Chairperson Dawn Benedict

I was called to mission work at an early age. I was saved when I was only fifteen in a little country church where I would later meet my husband. I was a missionary to Haiti for three years before we returned to the states where my husband and I serve as pastor and wife. My husband and I have been married for twenty-one years and we have three children (Ayla, Hailey, and Josiah.) I have homeschooled my children since day one, ten years ago. I am a pastor's wife, a homemaker, and I also help take care of my special needs brother in law! I help with our church food distribution and I also help run the soundboard at our church! I have been on multiple missions trips, one where we helped start the Haiti School of Light. I felt called to be a part of the board at Haiti School of Light to help give children a good and Godly education that they would not receive from other schools in their country! For the past ten years I have homeschooled my own children, and as an educator I understand the needs of having an education; being a missionary to Haiti, I know first hand the need to have a sound education. My hope for Haiti School of Light is to help the children that could not afford to go to school, to provide them with a Godly education, and to help provide a nutritional snack for them that they may otherwise not receive from home. I have been on a mission trip to Reynosa, Mexico doing street evangelism, Denver, Colorado to help homeless individuals, and numerous trips to Haiti where we helped start Haiti School of Light. Mission trips always break your heart in more ways than one! You always go with an expectation of what you think will happen and then there's God's will and what He knows will happen and that is what makes all the difference! You always end up leaving a part of you there that wants to return. The most heartbreaking part of it all is that you want to go back but you never know the if or when. 

Some fun things to know about me: 

My favorite colors are blue, black, and gray! My favorite food is coffee (I don't have a favorite "solid" food!) I am a very introverted person in new surroundings but I can be a fun person to be around when I am in a place I feel comfortable! You never know what I am capable of! In my spare time I enjoy hanging out with friends and going on walks! 

Chairperson Kimberly Childress

I have been married to my husband, Glenn, for thirty-five years. We have three grown children and three grandchildren. I retired from teaching Special Education after twenty-seven years and operated a daycare for four years. I am currently semi-retired. My family takes care of two adults with special needs and our children are all involved in the care of these young men. We have a heart for individuals with special needs. I am actively involved in ministry at Prairie Chapel. My family has a desire to be involved in mission work and look for opportunities to get involved. My husband, Glenn, was my high school sweetheart. We got married in 1988 and together we have three children. Our daughter, Heather, works in an ISL in Bolivar taking care of handicapped adults. She also works for us occasionally. Our daughter, Haley, is married and has given us our three beautiful grandchildren: Layne, Axl, and Mera Beth. Haley works for us through the week and is also actively involved in the nursery ministry at her church! Our son, Holden, lives with us and works for us in the evenings and weekends when he is not working. He is on the worship team at Prairie Chapel! I graduated with my teaching degree from Southwest Baptist University in December 1990. I currently have a Lifetime Teaching Certificate in Elementary Education grades 1st-8th, Remedial Reading, K-12 Behavior Disorders, K-12 Learning Disabilities, and K-12 Intellectual Disabilities. When I retired, I was the In-District Autism Consultant. At church, I have been involved in children's ministry in many ways. I have taught Sunday School, taught Wednesday evening classes, participated in Vacation Bible School each year, and was the Children's Ministry Director. I have been the Church Council Secretary at Prairie Chapel for the last twenty years. I am on our discernment team and on our worship team. I plan and orchestrate two major women's events at our church as well. My mission opportunities have all been local, but I would love to expand my mission field! I am highly organized and love to help people. I have a heart for children and education. I am excited to be part of this organization and I fully believe we can make a difference in the lives of these children and families. When Isaiah first reached out to me, I was not sure what being on the board entailed. I was interested in Haiti School of Light and how it worked! I loved seeing the videos Isaiah and Dawn would post of the children in Haiti and I knew that I wanted to be more involved than just sending school supplies or money! I am excited to see how God will use us to change the lives of the people in Haiti! I love to see the smiles on the faces of the children at School of Light! The children sacrifice so much just to go to school and it is so different from the schools here in the states! I am excited to be a part of this mission and my dream is to one day be able to visit the school! When I was a kid, my family went on mission trips every summer with Campers on Mission. We traveled to various campgrounds and helped with backyard Bible clubs and vacation Bible schools. I remember how fun it was to meet new people. During my youth, I worked in church camps many summers as a camp counselor. I have not been on any mission trips as an adult, but I would love to go! I always feel a tug in my heart when people mention mission trip opportunities. I pray someday that I will be able to participate in one! 

Some fun things to know about me: 

My favorite color is teal and my favorite food is chocolate! I love to read and do puzzles of all kinds! I even have a jigsaw puzzle app on my phone! In my spare time I love to spend time with my grandchildren and I also enjoy reading Christian Amish fiction books. 

Chairperson Steve Faxon

My name is Steve Faxon