Like a lighthouse in Great Lakes fog, Acts cuts through modern Christianity with vibrant, practical truth. I’m thinking about two truths from this New Testament book this morning as I wait to board the plane for central Haiti.

In Acts 10, Peter (a Jewish Christian) tells Cornelius (a Gentile soldier) and his family, “You yourselves know how unlawful it is for a Jew to associate with or to visit anyone of another nation, but God has shown me that I should not call any person common or unclean.” (Acts 10:28) God has shown me that I should not call any person common or unclean.

Every person is created by God in His image and is endowed by their Creator – not by us – with worth and dignity. This inherent value has nothing to do with where a person lives, how much they have, their level of education or career attainment. You and I are citizens of the United States not because we deserve to live in a wealthy, free nation, but because God willed it so. He gave us opportunities so many people in our world only dream of so we could bring glory to Him. That’s humbling and motivating to me!

I’m also noticing in Acts how often believers gather together to pray. The church began in a prayer meeting (Acts 1 and 2) and continued to pray as it expanded across the known world. Acts 12 shows us the habit of the early church. Herod imprisoned Peter, a popular move during the Passover holiday. The unscrupulous ruler probably intended to execute Peter as he had the Apostle James not long before. God had other plans. He sent His angel to remove Peter’s chains, open his cell and the prison doors. Peter found himself on the streets of Jerusalem and realized it wasn’t just a nice dream.

Scripture tells us: “When he [Peter] realized this, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John whose other name was Mark, where many were gathered together and were praying.” (Acts 12:12) Many were gathered together and were praying. This was the church’s habit, and God has challenged me for several years now to make it my habit. It’s easy for us as Americans to depend on our smarts, skills and resources – and fail to depend on the Lord for what’s really needed: God’s supernatural intervention.

I’m finishing this post a week after I started it – and got better internet! We will wrap up PPI Course 3 tomorrow with 82 church leaders. The Lord is working among us through His Word and His Spirit! Our team has worked hard to prepare for this course (and the two courses that follow next week). We’re committed to excellence and, at this point, have a pretty well oil machine. But hard work, commitment to excellence and efficient teamwork are not the main reasons God is moving in the hearts of church leaders in our training.

I’m convinced God is answering your prayers for us and our team’s prayer together. We have asked the Lord to fill us with His Spirit so that we can honor, encourage and equip each church leader who attends our courses over these two weeks. And we see Him answering your and our prayers together!

Rena and I especially enjoy the holidays on odd years. “Odd years” as in odd-numbered years. In these years, all our kids, grandkids, spouses and sometimes their friends make their way to Michigan for our biannual MacGillivray Family Christmas. (See pic below of Christmas 2025. Our growing part of Clan MacGillivray is on the left.) For a few days, 15 of us lodged at our house – joyful chaos!

On Christmas Day, Rena shared with all of us that she so enjoyed the anticipation and preparation of everyone coming home for Christmas. “How much more,” she asked us, “do you think God anticipated and prepared for the coming of His Son to this earth?” That thought stayed with me through the Christmas season and into this new year of ministry.

Progress

We’re so grateful for Kingdom progress in 2025. By God’s grace and your faithful partnership with us, 2025 was our best year ever! Here are the highlights:

• We offered PPI courses 15 times in Haiti – the most ever!
• We exceeded 1500 church leaders attending our courses in 2025 – our highest number in a single year.
• We finished and led Courses 5 and 6 for the first time in 2025.
• We saw 41 church leaders complete ALL six courses in our December training – we had an exciting graduation!

We thank the Lord for this progress in encouraging, training and resourcing pastors in Haiti!

Preparation

The ground gained in 2025 gives us a firm launching pad for this new year. After the holidays, we went to work preparing for our training in 2026 in Haiti and the Dominican Republic. In January, we:

• Purchased 560 Thompson Bibles (French)
• Bought 540 Creole Bibles
• Finalized the schedules and organized the details of our first three training trips – in February, April and May. We’ll also train in Haiti in Oct/Nov and Dec – 5 training trips to Haiti in 2026.
• Revised and reprinted Courses 1 and 3
• Wrapped up PPI’s year-end financial statements and 2026 proposed budget

Last week (Jan 28-30), three PPI ministry team members flew to southern Haiti to prepare for our training there in May. Isaiah, Jasmin and Phisner visited two key cities and decided on churches and pastors that would host our training well (see pics below). They determined the best lodging options for our ministry team and worked out plans for course meals. (Providing lunch for 120 hungry church leaders over three days of a PPI course is quite a task! Jasmin oversees that aspect of our training – and much more – so well.)

So January has been a month of prayer, anticipation and preparation. I’m excited to get back to central Haiti in mid-February, where our team will lead Course 1 and Course 3 (twice) in two cities there. We anticipate the Lord’s continued favor, lasting fruit and joy in the churches for His glory.

Thank you again, friends, for praying for us, encouraging us and supporting us in this Kingdom work. We thank our God every time we think of you! (Philippians 1:3-5) Will you pray specifically this month for:

• Our training in central Haiti – for soft, open hearts and the life-changing, church-strengthening work of the Holy Spirit, for protection and travels
• Final preparations for our April and May training trips
• For Rena and I as we navigate a complete kitchen and basement remodel after pipes in our kitchen ceiling/wall burst last week and did significant damage. Especially pray for Rena while I’m away for 17 days in February/March.

We thank the Lord for each of you and pray that He will give you and your family His wisdom and joy as you navigate this new year for His glory. Thank you again for partnering with us in this vital work!

I noticed the difference my first night back in Haiti. When darkness fell that evening and the streets grew quiet, I heard people singing. That’s not unusual in Haiti – a woman singing as she hangs laundry in her back yard, children singing as they walk home from school, and especially Christians. That’s what I heard now: believers in Christ singing to and about their Savior. I listened for several minutes, recognizing the tune and many of the words. Truth. Hope. Peace.

I told 112 church leaders about it the next morning. “Kontinye chante,” I encouraged them. “Keep on singing. Let people in your community hear the song in your heart, the hope you have in Christ.” And I asked myself, “Do people hear me singing?” (Unfortunately, some of our neighbors probably have had that pleasure.) Maybe not literally. Don’t we question the mental balance or at least the social sensitivity of people who walk around Target store singing aloud? Maybe we shouldn’t. We live in a different culture and spend more time indoors.

But can our neighbors, coworkers, family and friends hear the song of our lives? Not the audible refrains, but the hope and peace of Christ that flow from our lives? Now more than ever, those we rub shoulders with need to hear the inviting strains of our Savior ringing through our words and actions. LISTEN TO 92 CHURCH LEADERS SING

A Quick Update and Pics

We finished Course 1 in Fort-Liberté yesterday (Wednesday) and started Course 3 this morning. A total of 111 students successfully completing Course 1, earning a Thompson Bible. They were so excited. We have 92 church leaders enrolled in Course 3, our first course on church leadership. (They’re the group singing in the video tagged above.) When Pastor Modie concluded the song, they kept on singing: “Ma va ouie li. Ma konnin li, le ma kanpe bo kote jezi-kri.” (“I will see Him. I will know Him, when I stand by the side of Jesus Christ . . .”)

Pray that through the song of our lives, we all will give hope to one another as we meet together this week and next!