News & Notes

Family and Friends,

We hope your summer adventure is going well!  Ours has been  great, and we recently returned home from the annual trip to North-central Minnesota with Lynn's side of the family.  The kids had a great time on the beach and doing other activities with cousins, and we are getting to that stage in life where the kids are big enough for vacation to be relaxing!  You parents know what we are talking about.

The establishment of H.I.M. (Haitian International Missions) is going well.  Lynn and I (Cory) are planning to visit Haiti in October if possible, and we are fundraising toward paying for that trip.  We also would like to be able to take some funds to bless our national director, Zacharie, as well as the Deaf/Disabled School with which we are partnering.  For more information on those needs and other long-term needs, click on the tab above labeled "Current Ministry Needs Update."  To get back to the main page click on "Home" when you are finished looking at that.  A generous gift of $500 came in form some friends the other day, and we have designated that for a gift for the school when we visit in October.  Praise God!  We will update this list regularly as God provides through generous friends.

The main goal of our visit in October will be to better understand the vision and ministry of the Deaf/Disabled school in Les Cayes run by Laine Lucner and family.  We hope to come back with a more concrete understanding of how God is leading them into the future and what it would take, with regard to resources, to make that a reality.  We also hope God will deepen the burden on our hearts to help and serve the amazing and beautiful children of that school and their families.  No doubt that goal will be inevitable as we mix with those kids for several days and are inspired by their passion and joy for life and for God!

A secondary goal for the visit will be to connect with Zacharie, the director of H.I.M., for several days to work on ministry vision, visit some potential future ministry partners he has been scouting for us, and simply encourage one another, pray, worship, and fellowship together.  Of course we will also sneak in a day or so to visit old friends back in Ti-Riviere! 

Take notice also the "Translation" tab above, which will enable you to view this blog in other languages if that is your preference.  Haitian Creole and French are both available on the list.  Unfortunately, it changes the format of the text when you translate, and there is no guarantee that the translation will make complete sense, but it may be a helpful tool.  Enjoy!

URGENT PRAYER REQUEST:  Please lift up Zacharie, our ministry director, as he has been battling an extended illness.  We do not know if it is something that will be ongoing and serious, but he has been visiting doctors to try to discover what is going on.  Please pray for his healing and for his wife and child to be able to hold everything together. 

We have so much more to share, so look for more posts in the coming days.


There are only three kinds of Christians when it comes to world missions: zealous goers, zealous senders, and disobedient.
    Author: John Piper
    Source: The Driving Convictions Behind Missions, Nov. 2, 1996


Enjoy your adventure today!
-the grimm family adventurers

Current Partnership Opportunities

Family and Friends,

An adventure is only an inconvenience rightly considered. An inconvenience is only an adventure wrongly considered.
    Author: G.K. Chesterton


Originally this post itemizing our current needs was to be entitled "Hurdles to Overcome", but that doesn't seem express the idea correctly.  Our friends in Haiti have many needs, and so does the ministry back here, but each one of those "hurdles" is really a chance to build a relationship, and therefore we are looking at each item as a partnership opportunity, not a hurdle or inconvenience. 

"Consider it PURE JOY, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds!" 
(James 1:3)

"Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ."
(Gal. 6:2)

After briefly sketching out our basic needs in this post, we will keep the list handy on the blog in a spot where you can look back and see changes as well as updates explaining how needs have been met.  It will be a source of prayer requests as well as praises!



H.I.M. (Haitian International Missions) Current Needs:

Communication/relationship needs:

*Please contact us to learn more about these opportunities

1.  Help setting up our 501c3 (non-profit business)
2.  Website/Facebook/Twitter start-up, design, and maintenance
3.  Board Members
4.  Prayer supporters
5.  Advocates/Hosts for church connections and "A Concert of Prayer for Missions"
       -we would love to meet with your church's mission committee
       -"A Concert of Prayer for Missions" is a combination of prayer, worship, and teaching on
         missions to be hosted by churches, colleges, community groups, etc...   

2013 Financial needs:

*Please contact us to learn more about these opportunities.  Any donations will be handled through American Reformed Church in Luverne, MN.

1.  Cory/Lynn travel to and from Haiti 2 or 3 times                                    $5,000
2.  501c3 start-up                                                                                       $2,000
3.  Salary/Seminary for Zacharie, HIM director                                          $3,000  (paid!)
3.  Ministry tools for Zacharie (motorcycle/computer)                               $1,500
4.  Support for the Deaf/Disabled school (Laine Lucner)                      (any amount)
      -We plan to do a large capital campaign for the school this year and next year,
        but for now there are many needs regarding day-to-day expenses from food
        to travel to clothes to school supplies, and more students were recently
        accepted by faith into the program! 

2014 Financial needs:

*Please contact us to learn more about these opportunities.  We are currently taking pledges toward these goals to be collected throughout next year.

1.  Deaf/Disabled School Capital Campaign                                       (amount TBD)
     -We will know more about this after visiting Haiti this Fall, but we would like to
       help the school obtain a better property and facility, in addition to better resources
       in general for students/teachers.  This will be the largest expenditure next year.

2.  Grimm's Travel (Adventure) Expenses                                             $10,000
     -Our realistic goal is for Cory to travel to Haiti quarterly, Lynn bi-annually, and
       our kids once per year.  Each trip costs about $1,000-1,200 per person.

3.  Ministry Salary (Lynn)                                                                      $18,000
     -Lynn will run the office and oversee countless details, etc...
     -Our plan is for Cory to not receive a salary in 2014

4.  Ministry Salary / Expenses (Zacharie)                                                $5,000
     -$3,000 of this is already pledged, but we would like to increase this a bit as
       Zacharie will be taking on more responsibilities and travel.  We may also try
       to bring him to the US for additional education and training, as well as to
       meet ministry partners.

5.  Other Ministry Partnerships                                                              $10,000
    -Our goal for 2014 will be to begin basic partnerships with 3-5 other Haitian
     ministries and begin to support their efforts as funds are available.  In another
     blog post we will share how these relationships will work with regard to
     structure, accountability, expectations, and duration.

6.  Other Ministry Expenses                                                                      TBD
    -Undoubtedly other costs will come up from mailings to emergencies and other things in between. 


*We look forward to seeing how God matches up partners in the USA and Haiti for ministry.  All of these opportunities are a chance to invest in the types of ministries that we believe will truly bring about lasting change for the Kingdom of God.  May God continue to guide us all with His wisdom!


Thanks so much for reading this post, and may your adventure today be a blessing to you and those around you!

-The Grimm Family Adventurers!

Introducing Zacharie- PART 2

Family and Friends,

This is post #2 of 2 in the Introducing Zacharie series.  Zacharie is the director of H.I.M. (Haitian International Missions) in Haiti, the ministry we are now starting.  Please enjoy the remainder of his testimony followed by some more comments on his current role, etc...


(the following was written by Zacharie and edited by Cory)

In 2006 there was another important experience in my life.  One of my cousins told me there was someone who wanted to meet me.  I asked him who it was?  He told me the man was Jean Riviere, who had lived in Canada for the past 20 years but had returned to Haiti. I began to develop a friendship with Jean, and for the first time I visited his hometown of Petite Riviere. In the Summer of 2006, he asked me to spend a holiday with him, and to help him build a dance floor, and I agreed.

We started to work but then he told me he was returning to Canada and I could continue the project on my own. I said wow!  I did not know anyone in this town and Jean left me in a house with nothing, not even a bed to sleep on, and he left for Canada.  But he did speak with his sister to provide me food, which lasted only one month.  One day she told me that her husband did not agree to send me food anymore.  One day I met a girl in a disco and I began to talk to her and she became my friend; and then one day she came to me and asked me to tutor her sister for school.  I agreed, and it was Didi who is my wife today!  One morning she came to meet me to discuss plans for tutoring, and even though I had a great need of money, I told her she did not need to pay, it will be free! 

I started working with her every morning. One day she confided to me she did not feel good in her family.  She felt she was being maltreated, and was being forced to marry her cousin. I told her it was not a good idea to marry a cousin, and yet I was not Christian at that time. I asked her why she made such a decision, and she explained it was because her family wanted it. I advised her to try to do what was right.  The time came when she was supposed to go to Port-au-Prince to marry the cousin, but she said “No, I do not accept!”  At that time her family persecuted her, but I continued to talk to her everyday, and she spent most of her with me just to comfort her in all these problems. Over time we fell in love, and though I could not help her economically she accepted me. God provided for us.

Then one day I received a call from Jean Riviere my friend, and I told him I didn't want to continue with the dance floor.  My intention was to give this community a secondary school instead of a dance floor, but at that time we did not agree. Also, Didi's mother did not want me for her daughter because I had no money. Didi had many problems with her family because she would not marry her cousin. Despite her mother not wanting me, Didi’s mother provided me food everyday as well as money. That was a mystery even I do not understand.  It reminds me of how God took care of Elijah in the desert.  It was the same for me.

My dear brothers and sisters, Didi was a Christian at that time, but I was still a pagan. In July 2008 Jean Riviere returned to Haiti, and I told him again the secondary school is better for the community than a dance floor. So in October 2008 we opened this school. Didi was starting to invite me to church, and sometimes I accompanied her, and sometimes I went to a catholic church. My friend Jean was not Christian himself and yet God used him to bring me into this locality. A missionary group in that locality held a meeting and I was wondering, what king of meeting? Was it about economic development? I do not know!  A friend invited me and I said “No” because I am not familiar with the missionaries, but she encouraged me and I actually participated in the meeting. It was a group of missionaries who wanted to evangelize the people of the community and help them resist the trap of sexual filth. I was touched deeply and when I was leaving a missionary invited me to return with Didi.  When we came back he talked with us and I prayed to accept Christ.  I told him after the prayer it was important to me to change my life and serve the Lord and my community. He asked us if we would like to get married so we said yes.

After we heard that message we tried to abstain sexually but sometimes we still would fall. Didi became pregnant while we were making preparations for the wedding but it was hard for us, because sometimes we did what we didn't want to do.  I told her mother and she advised us not to tell the pastor and make him think Didi is not pregnant.  I told her yes my pastor doesn't know but God knows the truth. Anyway I have to tell the pastor the truth.  We wanted to marry in own church, but because of this incident it became impossible and we were forced to go to Cayes. But before I got married I said to Didi we have nothing, no bed, no table, but we will marry by faith, and God will bless us indeed!  So we married December 29, 2009.

After marriage I was living with the family of Didi for the first three years.   During that time we met a missionary family working with Mission Haiti known as the Grimm family.  Cory taught English at the school, and we became friends. Later this family left the country, but we stayed in touch with them, and today we are working together on a new project.  We have been able to find our own home, and today my family and I serve the lord!

My dear friends, you see how God is great and how he works in my life. He wants to do it for you too!  And those who have not yet made peace with him, I invite you to do that because he wants to get into your heart and work with you! God bless you my brothers and sisters!

It is our hope and plan that Zacharie will continue to write regularly for this blog, sharing his wisdom and testimonies with us.  He will be essentially the main face of this ministry in Haiti, acting as a sort of scout to help us find new ministries with which to partner, and also the direct source or regular encouragement and accountability.  We hope this approach will allow native ministry leaders to be totally authentic when dealing with the ministry and avoid any temptation to try to "do what the Americans want."  We have already seen how Zacharie is capable of quickly operating on a very personal level with Haitians from diverse backgrounds.

We feel it is very important to minimize our own control and coloring of the ministry.  In other words, most Haitians are accustomed to getting their orders for ministry vision from the outside, but we are encouraging them to listen to the guidance of the Holy Spirit and act in faith, trusting that they are worthy and capable to hear from God and lead their own community and country boldly toward a wholesome future in Christ.  This value is key for H.I.M., and more importantly for the spiritual maturity of the native leaders in Haiti as well as the long-term spiritual health of all people.

Zacharie will be attending seminary this Fall, and he will be in year 3 of 4 in that program.  He will be taking classes and studying as well as continuing to build relationships with outstanding Haitian-led ministries in the region.  It is our hope to visit him a couple of times this year and continue to iron out his vision for this ministry.  In the meantime we speak with him daily over chat, skype, or cell phone. 

Special thanks to American Reformed Church in Luverne (where I, Cory, am worship director) for partnering with us in the financial support of Zacharie, his family, and his ministry.  They have committed enough money this year to cover his bill for seminary, his ministry expenses, and to support his family (around $3,000...amazing how far money goes in Haiti, isn't it!).  It is our hope that this church will become intimately acquainted with this inspiring servant of God in the years to come and discover that their investment of resources is bearing incredible fruit.


Thanks Everyone, and be looking for adventures among family and friends (old and new) this 4th of July!

-the grimm family adventurers



      

Introducing Zacharie- PART 1

Family and Friends,

We would like to introduce to you the man whom we are partnering with in Haiti for all ministry efforts there.  His name is Fred-Zacharie Dieuveuille and he goes by "Zacharie":

Those of you who have travelled to Ti-Riviere may have met Zacharie, as he was co-director of the High School there and also helped, and was helped by, Mission Haiti at various times in the past. 

The main information in this post and the next one will mainly be comprised of Zacharie sharing some testimonies in his own words, but as a way of introduction I will just say that he is a very intense, intelligent, and godly man.  I remember vividly the moment when I knew I trusted him.  It was at a promise-keepers meeting in the village, and Zacharie made a little speech about his wife.  He got very emotional and even cried just imagining how much God loved him to send him such a perfect wife.  The story you are about to read will share a little background on their relationship. 

Then there was the times he would borrow my seminary books (written in English) and trudge through them with dictionary in hand.  Awesome!  Capable of teaching advanced classes in French, Creole, English, Math, all Sciences, Government, and many other subjects, Zacharie is blessed with smarts, but more importantly he is very humble and very dedicated to being a blessing for his people.  I have no doubt he would be capable of "getting out" and finding some "better" life in Canada or the USA, but he has a strong calling to be an agent of transformation for Christ in Haiti.  Therefore, we are trusting him with our ministry and leaning on his wisdom and faith in many ways.  More on his role at the end of this series, but for now just enjoy his story/testimony:


(the following was written by Zacharie and edited by Cory)

Today I thank the lord for the privilege He gives me this great day to tell you my story. I am Fred Zacharie Dieuveuille, and most people call me “Zacharie.” I am a Christian and a teacher of math and physics. I grew up in the 3rd largest city in the country, Les Cayes, which is commonly known as ''Cayes.'' I married Barret Marie Enose, known as “Didi,” and three years ago we had a son named Steeve Dieuveuille, whom we call “Stevenson.”  

 

In the life of every Christian there is yesterday and today, and I will share some of my past and some of what God is doing in my life today.  I did not grow up with my father or my mother. At 6 months of age one of my aunts (on my father’s side) claimed me, and this experience really helped me and allowed me to understand typical life today in Haiti. It was she who took care of me during my childhood and my father did not care about me as his son. When I was ready to go to school it was she again who helped me.  I was a good pupil and very interested in my studies. Because it was not my parents who helped me, but my aunt, I understood that I must work hard, because at any time there could be no one to pay for my school.

 When I reached the level of High School, another aunt tried to keep my first aunt from helping me.  This was really hard for me, and this behavior troubled me greatly. I chose to accept nothing from my aunt, or even to eat her food.  The situation was not easy to overcome. What saved me is that I was able to help others in my class, and they helped me.  There was one of them I developed a friendship with who was a hairdresser. I helped him with his studies, and he helped me financially. God taught me a lot during secondary school. I hoped my aunt would always help me, yet I made a plan in case my aunt would change.  In the end this is what happened, and yet God made a way for me to succeed.

 I finished with my secondary school in 1999, and one day a friend came to me and asked if I could teach math.  I said “yes!” It was then I started to teach, but I also hoped to go to the university. In 2000 I applied to the government-run university.  They had 3000 applicants and planned to take 100 of the 3000. I was among the 10 highest applicants, and the program of study I chose was administrative science which lasted four years.  However, I left before the 3rd year because my girlfriend became pregnant from me, complicating my situation. I made every effort to help her, but her mother did not want me because I did not have great means. This was a humiliating time for me.  The girl gave birth to a little boy and her mother planned to permit her daughter to marry a man with more money.

 My friends, I understand now that when we aren't in the will of God, we experience all problems. When you experience problems in your life, remember to make sure you are in God's will!

             There was another experience at that time I want to share with you. In the year 2003 I applied for a position with the police, which is considered a very good job in Haiti.  There were 6000 applicants. After a few months, the group was reduced to the 25 candidates who obtained the highest score and I was among them.  Next came an interview and another exam.  I did very well and was requested to come for an appointment at the police academy.  However, when I went for the appointment my name was not on the list. What amazement! There was an African man there and I approached him, and asked him what had happened? I have explained that I had succeeded in all my exams and was given an appointment for that afternoon, but my name did not appear on this list. He told me not to worry.  I would be called in a few months. 

 

               I returned home with great sadness and waited every day to be called. One day I heard on the radio there would be a registration for all who wanted to work for the police, and I said what a pity! Finally I thought, I am going to participate again in hope of a second chance. I actually signed up and participated in the contest again.  The same thing repeated, and among the 25 highest scores I was there.  Then a medical person with the police force told me that I suffered from sickle-cell anemia, and I really was amazed by this news! I returned to my home and tried to be tested in four different laboratories, and each time the test was negative.

 Finally I took the test results and went to Port-au-Prince to talk with police manager again (to dispute my case), but he asked angrily, “Why do you put in doubt the reliability of my employees?” I told him, “No, I am not calling into question the reliability of your employees, but I actually wanted to know if I am sick because I did again the same test in four different laboratories, and it always came back negative. Anyway, give me a last chance to repeat the test here.”  He told me, “Not ever!”

 I returned to my home and sent a letter to the head of the academy, the head of the medical center, and the minister of police, to explain the situation and requested them to help me remedy this problem. My friends listen…after four months the candidates who earned the position with the police were out on their first day of work.  These were the very four candidates who were in the process with me, but had succeeded in getting the positions.  That day they were out in a car and were murdered by armed bandits, and all four were dead! What sadness my friends! God was looking out for me, and He wanted to spare me.   I had insisted a lot on what I wanted, but it was not the will of God. My brothers and sisters, look to know the will of God in all situations because God knows everything!

to be continued...