Partner With Me in Missions 2016

1.12.2016

Thanks to my financial partners. Donations are coming in. The amounts range from $10 to $50. This will go far in providing necessary provisions for the two trips. In a couple of months, I will venture to the Philippines. This is my first time to this area. The primary purpose will be visionary in purpose. I want to be sensitive to areas of help that I might be involved in for future trips. 

Here are my goals for March:

1. Speak in pastor's church. Get to know his family, church, and school

2. Lead a Pastor/wives workshop

3. Get an understanding of pastor's struggles/challenges. Hope to get some ideas for a 

    workshop on my return trip in 2017.

4. Visit as many pastors as possible in rural and remote areas.

5. Learn the various operations of "Bless the Pastors Ministries". This was started by a local

    pastor who I hope to spend some time with.

6. Hang out with orphan children in the squatters village. Many do have parents who are 

    unable to provide for them. There are future plans to build an orphanage. There should 

    be many ways to help the children next year.

Again, your prayers and financial support are greatly appreciated.  I'm glad you have a heart for mission.

I hope you will take the time to read my blog about my trip to Haiti in 2015. God allowed some things to happen that I was totally in awe. The trip was such a blessing to the Haitian people. These provisions would not have happened without prayer and financial support. Thank you!

God has placed another opportunity in my path--a mission trip to the Philippines in March 2016. This will be a vision/awareness trip to learn about the culture, meet pastors, and learn their needs. I will be working with two pastors. For one, I will speak at his church worship time. During the week, I will be leading a Pastors/wives conference at his church for area pastors and spend some large group time in discussing pastoral issues they face. The content of these discussions will be the foundation for another trip in 2017 if God provides.

The other pastor leads an organization that ministers to pastors in the remote areas of the Philippines. They provide books, clothing, financial aid, and some help with seminary training. There is a section of the community that has orphans who need housing and daily care. I am anxious to spend some time with them, maybe get some hugs,  and learn of their needs. Their plan is to build an orphanage as soon as possible. And then, if the Lord provides, I will go back to Haiti in September 2016.

The tentative cost for these two trips is around $5500. There is much to be done. I just operate with the funds that financial supporters provide. The more finances I have the more projects I can take on.

If you can be a prayer warrior, pray for God’s provisions and God’s blessing on Pastors, wives, churches, and children, please let me know.

If you would like to give a donation, the information is given below. Pray about a one-time contribution or maybe a small monthly donation.

Thank you for reading this and partnering with me. Blessings to you.

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I certainly believe God will provide and He will use His people in the process. God blesses generous people. Below is my contact information as well as giving information.

Contact Information                           Giving Information

Gregory T. Bunn                                   Make checks out to:

1911 Northwood                                   Crossroads Baptist Church

Bolivar, Mo 656513                              "Bunn-Intl. Pastors" in the memo

417-236-3092 (Cell)                             1935 S. Ash

gtbunn@windstream.net                       Buffalo, Mo.  65622

                                                              Contribution sheets will be sent

                                                              out after the first of the year.

Join my blog.

Hello Family and Friends,
If you are interested you can go to gregorybunn.blogspot.com and scroll down to an email box. Place your email address in the box and you will receive a note everytime I update my blog. Blessing to you.

Review of Haiti-Responding to the Philippines

12/16/2016

Hello Family and Friends,

Thank you for reading this. I am so humbled and appreciative of your prayerful, financial support. I have completed two trips to Haiti as a part of the Mission to International Pastors initiative. This has really been a God thing as He has provided so much for these trips along with all the materials.

Let me give just a quick overview. August of 2014 was my initial visit to the northwest mountains of Haiti. Carolyn and Terry were great hosts and mentors (both years) of getting me started and helping me to address the needs of Pastors and the children of an orphanage.

There were two major objectives of this trip: To provide a four-day workshop for pastors and provide needed materials for the orphanage. My topics for two days was “Our Identity in Christ” and the other two days we had an “open forum” of listening to the pastors express their questions on theological issues, particularly those that are formed by tradition. I was able to make some visits with two pastors to homebound members. (There were others who went along as well.)

I spent time on two different days with the children. They are so hungry for love and attention. Very few of them will be adopted which is sad. There is a great need for food, clothing, school supplies, and toiletries. For my first trip, I took a large duffle bag full of toiletries. There was a need for food immediately. I purchased a goat and a friend purchased bags of rice for immediate consumption. While there, the pastor (director) of the orphanage expressed his desire to develop a herd of goats and pigs. I left behind funds for him to purchase two goats and two pigs.

Between August 2014 and August 2015, you, the children/adults of Crossroads Baptist, and myself purchased a number of goats. The pastor and children were delighted that people cared so much for them. The children prayed everyday thanking God for the food that was going to be provided.

This mission trip this year took on many different elements. I decided to conduct a pastor/wives workshop which was quite interesting. An added feature was offering one-on-one sessions for Pastors to allow them to speak privately about concerns/problems they were having personally or with their church. They battle false theology in the church and voodoo in the community.  I had 17 pastors sign up and one married couple. I visited the orphanage twice to spend time with the children. There was a pastor who asked me to come to his church building site to pray that God would provide the material and construction workers. Many are trying to get  construction for their churches.

As far as funding, here is what you helped me do. I was able to buy 25 Bible concordances for the Pastors in their own language. Something they would never buy for themselves. For the wives, I took 25 sets of hand to elbow oven mitts for them to use with iron pots over a fire. The ladies at Crossroads made some oven mitts and collected sacks full of lotion packets, facial tissue packets, and some school supplies.

For the orphanage, I finished up the herd of goats(6) and pigs (3), purchased a mattress so a Pastor’s children would not have to sleep on the dirt and rocks, provided two months tuition for a college student who had no money (she was a former orphan), and bought two batteries for the solar panels of my interpreter.

Some meaningful events was leading the pastors in the Lord’s Supper and officiating at a wedding, both American style. I spoke once as a Biblical character in costume for the children, once for the pastors,  and for two worship services.  The pastors support a water stand in the market and share Jesus with those who will listen. I had the privilege of leading a girl to pray and receive Christ. And, as always, Terry and Carolyn were great hosts.

As you can see the trip was full. With that going on, God placed another opportunity in my path--a mission trip to the Philippines in March 2016. This will be a vision/awareness trip to learn some about the culture, meet pastors, and learn their needs. I will be working with two pastors. For one, I will speak in this church worship time. I will be leading a Pastors/wives conference and spend some large group time in discussing pastoral issues they face which will be a foundation for another trip in 2017 if God provides. The other pastor leads an organization that minister to pastors in remote areas by providing books, clothing, financial aid, and some seminary training. There is a section of the community that has orphans. Their plan is to build an orphanage as soon as possible. And then, if the Lord provides, I will go back to Haiti in September.

The tentative cost for these two trips is around $5500.

If you can be a prayer warrior, pray for God’s provisions and God’s blessing on Pastors, wives, churches, and children.

If you would like to give a donation, the information is given below. Now would be a great time for an end of the year contribution.

Thank you for reading this and partnering with me. Blessings to you.

---------------------------------------------------------------

I certainly believe God will provide and He will use His people in the process. God blesses generous people. Below is my contact information as well as giving information.

Contact Information                           Giving Information

Gregory T. Bunn                                   Make checks out to:

1911 Northwood                                   Crossroads Baptist Church

Bolivar, Mo 656513                              "Bunn-Intl. Pastors" in the memo

417-236-3092 (Cell)                             1935 S. Ash

gtbunn@windstream.net                       Buffalo, Mo.  65622

                                                              Contribution sheets will be sent

                                                              out after the first of the year.

Help Alert!!!

This is the article I put in the Routon's Blog dated Sept. 26.

Hello Routon Supporters,

My name is Gregory Bunn and I just finished my second trip to the Northwestern Mountains of Haiti.  This year I led a pastor/wives marriage workshop and helped to provide some goats/pigs for the orphanage. Most importantly I went to the orphanage and just loved on the children. They are hungry for love, attention, and to learn. Terry and Carolyn have laid a great foundation for mission-minded people to come in and to build upon. I love pastors so these last two trips have been quite fulfilling for me. Yet, when I leave, I don’t feel I have made much headway into all the things that need to be done.  The pastors are so hungry for Bible learning, pastoral education, doctrinal issues, and help in dealing with traditions of men and evangelism. There is tremendous need for people like you to share in the ministry to these gracious Haitian pastors, wives, and children. I have seen and experienced so much that I am almost to the point of begging you to consider what might be God’s calling upon your life.

There are MANY church buildings that need roofs and other repairs-can you do some construction? There are people who need training in evangelism and discipleship-can you help equip them to lead someone to Christ? There are pastors who need help in visiting homebound members-can you help a pastor in his ministry? There are children who need clothes, shoes, and school supplies-can you help provide these essentials for daily life? There are churches that need help in leading a VBS-can you help the children learn about Jesus? There are pastors who have had very little education and God has called them to shepherd His people-can you help in training? There are pastors who need some one-on-one time with another pastor-do you enjoy mentoring other pastors? What gifts and abilities have you been given by God that could be used to bless the Haitian people? There is a need for MORE to get involved in ministry to the Haitian people? What about you?

The Time Has Come!

September 26, 2015

Mission Haiti 2015 is now history. The days went by so fast.  I set up a busy schedule before I left. Almost too much. There were some things I wanted to do but the time filled up quickly. The pastors/wives conference was well attended and they did well participating in the discussions.  Healthy marriages are an issue everywhere…a worldwide issue. They share the same concerns as all of us.

I haven’t totaled up the number of pastors who wanted a one-on-one visit time with me. All of them are in need of encouragement and the affirmation they are headed in the right direction. A difficult element in leading the churches is the power of tradition. “We have always done it that way before”….scripturally or not. In most of the churches tradition trumps scripture and the pastors realize that. They also realize that this will take generations to change but it must start with them.

They love the people in their churches and want them to grow spiritually. Almost all have building needs. One pastor doesn’t have a building. His church meets under a tent the year round. They have purchased a piece of property and hope one day groups will come in and help him with a new church building…made of concrete blocks/mortar. Haiti is in need of many churches from USA to come and help with construction.

One of the pastors did not have a mattress for his children. They slept on the dirt floor with rocks protruding upward. A blanket was laid down on the floor and that’s where they slept. That situation was taken care. The children slept on a mattress for the first time. During the Wednesday break at the workshop, a lady came up to me and gave me a BIG hug. I had no clue who she was but found out quickly she was the mother of the children. Great feeling to be able to help.

The goats and pigs were bought to finish up the herd of each. This has been a project in process for a year. People at Crossroads, kids in the church, and a few outside the church gave so this project could be finished this year. There is now another project in the works to get two goats per pastor so they can build a herd for their church/orphanage. This has been a God sent idea.

Some fun events happened beyond those mentioned: We did a Lord’s Supper American style although I don’t think it was not much different than theirs. I did a wedding for a couple who were living together, were convicted of it being wrong, and wanted to get back their close relationship with God. The pastors/wives were elated at these events. When I passed out the oven mitts to the ladies and the concordances to the pastors the responses was that of children at Christmas time. These were Items they would never buy for themselves. Thank God for touching lives that are so hungry for help, friendship, and education, and for further relationship building.

Thursday, August 13
Only one and a half weeks till the Haiti trip begins. I am anxious to renew relationships with the pastors and the orphans. Again, I will be lodging with Terry and Carolyn Routon. They are great folks and have a heart for the Haitian peo30, 2015ple. I believe they are living out their calling. This couple has a deep passion for their various ministries to men, women, and children. God has truly put them where He desires for them to be.

This year's workshops will be directed towards the pastors and their wives.  Other than a relationship with God, this is the primary relationship in the church...the pastor and his wife.  I have seen several churches become sidetracked, get off mission, and experience turmoil because the church's first family was in conflict. Like all men and their wives, pastors/wives must  build a marriage that honors Jesus and edifies the church.   Good marriages don't just happen. They must work to have a good marriage. Pastors/wives face many pressures that the members are unaware of and these pressures need to be addressed maybe in a non-threatening conference setting.  The pastors/wives in Haiti face difficult circumstances because of their culture and, with direction/brainstorming, they can work together to find solutions. We will address "Marriage for a Lifetime". 

Another element this year will be spending one-on-one time with pastors.  Sometimes pastors need  to talk to another pastor. Sometimes they just need someone to listen and sometimes they need some suggestions. I will enjoy this part of the trip. I love pastors. I know what pastors go through. I want to help as I can.

Another new element is to gift the pastors/wives. They live in a survival mode daily. There are things they could buy for themselves but will not because they need to put clothes on their backs and food on the table. I want to encourage them with items that they can use.  (Note: I would put the name of the items on here but some may be reading this post. LOL)

Since last year, I have seen several pics of the children and heard some good reports of great happenings as well as needs. One of the joys of last year's trip was spending time with them.  I plan to do the same this trip. They are hungry for love and attention and they are just hungry.  Food is not abundant. With God's provisions and the help of others, since last August I have been able to provide 4 goats and 3 pigs. The pastor who directs the orphanage has a vision of having 6-8 goats and 6-8 pigs for the purpose of continually raising animals for food.  I am hoping to make that a reality this trip.  One goat will provide food for about 3 days.  Add rice to that and there is food for everyone.  

A wonderful surprise came this year when I found out that our Church's Teamkids, that meet on Wednesday nights, had decided to begin collecting mission money to buy a goat.  On their behalf I will be purchasing five goats.  They have had many projects in the past.  They have heard me talk about the orphans need for food and they decided to do their part by purchasing one goat. Glory be to God one goat has grown to five.  The love of children for other children.

There around 40-50 pastors in the area. Terry and Carolyn have set a goal of providing 2 goats for each church. Donations have come in and each pastor has been provided with one goat.  If possible, I want to be able to add more.

Well, I need to get back to workshop preparations. Please pray for: trip safety, the workshops, the children, and Terry/Carolyn. Trusting God for a rewarding, fruitful trip.

Planning for 2015

Time to begin looking at a plan for 2015. In reviewing 2014, Haiti missions went very well.  I was able to connect with the local missionaries, Terry and Carolyn Routon. You can find more info on their ministry at www.routonshaitiblog.blogspot.com. This couple has a deep passion for their various ministries to men, women, and children. God has truly put them where he desires for them to be.

I was able to connect with the pastors.  Several of them send Facebook message often. They experience the same kinds of issues that American pastors face. People are people whether in the jungles of Africa, the Northwestern Mountains of Haiti, or downtown USA. They have spiritual, emotional, social, and physical needs that can be met with a pastor/shepherd who has a heart for people.  The pastors of Haiti are eager to learn how they can be better pastors to their people.

I was able to connect with the pastors/wives concerning the primary relationship in the church...the pastor and his wife.  I have seen several churches become sidetracked, get off mission, and experience turmoil because the church's first family was in conflict.  Pastors/wives face many pressures that the members are unaware of and these pressures need to be addressed maybe in a non-threatening conference setting.  The pastors/wives in Haiti face difficult circumstances because of their culture and, with direction/brainstorming, they can work together to find solutions.

I was able to connect with the local orphanage that provides for 42 children. One of my joys of last year's trip was spending time with them.  They are hungry for love and attention and they are just hungry.  Food is not abundant. With God's provisions and the help of others, since August I have been able to provide 4 goats and 3 pigs. The pastor who directs the orphanage has a vision of having 6-8 goats and 6-8 pigs for the purpose of continually raising animals for food.  We are praying that someday that will be a reality. One goat will provide food for about 3 days.  Add rice to that and there is food for everyone.  A wonderful surprise came when I heard that our Children's Teamkids, that meet on Wednesday nights, had decided to begin collecting mission money to buy a goat.  They have had many projects in the past.  They have heard me talk about the children's need for food and they decided to do their part by purchasing a goat.  The love of children!

There around 40-50 pastors in the area. Terry and Carolyn have set a goal of providing 2 goats for each church.  Donations are coming in and they are on their way make that goal a reality.

On a some occasions, as time permitted, I had the opportunity to engage with people walking on roads, people shopping at the market, people looking around in stores, making home visits with a few of the pastors, and preaching in two churches. So in 2015, I plan on doing much of the same. As of right now, the plan is to go to Haiti the last week of August.

Looking Forward to 2015

The highlight of 2014 was my mission trip to Haiti.  God birthed this trip in my heart and mind in February 2014. I have a passion to help other pastors.  The purpose of the trip was to provide inspiration and instruction for pastors in a group setting. I spent three days with pastors and two days with pastors/wives. Terry and Carolyn Routon were great hosts and I enjoyed having JP Williams as a co-teacher. On my blog page this venture is titled “OUR MISSION HAITI. Certainly a group effort of God and people.

The pastors were very warm, courteous, and eager to learn. They were hungry to be affirmed in the ministry they were doing and to be encouraged to broaden the scope of pastoral ministry. I was learning right along with them as they asked questions and we discussed pastoral issues. The pastors/wives sessions were very informative as we encouraged each other to be supportive and enduring in working together as a team in ministry. Having an interpreter helped with the language barrier even though some knew a little English. Just being brothers and sisters in Christ brought a unique bonding that transcends any language and cultural barriers.

I would encourage you to consider a mission trip to work with the Haitian people. Christians there will be deeply impacted because of your sacrifice in going.  They encouragement to be discipled and to disciple others while they work in reaching unchurched people. If you have a heart for International mission, Haiti is the place to go.

I am in the process about 2015 and the possibilities of a return trip.  I want to continue working with the pastors and their wives as well as the orphanage. Would you pray with me and for me about 2015 and what needs God might use me to fill?