August 2009

by Rev. Vernon Giesbrecht

"Man does not live on bread alone", from Luke 4:4, is the verse prominently located on our website. It reflects the dual vision we have as an organization. As Christians, we are called to demonstrate the compassion of Jesus Christ in meeting the physical needs of people: nutrition, clean water, medical care, the dignity of employment. Double Harvest is involved in all of these areas. However, these are not the extent of human need, as the verse alludes to. The deepest need of every human being is a spiritual one, the restoration of the fractured relationship with their Creator God. This is only possible through faith in Jesus Christ, who died and rose again to forgive our sins and to offer an eternal relationship with Him for all who believe. The telling of this "good news" is at the heart of our mission.

The month of July again witnessed this “Double Harvest”. It began with a Sports Camp for junior high kids. Key character traits: discipline, teamwork, sportsmanship, combined with skill training and relevant stories of Bible characters were built into these youth. Children were the focus of the next week as a youth mission team from Kindred Church in CA joined our Haitian leaders to conduct Vacation Bible School at our school facility. Over 8 months of planning and preparation paid off as over 300 kids enjoyed games, crafts, Bible classes and a nutritious noon meal. Then in the afternoon, this motivated CA team went to work constructing a new playground for the school, the funds for which were raised by the church. The dedication ceremony at the final VBS meeting was a time of great rejoicing!

Eye care, work projects and Bible distribution during the following weeks were the focus of a partnering mission team from Living in Faith. Increasing numbers of Haitians are enjoying the beauty of God’s creation through acuity exams and correct prescriptive glasses. Through these efforts and more, spiritual eyes have also been opened. We thank you for your participation in this dual mission.