22019: (Hermantin)Miami-Herald-Church members help Dania congregation (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: leonie hermantin <lhermantin@hotmail.com>

Posted on Sun, May. 23, 2004




WESTON


Church members help Dania congregation

BY JULIE LEVIN

Special to The Herald


Kyle Sawyer could have spent his Saturday morning watching TV or playing
with his friends. Instead, he was digging holes, spreading mulch and
planting flowers. But the Weston 12-year-old wasn't complaining.

''I don't mind doing this,'' he said. ``We're doing it for God, and it makes
me happy.''

Sawyer was one of 60 members of the First Baptist Church at Weston who
helped another church that has fallen on hard times.

The South Florida First Haitian Baptist Church in Dania Beach was badly in
need of several major repairs. A leaky roof had left water damage inside the
church's educational wing, and the 350-member church simply didn't have the
funds to fix the problem.

The Weston church members decided to step in, volunteering time and an
estimated $15,000 in supplies.

''We're trying to cause our people to see a vision that's beyond where we
live, and this is a good way to do that,'' said organizer Joe Guynes, with
the church Missions Committee.

Weston church member Jay Evans and his construction firm, Pillar
Construction, began work on the roof in April. Members donated other
professional services, such as engineering, electrical work and plumbing.

On May 15, dozens of church members descended on the Dania Beach church
early in the morning to trim hedges, plant flowers, mow grass and help
beautify the property.

Inside, members scoured floors, wiped down chairs and furniture and cleaned
the kitchen. Upstairs, they chipped off old paint and readied rooms in the
educational wing for new coats of paint.

The South Florida First Haitian Baptist Church was founded 23 years ago. But
the building is 40 to 50 years old and was starting to show its age.

''It was a great effort for us to buy the building,'' Haitian Baptist Pastor
J.M. Louissaint said. ``God provided for that, but there wasn't enough to
repair the building.''

Renette Antoine, 18, said it's the first time she helped out at another
church, and she values the experience.

''Your hands can help somebody else who needs a lot of help,'' she said.

To celebrate their hard work, the two churches are going to conduct a joint
worship service at the newly renovated South Florida First Haitian Baptist
Church at 7 p.m. today.

The church is at 23 NW First St. in Dania Beach.

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