000- $9,000
- Pay off Thimothees property loan $8,000
Needs : Mirebalais (not including prayers for ministry or prayer for BTL needs which can take care of these )
- Bunk Beds and Mattress’s $600 ($60/bunkbed) ... As of July 2011, we have met this need, PRAISE GOD!
- Additional Desks for School $40/desk
- Electric power primary line and transformer to property $200-$400
- Water Well $8,000-$9,000 As of July 2011, we have met this need, PRAISE GOD!
- Buy Additional Property $7,000-$10,000
- Money for feeding program $1,000/mos or $3/child/day
- Church Building amount needed is unknown,it needs to be estimated
- Pastor Nahums Salary $100/mos would be a great start for some regular income. (His salary needs have been met, PRAISE GOD )
| Title: Time
Speaker: Thimothee Date: January 16, 2011 Press Play to Listen
Note: If the audio is choppy, please press pause then play and the audio should smooth out. |
