Circle of Friends Ministries welcomes a new partnership in 2010 with Pastor Bruce Hamsher. Bruce has been a licensed and ordained Pastor for the past 12 years and more recently has obtained the Board Certified Pastoral Counselor credential through the International Board of Christian Counselors and the Life Coaching Certification through the American Association of Christian Counselors.

As the newly-appointed Pastoral Ministries Director, Bruce’s responsibilities will include coordinating and administering a variety of pastoral teaching, counseling, discipleship and other spiritual growth programs to, and on behalf of the Circle of Friends Ministries Board to the broader communities. Special emphasis will be given to personal and clergy counseling issues, teaching/preaching opportunities, workplace ministries and life coaching situations.

Special arrangements can be made with businesses and organizations regarding the strengthening of leadership/character development and with the general assistance of employees. Bruce’s heartbeat lies in developing and maintaining intentional relationships which result in life change. To this end, even though Bruce will maintain office hours at the Circle of Friends office, he is willing to openly engage persons on their turf.

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Kevin Kate gives of his time to provide clean, safe wells to thousands in Haiti

by Jennifer Kneuss of The Bargain Hunter

For one local beef rancher, the world beyond his fields matters a great deal. Kevin Kate, who successfully raises Hereford cattle and was formerly part of a family-owned drilling company, has decided to make a difference in the country of Haiti.

Several years ago, Kate came across a magazine article that changed his life. It spoke of the plight of children and families around the world who were dying because they had no access to safe, clean drinking water.

“Just today, there will be 4,000 children who die just because of contaminated waters that cause diseases,” he shared, obviously moved with emotion. Kate keeps the article strategically displayed in his kitchen. “I look at that, and I know that God gave the talent and the ability to… change…some of that.” Kate knew that his years of working with his family’s business had equipped him with unique skills. “I always thought it would be neat to go and do something like this. I have a lot of knowledge. I’ve been around it all my life. God laid it on my heart, that’s all. It’s something that’s always kind of been there. It’s not something I can explain,” he said.

In 2007, Kate took a big step and volunteered with Curt King, who drills wells in third world countries.

“Curt called me and said would you like to go? And I said, sure. We went down to Haiti, and the first trip was to a clinic and a school,” said Kate. “We went into Port a Prince, and went from there to the clinic and school which is in Terra Blanche… we…and repaired a well that was there. We ended up doing a well there, and probably 3,000 people a day use that well. It felt good.”

“ (We)…drilled five wells in two weeks. There’s about a thousand to fifteen hundred people who use (each) well every day. In Haiti, for fresh water, the kids will literally carry water all day. They don’t have a chance to go to school. If they’re big enough to carry a gallon container, they send them out the door, and that’s what they do.”

Kate returned to Haiti in July of 2010 to help drill twelve more safe water wells. But after two weeks, he sustained a life threatening injury when a pipe hit him in the head, and he had to be rushed back to the US. “ I never realized how serious it was until I came back, and the surgeon said I was lucky to be alive”, he commented.

His wife, Linda, a Tuscarawas County judge who has also participated in mission projects, fully supports him. “We know that what we’ve been given is not to make our lives comfortable, not just to spend on ourselves and waste on ourselves. We both know that we will answer to God for what we have. We don’t want to have to answer and say that we squandered it on ourselves.”

Kate plans to return to Haiti, and Circle of Friends Ministries is partnering with him to pay for the wells. By going to their website, View the fund raising song and video or donate to the project through PayPal by clicking the button to the left.

“After I am dead and gone…those wells will still be here, producing water for generations to come,” said Kate. “It may be that some of these small kids that had to carry that water all day long, they’ll remember that well going in there, and that someone from far, far away came and put that well in there because they loved them and wanted things to be better for them. Through that love, you can express to them the love of Jesus. Because He loves me and has given me so much, I can turn around and love them and give them so much.”