Actionnel's Address to the Friends of OFCB Ministries

Message to the Friends of OFCB Ministries
First Presbyterian Church Charlotte, NC
Actionnel Fleurisma

Brothers and Sisters in the Lord,

In 1994, an event took place in the mountainous region of the State of Artibonite, Bayonnais, Haiti that attracted little attention. Initiated by the Holy Spirit's using the good will of five "redneck" homeboys, a ministry to the children and adults of the mountainous community of Bayonnais, Haiti began. Thus, the Lord used these "rednecks" to launch a school for these mountain children and, later, adults. Burdened because these 5 young men grew up in Bayonnais, they knew firsthand the desperate need for a school in the area. In addition, at the time of the building of the school, a church was also started.

The main purpose of that initiative was to present the Lord Jesus Christ in a multi-dimensional form. Since those beginnings in 1994, thousands of lives have been touched in Bayonnais. This has resulted through the preaching crusade every year, preaching evangelism in the streets, preaching from the pulpit, preaching from the daily devotion at the school and of course by teaching Biology, chemistry, physics, Geology, French, English, Trigonometry, algebra, Creole, Philosophy, History and forth.

OFCB Ministries is the name of which we are gathering here tonight. This name and what it represents has been a big headache for many of you here in this room. OFCB has been a problem because of its growth. OFCB is a problem because of its no nonsense vision. OFCB is a problem for each one of you here, true partners and supporters, because OFCB has a customer whose table and pockets are meager, but the bed is fertile.

But, the most efficient means to be used to make OFCB lighter on your shoulder would be for the sponsorship churches to come together as a unique ministry under one single coordinated unit. This would be very helpful to OFCB in terms of keeping in touch and communication with sponsors. This would be very wonderful for the whole ministry in Bayonnais and we would like to officially propose to each of you here tonight Mr. Allen Smith as the coordinator.

Tonight, you are not here to hear about the starvation that the people in Bayonnais are dealing with; they call it "Emergency" or "Urgency". You are not here either to hear about the drought in Bayonnais and crops being destroyed. Unfortunately, Haitians are workers but every year we tend to get less and less to eat. It pains me to tell you about 259 adults that are in our 3rd shift school meeting from 6 PM to 8 PM. 84% of them have come with the high expectation that they will be given some food from the World Food Program. This has never been done before. So sad for these people.

Due to the terrible mess in Haiti, the consequence has been that of Haitians fleeing to the Dominican Republic. By the hundreds every day, they go. From time to time we get the tragic news of another Haitian being beheaded in the Dominican Republic. Not only do they risk their lives going to the Dominic Republic, many of our Haitian citizens risk their lives by attempting to come over here (United States). They risk their lives in those tiny boats trying to travel through 700 miles of ocean to land on the shores of the US. So many have lost their lives attempting this journey.

I feel embarrassed with presenting problems to you all the time. Yes indeed! I feel embarrassed about Bayonnais' with our many problems. Believe me tonight, we are not here to plot against somehow the people in Bayonnais. We are here to come up with new and stronger strategies to make those forgotten "Rednecks" in Bayonnais live longer and with more joy and happiness.

It is not fair at the age of 18 or less, people will start losing their teeth. It has never been promised anywhere that medical attention prevents people from dying. We are all born to die. No matter what we do, we will die. But, the death of young children, teens and young adults are so unnecessary in Bayonnais and in Haiti in general. Vaccinations and medications that are taken for granted here in the United States would save many young lives in Haiti. It is not fair that people are frequently dying from high blood pressure.

By the way, thanks to each one of you, members of Myers Park United Methodist Church, for the two medical trips that you have made to Bayonnais in the last 13 months. You have made it possible for some people to live longer. Many women with their husbands have been having a more joyful life in their marital relationships. It is not fair that women my age or younger have lost their lives while giving birth to babies. It is not fair that after over 2 centuries of independence that Haitians are still living like people in the first century.

Respectfully,

Actionnel Fleurisma
December 2, 2009