The orphanage needs to move into the new building. If you have been involved in supply chain or construction this last year you know how tangled things are. Try building something in India. Franklin has been running into problems left and right. They have two buildings built on the new property to move into and the well is drilled, but they need water filtration, furniture, vehicles, and a whole lot more. For more on how they are holding in there visit the India page.
Our focus is on supporting national workers who are doing the work we cannot. Normally this is because they are in their home country where they understand the language and culture. Now this is amplified because we cannot go because of covid restrictions. In some countries, political unrest and other troubles keep us out. Please pray for the safety of our brothers and sisters in Haiti, India, Thailand, and around the world as they continue serving under their own burden of sickness, job loss, and other troubles.
With Covid taking a toll around the world we are unable to travel, but have continued to move life giving funds to our people around the world. Because we work with nationals who are serving in their home country, we are still active during times of separation. I am grateful for the help of so many that have allowed us to get food to students atschools in Haiti, send relief to the orphanage in India, and give much needed relief to some of the workers themselves who have been out of work and even sick with the corona virus.
Please pray for our brothers and sisters overseas, for health and safety, but also for opportunities to share the love of Christ as well as a bowl of food.
Haiti is the poorest country in this hemisphere. Students need a solid education to help them change their future and the future of their country, but resources are limited. Teachers are lucky if they have their own set of textbooks, and the students often have none. Normal income for a teacher in Haiti is $100 a month. Yes, You read that correctly, One Hundred Dollars… Per Month! These men and women work with students who cannot pay full tuition for their schooling and the government does not fund them. Consequently, sometimes they do not even receive the small pay they were depending on, yet they keep going.
We have a small team going to the Northern part of Haiti, to the city of Cape Haitien to hold a teachers’ training conference. We already have over eighty teachers from local schools registered. We want to provide practical training to help them reach these young people more effectively, and to encourage them in their vital work. This training will be free for these people who invest themselves daily in their students, including printed materials and lunch each day.
We are also working towards having books available for both teachers and students, and not just textbooks, but also fiction, reference books, practical how to manuals. If you had never owned a book, what would it be worth to have a library at your fingertips? We are wanting to partner with the World Reader program to provide durable and economical readers maintained by a “librarian” who would ensure proper maintenance and training for the program. We could provide thousands of books to fill young minds with dreams of what is possible and with the knowledge to make it happen. This could accelerate their education, increasing the students’ knowledge in both depth and quality. We plan to pilot in one school, and then expand the program throughout the school district.
We need your help! Everyone can pray for…
Some can give. This work is only possible because of the generous help of many friends. The Sanford Westcott Foundation is a registered charity, so donations are tax deductible. We pay no salaries and have no offices so that we can use the funds as efficiently and effectively as possible. Donations can be sent to The Sanford Westcott Foundation, P.O. Box 28477, Chattanooga, TN 37421.
Looking over the last year, It is amazing to think how far God has brought us. In many ways it has been a rough year, but His faithfulness carries us. The orphanage in India has been struggling through a drought. With all the wells in the region going dry they have had to bring in water by truck. In Haiti the hurricanes have caused death, destroyed property and roads, and left behind conditions that increase sickness and make life generally difficult. Despite these and other hardships, the messages from our brothers and sisters are filled with joy and hope in Christ. Their hard work and your support combine to accomplish so much. Thank you for your continued support as we work together to share God’s truth and create opportunities for education and growth for a whole new generation.
Bookkeeping, I must confess, is not my favorite pastime. That being said, preparing donation receipts was a privilege and a wonder. God has opened doors, sent new partners, and created opportunities I never imagined. We had the opportunity to help the Joseph Generation Project with the logistics of sending a medical team to Haiti, and they in turn helped support the training trip with Joe Mulroney and I. People have contacted us to send relief funds, knowing that we do not take heavy cuts for big offices or big salaries (to date there are still no offices and no salaries) and more chances to collaborate are on the horizon.
This is a mango Daniel Jean Baptiste gave me from his back yard while I was in Haiti this summer. He told me it was from the trees my father told him to plant. It was delicious, and with every bite I was reminded that I was enjoying fruit I did not tend from a tree I did not plant. There are so many who have begun this labor, it is thrilling (and a bit overwhelming) to join in the harvest. I thank God for His grace in allowing me to work with you this last year and pray for His guidance and wisdom as we continue to follow Him.
As we begin 2017, I want to thank those who have faithfully supported the work and given encouragement and wisdom. God has used so many this last year to keep the work going. I was able to spend time in Haiti with Daniel Jean Baptiste and Joe Mulroney training pastors and church leaders, visiting schools and churches in the area, and hearing the heart of our brothers and sisters as they speak about sharing the hope of Christ with their people.
Franklin came to visit and gave us an update on the work in India. They have been through a severe drought and times are hard. Pray that they can endure the physical hardships as they continue to care for the children in the orphanage. More children want to come, but funds are limited. He continues working with the church and the prison ministry, as well as working a full time job to support the work. I am amazed at his industrious nature and heart for the people around him. Pray for these outstanding servants of God and their families and churches as they work together to shout the message of hope from the rooftops.
We are busy planning for the trip to Haiti in June and the pastors conference where we expect about 150 pastors. Please pray with us as we work to fund this opportunity. We do not want this training to be a burden and a major expense for the Berean Bible Church. This opportunity to strengthen and encourage the leadership will cost $5,000. That may sound like a lot, but it comes out to less than $35 per person. Funding one or more people will give them printed study tools, lunch for the three days, and much more. If you are interested in helping you can click on the donation banner, or if you prefer to send a check the name and address is Sanford Westcott Foundation P.O. Box 28477 Chattanooga, TN 37424. All donations are tax deductible. Any funds above what is needed will go towards the many other needs oversees. Please feel free to contact me with any questions at jonathan@westcott.org.
There is much to tell, so I will begin briefly, and tell more in future posts.
Chattanooga
I am continuing to learn the ins and outs of the foundation and what it takes to keep things going. Your donations help us to support God’s work around the world. I operate with no office and no salary, so overhead is very little. Because of this we can maximize the amount of donated money that goes directly to the needs of the ministry. I am also studying in preparation for a pastors’ conference in Haiti. It is exciting to think of seeing Daniel again and meeting so many brothers and sisters. Pray that I will be an encouragement to the believers and a help to Pastor Daniel. 
The addition of a balcony is moving along, but they are being patient and proceeding with each phase only as the money comes in. Pray that they can quickly complete this so they can fit all the people into the building. The church is growing quickly with dozens of people being saved on a regular basis. During their latest Gospel meetings for the community 65 people came to accept Christ.
In India, Franklin has been traveling outside the city. This means time away from his family and the safety of home. I do not say from the comforts of home because it is a very real danger.
He has been traveling through tiger country and has returned home safe with stories of God’s faithfulness and reports of many following Christ. Time is spent sharing the gospel with those who wish to hear, and meeting again with christian brothers and sisters who are growing and learning. It is also a time for sharing simple things like blankets and medical help.
Pray for John Wahogo who is taking his own seminary training and passing it on free of charge to those ministering in many different countries in the southern half of Africa. He is faithfully teaching those who will pass it on to others as Paul encouraged Timothy and as my Father so often reminded me. The leaders he trains have no way to pay for a seminary education and are excited to have the training to lead God’s people with a clearer knowledge of His word. John wrote recently to encourage me and to let me know that he has not forgotten the lessons he learned from my father and that the ministry will continue. Pray that he will be able to finish his training soon and that he will have safety in his travels.
Continuing the work begun by my father is an honor. His joy in sharing the scripture was evident. Whether telling someone about Jesus for the first time or answering questions from a mature christian, you would see his eyes light up. As we think of his legacy, we cannot forget that God’s Word was absolutely central to his life as it should be to ours. Learning more about it for himself and sharing it with others was his constant obsession. Many times friends would come to his bedside to talk, often with a question or wanting to discuss scripture. God’s word must be our foundation. It is the only one that will last.
Dr. Robert Sanford Westcott went to be with his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, Tuesday morning, November 10th surrounded by family. Bob was a teacher and a lifelong learner.
Born in the Republic of Congo in 1934 to medical missionary parents, Bob grew up with a wide array of pets and a love for exploring. He accepted Christ at a young age and dedicated himself to serving Him.
He graduated from Wheaton College in Illinois, where he met his sweetheart, Charity, to whom he was married for 58 years. He held degrees from Wheaton, Dallas Theological Seminary and the University of Georgia in Athens.
Bob spent his early years as a teacher at Rossville High School and working with youth. He established an international foundation training pastors and helping churches, schools, and orphanages.
He is preceded in death by his daughter Elizabeth. Surviving are his wife Charity; sisters Ann Heinrich and Charlotte Lord; and children Tim, Rick, Anita Loizeaux, Daniel, and Jonathan and by many grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Continuing the work begun by my father is an honor. His joy in sharing the scripture was evident. Whether telling someone about Jesus for the first time or answering questions from a mature christian, you would see his eyes light up. As we think of his legacy, we cannot forget that God’s Word was absolutely central to his life as it should be to ours. Learning more about it for himself and sharing it with others was his constant obsession. Many times friends would come to his bedside to talk, often with a question or wanting to discuss scripture. God’s word must be our foundation. It is the only one that will last.
Jonathan Westcott