Baptist Haiti Mission and Mission of Hope Officially Join Efforts to Bring Hope to Haiti

Ceremony Transfers Leadership and Honors Impact of Both Organizations

FERMATHE, HAITI, Sept. 25, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- In a ceremony held at Baptist Haiti Mission in Fermathe, Haiti on September 5, Wallace and Eleanor Turnbull, the founders of Baptist Haiti Mission (BHM), formally passed their mantle of leadership to Mission of Hope founders Brad and Vanessa Johnson. The BHM Board made the decision to entrust their organization to Mission of Hope earlier this year because of the common goal the two organizations share to reach the nation of Haiti with the Gospel through education, medical care, and churches.

“The Turnbulls are true pioneers” said Brad Johnson, President of Mission of Hope, during the ceremony.  “For 70 years, Baptist Haiti Mission has focused on serving the nation of Haiti in the areas of church development, education, medical care, and leadership development, including pastor and teacher training.  We would not be in this room were it not for the the sacrifice and faithfulness of the Turnbulls. I am honored to steward the ongoing work of this tremendous mission, and I believe we can see Haiti reached for Jesus in our lifetime!”

Those present at the ceremony included new COO of Baptist Haiti Mission Austin Holmes, Former BHM Field Director Wally Turnbull and wife, Betty, and the combined staffs of BHM and Mission of Hope.

As new Chief Operating Officer of BHM, Holmes first act was to move the founders, Wallace and Eleanor, back into their home on the BHM campus. 

“They are back where they belong,” said Holmes in a recent interview.  “On any given day, you will find 94-year-young Eleanor Turnbull in the BHM Mountain Maid Cafe, greeting locals and visitors to the area.”

Historically, the work of Baptist Haiti Mission has been an excellent example of Christian service in Haiti. Their medical care programs, which include some of the best hospitals and clinics in the country, currently serve over 100,000 people. They also operate more than 350 schools with over 55,000 students, train hundreds of pastors, house the only zoo in the country of Haiti, and are known worldwide because of the iconic location and experience of the Mountain Maid Cafe.
 
For 20 years, under the direction of Founder and President Brad Johnson, Mission of Hope has been working to transform the nation of Haiti village by village by focusing on four key areas: healthy churches, healthy people, a healthy economy, and healthy schools. The organization feeds over 91,000 children daily, impacts over 10,000 students through education, trains over 1,700 farmers, and provides medical care to over 30,000 patients annually. 

By combining efforts, especially in the areas of nutrition and education, both organizations believe they will have greater impact in Haiti.

“The potential impact is great,” says Johnson.  “Our goal is to bring meals to as many of the 55,000 children in the BHM schools as possible.  We added 5,000 meals daily for school children in April, and are adding 5,000 more this month.  With help, we can feed the other 45,000!”

Johnson says $30/month sponsors a student, allowing that child to attend a school where the teachers receive excellent training, and the student receive a quality curriculum, a daily meal at school, and repeated opportunities to hear and accept the Gospel.  1,396 students in BHM schools accepted Christ last year.

To learn more about sponsoring a child, visit bhm.org/sponsor-now.

For more information on Baptist Haiti Mission, visit www.bhm.org.

For more information about Mission of Hope, visit www.mohhaiti.org.

Dana Jeffers
                    Baptist Haiti Mission
                    800-359-5174
                    djeffers@bhm.org