Hi there! I'm Julie Phillips, Administrator for Bethlehem Ministry. You might recognize my name from sponsorship renewals and donation receipt letters. I wear many hats for Bethlehem Ministry - from managing the sponsorship program and keeping ministry financials in order to maintaining our website, helping create our newsletters, and serving on the Resource Development Committee. It has been a privilege to serve you and the people in Haiti in this capacity.
I became involved with Bethlehem Ministry in 2008 while attending a Bible study group at St. Gregory the Great Episcopal Church with Berry Rice, one of the founders of Bethlehem Ministry. I loved hearing her stories of her travels to Haiti and the exciting work she and her husband, Peter, were doing there. When I learned that Peter needed help with some administrative work for the ministry, I jumped at the chance. It felt like a blessing falling in my lap! I began working for Bethlehem Ministry in 2008 and traveled to Haiti in 2009 to see the work firsthand. It was on that trip that I first met Rich Wheeler who would one day serve as the President of our Board! I was stunned by the beauty, culture, and joy I found in Haiti. There was, and is, staggering poverty, but I left with an impression of love, perseverance, and faith.
So much has changed with the ministry over the past 11 years. We have grown, and continue to grow, in the ways that we serve Haiti. Board members have come and gone, and a wonderful new Executive Director is in place. But one thing that has been a constant throughout my years with Bethlehem Ministry is our shared belief that together we can make a difference in Haiti. We are empowering Haitians every day to write a new story for their lives and their country. I am so blessed to be part of this work. Thank you for working alongside me.
-Julie Phillips