Enjoyed Anthony Penner's Haiti Mission Report

Was inspiring to hear about the Oriani congregation. Started because the Haitian brethren in the valley knew there had been interest up in the mountains for fifteen to twenty years. A brother challenged Anthony that if their used and abused "machine" made it up and down the mountain without breaking down that rough mountain trail it was a sign from God that they should proceed with establish a mission up there. He reported their vehicle hasn't broken down since on the mountain road, though it has had to have repairs when down in the valley. Another inspiration for the starting of the Oriani effort was that their landlord's mother had already had a premonition and dream of them coming and offered their house for the work. Later the man became a brother. The work got a jump start when Min. Wildor came up to have a sermon. A pastor offered up his church, but couldn't attend because of a funeral. At first Wildor was hesitant to preach in another church but had decided if the Lord gave him a sermon he would surely preach. A number of the listeners became brothers and sisters later on: the seed had been planted.

If I have my facts straight they were their for two years and today there are 34 or 35 members. They have a little 25x20' church building that holds a 175 person attendance! Now that is tight. They want to expand the building once their furlough is up and in the future.

Anthony spent a considerable amount of time sharing inspiring stories about how doctrine classes went. For instance a to-be brother was defending his position in a heated local dispute. They had been studying one of the aspects of having the Christ like spirit. Another doctrine student had reproved him for his actions in the dispute. Anyways as he was defending himself and received advice from the group he fell silent and then became convicted that he needed to make the wrong right----right now. And so he did. They told him he could do it afterwards, but he could not wait.

The CSI work after the hurricanes was touched on. They had built up to 175 houses or so. Using unit boy volunteer labor from NA. He also touched on their near death experience during the earthquake. How they were going to go to the supermarket, but suddenly diverted to go to do another errand. The store they were going to collapsed in rubble taking quite a few lives. They were driving up a hill when their vehicle seemed like it "blew out all it's tires". They could see the shock waves pass across the ground imitating sea waves. A open quarry beside them was collapsing when they realized it was a earthquake. They looked back to see the city engulfed in a rising dust cloud.

That is a very brief sketch of what I heard over the telephone.If I left out anything of interest feel free to put down a comment or email me---For those that listened to the report. Oriani is a mountain village in the pine lands of Haiti not to far from the DR in the SE part of the country.