Baptist Missionaries in Haitian Prison
Updated February 8, 2010 Compiled by Don Giddens. E-mail him to tell us more about these missionaries. Don’s Home Page Guest Book
Ten Baptist missionaries are in a Haitian prison for trying to do good. They were attempting to do all they could with what they had to rescue children from the ruins of the 7.0 earthquake that killed thousands.
As a group of devoted Christians on a mission trip they were not aware of the pitfalls and loopholes that veteran mission groups might have known. But, they did what they could. What did your church do? What did you do? They were untrained, sure, like the many Haitian workers who rushed in with to dig their families out of the rubble with only their hands, they rushed in.
What should happen to them? First, they should be released immediately. Then, other Baptist orphanage groups should afford them the training and backing they needed in the first place.
This page is dedicated to these heroes. We are reminded of the Tennesseans who rushed to help Texas and died in the Alamo. Time and Eternity (Hebrews 11) will record these ten Baptist missionaries as heroes.
Their names are as follows with links to as much information as we can garner each day to aid you in your prayer and support for them.
Don Giddens, Greenville TX. (http://www.soulwinners.biz)
Retired Pastor/missionary to the Dominican Republic.
We will update and insert links by each name as we find them on the Internet.
Laura Silsby, Charisa Coulter, Corinna Lankford and her daughter Nicole (17), Paul Thompson and his son, Silas Thompson (18) , Steve McMullen, Carla Thompson, Drew Culberth, and Jim Allen.
Contents
Laura Silsby,
40, of Meridian, Group Leader, executive director and founder of New Life
Children's Refuge.
Charisa
Coulter, 24, of Kuna, Idaho; vice president and co-founder of New Life
Children's Refuge....
Corinna
Lankford of Central Valley Baptist Church, Meridian, Idaho. and Nicole Lankford, 17, (Corinna’s Daughter)
Carla
Thompson, 53, Missions Coordinator at the Central Valley Baptist Church,
Meridian, Idaho......
Paul
Thompson, 43, Pastor of Eastside Baptist Church, 204 Eastland Dr. North, Twin
Falls, Idaho and Silas Thompson (18) , Paul Thompson’s............................................................................................................................
Silas
Thompson, 18, of Twin Falls. (Paul Thompson’s son)................................................................
Steve
McMullen, 56, of Eastside Baptist Church, Twin Falls..............................................................
Drew
Culberth, 34, of Topeka, Kansas; youth pastor at Bethel Baptist Church in
Topeka.................
Jim Allen,
47, of Amarillo, Texas. Of Paramount Baptist Church, Amarillo, Texas (Paul Thompson’s cousin)
WHAT YOU CAN
DO from Pastor Barnes.........................................................................................
Write to.........................................................................................................................................
How to Help
with their finances. (By Pastor Jeff Barnes)..................................................................
The News
Media Rushes in, Makes the News (Again).....................................................................
Haitian
Pastor Defend the Missionaries...........................................................................................
Fire Roger
Oldham.........................................................................................................................
Laura Silsby, 40, of Meridian, Group Leader, executive director
and founder of New Life Children's Refuge.
Sister Silsby, a faithful member of East Side Baptist Church, in Meridian, Idaho, would gladly accept all the fault for “rushing in to help”. She seems to be the person who would charge Hell with a watergun.
The News reports are negative. Please send us your comments on our sister, Laura Silsby.
E-mail Don
Giddens to contribute to this person’s biography here in a positive
way.
Charisa Coulter,
24, of Kuna, Idaho; vice president and co-founder of New Life Children's
Refuge.
E-mail Don
Giddens to contribute to this person’s biography here in a positive
way.
Corinna Lankford of Central Valley Baptist Church, Meridian, Idaho.
and Nicole Lankford, 17, (Corinna’s
Daughter)
E-mail Don
Giddens to contribute to this person’s biography here in a positive
way.
Carla Thompson, 53, Missions Coordinator at the Central Valley Baptist Church,
Meridian, Idaho.
E-mail Don
Giddens to contribute to this person’s biography here in a positive
way.
Paul Thompson, 43, Pastor of Eastside Baptist Church, 204 Eastland Dr. North,
Twin Falls, Idaho and Silas Thompson (18) , Paul Thompson’s
Silas Thompson, 18, of Twin Falls. (Paul Thompson’s son)
Friends of Brother Paul and Silas have a Facebook support group for them called, “Bring Paul and Silas Thompson Home”. Join it. Read about them and their family, friends, and church. I knew Brother Paul in the Utah/Idaho SBC where he was elected and officer in the Executive Committee. Brother Paul’s church gave us a big school bus for our ministry on the Navajo Reservation. Don Giddens
Steve McMullen, 56, of Eastside Baptist Church, Twin Falls.
E-mail Don
Giddens to contribute to this person’s biography here in a positive
way.
Drew Culberth, 34, of Topeka, Kansas; youth pastor at Bethel Baptist Church in
Topeka.
Please join the support group for Brother Drew on Facebook called “Bring Drew Culberth Home!!!!!”.
“This support group is for the return of Drew Culberth. He is currently being detained in Haiti. Those of you who know Drew are aware that he is an honorable and selfless man whose faith is in the Lord, a loyal friend, compassionate to everyone around him and a wonderful husband and father. This is a place for family and friends to stay updated and show their support. Drew first heard of this missions trip a few days before leaving--his heart was in it to help children. The accusations against him made by the Haitian government are severely misdirected. Please join us in support of Drew as we eagerly and prayerfully await his return.”
Jim Allen, 47, of Amarillo, Texas. Of Paramount Baptist Church, Amarillo, Texas
(Paul Thompson’s cousin)
Please join the support group on Facebook for Jim Allen called, “Bring Jim Allen Home !!!”
They posted, “This is a support group for the return of Jim Allen, one of the ten American detainees in Haiti. If you know Jim, you know what a man of integrity, honor, compassion and generosity he is. The accusations against him made by the Haitian government are severely misdirected. Jim joined this mission days before leaving for Haiti because he saw an opportunity to help those in need and acted on it. Jim is a loving husband, father, son, brother and man of God. We want him to come home. We know he is strong and is even now thinking not of himself but of those here who may be consumed with worry and grief. Please join in support as we trust that in God's time Jim will be returned to us and that his boldness and selflessness will be used as an example to all.”
WHAT YOU CAN DO from Pastor Barnes
WHAT
YOU CAN DO The Haitian government is using our
missionaries as political pawns during internally desperate times. And the
media has made numerous statements asserting the guilt of our missionaries (I
quote one statement made yesterday on MSNBC) “Thank goodness these kidnappers
were caught!” *Truth and common sense here please. People do not usually
bring their children on a “kidnapping” expedition. I know these people as
responsible members of the Southern Baptist community who acted only on their
devotion to Christ. The Haitian government and courts have ordered the
detainees silence, they do not want you to hear the truth. And it is easier for
our state department to paint these missionaries as criminals than to express
outrage at what has happened to them; I refer to Hillary Clinton’s speech
yesterday concerning international child trafficking. At time of writing, no
official efforts have been made to obtain the release of the missionaries in
Haiti….
We must all get involved in a letter writing campaign. I can’t stress how
important this is. Do this right now and please use overnight mail. Write not
only to the following persons, but everyone in power you know, letting them
hear that we support our missionaries, their innocence, and that our voice will
only become louder in this matter until our missionaries are home.
*A reporter at CNN also made that harsh statement.
Write to
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton
2201 C Street NW
Washington, DC 20520
Former President William J. Clinton (Special Envoy to Haiti)
55 West 125th Street
New York, NY 10027
President Barack Obama
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue
Washington, DC 20500
Letters signed collectively by our congregations should be express mailed to
the White House. Messages to the President can be left at (202) 647-4000 or on
the White House web site.
These men might have the ability to help in the defense of the Christians: Let’s remind them.
The Executive Director of the Southern Baptist Convention, Dr. Morris Chapman
The Baptist Press reported February 8, 2010 that Dr. Chapman, Johnny Hunt and Dr. Page, all prominent leaders in the SBC, wrote a letter to President Obama asking him to intercede for the missionaries.
The Executive Director of NAMB, Interim Richard Harris Whether or not this e-mail address will reach him I do not know.
The President of the International Mission Board , Jerry Rankin. Whether or not this e-mail address will reach him I do not know.
Richard Land, Southern Baptist ethicist, wrote a letter to President Obama saying among other things,
“Southern Baptist ethicist Richard Land added his voice Friday to those calling for the release of 10 Baptist volunteers in Haiti, and in a letter to President Obama called the Haitian government's behavior "outrageous" and asked that the president "do everything in your considerable power to secure the release of these United States citizens."
Executive Director of the Utah/Idaho SBC, Rob Lee
Franklin Graham
How to Help with their finances. (By Pastor Jeff
Barnes)
A
fund has been established: the “TEN AMERICAN SUPPORT FUND” to provide financial
aid to the families and home churches of the ten prisoners. If you can assist
financially, via church love offerings or personal contributions, please
contact Central Valley Baptist Church in Meridian, Idaho at (208) 888-4189 or
go to your local US Bank and make a donation to “10 Americans Support
Fund”.
Your Servant in Christ,
Jeff Barnes
Pastor, Willow Bay Baptist Church
--------------------
To reply to this message, follow the link below:
The News Media Rushes in, Makes the News
(Again)
CNN tried and convicted the Missionaries before they had judge or jury. One CNN reporter, said, “Thank God they were caught. “ and the others congratulated him for his outstanding reporting.
Personally I will thank God when this “reporter?” is fired. It is my understanding they are to report the news not make or distort it. – Don Giddens
Haitian Pastor Defend the
Missionaries
Pastor Jean Sainvil claimed Tuesday, February 2, 2010, that he was the one who gave the missionaries permission to move 33 Haitian children to the Dominican Republic. He writes a tremendous article in their defense at this link. In it he says if he had gone with them, they would probably have been fine.
Fire Roger Oldham
Several prominent SBC leaders are outspoken in their defense of the ten Haitian missionaries, but one wants to throw them to the lions. Fire him, whoever he is. -Don Giddens
The Associated Press quoted Southern Baptist Convention spokesman
Roger Oldham as saying that officials of the denomination are concerned that
publicity about the volunteer group drawn largely from two Idaho Southern
Baptist congregations might tarnish the image of the convention's
disaster-relief ministry.
E-mail Don Giddens to contribute to this person’s biography here in a positive way.