Please permit me to introduce to the Southern Union constituency once again Sister Jessie Guillaume, who is actively engaged in leading men and women into an active relationship with Jesus Christ. Her effective approach to evangelism serves as a model for those who quest to use innovative approaches to winning souls for the Kingdom of God. Please allow Sister Jessie to explain her program. — RCS
The mission of Hope Ministry Project, Inc., a non-profit 501(c)(3), is to provide communities in south Florida and Haiti experiencing a growing homeless population with access to services and supplies, and to alleviate pressing short-term housing needs. Our work is about building stronger communities, neighborhoods, and lives, and we believe that outreach and engagement with individuals dealing with housing issues is an important part of sharing Christ’s love. HOPE is an acronym for “Helping Oppressed People Everywhere,” and it gives a brief snapshot into our mission.
We have been feeding more than 150 people weekly on the streets of Miami for the past 19 years, and providing them with clothing, shoes, blankets, sleeping bags, and toiletries, as well as sharing God’s love. Since 2005 Hope House Miami has been providing transitional housing and various support services to homeless individuals and families for up to six months in order to facilitate their move to independent living. Hope Ministry also volunteers at the Broward Outreach Shelter, providing Bible study twice a week and educational sessions on mental health issues.
Hope Ministry has been supporting the homeless in Haiti for several years, making donations of money and food to help people on the street. In 2017 we also became involved with an orphanage. The needs at Le Jardin D’Eden Orphanage were brought to our attention by a board member who was living in Haiti. The orphanage was founded in 2000; however, seven years ago they encountered great difficulties and lost their financial support. The orphanage found itself in a place of dire need. Though loved and physically cared for by the dedicated staff, the children were subsisting on inadequate food supplies (only two meals a day composed primarily of canned fish), lack of everyday essentials (bedding, utensils, plates, etc.), intermittent electricity, broken plumbing, and water safety issues.
Hope Ministry took over their care and administration of the orphanage in August 2017. Through the generous support of our donors, we were able to:
The purpose of our next visit to Haiti is to establish a small business to allow the orphanage to work toward financial self-sufficiency. In addition, we are developing available space to accommodate trade school courses that will allow the older orphans to acquire skills to be self-supporting when they leave the orphanage. These courses also will be available to the community.
But most importantly, four children have committed themselves to the Lord, and wish to be baptized during our next visit. This special event also will be commemorated by the dedication of the orphanage, as a Seventh-day Adventist institution, to serve the community and further the work of the Lord. It is our sincere desire that, through our efforts to restore and bring hope to these dear ones, we can present them with the truth as outlined in the Word of God, thus bringing many to faith in Christ.
The work of the ministry is labor- and cost-intensive. We are thankful to our donors and volunteers for continuing to enable the ministry to do this important work. However, we continue to struggle with enough funds to provide nutritious meals, tuition costs, funds to develop a local business, and trade tools for educational purposes (sewing machines, welding machines, and mechanical tools for auto repair training). Those who share our burden for the unloved and forgotten in Miami and Haiti are welcomed to visit our websites at www.lejardin-deden.org and www.hopehousemiami.org.
Southern Union | January 2019
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