Mission Statement

Chicago Metro Presbytery exists to extend the gospel and to oversee the work of the ministry of the PCA throughout the Chicago Metropolitan area to the glory of God.
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Friday, February 28, 2014

Haiti Team Prayer Request

There seems to be a little stomach bug/fever kind of thing starting among our team. They are all at Maniche and ministry is moving forward, but prayers that God would allow them to rally against these germs would be most appreciated. No one wants to sideline themselves on the last day! Meds are being given to those who are feeling the effects and there's no reason for alarm - but prayers will help the team finish strong. 

More of an update as usual tonight...

Updated: This from the team leader...thanks SO much for praying them through the day...more later...  
"JUST got back. An incredible but long day. God definitely saved the best for last. Amazing. 140+ patients meeting major needs. Team exhausted but thrilled. Sick ones hanging in there.... What a day."

Haiti Mission Team | Update Feb 27

"I don't always eat this well at home!"

Ice cream? In Haiti? Bluebell brand, even!

The new cook at the guest house, Onin, has certainly turned things up a notch or two. She seems to have a knack for finding the good stuff around Cambry for our team to eat. The ice cream today was especially well timed as it was the second team birthday in as many days. Happy birthday to Dr. Ethan!

Lots of great pictures from today, in two chapters:

The teaching team stayed behind for another "split squad" day of teaching. The pastors who came had such a deep appreciation for our teachers and the training they received - so hungry for good teaching and grace drenched theology - that our guys were deeply touched and privileged to be with them. It is fair to say that the heartfelt thanks, hugs, and tears of appreciation recharged their tanks and they felt they got more than they gave.






There was a special guest there today - the "president". President of a coalition of churches in Haiti, that is, but having him a part of things today made it an even bigger deal for the pastors attending. 

And then there was the adventure filled day in Port Salut for our medical and children's team. Actually, the adventure was coming and going. The time in Port Salut was pretty much as expected. The team saw about 50 patients, young and old (the oldest was 94 - quite an unusual thing in Haiti!) Typical things like wound care, malaria testing, chicken pox, and scabies wash. A good day of ministry. The pictures of the kids will melt your heart!





So, the adventure? Driving in Haiti can be hair raising, as traffic laws can seem to be more guidelines than anything else, and not exactly strictly enforced. You just hope everyone is paying attention, for the most part. On top of that, driving a big bus down small lanes and twisty roads and on mountainsides with no barriers at the edge can be, well, dangerous. Those of you who took seriously our request for prayers for travelling safety last night are to be commended for your faithfulness in doing so. Your prayers were answered.

The first three incidents were minor. A knocked over shoe stand (big bus/little road...it happens). No harm, an apology and they are back on their way. Then a small bump to the car ahead of the bus that knocked out a taillight. Another apology, a new tail light (that for some reason just happened to be available on the bus), a little help getting it installed and back on their way. Third incident, again involving their big bus, little road, and scraped paint. At least no other car this time. Those were all on the way TO Port Salut.

The way home was a bit more intense. A wind-y road on a hillside, a big bus. Around a curve was a scooter parked in the road, temporarily abandoned by its owner. The driver of the bus sees a BIG truck coming but both need to do some kind of swerve to miss the scooter and in an instant it's become an unintentional game of "chicken" in the same lane with a sharp drop making it impossible to do otherwise. Those on the bus are still not sure how there was no major collision. Just at the last second, the big truck is able clear the scooter in the road and swerve back into his lane without hitting the bus head on, but the back of his truck (did I say it was a BIG truck?) fishtails back into the bus' lane at about 40 mph. Fortunately it doesn't hit head on, but sideswipes the bus's big side view mirror and takes it with him. 

Once everyone on the bus started breathing again, the driver and interpreters (and the truck driver) decided to have a well timed word with the scooter driver. All are safe and grateful for your prayers and Philemon's cool head and good reflexes. 

And there was some beach time on the way back! Check out the pictures of the beautiful beach and mountains in the background. 

Tomorrow the team is together again, going to a new location. Manishe is the site of two new church plants and they are welcoming the team as a community service sponsored by the churches as a means of outreach to the community. The team is excited to once again "open" a new location, as our team did a few years ago in Savanne. Maniche is not as hardscrabble as Savanne and they have been told to expect a warm welcome including music and street preaching. It's about 30 minutes away (yes, by bus!) from the Guest House.




This will be their last day of ministry in Haiti, as Saturday is devoted to travel. The team is a little weary from long days but not exhausted or emotionally spent. In fact, the team meeting went a bit long tonight not out of necessity but because of the sharing, stories, and laughter. Wonderful. 

Please pray:
  • For the people of Port Salut and the ongoing work of the church in that city. Pray that the gospel would continue to take root and spread and lives would be renewed. 
  • For the pastors going home from the conference to shepherd their flocks. Pray that God would allow the teaching they received to sink deep and become a source of encouragement and a springboard to further knowledge of the truth of God's word.
  • For continued health for the team as the week comes to a close, and for good rest the next two nights. Praise God for the fellowship and joy they've had in their hard work this week.
  • For continued safety. 

And now for the pictures. The file names will tell you the story. 

Thursday, February 27, 2014

Haiti Mission Team | Update Feb 26

Three of our team stayed back at the Guest House today to host a pastors' conference, translated by Louis. Craig, Erik, and Ted taught all day making it as interactive as possible, and will continue tomorrow. Besides lots of really practical teaching, our teachers were able to connect personally with these faithful servants who were ready to soak up everything they heard. Louis was diligent to make sure it was being understood and applied, walking around the room as he translated and checking note-taking technique and even spelling. He really wanted these guys to get it right! At the end of the day, the pastors were randomly called up to be "quizzed", and laughter ensued at the expense of those who had the misfortune to answer incorrectly. Our guys at the back buzzed their wrong answers and Louis pretended to hang his head in shame. A good time and sweet fellowship was had by all. Some pictures are attached below. One picture is of the new mayor of Maniche, where the team will go on Friday. Two new churches have just been planted there.




During lunch the pastors were able to stroll down the hill to visit the small medical team working at the Cambry orphanage seeing mostly community folks today. A second benefit for them!

Most of the team went back to Savanne in a bit of of a rainy spell this morning - a few drew the short straw and wound up in the back of truck for that wet ride (picture attached). But the rain eventually subsided for a day of good and helpful medical ministry there. A faithful friend of our team came all the way from Jeremie to be with them in Savanne today. Dou Dou is quite an imposing figure and is always a reassuring presence. Philemon, another friend to our teams, was also along for the day as well as the translators. The team was able to check in with Vilia Seidi and her nine children while in Savanne. She had met a previous team after just being widowed; her newborn was in grave health so she came to see that team's doctors. Making ends meet remains hard, though. The ten of them live in a home that is smaller than a typical one car garage.

Back at the Guest House at the end of the day, it was time for some re-grouping for tomorrow and a small celebration as one of our team members, Mackenzie, celebrated her 18th birthday today. Two other 18 year olds, Sophia and Martina (fourth picture), wished her well.





Things on a practical level are good for the team - the food is varied and enough, the water is running, the toilets work, and the electricity is (mostly) on. These are all things that can't be taken for granted on a visit, so they are grateful for these blessings. The weather has not been oppressive and sleeping has been comfortable enough. Wildlife continues to run amok - for the past two nights bats have swooped during dinner, much to the chagrin of several. But no "too close" encounters with tarantulas! Everyone is healthy.

Tomorrow the team minus the teachers goes to Port Salut, about an hour's drive away. There's a church and a small orphanage of about 60 kids who haven't had a medical team visit since our team was there 6 months ago.The children's ministry will be busy loving on the kids while they wait their turn with the medical team. Port Salut is probably one of the most beautiful villages in Haiti, right on the ocean. There just may be a chance for the team to stop and look at the white sand beaches and blue ocean on the way home!

 Please pray for:
The pastors who are coming to the training. Ask God to bless their ministries and use this time as refreshment for them. They are weary and carry a consistently heavy burden.
Our team, as they too are beginning to see and feel the unrelenting need of life and ministry in Haiti. They know that one team coming for one week can't meet the needs of Haiti but the level of need takes a toll on everyone who visits there. And yet - they know they are making a difference in the lives they touch even if they can't touch every life. That is sweet sustenance and cause for praise.
Pray for Vilia Seidi and others who share a similar story in Haiti. Ask that God would be her provider and her family's protector. Pray that He would meet their physical and spiritual needs.
Pray for continued health and safety for our team as they pursue different ministries tomorrow in different locations. Thanks to God for providing careful and caring guides Dou Dou, Philemon, Louis and others. (Dou Dou is the big guy in the middle of the last attached picture.)

Wednesday, February 26, 2014

Haiti Mission Team | Update Feb 25

It was a very good day at Savanne. The medical team saw 85 patients; unlike other trips there very few were in dire health. But stories of pressing need were seemingly everywhere. Here are a few situations in which the team was able to make an immediate and potentially life changing impact:
  • A child close to a year old had a herniated umbilical cord, something the team couldn't deal with onsite but they were able to give funds for the child to go to the hospital for the needed surgery. Without money up front, the parents could not have taken her for medical attention.
  • A local policeman whose son is epileptic came seeking help. He was very clearly not interested in anything spiritual, but after being shown care and respect (and very real help for his son including funds for medicines available at the hospital) he allowed the team to explain about Jesus' love and let them pray for the child and the family. 
  • Antoine, whom some of the team met a few years ago as a newly widowed father with two children and very little hope, was with the team today. Since their initial meeting, Antoine has become a follower of Jesus and remarried. An educated man, he was despairing of finding work in Savanne but decided to try to start a business of his own; he bought a motor scooter out of the proceeds of the sale of some land his wife owned and thought to be a "taxi" driver with the scooter, apparently a common way of travel around Savanne. But two months ago, he was held up, shot at, and robbed of his new scooter at gunpoint. His wife has now gone to Port au Prince in hopes of finding work, leaving him and the two children on their own. The team decided to hire Antoine today as a helper and he worked very hard for them all day. The pay they gave him for a day's work will feed his little family for a few months. 
  • Fifteen year old Jessica is an orphan, first losing her parents at a young age and her grandmother a year or so ago. She now sleeps with whatever friends will take her in. She's never been to school. She has almost nothing. Pastor Monchera met her today with the team and he will see what he can do to move her towards some kind of education that will lead to meaningful work.
The team is very grateful that God knew the funds the team traveled with could be better used in Savanne than at the airporton Saturday, and grateful for those who gave sacrificially so the team would have funds for needs such as these.




The children's ministry was a busy and slightly crazy place today, with 150 children coming through in small groups to hear a bible story and paint shirts that they got to keep (pictures attached). The wait was long and patience ran thin for those waiting outside, unfortunately, so the team had to stop before they intended as things were getting a little out of hand outside. It's almost to be expected in Savanne, even with the best planning and experienced people on crowd control. 

And yet...there was peace and quiet and time for a quiet snuggle (third picture attached). Sometimes faithful service is given by holding a child. 

The team also got to catch up with an "old" friend, Jude, who became a believer on a previous trip to Savanne and is now a changed person in every way. Besides his new life in Christ and his place in Savanne as a growing believer influencing others, he's a self supporting fisherman thanks to a micro-business loan which he is committed to "paying forward" by bringing others into his business to support their families by fishing. He brought a bucket of "profit" to show the team today. He is so grateful and proud to be working and supporting his family. 





Tomorrow a shift in gears - the team will split up in three directions:
  • Three will stay at the Guest House cabana for a day of outdoor seminary classes for approximately 60 area pastors. The last time our team did this, pastors walked for up to two days to come and slept out under the trees at night. It's a precious thing for them to get teaching like this. Our team is ready to talk about the fruits of gospel transformation, and how grace understood and applied changes everything about life and ministry.
  • Three will go down the hill to the orphanage next to the Guest House to have a "community clinic"; the local Haitian nurse and an interpreter will be with our team members as well.
  • Eleven others will go back to Savanne to try to see those who were missed today. It's impossible to see everyone, but they will try to see perhaps 40 or so more. Three translators and a security person will be with them, as well as the pastor of the church in Savanne. 
Please pray for: 
  • Antoine as he seeks gainful employment and fights discouragement. Pray for protection for his wife in Port au Prince and for him and his girls in Savanne.
  • Jude as he continues to grow into a spiritual leader in Savanne, and for his fishing business. Ask that God bless it so others can benefit from gainful employment it can provide.
  • Jessica, who has shouldered more responsibility for her life than any teenager should have to. Pray that Pastor Monchera can find healthy alternative living situations and educational opportunities for her.
  • Our team as they re-group for a different day tomorrow. By now they are getting weary of the pace, surely, although equally encouraged and buoyed up by making a difference in so many lives in such a short time. Pray for health and good rest and good fellowship and support for each other.

Thank you for persevering through such a long update!

Haiti Mission Team | Update Feb 24

The team was greeted today with happy smiles on the healthiest kids they've seen at Cavillion. 

Just six months ago our last team to visit was concerned for the kids at this location, and steps were taken to raise additional funds to add protein to their diet in the form of beans to go with their twice daily rice. The effects are noticeable and very encouraging! See the first picture attached - what a precious smile!




The team, especially the Midwesterner contingent, is enjoying the summer-like weather of Haiti's "winter". The word "delightful" was used to describe their time working outside today, especially in the shade. 

A brief session with the housemoms prior to starting the routine of checking out the children will, we hope, improve the situation even further. Basic hygiene, which will allow for less water borne illness and also steps to work on eradicating a skin parasite called scabies, was taught to the adults who care for the children. 

The day unfolded with the children doing medical things first, including a scabies wash (a solution which kills the skin parasites), then new clothes. At "intake", vital statistics are taken and recorded. Next stop is to see a nurse and then on to a doctor as needed or to the pharmacy for vitamins or meds. All meds are labeled and sent on to the housemoms for them to manage for the kids. 

Next, some fun in the form of crafts and games and handing out gifts of journals prepared for the children by volunteers in Chicago. Housemoms also got a journal and a New Testament. Check the picture of the kids busily working on their craft to send back to sponsors and them showing off the completed work. 





They also received handmade cards from kids in Chicago, which they will go to great lengths to keep safe, usually under their pillow or mattress. It will be a treasured possession. 

As the orphans have grown to pre-teens and young teens, our teams noticed a growing need for some basic sex education and came prepared this time to talk to the older girls in small groups with the housemoms. Very basic ground was covered, including their right to say no to inappropriate advances of any kind and a short devotional on the value of their bodies as temples of the Holy Spirit. This was truly new information to them and it was clear they were impacted greatly by it. What the team anticipated would be a short 15 minute talk turned in to an hour including some private time with just the housemoms who had their own questions. We hope to build on this beginning over time at Cavillion as well as other places routinely visited by our teams.

Tomorrow the team will visit Savanne, a "suburb" of Les Cayes about 15 minutes by bus from the Guest House. Savanne makes the rest of Haiti look prosperous and well cared for. Even the Haitian Christians are impressed that our teams go into Savanne. There's almost 100% unemployment. A sense of spiritual darkness and decay is pervasive. But over the past three years, a church that was planted there has thrived, and our visiting teams have had effective and even catalytic ministry there as the gospel is preached in word and deed. Residents there are grateful that our teams come, especially parents who have absolutely no access to healthcare for their children, as in Haiti it's a 'pay as you go' system - no money means no healthcare. It is an intense place to minister as the needs are so great. 

Please pray:
  • For the day tomorrow in Savanne. The team has always felt safe there and Louis (ESMI leader) and several translators will be with them all day, but it is intense. Ask for calm and stamina and that the gospel would shine in every interaction. The team makes a point to pray for everyone they see, and the gospel is shared many times throughout the course of the day. Anywhere in Haiti there is a very real spiritual battle going on unseen, but in Savanne it can feel intense.
  • For the kids in Cavillion - for continued and improving health, for their housemoms to be proactive in the health habits that were reinforced to them today, and that their nutritional needs would continue to be well met. Pray, too, for the older children/young teens who are navigating their growing physical, emotional, and sexual maturation.
  • For continued health for the team. Everyone is doing very well. Sleeping comfortably (getting used to the rooster a bit) and electricity and water is adequate. They are enjoying each other's company throughout the day. Pray that the acclimation to the warmer climate would continue to be easy and even enjoyable.


Enjoy the pictures! The kids make it easy :)

Monday, February 24, 2014

Haiti Mission Team | Update Feb 23

Worship, rest, and LOTS of organizing. Then more worship. That pretty much sums up the day. Oh, and tarantulas. 

Tonight the pictures tell the story. It is hard to imagine how much stuff comes out of 34 duffel bags without some visual assistance. And to realize that all of the contents were donated (or, in the case of medicines, paid for by donated funds) is really humbling and encouraging for our team. To those of you who had a hand in that, they are so grateful to share your bounty with the people of Haiti. Every single thing will be used and appreciated!




A big part of the mission is meeting as many medical needs as possible. To that end, a lot of care is given to buying the right medicines in the right amounts for each trip, based on several years of experience doing these trips on a twice yearly basis. And once the meds get there, they are organized (and then re-organized daily) into several  "go bags" instead of taking everything everywhere and rummaging around as needed. This allows the medical team to be the best stewards of their time as they can possibly be while seeing patients. An entire "pharmacy" is set up at each site, and the teams work like clockwork to dispense what's been prescribed by the docs. 

A good bit of the bag space was taken up with clothes - shorts, shirts, dresses...and underwear. We take underwear for granted, but a lot of kids in the orphanages our teams visit have underwear because of our donors. Little ones are so proud of their first pair that they delight in showing them off! Older girls are receiving bras for the first time. Some teams take in shoes; it can vary from trip to trip. The goal is that each child seen by the medical team is given new clothes. 






And then there are the crafts and small gifts - this time, journals that will be cherished possessions to draw in, to write in, to have a something of their very own. As an orphan, it is a powerful thing to have something of your very own. The crafts this team has prepared will also give them a personal gift - a T shirt they the children will get to decorate with markers/paints. 

There were four worship services today, but only one or two of the team were at all four. Mostly the team was at the early worship at Bon Berger and the evening worship at Cambry. Here's a picture from this evening, a heartfelt, noisy, praise filled, "rockin' " three hour worship service. Electricity was spotty so some of it was in the pitch black, but no one missed a beat - things just kept going until the lights came back on. The other picture is of two of our team meeting up with a few kids on the way to worship. 

Tomorrow the team goes to Cavillion, where many of the children sponsored by individuals in some of our Chicago and Las Vegas churches live. Besides the medical stations and the children's ministry, a big goal is to take individual pictures of each child, something our teams try to do on a regular basis for the sponsors. It's a lot harder than it sounds, as the children are often too small to reliably report their names, a lot of names sound the same, and just to make things interesting some kids have the name they are known by and a second name the government has given them. And children, being children, rarely stand where you ask them to for long and easily lose interest in the whole process so you can't really keep track of them too well. The team members on this detail have their work cut out for them!

Some prayer requests:
  • Sleeping last night was comfortable, thanks to air conditioning, but punctuated by roosters starting their crowing at 3:30 in the morning, reliably on the half hour. The stray rooster, duck, chicken, turkey, cow, pig, and dog are just part of the scenery around the Guest House, but at 3:30 silence would be a blessing. Please pray for a good night's sleep every night.
  • For a smooth start to the day as they travel to Cavillion by school bus after devotions and breakfast. The hope is to leave by 8:30 and be back around 4:00 or 4:30. 
  • For great ministry with the children, being Jesus' hands and feet for the little ones, older ones, and adults who are working with the orphans. Pray that all feel loved and cared for by our team. 
  • For continued health and safe travel as the week goes on.
Oh - and the tarantulas? Sort of go with the territory in Haiti. Fortunately, they are (to most people) ugly and somewhat scary but are not really harmful. They seem to like to snuggle into the duffel bags, so the team learns early in the week to poke about carefully before reaching in. 


Thanks for your prayers and being a part of this "team effort".

Sunday, February 23, 2014

Haiti Mission Team | Update Feb 22

Thank you for your prayers for safe travel and a smooth trip through customs at the Port au Prince airport.

The team had a long day but a safe and uneventful one. The plane was only a few minutes late in arriving, and all the bags and their contents made it through customs without additional expense. The trip by bus to the guest house at Cambry, outside of Les Cayes, was long but uneventful, and after a dinner and some settling in, they are heading for bed. Truly a blessedly smooth day of transition.



There have been some improvements around the guest house, most notably a very large generator that should mean consistent electricity. That two of the window unit air conditioners are happily using that electricity but seem to be out of freon is just one of those "Haiti things" that our teams have come to expect. Fortunately, it is not too hot now that the sun has gone down. It is a safe place and very comfortable compared to much of the living situations in Haiti.

Tomorrow is a day of worship, rest, and preparation. One of our team members will preach at services at the local churches: Bon Berger (Good Shepherd), one in Savanne, and in Cambry, all before 11:00 in the morning. Our team will likely attend the first service at 7:00, then go back to the guest house for breakfast and perhaps catch the last service at 10:00. There's an evening service at 6:00 that they will attend as well.



In the afternoon, they will tackle the massive job of re-organizing the contents of 34 duffel bags (1700 pounds of supplies) for use during the week. Some may sneak down to the orphanage at the bottom of the hill to catch some play time with the residents. All will try to rest up a bit after this long day of travel and prepare for a very busy week.

Monday the team will be at Cavillion, and at Savanne (a "suburb" of Les Cayes) on Tuesday. Here's a map of Haiti that might help you orient yourself, although not all of their destinations are large enough to be on a map! Les Cayes is on the southern shore of the long arm of Haiti.

http://www.nationsonline.org/oneworld/map/haiti_map.htm

Two pictures of the team attached; one before boarding the plane in Miami, the second on the bus that took them from Port au Prince to Cambry.

They are in good spirits and looking forward to a week of ministry, and are grateful for the role you are playing in their week to come!




Haiti Mission Team | Update Feb 21

And they're off!

The team of 17, from three cities (Chicago, St. Louis, and Las Vegas) and representing 7 churches, arrived in Miami tonight before leaving the country tomorrow. Tonight was a quick dinner of pizza and a team meeting, where some of the team members met each other for the first time.



Eleven of the 17 have been to Haiti before, so there's a lot of experience on this team. Seven are medical professionals who will anchor several triage teams next week, alongside willing hands to do a variety of tasks like measuring height and weight and taking blood pressure and temperatures leading up to seeing one of the doctors. The great majority of their patients will be children.

There will be children's ministry teams at every stop as well, which is a source of great joy for all involved. The children, almost all of them orphans, revel in the attention and the small crafts that are prepared in advance for them to do.

During the last part of the week, three of the team will focus on pastor training. Haitian pastors from the region will come to Cambry for some intensive training by the pastors and educators on our team.
 
Our goal is to send an update once a day (probably late in the evening) with prayer requests and pictures. Please use the suggestions below to start our team off with your prayer support. Haiti is a wonderful, difficult, strange, hot, challenging place with very overt spiritual and physical challenges. The team relies on the power of prayer to see them through the week, and appreciates your willingness to pray for them very much.

Prayer Requests:
Generally, pray that the Lord Jesus will be exalted in this week, that He by the Holy Spirit will work powerfully in and through the team, that we will be of real encouragement and assistance to the church planting and ministry efforts of El Shaddai, that Satan will be bound, and that the gospel will go forth with great grace and power during this week. More specifically, please pray:


  1. For the safety and health of the team, good team unity and chemistry, and for safe travel to, within, and from Haiti. There are 17 team members from 7 churches.
  2. That all the bags will get through customs in Haiti on Saturday without any fees being charged or bags being confiscated
  3. For Ted as he preaches Sunday morning at the churches in Les Cayes and Savanne,  Erik as he preaches Sunday morning at Cambry, and Craig as he preaches at Cambry Sunday evening.
  4. For the Pastor Training Team (Ted, Erik, and Craig) as they seek to encourage and equip around 80 pastors from all over Haiti Wed-Fri.
  5. Pray for the Medical Team and Children’s Ministry Team as they provide care for some of the orphans and the surrounding community at Savanne (Mon), Cavaillon Tues and Wed), LaHatte (Fri), and locations to be determined (Thurs). 


Tuesday, February 4, 2014

Trinity Palos Heights

Trinity's Palos site will start weekly services this Sunday, Feb 9 @ 5:00 pm. 

A reporter from The Regional News, covering Palos Heights, Palos Park, and Orland Park, ran a favorable story about Trinity last week in anticipation of the services starting this week. 

Here's the link to that story: 


Trinity and Rev. Dennert covet your prayers as they move into this new phase, that God would be glorified in this worshiping community and that they would be able to help people find the gospel message.