Missionaries in Haiti
Lowell, Maddie, Robin, Cassie and Lance Adams
Lowell & Robin Adams (Lance, Cassandra, Madalyn)
Career Missionary
Fund #: WM04-0336
http://villagehealtheducation.blogspot.com/
lowellnrobin@hotmail.com
Home District: Central New York
“As a child I had an interest in medical missions. During college, God continued to call me into missions by sending missionaries into my life that kept the vision alive.” –Lowell
“As a teen I thought it would be such an honor if God would ask me to serve Him in another country. I believe He put the desire in my heart for missions work. –Robin
Lowell and Robin served as compassionate ministry missionaries for one year in Ethiopia with the Church of the Nazarene. In 2007 they had the opportunity to visit Haiti. God has now opened the door for them to return to Haiti as Global Partners’ career missionaries. Their desire is to use comprehensive community health and development as a means to evangelize, plant churches, and develop church growth within Haiti.
Lowell and Robin have three children: Lance (’91), Cassandra (’93), and Madalyn (’07).
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you” (Jeremiah 29:11-14a NIV).
Holly Churchill
Holly Churchill
Go-Net Employee
Fund #: WM29-0079
Home District: Atlantic
It was in 2008, after her first year of university, that Holly Churchill says God got a hold of her in a real way. As she started her second year of university, some of her friends invited her to attend Deep Water Church in Halifax. At Deep Water she was able to connect with church for the first time in her life.
A few months before she went on a short-term mission trip to Haiti with a group from her church, Holly felt that God might be leading her into missions. Several weeks after returning from the trip, God continued to fill her with a passion for Haiti and continued speaking to her about full-time missions work.
When Holly first applied for missionary service, she had no idea how God was going to use her. She was excited to found out that her administrative skills were needed, and Global Partners appointed her to serve as a GO-Net missionary in Haiti. With her gift of administrative skills, she looks forward to assisting other missionaries with the tasks God has called them to do.
“This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:9 NLT).
Greg, Heidi, Haley and Luke Edmonds
Greg & Heidi Edmonds (Haley, Luke)
Career Missionary
Fund #: WM04-0361
www.rebuildhopeinhaiti.com
gpedmonds@juno.com
Home District: South Carolina
Greg believes that missions is what God has been preparing him for throughout his life, and he has sensed the call to missions for many years. He loves cross-cultural ministry and spent a year as a youth pastor at the Wesleyan Community Church in Guaynabo, Puerto Rico. “I feel like I can do nothing else,” Greg stated, “but to follow Christ’s call to ‘Go and make disciples of all nations.’”
When Heidi was a teenager, she attended a youth convention that sparked her curiosity about missions, and since then she has been on several short term missions trips. However, it was not until she began leading mission trips with Greg that her involvement in missions became more serious. She asked herself what more could she do to make a difference in the lives of people in need.
Greg and Heidi have been appointed by Global Partners to long-term missionary service in Haiti where they desire to be the hands and feet of Christ. They want to be able to help restore hope in Haitians, rebuilding lives one person at a time.
In Haiti last January Greg saw poverty, sickness, and hunger like never before. They suddenly became more than a picture on the news or a story in a newspaper. The people had names, faces, moms, dads, children, brothers, and sisters. When he looked around the main thing they lacked was hope.
Heidi and Greg realize that they can’t feed every hungry person in Haiti, or clothe every naked child, or provide medicine, vitamins, and health care to every undernourished person. They can’t relieve all the injustice of the government, or set everyone free from their bondage to sin. But God has called them to be His hands and feet in Haiti, and to do all that they can with what He has given them. They can give the people of Haiti themselves, the love of Christ, and hope.
Greg and Heidi have two children: Haley (’05) and Luke (‘10).
“Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless; maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed. Rescue the weak and needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.” –Psalm 82:3-4 NIV
Rod, Michelle, Ben, Joseph and Garin Geiszler
Rodney & Michelle Geiszler (Benjamin, Joseph, Garin)
Career Missionary
Fund #: WM04-0335
Home District: Northwest
“After going on a couple of short-term mission trips I started to feel that these trips were not enough. God used the people and events I experienced in Guatemala to draw me in and to be open to serving wherever there is a need.” –Rod
“After my first trip to Guatemala I felt that God was asking me to do something more and to step out of my comfort zone. One night I asked Rod, ‘What if I told you I wanted to move to Guatemala forever?’ Unexpectedly he replied, ‘How do we make that happen?’” –Michelle
We seriously looked at ourselves and listened to what God was really asking us to do. He asked us to step out in faith so that He could lead us into His perfect will for our lives. As a result, we have been appointed to serve as career missionaries with Global Partners in Haiti. It is our desire to show God’s love by being His hands and feet through simple acts of servanthood wherever He leads.
Rod and Michelle have three sons: Benjamin (‘96), Joseph (‘00), and Garin (‘04).
And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him (Colossians 3:17 NIV).
Carl, Maya, Théa, Bethsaina and Zahra Gilles
Carl & Maya Gilles (Théa, Bethsaina, Zahra, Aaliah)
Career Missionary
Fund #: WM04-0330
Home District: Atlantic
Carl was called to missions while studying for the ministry in Canada. Being from Haiti, he went to Bethany Bible College with intentions of returning to Haiti immediately after his studies. However, his burden for the unreached French peoples led him to pastor a French church in Canada for four years.
In 2005 Maya visited a Haitian orphanage where she sensed the confirmation of her call to missions in Haiti. A year later, by God’s providence, she married Carl whose desire was to return to his country. They prayed for direction in their lives and were quickly guided towards Haiti.
In May 2007 Carl and Maya were appointed to career missionary service to Haiti. Carl’s vision is to equip Christian believers to be effective in both their general and specific callings, so that they can impact their families, communities, country, and the world for Jesus Christ. Maya’s desire is for evangelism and discipleship to children, youth, and women. It is her passion to give them the tools to develop their full potential and to pursue their dreams and callings with the Lord’s guidance.
Carl and Maya have four children: Théa (‘08), Bethsaina (‘04), Zahra (‘09), Aaliah (‘12).
Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart (Psalm 37:4 NIV).
Barry and Beth Gould
Barry & Beth Gould
Career Missionary
Fund #: WM04-0369
Home District: Atlantic
In 2007 a short term mission trip to Haiti opened the hearts of Barry & Beth Gould to the Haitian people, and as a result they spent one year (2008-2009)
as Global Partners ‘Go – Net missionaries. They lived and ministered on the Island of LaGonave where Barry worked in maintenance and construction at the
Wesleyan hospital and Beth, a nurse, also worked and taught in the same hospital. Barry returned to Haiti in February 2010 to assist with earthquake relief efforts.
In August 2010 Global Partners appointed Barry & Beth to long term missionary service in Haiti. They will be serving the Haitian people by working with WISH (West Indies Self Help), an organization committed to supporting the LaGonave Wesleyan Hospital, as well as many other community development projects, such as a dental clinic and library.
“ We will go out to those who are in need and share the bountiful blessings the Lord has given us. We go humbled by the thought that our gracious God has allowed us to go and do the works He has prepared for us. We pray that as we live and share our lives with the Haitian people we would be worthy examples of a Christian life.”
This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down His life for us. And we ought to lay our lives for our brothers. If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear Children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. (1 John 3: 16-18 NIV)
Larry and Marty Grimes
Larry & Marty Grimes
Go-Net Volunteers
Fund #WM29-0081
Home District: South Carolina
The Grimes, who attend FWC/ALIVE in Central, SC, are answering an unexpected call to spend a year as Go-Net missionaries on the island of La Gonave, Haiti, teaching English as a Second Language (ESL) and computer classes to local adults. Marty was educated at Florida State University and the University of Georgia, taught in several situations, retired as administrator of a local Christian school, serves in various capacities in her local church and leads abortion recovery Bible studies at the local pregnancy care center . Larry served in the US Navy, attended the University of Georgia, the Ohio State University, serves as board member and short term trip leader for Volunteers in Medical Missions, and retired after 33 years teaching and doing research at Clemson University. With good health and few obligations, it became obvious that the Lord had been blessing them with training, experiences and skills that could be used to build relationships, share the Gospel and lift up adult Haitians who qualify through education. They have the support of their three children, their spouses, and all eleven grandchildren.
“We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man’s gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.”
Romans 12: 6-8
Dan, Joy, and Brooke Irvine
Dan & Joy Irvine
Career Missionary
Fund #: WM04-0313
Home District: Western PA
In 1981 Dan and Joy (Alexander) Irvine began their missionary work in Haiti. Dan was a church planter and director of education while Joy supervised schooling for American missionary children. Following their time in Haiti, they lived in Florida for 10 years where Dan was involved in various ministries. In 1995 God called them back to their home state of Pennsylvania where they then served on staff at Sandy Lake Wesleyan Church.
When they left Haiti in 1987, they knew in their hearts that God would again, someday, open a door of service to Haiti. As a result of God’s call on their lives, Dan and Joy have been appointed to serve as career missionary with Global Partners.
Their mission in Haiti is to serve the expatriate missionaries, to stand along side the national church leadership, and to develop resources. They desire to be a communication bridge between The Wesleyan Church of Haiti and The Wesleyan Church of North America.
The Irvines have five children and two amazing grandchildren. Brooke, their youngest, is living in the South Carolina after graduating from Quisqueya Christian School in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, 2011. Becca will graduate from Indiana Wesleyan University in 2013. Elizabeth, Matthew & Heather have added three incredible spouses to the family.
“. . . if anyone obeys his word, God’s love is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in him. Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did” (1 John 2:5-6 NIV).
Cory, Kris, Eli and Anna Thede
Cory & Kris Thede (Elijah, Anna)
Career Missionary
Fund #: WM04-0276
Home District: West Michigan
In preparation for missionary service, Cory earned a B.S. degree in horticulture and Kris earned an M.D. degree. Their service in Haiti began in 1998. God’s words from Ephesians 4:12 guides them: “for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ” (NAS).
Equipping the Saints: Through education—agricultural, medical, and spiritual—Haitian Christians can better touch others for Christ. One improved life impacts many lives in one’s family and community. Cory and Kris hope to strengthen the faithful and draw others to the Lord by meeting needs.
For Work of Service: Striving to upgrade food and medical resources, Cory and Kris attempt to improve the health of the Haitian people. Healthy people serve better, opening doors for others to see God’s love and receive freedom.
Building up the Body of Christ: Cory and Kris host teams, who come to encourage, pray, work, and partner locally. The Thedes’ share global prayer requests, and the Haitian church shares in building up His believers. By living among the Fauche community, sharing in its sorrows and joys, Cory, Kris, Eli, and Anna build up the church to glorify God.
