A north Georgia mission team temporarily stranded in Haiti is expected to arrive back home tomorrow. The 21-member team from Mt. Olivet Baptist Church in Hartwell should arrive in Atlanta around 7 pm Thursday evening. Associate Pastor Caleb Bond says a scheduled prayer vigil is now a time for celebration.
“We’re inviting everyone to come and in in with us,” Bond said. “We are having a celebration time in Hartwell on the square in front of the courthouse, we’re going to be singing songs, praising God, we’re also going to have a prayer time. It’s a celebration so we’re going to think God, but we’re also going to pray for Haiti as a whole.”
Church members were forced to stay a week longer than planned due to rioting that broke out after the Haitian government announced plans to raise gas prices from $4 to $7 per gallon. He says the mission team was aware of the protests in the wake of the government’s plans.
They knew exactly what was going on. Pastor Jason made the statement that the Haitians were not mad at them, that they were upset at the government and what took place with the fuel prices. They were told to stay put, do not try to come to Port Au Prince and fly out. They were safe and told to wait until it calmed down and they could get their flight situated.”
Bond says the group used the extra time to accomplish on the mission field.
“The conducted a vacation Bible school while they were there, so there was a lot of teaching and evangelizing taking place,” They worked in the orphanages, so they got to love on those orphans; they also passed out rice and beans, so they were taking care of physical needs as well. They conducted medical clinics where they saw over 340 patients.”
The prayer celebration is 8 o’ clock Thursday evening on the town square in Hartwell. Anyone interested in participating is welcome.