The Book is a work in progress. At this time, the entries are not even close to being up to the present. The intent is that a book with pictures will be written to give testimony to the Lord that by prayer, He does these things today through ordinary people. The website with this Book capability was just now put in place. That means all the past diary entries from the beginning until now have to be recorded. I know most people will not want to read the whole thing, so it will be organized in chapters, or sections that will be linked to parts of the website. The whole story will be recorded as best as can.

I won’t let the catching up keep me form making current entries as they occur, otherwise I don’t think I would ever catch up.  That means for now, there will be gaps of missing information that will later be filled in.

This BOOK is a testimony that the Lord is real and live today, much like this testimony;

“Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us, just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word. Therefore, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, it seemed good also to me to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught. “
(Luk 1:1-4)

FROM LEE GREER ~ REPORT ON MINISTRY TO TRINIDAD FATHERLESS CHILDREN

January 23, 2012

Greetings from Lee Greer and Sanctuary For Children,

Photography- Video and photos in Trinidad and activities in America
Prayer- The best help we can receive is from the Lord
Money Donated ` The money is used to fund the ministry to accomplish this one goal ~

“The Lord will build many orphanages across Trinidad in the name of Jesus Christ. From these children, the Lord will raise up a new generation of Godly and righteous leaders bringing the Lord’s blessings in abundance to all of Trinidad for generations to come.”

The Fatherless will bring the Nation of Trinidad and the world to Christ.

These are a few of the expenses of the ministry
- 11 days and 18 child evangelism events in Trinidad. Includes Shipping of barrels, transportion, cost of events, travel and support approximately $3,000. The cost of  the work we do there is the major expense.
- Barrels ~ Shipping is about $200 per barrel with  no weight limit. They can hold about 200 pounds of clothes, toys bibles and supplies. These
- Communication ~ Phone, Internet, Website. Monthly and annual fees for all
- Computers ~ Needed in the US and Trinidad to keep the connection and to do the business of the ministry
- Bibles -Because used Bibles are not donated in large quantities, we have to the rest. On past trips we have preached to over 2000 children during an 11 day trip. Adults and children all wanted the bibles, be we had to ration them.

- Media ~ Video, Cameras, sound, editing software. Usually a one time expense but it adds up.
- Registration fees and import tax on Barrels

The Lord has provided all these things from less prayer than you would think. We you pray for what the Lord wants, He acts quickly.

I am sending emails as if you have a working computer and know that you will get these messages. I think I have sent three old used computers to you, but this time the Lord has provided a new one that will come in one of the barrels. Then you wont have to travel to the internet cafe to have the emails printed. The work of the ministry and the planning for this July trip will go much better when you have a working computer in your home. 

Let the Lord lead you on sorting the barrels contents as He did last time, but I will tell you what He has put in me about what to take with us each day as prepare to minister to the children in the Tamana Jungle when we are there. The sorting in advance as you did before will help. I think you knowing what I see happening will help you sort. The contents are mixed as the Lord led me at different times in what to put in the barrels. This trip will not be like any of the ones before. We will not be speaking at churches or at churches having events to attract children. There will be no gifts for pastors or church youth groups, only for the fatherless in Tamana. Many of the fatherless are child mothers with babies to care for or children with no adults to provide anything.

Each day I will not advertise in advance that we are giving away toys and clothes to attract children. We can change this later, but I think I will advertise that the first Saturday we will be showing a movie with popcorn. And we may do that by walking the area the Saturday of the movie. No advance advertising. Last time it was out of control with 200- 300 when we were there and the people who had advertised it said 500-700 children came the whole day for free toys and clothes.

This time, each day I will return to the same area and show the Gospel of John movie and preach at the same place we set up the first day. The Last day will be Sunday week July 21. Once word gets out that I have free toys and clothes, many will come for that reason alone. I want to give to those who first want to know about Jesus. So I will hide the toys and clothes and bring them out for individual situations especially if I am invited during the day to the places where the children live. It might be that is the only and best way to give them out. Sort toys and clothes as the Lord leads you, knowing we will meet child mothers, and children taking care of each other. If they want  me to come to them to individually tell them about Jesus and pray for them, I will give them gifts as well. We will not have mobs grabbing and hording  stuff this time. And after word gets out that I will be back, the following days would become like mob looting, trying to get the free gifts. We will hide them and not let it be known to the crowds. 

We are not coming for children with parents, but I will not stop them. The Bibles are only for those who are serious about Jesus. I and members of the team will be praying with and teaching them personally during the day, so I will know who needs what Bible. If you see the Bible or Bibles you prayed for, keep them for yourself. I prayed that the Lord put them there for you and those who work since Bibles are too expensive to buy in Trinidad. Here are the groups of Bibles I have in mind. In the barrels, there is a huge variety of types of Bibles I have never heard of before. The sorting is based on the fatherless, not the contents of the Bibles.

Each bible represents a new believer in Christ. I will most likely only give Bibles to those who pray to accept Christ or have some new understanding of a previous decision they made. If we have 1000 bibles, the Lord will have 1000 saved souls.

Written by Lee Greer
July 13, 2008

This is a brief story written early in the minstry of how this came about. There are so many details that were arranged by the Lord that I could rewrite this later as a complete story. It would become a fairly long account just to acknowledge all the arrangements the Lord has and still making that are not humanly possible.

Spring of 2007. I’m not in the habit of having dreams that remain with me very long. I woke up and told my wife that I had a dream of the most incredible job I could possibly imagine. I told her it was working in an orphanage, surrounded by children and was absolutely the happiest I had ever been in my life. I knew it was only a dream, but she was thinking, perhaps this is what I wanted to do. Thinking realistically, she told me I had no experience with orphanages and the legal complexities were enormous. I told her this was in another country so perhaps the legal complexities would not be that bad. She said you’ve never been to another country.

I began to ask Lord in prayer about this dream and why it was so powerfully obsessive to me. The more I prayed about the dream, the more the Lord led me to pray about. I didn’t know anything about orphanages, and I didn’t know anything about other countries or have the means to ever get to one. The more I prayed about this impossible dream, the more it grew. I began to drop notes in prayer request boxes about the Lord making this possible for the sake of the children.

December 2007. One morning I was telling the Lord, my life today is all yours. I’ll go anywhere you want or do anything you want. I am totally yours and I release the responsibility to you for what you do with me, even if it is not productive. I felt the presence of the Lord very strongly with me and I knew that he was pleased with this prayer. A few hours later, my phone rang. I was asked if I would be willing to go on a mission trip to Trinidad. I did not have a job at the time, but the Lord supplied the provisions. I had not told anyone related to the mission trip about this dream about orphanages in other countries or my desire of many years to go on mission trip to another country. Financially, it was never a possibility for our family. Of course I said yes, but the timing was terrible. I had no job and money was tight. My wife had started a new job that very day, I had no job and I was desperately needed to stay here to provide whatever income or help I could with the children at home. But I knew the Lord was fulfilling this vision he had planted in me. I had no passport and only a few weeks in which to secure the passport and all the necessary shots. The Lord took care of everything.

February 2008. The purpose of the mission trip to Trinidad was to distribute free eyeglasses to the people in the name of Jesus. The leader of the team graciously told me to follow the Holy Spirit as he led me and gave me the freedom to do so. As soon as the airplane landed at the airport, I was met and spent time in the car with my companions in this ministry, a wonderful married couple who are native to Trinidad and I liked them very much. I asked them if there were needs for orphanages.

They told me I would be allowed to visit a children’s home, where they had been ministering to the children themselves. The plans for me to visit were frustrated, but I told them the Lord had other plans, for not just me, but our whole mission team to go to the children’s home. The Lord arranged it so this did indeed happen. You’ll see a picture of the mission team at the children’s home. Amazing things happened during that visit but that is another story or several stories.

I will never understand Trinidad as those from Trinidad do, so please forgive me if I am not politically or historically correct or say anything offensive about Trinidad. My intention is only to let you know the children need help from the body of Christ and I and many more pray for that constantly. This is what I learned about the children. Abortion is illegal. The history of the island was that of slavery. The children of India and Africa were captured from their homes and taken to Trinidad to work in the British cane fields. The cane fields and slavery are gone, but the heritage of slavery of the fatherless is still there. I have not found many ministries outside of Trinidad who are helping these children. We intend to minister to whatever children we can, in whatever homes they may be in, or even if they are in the streets. In the Lord’s time he will provide more Christian homes for these children and we intend to call these homes “Sanctuary”, a name given to us by the Lord in prayer. These orphanages will come to be a reality when the Lord provides the provisions for more Christian orphanages.

“The Lord will build many orphanages across Trinidad in name of Jesus Christ. From these children, the Lord will raise up a new generation of Godly and righteous leaders bringing the Lord’s blessings in abundance to all of Trinidad for generations to come.”

As I met the people of Trinidad and told some of them about this vision, they would ask me how will these orphanages come about? I remember telling some of them, ” the Lord only lets me see around one corner at a time.” Now several months have passed and the Lord brings answers and direction one step at a time. These have not been plans made by myself, or others, but brought to us in prayer, and because of prayer. I have not sought resources nor those who are knowledgeable in the ways of orphanages, but instead the Lord has brought those people and resources. It has been amazing how all this has come together.

Note Added 1-25-09 by Lee

This is to clarify what may appear to be any discrepancy from what was written at the time of July 13, 2008 as compared to what we are doing now. I still do not make the plans for the ministry. I ask the Lord, I listen, and I obey sometimes without really understanding. Later, I often see the wisdom. Nothing the Lord originally gave us has been changed or been abandoned, but clarified by him into slow and careful steps we must do to get there. These steps and provisions are given by the Lord through prayer. We only need to obey each step and we will get there because the Lord is leading. At this time, our next step is Child Evangelism. That is enough for now. The Lord will lead us from there.

The Lord founded the ministry now called “Sanctuary For Children” through Lee Greer. Lee nor any single person does not support this ministry from an abundance of personal wealth or free time, but through resources the Lord has provided because of prayer.

In 2008 the Lord founded the ministry now called “Sanctuary For Children” through Lee Greer. “Sanctuary For Children” started with a partnership with Healing Harmonics Inc. also located in Chattanooga. Healing Harmonics has a reputation for excellence for over 20 years and assists many other ministries in different parts of the world. The ministry now resides in Saint Elmo Avenue Baptist Church. Lee nor any single person, church or organization supports this ministry from an abundance of personal wealth or free time, but through resources the Lord has provided solely because of prayer. There will never be requests for donations. 

Since 2001, Lee and his wife Alice have been successfully active in an international evangelistic ministry called “Salt Shaker”, meaning out of the salt shaker and into the world. The Lord used Lee to bring men to Christ and he now teaches others to do the same. Alice did the same with women and for a while their oldest son, only 10 years old at the time, led a children’s Bible study.

In previous churches, Lee served as an elder, he and his wife as the church youth leaders, Lee started a church youth band, taught the young men’s Sunday school class and held numerous other church leadership positions. Lee led his two boys to Christ and had the special honor as an elder of participating in the baptism of his own 5 year old son. They are currently active members of Signal Mountain Presbyterian Church.

Lee has two college degrees, an Associate of Art, majoring in Art, and a Bachelors of Business Administration, graduating from Georgia State University in 1976 with honors in accounting and in the top four percent of his class. Lee was a successful self-employed general contractor from 1978 to 2000, receiving national awards and recognition. In 1991, Lee personally designed and physically built their family home on the side of Signal Mountain with a view of Lookout Mountain and the Tennessee River. He currently works on houses and gives his time and money to the support of his family and this ministry.

About 1961 I was baptized at the age of 11 or 12 in a Baptist church in the Bible belt where my parents belonged and I felt that they made me go. I had publicly accepted Jesus Christ as my savior, but I knew nothing about a relationship with him. I was not happy at home as a teenager. When I was finally able to leave home, one thing I knew I wanted to drop, was being made to go to church.

I lived life according to my own wisdom. By the early 1980s, I was divorced, miserable, had problems with alcohol, sick of myself and even a failure at being suicidal. I had no Christian contacts, no one to teach me, only my idea of prayer, which was as ignorant as a newborn. I needed help, so I prayed and cried out to the Lord for help. I had no reason to live.

In my prayers I could see the vision of a tornado with the wreckage of my life swirling around in pieces. In my prayers, I screamed at the top of my lungs. I could hear it echo in the heavens and that echo encouraged me to continue to pray, that the Lord and his court might be listening. I wept and wailed, trying to be heard over the Tornado, crying to the Lord for help for months, but no help came. I could not live and I could not die. Still, there was no voice, no guidance and to me, and the horrible doubt and fear that I had offended God so much that he did not love me or want me.

Still, I prayed desperately in a life and death prayer, hoping that something would happen, but it didn’t. I begged to the Lord that I wanted to hear his voice, that if he was truly the Lord of the Universe, surely he could speak to me. Finally at the end of myself, I told him that I had nothing of value, nothing to lose, no reason to live, so the rest of my life would be completely devoted to him. I would go anywhere and do anything he wanted and everything I had and always would have, was his. The tornado was still there in my prayers, but in the tornado, I heard a gentle voice. I asked the Lord if this was from him, my own thoughts, or from some spirit that I should not be listening to. He told me to write down the things he told me, to do them, and see what kind of fruit they bore, and by the fruit, I would know if it was him.

I began to write down and to do the things he told me, which were not what I was used to doing, or things I wanted to do. I struggled with him about the things he told me but did them knowing I did not want to go back to my former condition. My life painfully began to be placed in order. I came to understand scripture and to understand Christ and I was fed from many places. It all came with a new set of friends, new places where I spent my time and outside my old comfort zone. I never told anyone, ever, about living by hearing the Lord’s voice. I was ashamed and afraid of what I thought they would say or think of me. But still, my secret, private, prayer life continued to deepen beyond anything I had ever been taught or heard others speak of. I began to truly love being close to the Lord in prayer. I was proud and secure of my understanding of the Lord and because of my pride that I thought I really knew and understood him, he would set me straight, like he did his servant Job.
Summer of 2007, I was praying very big and very deep prayers not for myself, but as intercession for others, and praying with a faith that had become knowledge from many years of knowing without a doubt, that the prayers would be answered. As a result, an event happened to me that I did not pray for.

The blessings of the prayers I had prayed for others were poured out on me, against my will and in such a sudden and powerful way that I was shaken and changed to the core. I realized the age of miracles had not passed with the completion of the writing of the Bible, as I thought it had. The Lord himself showed up in more than just his voice, but in a very real presence that was overwhelming. I was with several other men who had no experience in what was happening to me, could not explain this to me or help me, yet to my surprise rather than thinking me crazy as I had always feared, they asked me to lead them to pray in the same way. Many were drawn to me for blessings from the Lord, and we prayed for hours over many men with all sorts of needs and the Lord’s blessings were poured out on all those who had the faith to receive them. The presence of the Lord was so intensely upon me, I could not emotionally handle it. I was at times on the floor and wept and begged for mercy and forgiveness while praising him for revealing himself so powerfully.

During all this, he showed me many things; that I had kept him in a box and to myself, limiting him by my own small understanding of him. I realized I could never reach a complete understanding of the Lord. He is the creator of infinity. He convicted me that I had denied him repeatedly. He made me aware of times in my past when he had given me spiritual gifts that I could have used to minister to others, but had not ministered because I feared more that men might think me strange more than I feared the Lord. As Peter, I had denied my beloved Lord who gave me so much and I was truly broken.

Now, if you ask me, I will confess to anyone, anything they ask about what I know of the Lord, no matter how crazy they think I am. I know these things to be available to any believer who will surrender his life, his worldly possessions, not look back and will completely follow Jesus. I pray that he will give me the courage and strength to be forever faithful and truly and completely his. I am an unworthy sinner saved by his grace but also was undeservedly blessed in abundance.

Written by Lee Greer
with contributions by others as noted

Preface

This is a story of the Lord’s work in ordinary people. It is your story. It is not finished.

Before 2012 the pictures were just thrown in the website site grouped by trips or in masses with no stories. Or what was written had no pictures. It was a poor testimony of the miraculous work of the Lord. Until this new website and email distribution system was in place I was years behind in telling the story. Once I bring the story with pictures up to date, the news posts to come will be added to the end as a diary, illustrated with pictures. After each trip, a lot of work will be required to document the Lord’s work the new photos and testimony of what He is continuing to do.

BOOK will be a major part of the website. The purpose is to glorify the testimony of the Lord who has provided so much from nothing but prayer. It is true. It is real. It is just starting. I have to tell the story. It is the story of the Lord leading by prayer, responding to obedience and doing the miraculous. Because He has done this, He will do that. When you understand how earthly impossible this ministry is so far, maybe you will begin to understand how certain His work will be.

To make the story sound like the work of man, and not of God is to risk His deserved wrath. These are not good works of charity, done by good people, but the desire and the work of the Lord. He works though obedient vessels where He can find them.

I tell this story as a testimony to the Lord’s ability to do whatever He wants without man’s business ways. I hope the testimony will bless and encourage you as you read it.

This is no small accomplishment. The first two refusals came in years 2008 and 2009 when the name Sanctuary for Children was not approved by the government. The officials said the name did not fit the requirements of the laws for non profit status in Trinidad. They told us to choose another name and try to get approved. The Lord was clear to me that we already have the ministry name He gave us, Sanctuary For Children. We are already covered by a non profit 501c3 status in the United States and recognized by that name. The Lord was clear to me, government rejection or not, that is the only name we should register in Trinidad. Two more refusals of the name came in 2011.

The successful registration process was finally signed and approved by the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago on November 4, 2011 due to the faith, persistence and obedience of Rosie Samaroo, our main contact in Trinidad. Rosie started this process earlier in 2011 and was sure that we should be legally registered as a non profit. I knew that registration was an essential step in actually building the children’s homes that will come later, but I did not see it as essential to this current phase of child evangelism. However it will make things easier. The Lord knows best when this and that should be done. I did not encourage Rosie, nor did I discourage her, I just supported her in the Lord leading her to do this and Rosie was strongly led. Rosie is not deeply experienced or skilled in legal or business matters. She is just now trying to learn to use a computer, but she has the faith of a child that if the Lord wants something done, it will be done.

In order to not discourage Rosie, I did not tell her the government had already decided not to approve the name Sanctuary For Children even when we had asked twice before. Rosie attempted to register twice again in 2001 and the name was refused two more times, making four refusals from the same government office. Rosie prayed each time to go on the day the Lord led her, to the exact person the Lord led her and the the third time for Rosie was the fifth time for the ministry but the name was approved by the same office that had rejected it four times before. Rosie was obedient and the Lord got it done.

Once the name was approved, we then began the lengthy and complex legal process of legal registration of non profit status. We used no attorney even though there are over 600 pages of Trinidad law relevant to the process. We asked the Lord to give us the answers in prayer. The Holy Spirit was our counselor. What was given to us in prayer we put into writing. We submitted what was written having no professional understanding as to the legal meaning of what was submitted. The papers submitted made sense to the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago and now we are covered under non profit status in both the US and Trinidad. It will help tremendously in the process of the work of Child Evangelism and later in building the Orphanages.

Please do not discount this as anything but a miracle of the Lord;
-to successfully navigate the complex legal process taking many months
-in another country
-without an attorney helping here or there
-no legal fees
-no business person in Trinidad, only Rosie.
This success is only the miraculous work of the Lord.

I think Rosie must have made 20 or more trips taking most of a day to the capital Port of Spain far from her home. Jonathan and I spent many hours trying to understand the laws of another country and how to complete the forms to meet the legal requirements. As usual, I had no earthly skills or wisdom in how to achieve this success in another country much less in the US, but answers were clearly given in prayer as promised by the Lord in Jeremiah 33:3 and James 1:5.

Praise to the Lord, Lee
November 4th 2011

Who We Were ( before 2011 )
The ministry “Sanctuary For Children” is based in the United States. Working from America, “Sanctuary For Children” assists those from many denominations and Christian organizations in Trinidad who share the vision the Lord has for the Children.In addition to Child Evangelism on mission trips, we equip ministries there to continue on their own. We ship containers of gifts, supplies and Bibles for the purpose of building the body of Christ in Trinidad through the children.

There are no central headquarters for this ministry in Trinidad. The partnerships exist on an event by event basis so we are not dependent on the continued stability or reliability of ministries in Trinidad. As long as the Lord continues to bring forth ministries in Trinidad who want to do this and are willing to work with us, we can continue.

To avoid international, legal and organizational complexities, the Lord has set this up so we may work together as simply as possible. Each ministry or organization remain as separate entities, but coordinated in unity for the purpose of serving as the body of Christ.  ~ Lee

What We Do

CHILD EVANGELISM IN TRINIDAD
With this ministry, it is possible that giving a simple gift to a child could give them a new and better life with the power of Jesus Christ

- We ship gifts to Trinidad for children; Toys, Clothes, Books, Bibles, Church and Educational supplies
- Churches in Trinidad invite children to a scheduled event to receive the free gifts
- At these events, children hear about Jesus Christ, and if they want, they receive a Bible and a new church home
- Inviting the children means inviting connected adults and the community
- The children and adults keep coming back to the churches
- This builds up the children, the churches and support for the children
- We also give gifts and the message of Christ to children in schools, orphanages and other organizations in Trinidad
- We continue to send gifts and supplies from the US to ministries in Trinidad to continue this work. The purpose is to help them to do this work themselves.

We give to all children, no matter where they are found or their background. The only qualification is that they are children in need. Without giving away free gifts, it would be hard for Americans to go to Trinidad and find the neediest children. They are not in orphanages, because there are only a few orphanages and no more room.

What happens Where

The local churches are the best community gathering places. They are already equipped and motivated by the desire to provide all kinds of help and ministries to adults, families and children. The local churches of Trinidad and Tobago who want to help the children decide to partner with this ministry. Partnering means they simply invite any children to come to an advertised scheduled event put on by this ministry where free gifts will be given away. Those individuals in Trinidad, who want to receive blessings upon themselves by giving, work with the churches to help to put on the event in partnership with this ministry, Sanctuary For Children, using the gifts sent from America. Anyone of any belief can help and the place of the event does not have to be a church as long as we are allowed to share our personal life stories about Jesus Christ.
With this ministry, it is possible that giving a simple gift to a child could give them a new and better life with the power of Jesus Christ.

Connecting with the Needy Children

Children will come to receive something free and the needier they are the more likely they are to come. These are the very children we are praying for and seeking to help. The gifts are: clothes, toys, books, school and educational supplies, toothpaste and personal cleanliness supplies, Bibles, or anything a child might want but most likely could never afford to buy.

Relationships

When the children are attracted, relationships are developed between those who can help and those who need help. These personal relationships are the most important thing about this ministry. If the needs of the individual children personally become known, the children can be helped by the local individuals, communities and churches and supported and encouraged by this ministry in America.

The Gift that Lasts Forever

No child is forced to accept any beliefs in order to receive gifts, help or care from the churches and communities. But, we do want to share our personal stories of how the Lord has blessed us. If the Lord has done good things for us and can do the same for these children, it is not right to keep it all to ourselves. The Lord has blessed us with His greatest gift of His son Jesus Christ. He gave this so we might have a life free from the bondage of this world and eternal blessings. We want to make this gift available to all who would understand its value and accept it. The gifts from the barrels are given with no strings attached. If any child or adult is uncomfortable with the churches or what is said, they are still loved and will receive the same as any. We want to be compassionate and gentle. We want to give the love of Christ to all, not religion.

Continued Help

We will give out as many Bibles to children who want one as the ministry can afford. Bibles are rarely donated, usually cost us cash, but are the most precious material gift we can give. Cash donations buy Bibles. Currently we can buy a full new NKJ Bible for 80 cents US money and a New Testament for 40 cents. Children who want a Bible are given one. They are also given personal invitations and warm openness to come back to the churches by those they met to receive further help. No church operating in the likeness of Christ would deny help to a child who comes back. We in this ministry in America are providing the start and assistance for the local Trinidad ministries to continue to help the children.

The Long Term Impact

We want to be like Jesus; loving all, giving to all without any concern for background, beliefs or the past, us not judging or speaking condemnation on anyone. God gave us free will so each person individually has the freedom to decide what to do with their lives. We offer, we do not tell. Ministering in the same way as Christ, we do not force beliefs on any child or adult, but give freely to all, as Christ did. Those of us who have personally seen and experienced how God has given purpose, security and a future to our lives want to pass this gift on to children. Our desire is to tell the children that their lives can be better. The children are important and powerful as individuals and together. If they choose, even while still children, they can cause change in other people’s lives for the better. Those working in this ministry are living proof that this is true in our lives. If the Lord can do this with us, He can do this with the lives of any and all of these children who would want this. Receiving the Lord’s blessing doe not depend on place of birth, wealth, or position, but are given freely to all who will receive them. Children are special and important. These children can impact the future of the entire island for future generations to come. These little children can change the world for the future, for the better.

Simple Beginnings

From the simple act of giving gifts sent in barrels, churches and communities in Trinidad will have a way to connect with and continue to help the needy children, the next generation. The churches in Trinidad who decide to partner with this ministry will attract both children and the adults who come to help the children. This will strengthen and build the churches and communities. The barrels will continue to be sent as long as the Lord provides through those in America who would help by donating. Churches in Trinidad who see this happening will want to join and participate. This most likely means if they sponsor events to give gifts to the children, they will also continue to give help to the children. Many of these churches and communities have already been ministering to the children using the few resources they have. Many have a desire to help the children, but don’t have a way. Now, help for the children in Trinidad will be multiplied from a simple gift sent in a barrel. Literally, a stuffed animal could change a child’s life for eternity and the lives of all those they impact. What an investment!

The Effectiveness of Mission Trips from America to Trinidad

An American on a short term mission trip has an advantage over those living in Trinidad. In March, Lee will be building support in Trinidad in these churches and communities to help in receiving the contents of the barrels Lee Greer, the President of the Board for Sanctuary For Children, will be coming to Trinidad March 13th through 23rd, 2009. The contents of eight barrels will already be there ready to be given to children. Arrangements will be made for events at possibly 10 to15 churches, as the schedule allows. The events will be well advertised in advance. Children will be invited from everywhere to come at the time of the event to receive the free gifts.

From the experiences of a previous mission trip there, it is obvious that children and adults love and respect Americans who would spend the time and money to travel just to give freely with no strings attached. On an earlier mission trip, children asked for all kinds of prayers, and to accept Christ even when they were never even asked if they wanted, attending to the needs of the children and helping this ministry. This ministry to the children needs the support and the varied talents and abilities of many in Trinidad and America. The Lord tremendously blesses those who help children. After I leave, my purpose is that the local ministry to the children will grow and continue without me being there.

Lee will later be leading a mission team to Trinidad for anyone who wants to come to minister in person to the children. Those going on the trip will have the joy of packing their own barrel to be shipped ahead and then personally helping to give out their gifts directly to the children they will meet in Trinidad. Churches who were not able to participate in March, will have an opportunity to participate later when the team comes. These churches can begin making preparations anytime by contacting us. Children who heard about the free gifts given in March 2009, but did not get one will probably come and bring their friends when the team comes. Giving away free gifts, toys and clothes in Trinidad is expected to attract thousands of children across many churches visited during one mission trip. Children will be given an opportunity to hear the good news about Jesus, to receive Bibles if enough are available, and to connect with those in the local church and communities who can continue to provide help A huge amount can be accomplished in a short mission trip. The potential magnitude of this ministry is enormous and many people are required to make it work. If you want to find out how you can help, click here to find out more…

This is one article about the street children fromhttp://baiganchoka.com/blog/2008/12/23/human-trafficking-in-trinidad-children-being-sold-for-over-200000/

Human trafficking in Trinidad: Children being sold for over 200,000
December 23, 2008

PORT OF SPAIN: Sunday December 21 2008, The Guardian newspaper of Trinidad published a disturbing report in which it alleges that human traffickers are on the prowl, looking to lure children and women to sell them for big money.

The report states that “children, because they live longer, are sold for over $200,000. Adults can fetch as much as $100,000. They are mostly used as sex slaves and sometimes for slave labour.
“Sometimes, they are used to make pay-offs in the drug trade – a well placed source informed the Sunday Guardian.”

The report stated that men owing drug lords are being lured into capturing humans, who will be sold for payment of their debts.

A source, pleading for anonymity for fear of his life, said victims were drugged almost immediately after capture and their cellphones switched off.

A Sunday Guardian investigation revealed that the lucrative human trafficking ring is operating in the Cascade/St Ann’s area, between Sangre Grande and Tunapuna, Diego Martin and in South.
Women have mysteriously disappeared from the Cascade area without a trace during the past year and “several straying young boys have vanished from the streets of San Fernando”.

The report further stated that the clandestine local trade, which operates through a well organized network and is supported by several powerful agencies, is linked to an international human trafficking ring.
Even some policemen are convinced that there is a human trafficking ring in Trinidad and they suspect that a number of missing persons have been victims of the trade, but were reluctant to say more.
According to the newspaper report, “fingers are pointing at a popular businessman, who has been described as the ‘big man’ in the human trade.”

“He’s popular. He is also linked with other businessmen across the country.”
The information was unearthed by a local resident after a female relative went missing several months ago. The man said his family, desperate for answers, launched their own investigation with the support of a police officer and local private investigators.

We will follow up with this story and keep you posted.
Written by guest · Filed Under All, Caribbean, Guyana, Trinidad & Tobago, U.S. ShareThis