“But someone who does not know, and then does something wrong, will be punished only lightly. When someone has been given much, much will be required in return; and when someone has been entrusted with much, even more will be required.” Luke 12:48 NLT
A couple of weeks ago, Trinity HOPE sent out an article for congregations to place in the newsletters and I wanted to send that same message out to you in case you had missed it; with a few comments. Around 28 years ago, Trinity HOPE began a feeding 42 Haitian schoolkids at the school called Tarrasse which is located a few miles Northeast of Gonaives in the Northern claw near a large drainage ditch. None of those members of the original group who began feeding that school ever imagined how God was going bless that school and Trinity HOPE in the coming years. Our founder John Hall left us with a wonderful saying; “Ain’t God good?” and I hope that you will repeat that after reading this message.
‘Stewardship [noun]: recognizing that God owns everything and that we are chosen managers, trusted to carefully and responsibly care for what He has placed in our hands.” Stewardship is a commitment that Trinity HOPE takes extremely seriously. God continues to bless this ministry greatly, and we never forget that those blessings come with great responsibility as we read in the above scripture in Luke 12:48.
Over the past six months, Trinity HOPE has added feeding programs in 68 additional Christian schools throughout Haiti. Thanks be to God! Today, we are serving approximately 80,000 meals every school day, more than 1.5 million meals each month. With that growth comes increased giving, increased purchasing and an even greater responsibility to consider the scale for a moment. Each month, Trinity HOPE purchases approximately 300,000 pounds of rice and 200,000 pounds of corn, along with beans, oil, seasonings, and other supplies needed to feed children throughout Haiti. When we are purchasing food at that volume, even small improvements in pricing and accountability matter. Every penny we can protect is a penny that can help put food into the stomach of a hungry child. That is why, as Trinity HOPE grows, our systems of accountability must grow with us.
Beginning this school year, we are strengthening our operations in Haiti with National Purchasing Agents who will manage a new competitive bidding process for food purchases, as well as eight Internal Auditors strategically located throughout the country. These auditors will make unannounced visits to schools and vendors, providing another layer of accountability and helping ensure that food, funds, and program resources are being used as intended. And this ministry reaches beyond the children we feed. Trinity HOPE operates in the United States with only two full time and two part-time American employees, while employing 55 Haitian staff members. In addition, more than 600 Haitian cooks and food vendors earn income through the feeding program. We have a responsibility not only to the donors who entrust their gifts to Trinity HOPE, but also to the hundreds of Haitian families whose livelihoods are connected to this ministry.
Our expectation is that competitive purchasing will generate enough savings to more than cover the additional accountability staff and help lower our overall cost per meal. In other words, stronger stewardship does not simply protect the ministry. It helps us feed more children with the resources God provides.
We give God thanks for every resource He has entrusted to Trinity HOPE and for each person who makes this work possible. As He allows the ministry to grow, we remain committed to growing responsibly, protecting what He provides, and using it faithfully for His purposes. Ain’t God good?
Heavenly Father, you have called your servants to ventures of which we cannot see the ending, by paths as yet untrodden, through perils unknown. Give us faith to go out with good courage, not knowing where we go but only that your hand is leading us and your love supporting us through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. Amen.
May God be with you,
Jay