Bethesda Evangelical Mission

The Community Has Responded

Dear Friends of BEM,

It would be an understatement if I just say I was so glad for so many people's involvement in helping us to load the first container to be shipped to Haiti. I am actually overwhelmed when I start to think of the dedication and the enthusiasm of all of the volunteers coming together on a chilly Saturday morning with warm hearts and smiles on their faces to help a nation in need.

At this time it wasn't a matter of faith or denomination, it was simply humanitarian, people who were willing to help a nation in crisis. The business community has responded strongly. Our brothers and sisters from the First Baptist Church of Wallingford were there. Many of them have been to the Dominican Republic under the leadership of John Powers so they know exactly who they are helping. A brand new generator was donated through a new faithful group of friends led by Pastor Tom Walsh of Crossroads Community Church of Vernon, CT. These groups were self-motivated and heart-driven to raise the funds to purchase these much needed goods that will be a great source of help for our brothers and sisters in Haiti.

Jazz'd4Life have worked tirelessly to make this project a reality. Our friend Arne and his wife Catherine have made many efforts to connect the dots, made phone calls to make sure a container was purchased as well as organizing a way for it to be shipped. Local churches have made donations as well as individuals but there a few stories that have stuck in my heart. Upon my arrival at Maplewood Storage on Saturday, I was greeted by a young man about 12 or 14 years of age. He was very enthusiastic in sharing with me about his hard work to help with the Haitian crisis and he handed me a bag with coins saying "This is my contribution".

There are many stories like this that speaks volumes to my heart. There is no way I can ever put them into words. All I can say is that even the children are moved to action on their own, gestures that they will remember for years to come and perhaps tell their stories to their children and grandchildren. Another amazing story is another young girl by the name of Valerie, a student from Rick Hill School in Wallingford, like the young man with the coins, she approached me along with her father and one of her friends with a smile on her face, holding an envelope containing many checks and a dollar bill. She says to me "Pastor Lubin, this is what I have collected from my school for your cause in Haiti." The envelope contained approximately $850.00! She had made a sign with red heart cut-outs, each inscribed with "Hearts for Haiti". Also she had personally made a presentation board with pictures of firefighters, rescue workers and others at work during the time of rescue operations in Haiti. I am scheduled tomorrow to speak at Casimir Pulaski Elementary School in Meriden. The children have been working very hard to collect money and help with the needs in Haiti. During this occasion they are preparing to present a check to BEM for over $2000.00! The reason why I highlight these 3 stories involving children is because they are country's future. Their reaction to such a catastrophic situation reflects the teaching we as parents or caregivers have imparted to them.

Our First Full Mission Trip Since The Earthquake

We are excited about this mission trip leaving from White Oak Baptist Church in Wallingford very early Wednesday morning. There are 10 of us representing 6 different congregations in the central Connecticut area, 5 Nurses, 2 EMTs, and 3 Pastors. Our task will be to bring much needed medical help to the growing population of Les Cayes, especially the refugees at the soccer field and the outlying areas. We will also be engaged in food distribution. All while we anticipate being part of the Haitian spiritually uplifting worship services. We are scheduled to be in Les Cayes for 8 days. 5 Days of medical clinic, which include 2 days at the soccer field to help the new refugees, and 3 days in the surrounding villages. We promise to keep you updated on our every move. We will send pictures and details of our daily activities.

Please keep us in your prayers and encourage your friends, family, co-workers, and social networking friends to visit bemhaiti.org. While there, you can also leave comments of encouragement for the team on the bottom of each update.

God Bless all of you, until then,

BEM Latest Update

In about 5 days our third team for the year will be leaving for Haiti. We have many plans underway though we are only a team of 10 but the expectations are high. Half of the team will be going for the first time that will combine with the experience of the other half to better serve the people of Haiti.

Before I go into details of what is to come, let me first of all thank all of you for your thoughts and prayers for my wife Joanne who had a long but successful surgery. She is now undergoing rehabilitation and is expecting to continue receiving care for another week. She has expressed words of gratitude and we are both grateful for having such a large family of faith behind us during this time.

First the good news! Today marked the first day that American Airlines resumes their flights into Port-Au-Prince, Haiti since the devastating earthquake and for our February team, that means we will not have to go through the Dominican Republic to reach Haiti. Hallelujah!

The people of Haiti are waiting with great anticipation for the arrival of our team. We will share our team expertise with both the soccer field where the refugees are, and the surrounding villages, to bring much needed medical care, food distribution, and words of comfort for such a time as this. Many have you have sowed money and medical supplies that was supposed to go with us on our cancelled January trip, and we are very excited to have them and put them to good use this February. Your prayers for the team will be greatly appreciated while we prepare and serve the Haitian people.

There are other exciting things going on right now!

It is with great joy that BEM and HELO announce the opening of our second orphanage to provide Home, Education, Love, and Opportunity for almost a dozen new children! This part of the ministry can only be successful if you pray and support HELO ministry financially. For $80 a month, you can fully sponsor a child and provide them a loving home, food and education for an entire month. Please visit the HELO web site for more information. This is what I call a life-changing ministry. You can make a difference by making a decision to help today. Thank you.

Another exciting thing going on right now is the first BEM container currently being filled with much needed supplies to be shipped directly to Les Cayes, Haiti, via the Dominican Republic. This project is nothing short of a community affair. It is the involvement of virtually everyone. Jazz'd4Life has been working tirelessly day and night to make this project a reality. Another local business who have made this project possible is Maplewood Self Storage who have provided free storage for all items donated and collected. Locally, schools like Lyman Hall High of Wallingford and Casimir Pulaski Elementary School of Meriden worked fervently to collect medicine and cash to help our cause. These acts of love will be in the hearts of these students for many years to come. Statewide, there has been the participation of organizations and individuals from various towns throughout Connecticut and beyond who organized groups to collect items such as clothes, water, non-perishable food, and medicine to be shipped in the container. We are also extremely grateful for the Lord's provision of a diesel generator that will be put to use in our largest school in Les Cayes. At this point in order for the container to leave, we need your participation in helping us load it. Saturday February 20th, we will begin loading the container at Maplewood Self Storage, located at 929 North Main Street Ext in Wallingford. Your presence will be a source of encouragement to all of us.

Les Cayes General Hospital continues to receive help from BEM. Medicine continues to come from different groups which lifted the heavy burden on the local physicians. Please continue to pray, continue to support us financially, so we can continue to help in this time of need. We are extremely excited to, not only, say to someone in need "God Bless you." but in addition we are dedicated to meet their physical needs as much as we can. Please remember your support is the wind in our sail which allows us to do everything we've been doing.

God Bless,

Haiti - One Month After The Earthquake

To All the Friends of BEM,

Tomorrow, February 12th, will mark exactly one month since the devastating earthquake hit our beloved Haiti. Before that date, many did not even know where Haiti was on a map but due to the enormity of this catastrophe, the major news networks could not ignore the severity and the importance of this story. Now, because of their reporting, only a few could say they do not know where Haiti is.

What a difference a month has made! Since January 12th, BEM has transformed from just an evangelistic organization to an emergency relief and rescue, humanitarian, AND evangelistic organization. The pictures on the major news networks tell the story. Many Haitians have proved to be resilient and faithful to their country. Earlier this week, they rescued a young boy from the rubble - almost one month later! So far, according to the Haitian government, nearly 200,000 people lost their lives. The people are in pain to the point where they cancelled their annual carnival festivities, usually scheduled for the second week of February. But I must say there is light at the end of the tunnel for all Haitians, due to their faith, tenacity, and their will to prevail in the face of adversity.

This story is only better today because of the involvement of the international community as many countries have responded positively with so much help, from food, to medicine, to water, search and rescue parties, and more, to the point that the international airport in Port-au-Prince is still closed to commercial flights due to the congestion of so many aid flights still arriving daily. Here in the Unites States, celebrities have been working together to raise funds for Haiti. The US government even gave the taxpayers permission to claim monetary gifts to Haiti as a tax deduction. President Obama has formed a coalition of two past presidents, George W Bush and Bill Clinton, who have so far raised $32M for the people of Haiti. Many groups that could not travel directly to Haiti, have travelled through the Dominican Republic to reach those in need. I personally saw many trucks of supplies and materials crossing the border between these two countries.

As I am writing this update, BEM has a team of people in Les Cayes, serving those in need. This group will be leaving for Leogane soon where they will be helping in the orphanage at the Children of Promise where Pastor Joel is currently serving.

However, closer to home, for many of you BEM has been YOUR vehicle to help the people of Haiti. Since the earthquake we have made 2 trips to the island and because of YOUR generous contribution we have together made an incredible impact on the lives of some of those affected by this terrible earthquake. I am reminded of the very first evening when we had just heard news. It was unbelievable and we didn't know what to do. With the help of our technician, we developed a special page on our web site to ask for your help, and you responded very strongly to help us to help those in despair in Haiti. Some of you used Jazz'd4Life, others used HELO and many of you used bemhaiti.org to donate through Paypal. This was the night when BEM began its transformation into what we see today.

Because of your overwhelming response, BEM is now known in Haiti as a life-saving organization. In addition, the authorities in Les Cayes have recognized our humanitarian work and stand amazed at BEM's ability to provide for the needy people in the area when the government was simply unable. This speaks volumes about our ministries, values, dedication, faith, and overall character of the men and women who serve with BEM.

Upon our first visit, when brother Chip and I went to the soccer stadium we saw many injuries and other cases that needed immediate attention. To the credit of the local authorities, the place looked very well organized but there was a lack of substance. They could not deliver to the level of the crisis. There was a dangerous lack of medication, supplies, money, and staff. Our brother Chip went work immediately and used his emergency response skills to treat all those he could and then assisted a local doctor in case that here in the US, would take place in an operating room. Because of your donations through Paypal and checks mailed to us, we were able to purchase medicine for both the soccer field refugee camp and the Les Cayes General Hospital. In addition, before we returned home, brother Chip and I joined a team the Pastor Jean had put in place to deliver food to every room at the Les Cayes General Hospital. Enough for them and their families to eat for at least 3 days.

BEM is currently working with the Les Cayes Rotary Club to help provide tents for many people who have fled from Port-au-Prince and its surrounding areas and have come to seek refuge in Les Cayes. Every day people are coming to Pastor Jean's office with prescriptions that need to be filled and with heartbreaking stories of families who don't have anything to eat. Many have come from Port-au-prince with just the clothes on their backs, and nothing more. Because of your generosity, Pastor Jean has continued to deliver and provide for many of these needs where he can. He has turned the Les Cayes school into a food pantry, where people can come and receive food as needed.

If you have ever questioned whether you have made a difference in the lives of Haitians through your support, it is now answered!
The answer is a resounding YES! And continues to be YES!

I have personally observed people who we thought would not live, come to us and thank us for being there for them.

I have looked into the eyes of a child who had no hope and was in agony, who now has the hope of a loving home in our new orphanage. A mother who came to us after a worship service telling us how her family has nothing to eat, was provided a steady supply of food and we will continue to do so as long as we are able to respond to the need. The hospital of Les Cayes continues to look to BEM as a source of support and many areas on the outskirts of Les Cayes depend on BEM to bring much needed help in the way of clean water, health care, and education.

BEM's success would never be possible if it wasn't for you. You have made a tremendous difference!

In less that 2 weeks, a group of 10 or more will be leaving from Wallingford to go to Les Cayes, Haiti on a week-long mission trip to bring additional much needed medicine and to distribute food in the area. We will be able to give medical care at the soccer stadium and to surrounding villages. Then in March a group of musicians from Boston will be travelling to bring a change of atmosphere and to help people to smile with music and entertainment. One month after that, in Apri BEM is scheduled to bring its largest group yet to the island. There will be doctors, nurses, construction professionals, all with the intent to help the people in their darkest days. Every Sunday morning, BEM is currently holding a worship service right where the people are at the soccer stadium, to bring a message of hope, joy, peace, and salvation. We are committed to this call for the interest of the Kingdom. Remember, our success is your success, thank you!

Just one month after this disaster, we are seeing less and less about Haiti in the news. Other stories have taken the spotlight and the headlines away from a desperately devastated nation. Allow me to encourage you to continue praying for Haiti. If you are a church leader of any kind, this is the time to start praying about engaging some in your congregation to become involved in mission trips. If at all possible, financially, it is a good time to commit to monthly support of our work in Haiti. At whatever level you can participate in helping those in their time of need, please don't hesitate to do so. Your help will bring great relief to our brothers and sisters in Haiti.

May God continually bless you as you seek to support and fulfil the call of the great commission.