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Our
History |
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Mission
Possible’s work has become known throughout North America and
the Caribbean. The
ministry was established in 1979 as God motivated a number of
Americans and Canadians to share God’s love with the people of
Haiti.
Many
have watched the deteriorating situation in Haiti and viewed it
as hopeless. They
conclude that the declining conditions are caused by
underdevelopment, deforestation, ecological crises, illiteracy,
poverty and political problems.
Despite the systemic problems, God does not give up on
the people He loves. |
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| In
1969 God sent Jack Snyder, Mission Possible’s founder, along with
his evangelistic mentor, James McKeegan, on a Christian outreach to
Haiti.
Jack Snyder was deeply moved by the situation of the people and
God enabled him to begin to help.
Initially he and his wife, Bettie, worked to raise funds to
build churches.
They then served for about four years with a Canadian charity
that immunized and educated children in Haiti.
In April 1979, the Lord enabled the Snyders to form Mission
Possible.
In 1980, Mission Possible Canada was formed as a sister
ministry. |
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| Headquartered
in the Snyders’ hometown of Findlay, Ohio, the Mission began with a single
school in Montrouis, Haiti about 50 miles northwest of the capital,
Port-au-Prince.
Initially the Sonshine
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Inn,
a guesthouse and mission center, was established in Port-au-Prince.
From this base Mission Possible reached out into the mountain
villages around Montrouis, constructing and establishing schools,
providing much-needed food and relief supplies, and fostering
evangelism.
In 1983, it established a mission center in Lanzac, a small
community near Montrouis and subsequently the Sonshine
Inn was closed.
The Lanzac Mission Center originally had three small buildings.
Today there is a three-story building to house missionaries and
short-term mission teams, an additional missionary residence, a
refurbished guesthouse, and a large workshop. |
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| In
1983, the Mission’s USA headquarters was relocated. This came about after
the Lord provided a 73-foot ocean vessel in 1982.
The Mission’s staff and volunteers prayed about finding a docking
area.
God answered their prayer and the headquarters in Findlay, Ohio was
moved to Fort Pierce, Florida, where a good harbor for the ship was found.
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vessel was transformed into a cargo-moving vessel and renamed the Sonship.
A warehouse was established for receiving, processing and
staging supplies for the ship.
The ship carried supplies for Mission Possible as well as for
numerous other missions and missionaries.
In 1985 the first vessel was replaced by a larger one.
Due to the overwhelming cost of repairs to the ship, the Sonship
ministry closed in 1989. |
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David Stitt had the vision for the
Dominican Ministry. In the summer of 1987,
while on vacation with his family in the Dominican Republic, David spotted
little children dancing to the beat of voodoo drums in the heart of Batey
Central (a poor neighborhood of Barahona, DR). His God-given vision of
a DR ministry was born that day as he vowed to win these little souls to the
Lord. The Stitt family relocated to Barahona in November of that year
to answer God's call and he and his family played important roles in its
beginning and establishment. |
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The work was formalized in 1992 with the establishment of Ebenezer
Educational Center at Batey Central in Barahona.
The school began with kindergarten through third grade and now serves
students through 10th grade. The
work in the Dominican Republic has been expanding under the direction of the
Mission Possible Dominicana Board of Directors.
The
year of 1991 was difficult for the Mission with the death of Jack Snyder, who
was serving as President of Mission Possible.
The doors of Mission Possible Canada
closed, and the ministry in Haiti reduced the number of schools and
school children it could meaningfully support.
(We thank God and the numerous people who stepped forward to help
during this transition.)
In
the following months, the Mission Possible Board of Trustees assumed the
mantle of leadership for the vision.
In
1995, Mission Possible Canada was reestablished. Mission Possible USA and Mission Possible Canada work
together in joint ministry, with members of each Board serving on a management
committee which oversees the international work.
In 1997 the Mission became a member of the Evangelical Council for
Financial Accountability (ECFA), and in 2003, Mission Possible Canada became a
Full Seal Member of the Canadian Council of Christian Charities (CCCC).
In
recent years, the priorities have been devoted to developing Haitian and
Dominican national leaders, increasing the spiritual training and ministry,
improving the school programs, and upgrading facilities.
Despite political and cultural obstacles, the Mission’s schools and
ministry have thrived.
In
Haiti, the spiritual ministry now includes churches in Montrouis and Lanzac,
six Christian schools, discipleship classes, and support for a
Bible Training Center. New school buildings in LaHatte, Lanzac, Dupin and Chardene have been
built.
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On
the Dominican side of the island, the school facility continues to
expand
and improve and now includes a new church building which is
also being utilized for classrooms during the week.
Currently, about 400 children attend the school which offers
classes from preschool through
10th grade. |
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Ebenezer School - 2007 |
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Original structure |
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| Discipleship
classes have also been established at Ebenezer Educational Center.
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| We
thank the Lord for what He has done and what He continues to do through the
ministry of Mission Possible. We
thank Him for the faithful men and women who have brought the Mission to where
it is today.
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The
harvest is being reaped today while we equip a new generation for the harvest
tomorrow.
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