This week, Keith Jagger, who directs our global community development work at Asbury Seminary, is with five of our faculty members on a mission to Haiti. They are training 102 Haitian pastors in the critical work of Post Traumatic Stress Treatment and Care. We are particularly focusing on how to do this work with children. We have learned since arriving there that this kind of strategic work is not happening so much yet on the ground as most of the relief effort is going to basic survival (understandable). We hope to send these faculty and more along with many students through the summer.

We could use your help. We are asking 400 people or groups to sponsor 1 pastor each at $250.  Interested? email keith.jagger@asburyseminary.edu

you will love this– click the link:  Haitian Pastors sing the Asbury Fight Song

Here are 99 photos from the day.
Our Leaders: Tim, (president) and Francis (World Cafe Leader)

HERE

Doug and Brooke Burns (with Austin and Mary Beth) graduated from Asbury Seminary some four years ago and have been serving in Costa Rica ever since. They serve in the essential work of liberating captives in the form of children being sold into the sex trade. I know a lot of our students on campus are keenly interested in this work. The Mission Society featured a short interview with Brooke on their podcast which may be found here. The interview begins at 3:00 minute mark and goes for about 10 minutes.

DOWNLOAD HERE

To our friends near and far,

We at Asbury Theological Seminary join with you in mourning the devastation presently occurring in the island nation of Haiti. In an effort to participate with Jesus Christ in his response to the Haitian people, we are working in the following ways. We are praying.  In an effort to focus intercession and to facilitate agreement in petition we invite you to join us in praying and further distributing the crafted prayer below. As John Bunyan once said, “You can do more than pray after you have prayed, but you will never do more than pray until you have prayed.” In the spirit of following our prayers, our students, staff and faculty are committing financial resources to the Haitian relief fund, established by Asbury Seminary.  This money will be distributed to our partner organizations on the ground in Haiti.  We are exploring the possibilities of sending work teams to the region, though we think it wise to wait for the Holy Spirit’s leadership and for clear direction from our partners working there. We will be working in the coming months to encourage and resource the Church to sustain attention and compassion for the long way ahead for this nation and people.

May God bless you, us and everyone else involved in this urgent work, increasing our love beyond what we thought possible.

We Pray,

Almighty God,
our Father, Creator of Heaven and Earth,
Mighty Fortress,
You are our refuge and strength, an ever present help in trouble.
Though the Earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea
though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging
we will not fear for you have entered into and overcome human suffering in the suffering of your Son, our Lord, Jesus Christ.
We join in the prayers of your people all over the World,
interceding in agreement,
pleading for your merciful intervention for the sake of your people in Haiti.
We believe there is a river whose streams make glad the City of God,
and we pray this river of mercy to flow through the streets of Port Au Prince

In your mercy, by your Spirit through your people
and in the name of your son Jesus, would you
bless the poor,
comfort the mourners,
rescue the orphans,
protect the widows,
feed the hungry,
clothe the naked,
heal the sick,
raise the dead,
renew the hope,
repair the ruins,
restore the land,
release miracles,
send workers,
compel relief,
and cause Salvation to spring up through the brokenness of the ground
as a witness to your compassionate Glory.

Please hear our prayers.
Make us into your mercy
and show yourself mighty to save.

We agree in these prayers in the Name of Jesus Christ.
Amen.

We had another great MLK Day breakfast this year at Asbury Seminary. Following, a number of us made the journey to Lexington for the annual March. This morning I learned that Abraham Heschel had been close friends with Dr. King. Heschel calls marching “praying with your legs.” Pictures below from the march.  

Special thanks to Keith Jagger and the MLK Team who are helping our community make the leap from monument to movement.