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Empowered Mission Trip to Haiti

I received a copy of an email that Pastor Mike Jennette sent to David Bryan, Global Outreach Director. Pastor Jennette is always so kind to copy me with such correspondence and I have received his permission to share this with you.

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Hello Bro. Bryan,

I hope you are doing well and I wanted to share the great mission experience we just had @ Empowered going to Haiti.

Myself and 9 other men left for Haiti Nov. 5th to meet up with Bro. McCaleb. I believe I was the only one who had been on a foreign mission before and I had only been to Kenya in 2004. The trip was absolutely amazing and life changing for me and the others.

We started preparing in July of this year and raised money several different ways. Also, we scheduled Bro. McCaleb to speak one Sunday morning and everyone who was committed to going went to lunch with him. He prepared us for our arrival into Haiti, which was a very different experience, told us what tools we would need and how much money it would take. This luncheon was very good and as I look back was a necessity to the success of our trip.

The group stayed at the Ca-Ira Orphanage. Within 24 hours the work team and the people and children of the orphanage warmed up to one another. There were conversations early in the morning when the sun would come up and fellowship late into the night. We drank safe water there and ate a fabulous dinner every evening prepared by their kitchen. I'm so proud of the men that went with men, I was the least skilled at carpentry and they were submissive and obedient in everything we did.

The men fell in love with the orphans and staff, it was hard to leave them but we also wanted to return to our families. Now there are several teens and Pastors that are our friends on Facebook with us and people of the congregation who didn't even go on the trip.

While there we put a roof on the old Church at the orphanage that was partially destroyed by the earthquake. This was done, even though it will eventually be torn down for safety, to give the orphanage shade and cover from rain while they have Church.

Next we built trusses from steel, hung them and roofed the Church and its gables in Leogane. The days were hot and the people a little distant in the beginning. But after a half day, people began to come into the Church and speak with us. The National overseer came out with some refreshments, he and some other Pastors from the area helped us for awhile.

It is hard to express the bond we formed as a mission team with each other. This was truly a great experience all the way around. Bro. McCaleb was key as for us having someone onsite to lead us and plan. Bro. Chery from Haiti was exceptional also. He provided us with everything we needed, transported us and was our interpreter. These are great Godly men.

Just wanted to share our experience. There is much more including the services we went to. This was great spiritually and grew our men.

Thank you.
In Christ,

Pastor Mike Jennette - "Pursuing His Spirit"
Empowered Ministries Church
1415 Hwy. 70 East
Dickson, TN 37055

www.empoweredministries.net

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