Pastor Rodne Romeus from Haiti

Wednesday Evening 07-16-2008 at 7:00 PM

Rodne Romeus a Haitian Pastor will share his unique ministry experiences as a national pastor in Haiti.

Haiti profile:

• Area: 27,750 sq km
• Population: 7 million
• Population growth rate: 1.42% (2002 est.)
• Net migration rate: -2.31 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)
• Life expectancy at birth: 49.55 years
• People living with HIV/AIDS: 210,000 (1999 est.)
• GDP per capita: purchasing power parity $1,700 (2001 est.)
• Population below poverty line: 80%
• Main trading partners: US, EU.
• Internet users: 30,000 (2002)

(CIA - The World Factbook 2002)

Pete Lafakis with AMG asked me if we would like to have Rodne Romeus stop by this Wednesday and share with us. I am looking forward to our time together. I encourage you to invite your friends, family, and neighbors and join us as we are privileged to a unique opportunity. I came across an article on the internet that should give you another perspective of this vital ministry.

A Ray of Light in a Dark Country
God Uses Pastor Rodne in Grand-Bassin, Haiti
By Bob Gerow

What is life like in the small town of Grand-Bassin in Haiti? This community of 20,000 has no electricity or power lines. There is no water piped into homes. There is virtually no medical care in this town. The closest hospital is 18 miles away. Several people have died recently because they were not able to walk those miles to get to the hospital. Jobs are scarce, and schooling is a privilege given to only a few of the town’s children.

It would be easy to look at Grand-Bassin and feel hopeless, but God is doing a great work here through the ministry of Pastor Rodne Romeus.

God has given Pastor Rodne a great vision to change people’s lives in Haiti. He leads a congregation of 1,000 members in Grand-Bassin. He has a large school of 600 students who receive a much-coveted education and learn about Jesus in daily Bible classes. AMG donors sponsor children at this school, which helps pay for their schooling, supplies, uniform, and a daily meal. The students range from pre-school to 7th grade, and Pastor Rodne hopes to build more classrooms to add grade levels so that the students can graduate from high school and go to college.

Pastor Rodne saw how many of the students and teachers at school were sick. He realized that a medical clinic in Grand-Bassin would not only help his church and school, but it would be an opportunity to minister to the community and share the gospel with hurting people. His church sacrificially gave out of their own poverty to start building the medical clinic. A short-term mission team recently went to Grand-Bassin to help put up the walls. Now the medical clinic needs a roof, so that it can begin receiving patients.

Brother Rodne does not like to talk about his own personal needs, and his selfless ministry is a blessing to the people of Haiti and a challenge to us all. His small truck breaks down frequently due to rough roads, potholes, and extensive use. He drives this small truck many hours every week to buy food and school supplies for the children at school. On another occasion he walked for several hours in the rain to perform a wedding at his church, but the wedding party was thrilled to see their rain-soaked pastor finally arrive!

Haiti is the poorest nation in the Western hemisphere. AMG International is partnering in ministry with Pastor Rodne to meet the spiritual and physical needs of its people—particularly of the children of Haiti. Partnership opportunities abound through child sponsorship, financial support, and even short term ministry trips. Above all, you are invited to join in prayer for Pastor Rodne, that the light of the gospel will shine brightly through him in this unique and effective ministry.

This Day in History

Today in Christian History

1956 - In Ecuador, Plymouth Brethren missionaries Jim Elliot, Nate
Saint, Roger Youderian, Ed McCully and Pete Fleming were
killed by the Auca Indians, while attempting to evangelize
their tribe. Elliot's widow Elisabeth later published the
story of their work and martyrdom in her book "Through Gates
of Splendor" (1963).

The Cost of Discipleship

"For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?" (Matthew 16:25-26, NKJV)

Last night we concluded our study of discipleship in our series on Growing in Grace. This series is a practical Bible study focusing on many of the fundamental truths basic to Christianity. In our conclusion to this topic we focused on the fact that the Bible teaches that being a being a disciple of Jesus is what we are called to do as Christians. The call of discipleship is a call of deep commitment, in fact the Bible indicates that the call to discipleship is a call to sacrifice all things and pursue Christ as our chief end.

In the key text above Matthew indicates that any other pursuit is really an unprofitable endeavor. Our lives today are filled with so many obligations and responsibilities that it is easy to lose focus of what is essentially important, namely Christ. In addition, few of us are motivated to make the sacrifices that are consistent with genuine Christianity.

I have always been inspired by the young Jim Elliot who gave up the comforts of America and a future in business to tell the Auca Indians of Ecuador about the gospel of Jesus Christ. This endeavor cost him his life. Jim understood the risks and was willing to pay the cost of discipleship. In his own hand he said, “he is no fool who gives up what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.” God used his sacrifice and the men who traveled with him to eventually bring many of that tribe to the saving knowledge of Christ. God also continues to use Jim’s life as role model for us all of what genuine Christianity looks like.