Man with a mission

Mission Possible — an interdenominational Christ-centered organization that focuses its efforts in Haiti and the Dominican Republic — is starting its 45th year in operation with a new president. Trace Roth was named to the organization's top role in December. "I'm just really seeing it as a privilege to step into this role," he said. "I've been involved with the mission for a long, long time and just really love what it's doing." Roth and his wife, Lana, have lived in Findlay since 1985. They have six children and two granddaughters. He graduated from Taylor University with a Bachelor of Science in computer science/systems. Just prior to his start at Mission Possible, Roth graduated from Winebrenner Theological Seminary with a master's degree in theological studies. He was ordained by the Church of God, Anderson, Indiana. Marathon brought the couple to Findlay, where Roth worked in the business world and Lana is an educator. "But I've always had a heart for ministry and mission," he said. "So right around 2000 I left the corporate world and went into pastoring." He served as executive pastor at StoneBridge Church for a number of years then was contacted by Kurt Bishop, who was then president of Mission Possible. "He knew I was finishing seminary and was looking to transition to something else," Roth recalled. "He said he was looking for someone to do finance and knew that I had a heart for mission and ministry. And he asked if I'd be interested in coming to Mission Possible." Roth said he "fell in love with what they were doing and what the mission was about. That's what drew me here, and I've been involved for the last 15 years and just moved into this role. So it's been a fun journey for me." Mission Possible was founded in 1979 by Jack and Bettie Snyder. The Findlay couple went to Haiti and saw the great need of the people, particularly the children. They started a school there which has since grown to 10 schools, including one in the Dominican Republic, said Roth. Mission Possible Canada was formed as a sister ministry the following year. "It's just the need of the children for education and Christian discipleship and food. We're just trying to give them a hand up in a place where it's just really hard for them to do that," he said. The headquarters moved from Findlay to Florida in 1983 after Florida offered the organization a 73-foot ocean vessel to transport supplies. A second, bigger boat followed. But that part of the ministry was closed in 1989 due to the overwhelming cost of ship repairs. In 2006, the decision was made to bring the main headquarters back to Findlay where it's been ever since. The office is now located at 306 W. Bigelow Ave. Roth said the agency's heart is helping children and families hear the Gospel and also get an education to give them a hand up in their communities to become leaders and provide for themselves. He said the organization has also been helping a growing Haitian community living and working in this area. "So they're in that transition period here. The Haitians are learning our culture, learning English, how to navigate the paperwork process within the government," said Roth. "That's where we're trying to link them to people that we know that can help them navigate some of those things." For example, on Wednesdays, Mission Possible holds an English class. Several area churches are also working with the Haitians, he said. "We're kind of a natural link into that community because we understand the culture. We have some Creole speaking people that we know here in Findlay so we're a natural bridge between America and Haiti right here in Findlay," Roth said. He said the agency's main function is to support the staff and leadership in Haiti and the Dominican Republic, according to Roth. That includes fundraising to support staff in the schools, to provide for special projects and to take medical teams in to provide care in the communities they serve. Mission Possible also provides mission teams to support the people with teacher training, Biblical training and construction. "Not only do we send money, we're sending bodies and people who want to go and help and walk beside the church and give what we can give to encourage them and support what the local church is doing in those areas in a way that maybe they can't," Roth explained. In return, the team learns about a new culture and has an opportunity to make new friends, he said. The agency is currently working to provide ways to encourage the people to start thinking about the future, said Roth. "When you're working in Third World countries like that, there's such a demand on today, when am I going to get my food today? Am I going to have clean water today? The priority of looking into the future can be put aside just by your daily needs," he said. He said the personal engagement they have had with Haiti and the Dominican Republic came to a halt with COVID and continues today because of the safety concerns in the ministry areas. "With COVID and the insecurity just government-wise in Haiti today, it's just changed the ability for us to personally go there. So we're reconsidering how do we support our friends and our communities there at a distance since we can't go in because of safety for us and for our host," Roth said. He said many Haitians have left the country and moved elsewhere. "So we're looking now, are there ways that we can support the Haitians in other places? We're really kind of opening that box to see what else we can be doing perhaps not just on the island of Hispaniola but in other places," he said. It's a new challenge for Mission Possible, he said.