Greetings to you all in our Lord Jesus! Thank you for praying for us and for PPI. The Lord is working through your prayers! As fall begins, we wanted to share some of what’s happening right now and related praise and prayer requests.
Six Courses by Year-End
We’ll return to northern Haiti in early November then to northeastern Haiti in December. With the Lord’s help, we will offer three PPI courses each trip, six (6) courses in total through the end of 2025. We praise God for providing through His people (all of you!) for the increased number of courses we are able to offer this year!
Please pray for us as we prepare all the materials for these two training trips (600-800 lbs for each trip). Our shipping dates will be back to back, so we need to have everything organized and labeled well to avoid confusing Missionary Flights staff (who fly our shipments to Haiti) and our Haitian team on the receiving end.
Please pray for me (Ken) as I finishing writing Course 6 this fall. I thank the Lord for His Word and the teaching ministry of the Holy Spirit, and sense His leading as I study and write the course for effectiveness.
Course 6 is about spiritual warfare as you can see from the title. Please pray that the Lord will protect Rena and me, our children and grandchildren as well as our Haitian team and their families from the attacks of Satan. God’s enemy has a lot of freedom to work in Haiti, and I’m sure he will not be happy with Biblical and practical teaching about our victory over him in Christ!
On a personal note, Rena and I completed a 3-day cycling trip (the Dalmac) to the Mackinac Bridge over Labor Day weekend. I participated in this group ride several years ago, and we wanted to do it together. It worked out this summer. We enjoyed the ride in God’s creation, the time with friends who rode with us, and opportunities to meet and talk with many others on the ride – believers and unbelievers. We praise God for this “cycling vacation.”
Thank you all again for praying for us. We pray for all of you as well, your church leaders and congregations. Please let us know how we can praise God and pray specifically for you right now. We’re honored to lift you up to our Father’s throne of grace.
The Apostle Paul shares an amazing insight in Galatians 3:8 (quoting Genesis 12:3):
And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “In you shall all the nations be blessed.”
”Nations” certainly refers to nationalities, or ethnic groups. Some translations read, “In you, all families on earth will be blessed.” But this promise also extends to nations as political entities. Through the life-transforming power of Jesus Christ, nations will be blessed from their bureaucracies to their back streets. As Paul says in Colossians 1:20 (my summary), “Jesus died to fix everything !” And God had planned it all along, preaching the gospel to Abraham.
That’s the promise we stand on as we train church leaders in Haiti. The Lord Jesus, through the power of the gospel proclaimed and lived out by His church, can change this broken nation. Humanly speaking, it seems impossible. The history is too distorted, habits of life too ingrained, corruption too deep. But we belong to a Savior who defeated the grave and crushed the head of the Serpent. Nothing is too hard for Him! So we serve with all the energy, diligence and joy He gives.
July/August Training
Thank you for praying for our latest training in northeast Haiti. From July 31-August 8, we offered Courses 1, 2 and 5 in two cities, Course 5 for the first time. It was well received by 105 church leaders! This course is our second of two courses on church leadership, titled (in English) Leading Jesus’ Church (Leaders and Organization). In Part 1 of the course, we study leadership roles and titles in the New Testament church, leader qualifications and the biblical process of appointing church leaders. In Part 2, we focus on organizing all aspects of a local church around the Lord’s mission of making disciples, meetings and mentoring, financial management and church discipline – all through the lens of Scripture and aimed practically at making local churches effective for Christ.
Haitian church leaders searched the Scriptures, discussed the issues even during their breaks and lunch time, and had a LOT of questions. On the last day of the course, they didn’t want to stop! They asked if we could continue the course. Our team praised the Lord that He encouraged, instructed and challenged church leaders through this new course. May He use this course – and all PPI courses – to strengthen His church and bless the nation of Haiti.
Closed Door, Open Window
Speaking of nations, we need to postpone PPI training in the Dominican Republic (DR) because of travel restrictions on Haitian nationals. Our plan was to introduce PPI courses to Haitian church leaders in two cities in the DR in November. Our core Haitian team (Jasmin, Isaiah and Hebert) would travel with me to the DR to assist me in launching PPI training there with excellence.
Unfortunately, the DR government – like the United States – now prohibits Haitian nationals from entering the DR for any reason, unless they have a current visa to the U.S., Canada or EU, which none of our guys now possess. (Isaiah’s U.S. tourist visa expired last year, and we have found it impossible to renew right now.) We worked hard on all the possibilities, but concluded that for now the door to the DR is closed to us.
But God had plans! On my way to and from Haiti in July-August, I talked with several people about options for travel to southern Haiti. They came out of the woodwork. Clearly, the Lord was opening a window! I talked and prayed with our team about the situation in DR and about training in southern Haiti for the first time in mid-2026. They’re hugely excited! We all sense the Lord’s leading in this step.
Please pray for us as we work out the details. Safe travel there will be more expensive, and we need to figure out the best shipping option. Carrying 600-800 lbs of Bibles and training materials to southern Haiti will be tricky to say the least! Yet we sense the Lord’s leading and know that He will make a way for us – in order to bless this nation of people that He loves.
We’ve had a good first week in Haiti. We began with a “beach day” with our core team and their families – a first for them and they loved it! Along with playing in the water, talking and praying, and enjoying a nice dinner together, I marveled at the changes in our team families.
Isaiah and Celina had their second baby, Blessly-Love, in May, and big sister Naomy has grown into a happy, talkative 3-year-old. Jasmin and Olimene’s daughter, Jasmine, is now a thoughtful and athletic 6-year-old. Hebert looks forward to his marriage to Nanjee, who begins her last year of nursing school in the U.S. this fall. Thanks so much for praying for our Haitian team and their families!
After taking families back home, we traveled to Fort-Liberté to lead Course 2. We first offered PPI training in this “chief city” (capital) of the Northeast Department last year. A number of church leaders told us this week how their ministry has changed since they learned to use the Thompson Bible. They now understand the importance of God’s Word to all aspects of their ministry, and they’re excited to study Scripture for themselves. They jumped into Course 2 with energy! Thank you for faithfully praying and giving to make this training possible.
After completing Course 2, we drove an hour south to Ouanaminthe, our “home base” city. I am amazed at how the city continues to change. The population is growing leaps and bounds. So many Haitians are relocating here to get away from the violence and hardship in and around Port au Prince. Situated on the border of the Dominican Republic, Ouanaminthe enjoys a better economy and quieter living conditions compared to many other Haitian cities. It would rank high on Haiti’s list of “best cities to live in.”
Tomorrow we start a week of training here, beginning with Course 5 and concluding with Course 1. Both courses likely will be full. We’re praying that God will use PPI courses – and how we lead them – to strengthen church leaders in the Way of Jesus, which leads to real, lasting change in churches, neighborhoods and, ultimately, this nation. Please pray for us this week!
We’re so thankful for Missionary Flights International (MFI)! Without this mission organization, we could not ship Thompson Bibles, course workbooks and other training materials into Haiti. We also would have a difficult time flying in and out of Haiti ourselves. MFI, quite literally, provides one of our last links right now to church leaders, churches and communities in Haiti, dear people who need encouragement, training and resources.
Joe Karabensh, president of MFI recently summarized the realities of travel to Haiti:
“Last fall MFI had to discontinue flights to Port-au-Prince, Haiti, when the airport was shut down due to three major airlines [American, JetBlue and Spirit] receiving bullet holes in their aircraft from gang members. For over six months now there has been an FAA ban on flights to Haiti’s capital city, but MFI continues to fly needed mission personnel [including PPI!] and supplies to airports in the north and Haiti’s central plateau. As gang violence escalates across Haiti, more than one million people are now displaced, many for the second or third time as gang activity spreads. With critical shortages of food, clean water, medicine, and hospital care, the country faces a growing humanitarian crisis.
“In these dark times, MFI remains a steadfast lifeline for over 600 Bible-centered organizations [including PPI!] working tirelessly to share the Hope of the Gospel throughout the Caribbean Basin. By God’s grace, and through the faithful support of our donors, MFI continues to serve those who are serving on the front lines.”
CLICK HERE to learn more about and give to MFI. They are worthy of your support!
Pray for This Trip
I return to Haiti in 10 days (on MFI) where our team will lead three PPI courses in two northeastern cities. We’re excited to offer Course 5, Leading Jesus’ Church – Leaders and Organization, for the first time! Many pastors have waited eagerly for our second course on church leadership, and we are praying God uses this study to strengthen church leaders and the church in impacting their communities through good deeds and the Good News. Please pray with us!
A few other praises and prayer requests:
* Thank the Lord for MFI and our ability to continue to travel in and out of Haiti.
* Praise God for widespread desire of pastors to participate in PPI training. God is giving us favor and much fruit right now!
* Thank the Lord for the completion and translation of Course 5.
* Ask the Lord to strengthen and protect our ministry team as we lead training in July-August. Without Him, we can do nothing that lasts for eternity.
* Ask the Lord to give church leaders eager, open hearts as we study God’s Word together and talk practically about its implications for our families, churches and communities.
* Ask the Lord to move the FAA to approve MFI’s third DC-3 by July 31. MFI needs their third DC-3 flying by early August to meet the present demand for passenger and cargo flights to Haiti. Without this third plane flying, I may need to find another way back to the U.S. in August! 🙂
The Lord’s blessings to all of you and your families. Thank you for praying for and partnering with us!
In Course 2, Our Powerful Gospel, we focus on the essential truths of the gospel by studying Romans chapters 1-5:
God’s rights and wrath
Our rebellion and hypocrisy
Jesus’ sacrifice for us
Our response – saving faith
In a final, key assignment, each pastor writes their personal testimony – how they came to understand their need for Christ and turned to Him in repentance and faith. This assignment tests church leaders’ understanding of gospel truth and gives them, as God’s redeemed, the opportunity to say so (Psalm 107:2). Church leaders share their faith stories with one another in small groups, and we invite a few church leaders to share their testimony with everyone. The stories are as unique as each person.
Pierre Fedelquin, a young pastor, shared that he grew up in a Christian home but rejected Christ. After secondary (high) school, he moved to Port au Prince to pursue a career in acting and singing. He began drinking and taking drugs, a habit that quickly took over his life. One day, Pierre took drugs in the morning, went to work. After work, he drank so much that he had trouble breathing. He thought he as going to die. Half conscious, Pierre saw himself standing before God. The Lord questioned him about his rebellious choices, and he could say only, “I don’t know why I’m doing this. I’m guilty.” In his vision, Pierre heard Jesus say to him, “I’m going to make you an example to others for Me.”
He woke up in a hospital bed. His wife was there, moistening his mouth with water. He began to weep and told her, “Keep giving me water! I have to tell you what happened to me!” Pierre told his wife about his vision. The following Sunday they went to church, and Pierre confessed Jesus as his Savior and Lord.
LeFran Silvio, a seasoned church leader, told the group that his life started badly. His father worked for a Vodou witch doctor, and LeFran and his siblings beat the drums for the mystical Vodou ceremonies. When he was 12, he knew he had a choice to make. Either he would turn to God or he would follow in his father’s footsteps. Soon after this realization, during a mystical ceremony, devotees of the witch doctor came for LeFran but he ran from them and escaped.
Pastor François (the host pastor for our training) and his wife had ridden their bikes to LeFran’s village of Sabonet to tell people about Christ. LeFran went to François on the street and told him, “I want to be converted to Christ!” François prayed with him and immediately put him in a young man’s singing group at his church to help him grow spiritually. LeFran smiled as he said, “God has changed my life!” When the witch doctor in LeFran’s hometown was dying, he asked that LeFran and a few other Christians visit him and tell him about Jesus. LeFran was overjoyed to do that!
Sharing our testimonies with one another leads to joy and worship! Following this time of worship, I lead a session in our course called “Gospel Truth in All of Ministry.” I remind pastors that the gospel of Jesus Christ is the foundation of the church. We must not add to it or take away from it. God has tasked us with proclaiming the good news of Jesus clearly, compassionately and persuasively. The Holy Spirit will do the rest because “the gospel is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes . . .” (Romans 1:16) We then talk about specific ways to strengthen gospel truth in our churches through personal testimonies and in our preaching and teaching.
What’s your story? When did you first understand that you needed a Savior and that Jesus alone is that Savior? What and who did the Lord use to lead you to turn from your sinful, selfish ways and confess your faith in Jesus Christ, who paid for all your offenses through His death and resurrection? I encourage you to write your personal testimony, worship the One who rescued you, and share your story with your family and friends. I once was blind but now I see! I once was lost but now I’m found! I once was religious, but now I have a personal relationship with God! The Lord uses a Christlike life and a compassionate, courageous witness to spread His good news far and wide!
