Toledo Last Week, Haiti Next Week
May 3, 2013
 Haitian children in Pignon. (From HIM website)
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Dear Prayer Partners
Last week it was Toledo; next week it’s Haiti.
Before we say anything about Haiti, we want to thank everyone for praying for us during our trip to Toledo, Ohio. We loved being with our friends at Western Avenue Ministries and seeing the great work they are doing for God in South Toledo, one of the toughest neighborhoods in America. Here is the Facebook status update I wrote about our first night in Toledo:
After supper David and Kelly Kaiser took us on a tour of Toledo’s South End where the houses are broken down and boarded up, where drugs dealers and gangs roam, and where prostitution is a the only way some women can make money, where children are neglected and little girls are forced into the sex trade.
At one point we pulled up to a ramshackle house to say hello to a young man sitting on the steps. He greeted Dave warmly and his little boy cried out, “Pastor Dave! Pastor Dave!” As we drove off, his drug dealer walked up to supply him with the heroin he needs to keep his habit satisfied. Though he desperately wants to be free, he is trapped by his addiction. The whole family remains in bondage. What hope is there for any of them?
These are the families and this is the area served by Western Avenue Ministries. As they serve “the least of these” in Jesus’ name, they face challenges suburban churches cannot imagine because their mission field exists on the jagged edges of inner-city despair.
Every day they serve 150 people free meals so they will not go hungry. They lead Bible studies and reclaim abandoned buildings and partner with churches and civic agencies to rebuild a blighted region of Toledo.
Later this morning that young man and his wife are coming to “Baby University” where Marlene will speak to them. Later this afternoon I will lead a seminar for the workers on the theme “How to Stay Encouraged In Hard Times,” which describes every day in Toledo’s South End.
Our friends are here because Christ has called them, and they dream big dreams of a neighborhood utterly transformed by the power of the gospel. I told them last night that we had come because we believe in what they are doing and because they serve on the front lines of inner-city ministry bringing hope to the hopeless.
Needless to say, we feel honored to spend these few days in Toledo with the folks from Western Avenue Ministries. They are heroes in our eyes.
After we got back, we received this note from Kelly Kaiser:
“Sometimes God brings about certain events and people in your life with such impeccable timing that you know beyond a doubt that it was Him working and doing it just for you…that is what He did this weekend for David and I. We were so honored to have Ray and Marlene Pritchard visiting from Dallas this weekend. God used them to give us some much needed encouragement at just the right time. What a joy to get to know and spend time with them. God is so good!”
I hope you will check out my report on the weekend:
“I Haven’t Turned a Trick in a Week»
And this album of Facebook photos:
Again, thank you for your prayers and your support. Our ministry picked up all the expenses for the weekend so we could encourage David and Kelly and the great team that serves with them. We’re very happy when we can do something like this because of your support for KBM.
Now it’s on to Haiti.
On Sunday morning we fly to Florida where we will spend the night. On Monday we fly to Port-au-Prince where friends from Hosean International Ministries (HIM) will pick us up and take us to Pignon, a town in north central Haiti. We first met Caleb Lucien (the founder of HIM) right here in Dallas almost 30 years ago when he was a student at Dallas Seminary. Caleb and his wife Debbie are dear friends, and we’re glad to spend time with them again. This will be Ray’s 5th trip to Haiti and Marlene’s 2nd. Caleb invited Ray to speak for the 20th anniversary of Camp de la Grace. In the evening Ray will give messages on the book of James at Jerusalem Baptist Church in Pignon.
We hope you’ll pray for us as we minister in Haiti next week. We need extra strength, good health, open hearts, and the blessing of the Holy Spirit as we travel. God willing, we return to Dallas on Saturday, May 11.
That’s the news from our corner of the world. Thank you for your love and your prayers. Please don’t stop now! God has opened many doors for effective ministry.
Please let us know how you are doing. We love hearing from you.
God bless you!
Ray and Marlene