Editor’s Note: Other seminaries are invited to send your Alumni updates to us fr0m time to time as well! Contact [email protected] for details

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Rachel Blackston (MAC ‘06), a licensed mental health counselor, at Twelve Stones Counseling Center in Oviedo, FL, has returned from Haiti. She met patients at Hopital Sacre Coeur with “an amazing faith in God in the midst of such horrific circumstances,” and learned from their hope, resiliency, and graciousness. She talked and played games with them, gave foot massages, held babies, and heard their stories of survival and loss.

An amazing moment for her was “hearing a woman who lost both of her legs in the earthquake sing gospel songs in Creole. One of the songs she sang translated, ‘When I have lost everything and am without hope, Jesus you are my comfort, my source, my life.'”

Rachel asks for prayer: for the patients at Sacred Heart Hospital in Millot who will soon be discharged and have no safe place to go; pray against injustice for the weak, the poor, and the handicapped; pray for volunteers to continue to go to Haiti…they need doctors, nurses, counselors, engineers, and anyone that has a heart to serve.

Christy Braman (MAC ’01) is back in Haiti after a few glitches with their van that broke down. They will travel to an orphanage and will train Haitian interpreters to work with Haitians to improve the way they live. Follow her blog here.

Jace Broadhurst (M.Div. ’99) received his Ph.D. in biblical hermeneutics from Westminster Theological Seminary.

Stephen Davis (MATS ’07) and his wife Kathy recently moved back to Philadelphia, his hometown, to plant Grace Church of Philly along with his brother John and John’s wife Dawn. They began weekly services in March in a rented facility in the University City section of West Philadelphia.

Dan Rose (M.Div. ’00) and his wife Carrie are leaving South Louisiana to plant a PCA church in their hometown of Albuquerque, NM. To connect with the Roses and their new ministry adventure, The Duke City Project, click here and follow his blog.

Andy Stager (M.Div. ‘08) is the associate minister of family life at First Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church in Rock Hill, SC. He and his wife Ellie have two sons, Deacon and Owen. Ellie is a recording artist. Listen to the songs on her album here.

John Henry Williams (M.Div. Certificate ’96) is the pastor of Greater Saint John Baptist Church in Birmingham, AL, and an assistant professor of Religion at Selma University, Selma, AL, and an adjunct instructor in homiletics at Birmingham-Easonian Baptist Bible College, Birmingham, AL. John has published a Lectionary Commentary for The African American Lectionary on the topic “Men’s Day”. Click here to read the article in the Year Three commentaries.

Update on Randy Young (M.Div. ’91, MAMFT ‘91), director of the Living Waters Counseling Center in Medford, OR, was burned severely in February when he tried to light his grill. Randy has been moved to Vibra Specialty Hospital. Recent updates indicate his trach is out, he walked about a quarter mile with minimal assistance and his neck is almost completely healed. Physical therapy is going well, but occupational therapy is difficult. His wife asks for prayer for his ability to regain strength in his hands and for less pain. He will be discharged on Mother’s Day weekend. He is looking forward to returning to work soon. They are grateful for your prayers.

For more updates on Randy, go to CarePages (sign up for free), and enter the words “savedbygrace” in the search area and his page will be listed. Click his name to enter his page.

If you are led to give, you can write a check to the Trinity OPC Deacon’s Fund, 1332 Mt Pitt Ave, Medford, Oregon 97501. This fund is supporting the Young family during Randy’s recovery.

For other RTS Alumni, if you have an update, please send it to the RTS Newsletter editor, here.

[Editor’s note: Some of the original URLs (links) referenced in this article are no longer valid, so the links have been removed.]