Church of God Greatly Impacted by Haiti Quake

Reporter: Cameron Fisher

Church of God Haitian overseer Elysee Joseph and three from a Canadian delegation have died as a result of the devastating earthquake which took place in Haiti on January 12.

According to Rev. Douglas LeRoy, Church of God general director of World Missions, the death of Haitian overseer Joseph occurred when a 20-foot wall collapsed on the vehicle in which Joseph was a passenger. Joseph was returning from the Port-au-Prince airport with former Haitian missionary Lloyd Frazier and former General Director of World Missions Lovell Cary and his wife, Ginny. The group had just arrived in the country and were on their way to a hotel in anticipation of the Haitian National Convention which would have been held this week. Frazier and Lovell Cary were bruised, while Ginny Cary was hurt when a portion of the wall fell on their car. Her injuries are not life-threatening and as of Friday morning, the three had been transported to the neighboring country of Dominican Republic by the U.S. Coast Guard where Mrs. Cary was receiving treatment and arrangements were being made to return the group back to the United States.

Dr. Joseph was a leading pastor and had served the church as national overseer on two occasions. He is survived by his wife and children.

Other groups associated with the Church of God were also in the country when the quake hit. Among them was a delegation from Canada and Southern New England, and a short-term missions team from Potter’s House in Columbus, Ohio [The Church where former Creekers, Bob and Tanya Wilson serve). According to Rev. Jacques Houle, administrative bishop for the Church of God in Quebec/Maritimes, three from the Canadian group have died. Traveling with that group was administrative bishop of Southern New England Jonathan Ramsey and Boston area pastor Othon Noel. Ramsey and Noel, as well as the Ohio group are safe, but remain in the country awaiting transportation back to North America. Details on how the three from the delegation were killed is still unclear.

“As you can imagine, communications with these and others in the country is very limited and sometimes third party,” LeRoy stated. “Anything beyond this information, including exactly how and when those not living in Haiti will be returned is unknown. We (World Missions) are diligently pursuing transportation options at this time.”

Since 1933, the Church of God has had a presence in Haiti. Jacques Vital-Herne wrote on March 17, 1933, to S. W. Latimer, the third overseer of Church of God, to affiliate with the Church in Cleveland. At that time, there were eight local churches and by 1936, Haiti had 30 churches. Presently there are 741 local churches, 327 missions and more than 250,000 members. The Church of God is among the largest Christian movements in Haiti and also includes schools, such as the Seminaire Biblique. It is one of four bachelor’s-degree granting schools in Haiti and one of three in the country that is approved to train public school teachers.

The Church of God has more than 100 schools (including elementary), several clinics, hospitals According to LeRoy, due to strained communication a full assessment of the casualties among church members and damage to buildings and homes will not be possible for some time. LeRoy did confirm that some of the national buildings were damaged, but the national office and missionary home are intact.

“Please consider giving compassionately to aid and comfort the people who were so greatly devastated by this earthquake,” LeRoy stated. “If we all do what we can, God will supply the needs of His people in Haiti.”

Church of God relief agencies, including Operation Compassion, are already on-site in the country with supplies that were delivered two months ago. More relief is on stand-by waiting for clearance. A Haiti Earthquake Relief Fund has been established through Church of God World Missions. Please indicate Project Number 7650042 when designating your donations either through the

Web site www.cogwm.org or through the mail P.O. Box 8016, Cleveland, TN, 37320-8016. In addition, a video update, recorded on January 14, is located on the Church of God Web site.

Faith News will continue to provide updates as they become available. Updates will also be posted on the Church of God World Missions Web site or by visiting www.churchofgod.org.

Operation Compassion Uses Every Available Resource for Haitian Relief and Recovery

January 15, 2010

Less than 72 hours after a devastating earthquake struck the island nation of Haiti, Operation Compassion has containers being distributed from warehouse facilities in Haiti. As part of our ongoing effort in Haiti, containers of relief goods and supplies were previously delivered. Now they are being distributed.
Landslide: Many poorly constructed homes were simply swept away by the magnitude of the quake

In addition to these containers, Operation Compassion sent 24 containers to Haiti more than 6 weeks ago. These containers are filled with fruit juices, baby food, shoes, paper products, bottled water, cleaning supplies, sleeping bags and tents are arriving in port this week and next week. Distribution will begin as soon as possible.

While these containers are currently being delivered and distributed in Haiti, our warehouse in Cleveland is busy loading containers that will be sent to Haiti on almost a daily basis. In addition, Operation Compassion will be sending containers for Haiti through neighboring ports to lessen the stress on the damaged Port au Prince port. These products include Hygiene kits, coolers, blankets, mattresses, Playtex gloves, medical supplies and equipment, flashlights, tea and storage bags.

Destroyed: Residents pass by collapsed buildings - only a cross remains standing.

After the immediate needs of disaster relief shift to recovery, Operation Compassion will be assisting in their long term recovery and rebuilding efforts. Operation Compassion has a 40,000 square foot warehouse with building supplies procured and ready for shipment as the reconstruction begins. Items like floor and wall tile, trim, tools, grout and sealant, bathroom fixtures, electrical supplies, plumbing supplies and concrete board used in bathroom construction and temporary shelter construction are some of the available products.  Together, we can make a difference in Haiti!

Our Donations to Operation Compassion are secure with . . . More than $99 out of every $100 donated going directly to the field; 1% overhead.

Every $1 donated producing $88 of wholesale product.

Operation Compassion listed in the Top 100 Charities by Chronicle of Philanthropy.

Operation compassion listed in the Top 3 Most Efficient Charities by Forbes.com.

Write word "Haiti" on your check to Stevens Creek Church or send your donations to their Cleveland, TN office:

114 Stuart Road, NE Suite 370 | Cleveland, TN 37312

4233.728.3932 Office  |  423.728.3958 Fax

http://www.operationcompassion.org/

A mentor has passed ... my tribute to "Mr. Scott"

When I look back over my life, there is noone more other than my parents that has helped to shape me into the person that I have become than Leland "Sandy" Scott. Mr Scott served as the high school band director in Abbeville, South Carolina for nearly twenty years.  He was our town's Mr. Holland's Opus.  He was more than a band director but he was a developer of leaders. In my life, I have been around some of the greatest leaders in America, but very few of them would compare to Mr. Scott.

Mr. Scott was the band director in Abbeville for nearly twenty years. In those days, middle school students could march in the high school band when they enterred the seventh grade, so you were under his leadership until you graduated high school. 

Mr. Scott took our little high school band and created a dynasty. Under his leadership, the Abbeville Grenadiers won eight consecutive South Carolina State Band Championships. He set a record that has never been broken. In addition to that he led the band a top ten national ranking. We were ranked number three in the nation in 1973.  I will never forget my first contest as a seventh grader.  We were going up against the number two ranked band, Slyva Webster from North Carolina. We were doing or customary "think about the show" routine where we had to sit in silence for thirty minutes before going on the field.  He broke the silence with a quick pep talk. During that speech, he looked at me and said, "Baker, if you don't hit that line, the lights of the funeral home will be on for you tonight." In our town, they only turned the lights of the funeral home on when someone has passed.  When he said that fear covered my body and tears started flowing down my face.

That night I did not hit the line. As a result, I was taken out of the show and was made to stand at attention when the band performed for the rest of the season.  That was hard but it taught me that in life you have to earn your spot. There are no free lunches.  He instilled in me a work-ethic that has helped me throughout my life.  Mr. Scott was a disciplanarian.  I have never known anyone like him.  In today's market, his tactics would be frowned upon, but that was a different day. His discipline created winners.

Not only was he a disciplanarian, but he was a visionary.  He helped you see what you could not see.  He inspired us to do what we could not do. He was an entrepeneur. The band needed funding so he led the booster club to buy Greyhound Buses for the band to travel in but when the band was not using them, he chartered them out to other groups.  It was always funny to have the band drive up in nice buses with reclining seats and a restroom while the football team traveled in school buses.  Mr. Scott instilled a vision in us to better ourselves....to live out your best self.

Mr. Scott was known for yelling, screaming, throwing batons and an occasional chair. He was sort of like a Bobby Knight personality. He was different because even though he ranted and raved, you knew deep inside that he loved you and wanted the best for you. You knew that if you listened to what he was telling you that you would learn to do something right and would be a better student. 

He was not only a teacher, a developer of leaders, and a visionary, but he was a politician.  He was elected to the City Council and served as Mayor Pro-tem on one occasion.  The people in the city respected him like few others.

Mr. Scott was a passionate person with a constant faith.  There was no such thing as separation from church and state in his book. You practiced Monday, Tuesday and Thursday. You did not practice Wednesday because it was church night.  Prayer was always a part of the band performances. We never enterred the field without pausing and asking God's blessing on our endeavors. It was probably in band that I memorized the Lord's Prayer.

When I was in the eleventh grade, Mr. Scott selected me as the Band Captain. This was very unusual for an eleventh grader. This position was typically reserved for seniors.  I served two years and it was during this time that he poured into me and helped develop me into the person that I am today.

Shortly after I graduated from high school, Mr. Scott retired.  Oh, he was not old at the time but he was ready to focus on the local church.  He became the Lead Pastor of Callie Self Memorial Baptist Church in Greenwood, South Carolina.  He has served that church for over twenty-five years.

Patty and I were blessed to see Mr. Scott a few months ago at a band reunion. It was an amazing night. Students flew in from all over the country to give a tribute to this wonderful man.

Last October, our congregation, Stevens Creek Church, started broadcasting our services on the local FOX television station, WFXG. This station is on the cable system in Abbeville.  One of our viewers in Abbeville was Mr. Scott.  My parents ran into him and his wife, Verlene at a restaurant two days before he passed. Mr. Scott said, "I want to drive down and see Marty's church." They made plans, but sadly enough those plans will not come to pass.

On Thursday evening, January 7, 2010, Leland "Sandy" Scott passed on his reward. He leaves behind a loving wife and two children and grandchildren. He leaves behind a legacy that few of us could imagine.

Today, I honor you ... Mr. Scott ... the BandMan.  Now, it's time for you to enter into the joys of the Lord.

Oh yea, one more thing ... Mr. Scott...the lights of the funeral home are on tonight for you.  You have completed your race and it was an amazing race.