MISSIONS SPOTLIGHT: Michael and Ruth Poirier

It is a privilege to serve the Lord, even during COVID-19. It is also a privilege to be a missionary to the French people. It has not been easy to do ministry without people during the pandemic — preaching to a telephone and imagining a crowd somewhere listening to what the Lord laid on your heart.

• Quebec, Canada — Good news! A Haitian family was saved a month ago. The wife (Mary) was from a Pentecostal church. She claimed to be saved, but after talking with her and going through the Bible, she realized she was not saved and in need of salvation. Her husband, Rodson came to church for a couple of months and did not know the Lord, but had a desire to know Him. So, they both received the Lord as their Savior. This was during COVID restriction — when we are not allowed to visit people, go to church or congregate together for fellowship. Praise the Lord for their salvation.

The church is still closed as I write this. We are not allowed to fellowship, restaurants are closed and visits at home are forbidden. I preach on Facebook every Sunday and Ruth and I go to the church to film because our house is too small to do video and the piano at church is way better than ours at home. I have been teaching online to other countries — Africa Ivory Coast, Cameroon, Mali and Haiti. By the grace of God, people are getting saved, even during COVID. Our health is good and we plan to travel to the USA for the BMAA national meeting this coming April, even through the restrictions imposed to Canadian travelers.

• Haiti — Our three churches (Onaville, Cessless, Segur) are doing well, even under opposition and persecution from the gang that runs the country. They have always been good to us as we travel there, but we are still under the attack of Satan. My last trip was a miracle that the Lord interceded for me, sending a police SWAT team to rescue me and take me to the airport to fly home. But my heart goes to the thousands that have been kidnapped, robbed and killed by the gang who runs the country.

In our church of Onaville, the new primary Christian school we started in September 2021 is doing well, with 17 children that have been going to church with their parents but because of poverty, the children could not attend school like other children. So the Lord stepped in, giving us a way to hire our own Christian school teachers who are members of the church of Onaville. We had more construction on the church compound and water well, with electricity provided by solar panel, and for backup, a 12-kw diesel generator.

In the church of Cessless, there were six saved and four were baptized. The pastor was robbed while he was preaching at church, and the robber took their table, chair, bed, cell phone, all the food, everything they had. Yet as I talk to Pastor Mario, he had a strong spirit and said to me, “The Lord gives and the Lord takes it away. Blessed be the name of the Lord.” He is a great man of God.

The church of Segur is running over 300 on any Sunday, and we have a group of Bible students enrolled in our Baptist school academy who have a heart desire to learn more and be capable of facing any challenge that comes their way. Pray for the pastors — Kedy, Mario and Ecclesiaste.

• Africa, Ivory Coast — We have new work in Ivory Coast with a group of 70 adults and 46 children. Please pray for that work. The pastor who graduated is overwhelmed with all the attacks of Satan on him, his wife and the church family. Pray for Yetondji Paul.

• Africa, Cameroon — We have a group of about 35 participating members and 38 spectators. There were three baptized last Sunday and they are doing well. We plan to dig a well for the village of Bazoo, a 4-hour drive from Cameroon, and begin a new work in this jungle village. Pray for the pastors, Kenneth and Julio. 

• Africa Mali — One man whom we are working with through online teaching, is translating the Bible study that he receives from us into another language that is only used in that part of the country. Pray for Amegbetto Ankou Massada.

We praise the Lord that He gives us an open door to reach the French people for the Lord. I pray that our work will always bring glory to our Lord and to our churches who support us so faithfully month after month. We thank you for your support and your love for missions and pray that this news report is encouraging to you. (pasteur.poirier56@gmail.com)