President Isaiah Benedict

Greetings! My name is Isaiah and I am a husband, father, and pastor. I am also a servant of Jesus Christ. I have been married to my beautiful wife Dawn since 2002. Dawn is the pillar of our family. Not only is she the pastor's wife, but she also homeschools our three children and is a full-time caregiver to my special needs brother. Our oldest daughter, Ayla, has a heart to help others. Our second daughter, Hailey, is tenderhearted and has a personality that fills a room. Josiah is the comedian of the family and he is our youngest and only son. I was called into ministry at the age of sixteen and began serving in youth ministry in 2003 at the age of nineteen. I served in youth ministry until 2012 when God called me to plant a church in Wheatland, MO. In 2016 I went on staff of a church as elder campus pastor. In 2018 I took a position with the same church as elder student missions pastor. In 2020 I surrendered to the call to serve as a missionary to Haiti. In 2023, God brought me back to the states to pastor at Long Branch Assembly of God in Macks Creek, MO. I was ordained in 2011 through River Church of Warsaw, MO and I received my license to preach in 2016 through Church of Living Water. I am currently a certified minister with the Assemblies of God. I am pursuing an associate degree in church ministry at Global University's School of Ministry and Development. I have worked bi-vocational throughout my ministry where I have learned many business skills that are a benefit to the Haiti School of Light board. I have also lived in Haiti as a missionary who partnered with Pastor Rousier to help support the school when it first began. I have a good understanding of the cultural needs of both the students and the staff at Haiti School of Light. I witnessed the needs of the school and the lack of resources available and knew I needed to help. I could not stand to think of all the resources wasted in our country and know that the students at Haiti School of Light were doing without. My passion is to see that every student receives a solid Biblical education and that every teacher has a job to help support their family. I have a heart for missions. I have had many opportunities to go on mission trips. In 2001 I had the opportunity to travel to Mexico, in 2003, 2018, 2019, and 2023 I had the opportunity to travel to Denver, Colorado, and to travel to Haiti once in 2018, twice in 2019, and twice in 2023. Every trip has had its life changing moments, but I would like to share with you about my first trip to Haiti. In 2018 I went to Haiti for two weeks to speak at a pastors conference. As we traveled through the rough terrain of Haiti's mountainsides to get to the village, I would notice kids walking down the street in rags pushing an old tire or bike rim with a stick, and some of the children played kick the can. What stood out to me the most was how they lit up when they seen me, they would chase the truck and yell "blonde!" I would later learn that blonde meant "white." For many of the kids, I may have been the first white man they had ever seen. As we drove past the children, they would smile and wave but my heart was broken for them. I began asking the missionaries and pastors I was working with about life in Haiti and found that many of these kids would be fortunate to get just one meal a day. Many of the children, due to the size of their family, may go days without a meal. I would lay down to sleep at night and cry as I thought of the hopelessness all around. I knew that God was working in my life to make a difference in Haiti. I felt God calling me to be a missionary in Haiti, but I didn't know how or when. I prayed to God and told Him I was willing, but he would have to show me that it was His will and that He would have to confirm it with my wife. Little did I know how soon it would all happen and begin to unfold. 

Some fun things to know about me:

I love to have fun and make people laugh! One day while in Haiti, I visited the school at recess dressed as a clown and told the students that I was their substitute teacher. My favorite food is ice cream and my favorite color is blue! In my spare time I love thrift store shopping with my family!