As you know, our one year start-up funding was cut prematurely back in August of this year.  It would be an understatement to say this radically affected the day to day operations and forward momentum of establishing CIM-US.  

Out of necessity, Jonathan and I have redirected much of our energy and focus to securing employment to provide for our families.  We are both still unemployed, so please pray for both of us.  Grant, Jonathan and I are spending the remainder of this year adjusting our short-term plans in light of our current situation.  We continue to meet every other week to keep things moving in the right direction.  I am also courting 2-3 churches that have expressed interest in becoming active partners with CIM.

OUR FIRST CHURCH-to-CHURCH PARTNERSHIP

I am excited to announce the establishment of our first official church partnership with The Crossing Church in Clermont, FL.  Kendal Anderson is the lead pastor and a good friend of mine.  Kendal has a HUGE heart for people and immediately connected with the vision and mission of CIM.  

Over the next few weeks we will be working out the details of our partnership. We will be connecting The Crossing Church with a CIM church in Kensckoff, Haiti.  The church was started in 2003 and currently has about 75-100 people total (including children). 

Not long after the church was started, they opened a school for k-5^th and last year had an enrollment of 65 children.  They had erected a building a couple of years ago, but it was completely destroyed when Gustav hit Haiti a few months ago.  Kensckoff is located about an hour from Port-au-Prince in the mountains. The partnership will include annual trips, financial support, collaborating on future projects, ongoing communication and much more.  This is an important FIRST of MANY church partnerships.

GRANT TRAVELING TO HAITI

Grant will be traveling to Haiti in the next couple of months.  Here are a few of his objectives:

·        Meet with leaders at the Kensckoff church to identify current and future needs that can be met through the partnership with The Crossing Church (this includes the potential of a new building)

·        Meet with pastors/leaders in Port-au-Prince area to identify ongoing needs and to encourage them

·        Research the establishment of a central office for CIM in Port-au-Prince (mostly focusing on the technical/communication issues that we would face)

We will be sending out pictures, relevant updates and information after he returns. 

STILL COMMITTED TO A TRANSFORMED HAITI

Although we have had to make adjustments to our short-term plans, there are many things that have not changed.  First and foremost, I wanted you to know that we are still very much committed to our mission…a transformed Haiti.  Our brothers and sisters in Haiti have not given up hope and neither have we. 

PLEASE PRAY FOR…

·        Our brothers and sisters in Haiti who are still rebuilding after the devastation of the hurricane season

·        Pastors and leaders who work tirelessly to care for and lead our churches, schools and mission centers

·        Increase in personal and church partnerships here in the U.S.

·        Discernment, wisdom, creativity and productivity for us as we plan and strategize for 2009

Forward Together,

Kenny Ellis

If you weren’t there, you missed a fantastic time of explaining poverty, meeting Haitian leaders, and moving together toward a transformed Haiti!

Contact Us for updates and how to be involved with Cornerstone International Ministries.

kennyellis@cimhaiti.org
grantnieddu@cimhaiti.org

We will be covering a day in the life of a Haitian, local Haitian dishes, travel opportunities, and review what we are doing daily to serve our fellow man in Haiti.

Contact Kenny and Jenny, or Grant to let us know you will be coming!

kennyellis@cimhaiti.org
grantnieddu@cimhaiti.org

CHECK IT OUT HERE.

We had a great time presenting our trip objectives, goals accomplished, and some of the great stories from our latest trip in May.

If you would like to host a meeting or dinner party to hear about what is going on in Haiti, and how, together, we are making a difference, contact us!

Click to see the full-resolution set of images from our latest visit to Haiti: May 2008!

What will the team be doing in Haiti?

We will be hosting two training events for CIM pastors and leaders while we are there.  The first will be held Friday evening in the capital city of Port-au-Prince.  The second will be in Jonathan’s home town – Jean Rabel (Northwest Haiti).  We will also be delivering and distributing the rice/beans that many of you helped provide.  Over 300 families will receive a portion of this much needed food.  Lastly, we will be obtaining video and still camera footage to help us promote and invite others to join the great work CIM is doing in Haiti.  As the old adage goes, “a picture is worth a thousand words.”

Who is going?

Our team for this trip will consist of me, Grant Neiddu and Jonathan Capre.  Jonathan leads the CIM team in Haiti and will be the primary speaker/facilitator of the training events.  I lead the CIM team in the US and will be assisting Jonathan and leading a few of the training sessions.  Grant serves on the CIM team in the US and will be playing various roles – one of which is the official “photographer.”

How can you participate in this trip?

One of the biggest and most practical ways you can support us while we are serving in Haiti is to pray.  As you think about us over the weekend, offer up simple prayers related to our mission objectives stated above.

When we return we will send out highlights from the trip with photos.

Friends and Partners,

Kenny & The Team

Friday we arrive in Haiti midday. We will drive to Petionville, just southeast of the city, to stay the night.

Saturday morning we fly to Port de Paix. We will drive 4 hours west to Jean-Rabel. The rest of the day we have to ourselves I believe.

Sunday we will attend church, and then participate in a leadership meeting led by Jonathon Capre and co-hosted by Kenny Ellis. This will last the rest of the day.

Monday will be the completion of the leadership seminar. We then drive back to Port de Paix to pick up the plane as it makes its rounds to Cap Haiten, Hinche, Mirabalais, then back to Port-au-Prince.

Tuesday we will have to ourselves until our flight leaves around 4 p.m.

Below you will find the Google Map of our Trip to see where we will be. Enjoy!

Forgive our dust as we are striving to deliver a powerful organization that is dedicated to the revitalization of Haiti; from grass roots of the local villages to the marble steps of the nation’s government.

Check back soon for updates!