Missionary Helps Start Radio Ministry

April 2013
Missionary Helps Start Radio Ministry
Featuring Lesley and Diego Toussaint, Haiti
Five years ago, Lesley Toussaint
volunteered to help Christian
Reformed World Missions (CRWM)
with accounting matters in Haiti for
10 months. As soon as she finished,
Lesley accepted a new opportunity
in Haiti — a missionary position
with CRWM in partnership with
Back to God Ministries International
(BTGMI). For the next four years, she
helped BTGMI expand its radio and
discipleship ministries in Haiti.
“Radio is still the largest way
to reach the masses in Haiti,”
Diego, Lesley, Juliana, and Emilio Toussaint
says Lesley. Haiti’s electricity is
unreliable and few people outside of Haiti’s capital have access to a television.
Radio programs, however, can be picked up even by people living in the remote
villages on Haiti’s mountains. “The plan was to launch a follow-up center in Haiti
to receive listeners of BTGMI programming and to start a Bible study by
correspondence ministry.”
In early 2009, Lesley and BTGMI’s national ministry director began visiting radio
stations across Haiti. They told people about Perspectives Réformées Internationales
Haiti (PRIHA), BTGMI’s radio ministry in Haiti, and enlisted stations to broadcast its
programs. They also opened a ministry center, recruited volunteers, and prepared
PRIHA’s discipleship program. In July, they officially launched PRIHA’s Bible study
course for listeners.
Today, nearly 30 Haitian radio stations broadcast PRIHA’s programs. PRIHA has over
1,000 programs available, including more than 100 in Creole. Meanwhile, about
1,000 people are enrolled in one of three levels of PRIHA’s discipleship program. Over
the last two years, 350 listeners have graduated from the course. Since the 2010
earthquake, PRIHA has also offered counseling services. All these programs have
helped Haitians draw nearer to God.
From the very beginning, Lesley’s mission has been to transition her work to Haitian
staff members. “For any venture to be successful in the developing world, it has to be
embraced and executed by the national people themselves,” says Lesley.
PRIHA’s staff and volunteers are what keep the ministry going. Jacky Chéry, the
coordinator, oversees the ministry’s strategy, radio programming, and pastoral
care ministry. Marguélita Pétion manages the Bible study program and PRIHA’s
finances and reporting. Two part-time staff members help with administrative matters
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and logistics. PRIHA’s volunteers, meanwhile, check that PRIHA’s programs are being broadcast.
“I knew when I started that I would learn as much or more than I could ever show my Haitian counterparts. What I
did learn was priceless; I learned how to minister in Haitian culture and how to humble myself and let others lead.”
Lesley left Ontario for Haiti as a single woman, focused on accounting. Now she’s returning with her husband, Diego,
and their two children, filled with a vision to use all her skills and experiences to help Christian organizations in
Ontario. While Lesley and Diego are not sure yet what God has in store for them, they know He is leading them every
step of the way.
Christian Schools by Name and Practice
Featuring Educational Care
Two years ago, Christian Reformed World Missions (CRWM) wrote a teacher-training program, Educational Care,
for Christian teachers in underserved areas who had little training on integrating their faith into their classrooms.
CRWM missionaries and others began using the program in Kenya, Nigeria, and West Africa. Now CRWM partners
with Worldwide Christian Schools (WWCS) to distribute the learning program more widely. Educational Care is
transforming Christian schools in Africa and Latin America from the inside out.
David Kiwanuka, a Christian school administrator in Uganda, has seen firsthand the difference a biblical perspective
makes. He and his co-administrators used to introduce ideas without seeking their teachers’ input. So the teachers
distrusted them and their ideas. The teachers focused on teaching, doing little to connect with students and ignoring
discipline problems. However, Kiwanuka reports, all this has changed since staff became involved in Educational Care
a year ago.
Administrators and staff now treat each other with respect, recognizing each other’s value in Christ. Administrators
have started involving teachers in plans, making adjustments according to their feedback. Now that teachers trust
their administrators, they are open to their ideas and critiques.
The teachers are also connecting better with other staff. Before, some teachers would ask the school cook to make
them special lunches. Now the teachers eat whatever she serves everyone else. If they have free time during the day,
they even help her get the meal ready.
Noticeable changes are happening in classrooms too,
Kiwanuka reports. Teachers are taking time to get to know
their students and share what it means to follow God. They’re
praying more humbly and genuinely. “It’s no longer a daily
routine and just praying for the sake of praying, but real
prayers to God.” Their students are following their example.
“Parents tell us that our children are different from their
brothers and sisters who go to other schools,” says Kiwanuka.
“They behave well, reach home on time, help their parents, and
love their brothers and sisters.”
Students listen attentively to their teacher
CRWM and WWCS have seen the changes Educational Care
has ushered in. Now they’re considering further possibilities.
Already, they’re talking with the CRCNA’s Disability Concerns
about creating an Educational Care manual on teaching
children with disabilities.
Schools that are involved in Educational Care are no longer Christian purely because of their name. Instead,
they’re places where administrators, teachers, and students are striving to serve God in every lesson, interaction,
and moment.
For God. With You. Among the Nations.
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