Truth Connect Serves Mission Discovery / HOLD the children Mission Team in Haiti. 11/15

Truth Connect was invited to Cap Haitien, Haiti to serve a Mission Discovery / HOLD the children mission team November 12 -17, 2015.  Each November Richard Rohde, Director of HOLD the children (Htc), leads a team to Cap Haitien to minister at a Htc school in the community of Limonade, located about 5 miles east of Cap.   Pastor Aleonce Bazile and the Alliance Church of Limonade hosted the team.

The mission team came from Port St. Lucie, FL and Silver Spring, MD.  Each year they make this trip and have developed special relationships with their Htc sponsor children.  The team helps take the children's pictures for the sponsorship program.  They also help with ongoing construction projects at the school and church. On Sunday we worshiped with the church in Limonade.  The mission team choir sang and I was asked to preach.  Since a baptism followed the service, I spoke on the meaning and purpose of baptism.  We then went to the ocean where Pastor Bazile baptized 14 new believers.  It was a great week of service in Jesus name!

Richard ask me to lead the devotionals.  Each evening the team gathered to debrief the day's events, worship the Lord in song and then focus on a devotional lesson.  The theme for the devotion was "Lord, Teach Us To Pray" where we took an in-depth look at the "Lord's Prayer."  The team had fun in their breakout groups digging into many Scripture references to gain a better understanding of the Lord's Prayer.

Karen is helping me on this trip.  When the Cap mission trip is complete we will then move on to Santo Domingo, D.R. for a Leadership Training Conference.

Mission Discovery / HOLD the children mission team, Cap Haitien Haiti.

Richard Rohde, Htc Director and Gary Stannis, leaders of the Port St. Lucie, FL team.

Pastor Rich and Dr. Jen Edwards, husband and wife leaders of the Layhill Community Church team from Silver Spring, MD.

These happy girls are part of the "HOLD the children" sponsorship program.  Sponsorship helps to provide a school uniform, learning materials, lunch, and teachers' salaries.  To learn more about HOLD the children please visit www.holdthechildren.org.

Htc lunches being prepared ~ rice and beans with a creole sauce ~ served to each child.

Karen Schreier with a Htc child.

HOLD school in Limonade is under construction while classes continue.  The men are building a bridge from the main school building to a preschool building. 

At an orphanage the team visited, Karen is surrounded by children.

I am preaching about baptism on Sunday morning and Pastor Bazile translates.

Pastor Bazile (with his arm up) and those who are about to be baptized.

Pastor Bazile baptizes woman in the ocean.

Truth Connect & HOLD the children Home ~ Lavaud, Haiti

Truth Connect was in Haiti for a Leadership Training Conference (LTC) March 22-28, 2015. The LTC took place in Port-de-Paix and hosted 50 leaders from the northwest region (please see previous blog post).  It was my privilege to provide the training for these leaders.  I also had the privilege of visiting HOLD the children Home in Lavaud, located about 6 kilometers east of Port-de-Paix. This orphanage is very special to me.  From 1998 until 2010 I served with Mission Discovery, an outstanding short-term mission agency.  While running mission projects for Mission Discovery the Lord directed me to create HOLD the children in the year 2000 to advocate for poor children in developing countries.  HOLD the children Home is one of the ministries that grew out of the original vision.  Richard Rohde now directs the program and provides excellent leadership in developing both the orphanage program and also the school sponsorship program.  Richard was leading a Mission Discovery team that was serving at the orphanage the same week I was there for the LTC. To learn more about Mission Discovery and HOLD the children please visit their web sites at www.missiondiscovery.org and www.holdthechildren.org.

There are plenty of children to love and hold at HOLD the children Home, Lavaud, Haiti.
Here I am with four children who just wanted to be close to me.  

 Richard Rohde, Director of HOLD the children with a special friend at the orphanage.

Sitting under the mango tree at HOLD the children Home. 

Visiting orphans in Kenya

Truth Connect conducted a Leadership Training Conference in Eldoret, Kenya last month.  It was a huge success.  Our training team finished its classes early one day so we could travel two hours by car to the northwest town of Kitale.  Bishop Chris and Word of Life Harvest Church has a ministry to orphans in Kitale.  Richard Rohde, Director of "HOLD the children," a child advocacy and sponsorship program was working to bring one of the school/orphanage on-line with his program.  To learn more visit www.holdthechildren.org.  Truth Connect endorses this ministry and encourages you to consider sponsoring a child through "HOLD the children."

Lead teacher briefs our team on some of the challenges she is facing.

Bishop Chris, Linda Gundlach, Gerry Whysong, and Rich Rohde listen to the children.

Our first stop in Kitale - what a joy to see the children and loving staff.

Dr. Don blesses the children in Jesus name.  After each blessing, the child responded, "Amen."

School / orphanage 2 - the children sang upon our arrival.

God's beautiful children in Kitale, Kenya school.

The children were given a piece of bread and cup of drink during our visit.

Truth Connect Visits Kenya

Richard Rohde and Don Schreier are on their way to Kenya this week.  They are going to visit with Bishop Lusweti and his leadership team in Eldoret, western Kenya.  Their mission is to set-up a Leadership Training Conference for March of 2013.  Lord willing, Don will be posting updates with pictures each day or as he is able.

Rich Rohde, Director of HOLD the children.

They would greatly appreciate your prayers for guidance and safety.  Richard is the Director of "HOLD the children," a child advocacy and sponsorship program, he also serves on Truth Connect's board of directors.  God is leading both men for His purpose and it is for this reason they give thanks and praise to the Him.  Don is looking forward to sharing their experience in Africa with you!

Don & Karen Schreier, Founders of Truth Connect.

Haiti - A Very Special Place

Truth Connect will conduct a leadership training conference in northern Haiti next month.  I am looking forward to returning to this country that has made such a huge impact in my life.  My first visit there in 1999 was truly memorable - interpret that to mean severe culture shock - I couldn't wait to leave!  But, I recovered from that initial trip and God has allowed me to return to Haiti many, many times.

Over the years I led a number of  Mission Discovery teams (www.missiondiscovery.org) into Port-au-Prince and Port-de-Paix where we partnered with pastors and local churches to serve the poor, i.e., just about anyone you meet there.  I had the privilege to create a child sponsorship program in Haiti called HOLD the children.  HOLD  helps poor children attend school and provides them with necessities like pencils, uniform and a school lunch (www.holdthechildren.org).  Haiti's history and culture are so captivating that I researched and wrote a book  about it and how HOLD the children is making a difference there.  If you would like a PDF copy of the book, email your request to don@truthconnect.org.  There is no charge but a donation would help Truth Connect as it serves the poor and needy.  Please write out your tax-deductible check to Truth Connect and send to P.O. Box 5608, Johnstown PA, 15904.

In December, 2010 I left Mission Discovery and HOLD the children for a new calling and to start a new, non-profit ministry called Truth Connect.  The Lord has placed in my heart the strong desire to educate and encourage Christian leaders to be disciple-makers where they live.  There are many church leaders around the world who love the Lord and are passionate to lead the local church but lack basic training in Bible and leadership skills.  It for these Christian leaders that Truth Connect exists - to educate, encourage and empower them to be disciple-makers for the glory of God!  Truth Connect recruits skilled Christian trainers to go where these needy leaders live and educate, encourage and love them.  Truth Connect needs not only trainers but project helpers and prayer walkers too.  If this sounds of interest to you, please contact me to learn more.

In a few weeks I'll return to Haiti with another trainer-friend for a leadership conference.  And, when I think of Haiti, I see pictures of people and places that are special to me.  God has taught me so much through my Haitian friends - young and not so young.  I am thankful to God for them all.

HOLD the children sponsor child.

HOLD the children  school teacher.

Don with the HOLD the children's very first sponsor child, Sedler (left).  

HOLD the children Home under construction in 2008, Lavaud, Haiti.

River near Port-de-Paix airport has many uses.

The primary problem children face in Haiti is hunger.

Dr. Don and Pastor Exante with orphans living at HOLD the children Home.

A friend with Dr. Don at evangelistic outreach in Port-de-Paix.

 Haitian kitchen.

One of Don's first trips to Haiti - what an impact!

Pastor Bolivar, Pastor Exante, Dr. Don in Lavaud, Haiti.

Pastor Bazile and his father - Cap Haitian.