Remembering Rev. Jean Luc Phanord 1952-2001 "Preach the Gospel and if necessary, use words." This advice from St. Francis of Assisi over 700 years ago seems appropriate in describing the life of Rev. Jean Luc Phanord. Certainly he knew how to use words very effectively and could preach in four languages. His Maranatha Haitian Missionary Baptist Church in La Romana, Dominican Republic had over 800 people. But more than just a preacher on Sunday, however, Jean Luc Phanord ministered to the total person. He was born and educated Haiti the most impoverished country in the Western Hemisphere. Then he came to La Romana 22 years ago and soon became the leading Haitian pastor in the region. Just outside the city of 200,000 are many bateys (bahTAYS) villages of Haitian sugar cane cutters and their families where the level of poverty is almost as bad as in Haiti itself. Educational opportunity and medical care in the bateys were virtually non-existent when he began ministering in the La Romana area. Rev. Phanord established links with many Americans who saw a need for Christian service in La Romana and the bateys. In the past 17 years, more than 2,000 American volunteers went down there and put their faith into action. They saw naked little boys, little girls wearing only panties, and barefoot people of all ages walking on ground contaminated with animal wastes. Seeing children with bellies bloated because of malnutrition and witnessing the lack of educational opportunity and the need for health care, they did significant things to help and came home as changed persons. Thanks to Rev. Phanord and others who inspired so many folks to get involved, 21 new churches and schools have been built in the bateys. Parents in the bateys and barrios now can have realistic hopes for their children to achieve more than they did. The physical accomplishment for which Rev. Phanord probably will be most remembered as its chief inspiration and leader, though, is the Good Samaritan General Hospital in La Romana. Literally hand-constructed by Haitians, Dominicans, and Americans working together, it now provides quality health care within a Christian context. Learn more about it and him on these websites: www.laromana.org and www.laromana.homestead.com When American Airlines Fight 587 left New York for Santo Domingo on November 12, 2001, Rev. Phanord was on it. A few days earlier, he had been in Massachusetts for a meeting of hospital supporters. The tragic plane crash caused Rev. Jean Luc Phanord to "Graduate to Glory," as the Salvation Army folks say, just after his 49th birthday. This directory seeks to help people from diverse Christian backgrounds stretch their faith so that God may help them in personal overseas activitiesas he used Jean Luc Phanord and all the other folks who helped in La Romana. Hopefully it can help you get information that you can us in or for the place where you sense God calling you to be of service. A major goal of this document is to identify sources of free and inexpensive medicines and medical supplies for mission activities. If you know of additional ones, I would appreciate hearing about them. My church is part of American Baptist Churches/USA, so I am more familiar with it and places in my home state of Michigan than other denominations and locations. Because of space limitations, I could not include the names of every organization involved in missions. Hopefully, though, you will find this document useful in your own mission goals. You have my prayers, and I look forward to hearing from you. H. Bruce Carr, Thanksgiving Day, 2001 |
