I’m excited to be back in Los Angeles after a great trip to Haiti and trip back home to visit friends and family over Christmas. The Haiti trip was incredible. God kept us safe, used us to make a difference in the lives of the people of Fond Doux, and I couldn’t have done it without your prayers and your support. I look forward to sharing more about the trip as well as posting the pictures once I get them sorted

We had our first activity of the quarter on Tuesday, hosting a welcome back party for all the students involved in our ministry. Tomorrow we are hosting our largest activity for internationals that we put on during the winter quarter, that being our seventh annual Chinese New Year celebration. We are expecting over 100 people to participate, with students from across the world in attendance! This event is always a huge success and is a wonderful way to connect with new internationals. I’m excited to see how God uses this ministry this quarter, and am expecting it to be our most fruitful quarter yet!

Sweat trickled down each of of our faces as we approached the MASH style medical tent. It had to be at least 100 degrees outside, and the heat was only amplified as we entered the tent. Not only was it horrifically hot, but the conditions were just barbaric, exemplified by the large dirty rat that ran by right before we entered. Both ends of the tent were open-aired as people laid half dead on rustic cots with IV needles in their arms. Fans seemed few and far between, and it was shocking that people were actually expected to get better in these horrendous conditions.

We had traveled from our village of Fond Doux to the local town of Petit Goave to visit Dell, a friend of the orphanage. She had become critically sick and was in the hospital trying to recover. However, she didn’t have the money to purchase the much needed medicine located just 4 hours away in the Haitian capital Port-au-Prince. Additionally, she did not have the money to cover her children’s schooling for the next year, and they were on the verge of getting kicked out their schooling program.

We arrived at the hospital to encourage Dell, as well as pray for her. We paid for her medicine and sent a friend to go purchase it. Additionally, our team took up an extra offering before the trip was over to pay for her children’s schooling. Sadly, Dell passed away a week after we left.

We did everything we could for Dell and her family during that trip. Sadly, we discovered she passed away just a week after we arrived back in the United States. She was never guaranteed to make a complete recovery with the medicine, but at least our presence had given her a fighting chance. We had no clue she was going to pass away, but because of our offering, possible from people like you, her legacy can live on through them. I don’t know what they would have done if God hadn’t bring us into their life.

This is just one of the horror stories the people of Haiti are faced with every day. My mentor always taught me that if you make life better for someone else, God will make life better for you. I recognize that you probably don’t have the time to go to Haiti, especially with the business of the holiday season. However, I want to invite you to allow me to be your messenger of hope and love to these people.

Today I turned a quarter of a century old. However, my request isn’t for me, but for Haiti. That story was from my June trip and I wanted to inform you that I will be heading down to Fond Doux once again in approximately a month for two weeks. I would like to make as big of an impact as possible in the lives of the needy families and children we interact with. But in order to do this, I need your help!

While we are there, we will be bringing critical supplies and resources to the orphanage, school, and village of Fond Doux. We will also be bringing tons of toys to put on a Christmas celebration for the kids at the orphanage and the surrounding area. We will be engaging in evangelism to the local area and be hosting other activities such as a soccer outreach.

I’m especially excited for this trip because I will not only have the opportunity to testify at some local churches but will have an opportunity to preach. Your prayers are definitely needed for this trip, and in this season of giving, I hope you consider donating to make this trip as impactful as possible. Whether you donate $10, $100, or $1,000, every donation no matter the size will directly impact this trip and the Fond Doux community. I encourage you to ask your friends as well to donate to the cause.

Please make all checks out to Chi Alpha and have them sent to

Bryan Citrin
8929 Guthrie Ave, Apt D
Los Angeles, CA 90034

The trip is coming up soon, so the sooner you can donate the better. Also, please email me at bryancitrin@gmail.com or call at 573-286-4700 with your donation amount so I can add that to my budget.

Thanks again!

“Who was Jesus and what did he do? Do you believe Jesus is God?!” were the first words I was drilled with after approaching two students at our first service of the quarter last month on the UCLA campus. I had met a Christian Freshman named Daniel the week prior and had been corresponding back and forth with him via text for a few days before he came out and attended our first service of the school year. I didn’t realize it at the time, but the person drilling me with the questions was Daniel’s roommate.

Evidently Daniel had brought his roommate Jonas with him to service. Jonas, a Ph.D student visiting from France, was new to UCLA and here doing research. I was surprised to meet a French student who was seemingly as on fire for God as I was. Thankfully, I answered all his questions correctly. Being new to UCLA, he wanted to make sure that he was attending a service whose teachings lined up with the Word of God. It turns out that he attends an Assemblies of God church back in France, and because we operate as an interdenominational ministry on the campus, he had no clue Chi Alpha was affiliated through them. Ever since I first met him that night, Jonas has been to every service and major event we have hosted. He even showed up to our prayer meeting last night!

We literally started the school year sprinting just last month (UCLA is on the quarter system so they didn’t even start classes until the end of September). It is exciting to be involved in a ministry that is gaining ground and momentum. We had over 500 contact cards filled out during our promotions week building up to our first service. Ninety Three people packed into our first service of the school year on Tuesday, September 27th, making it our largest service ever for this ministry at UCLA.

Next Monday and Tuesday on October 24th and 25th is our two day revival service with guest speaker Sean Smith, author of Prophetic Evangelism. He will be leading both services as well as help with our Bagel outreach on Monday morning. Sean in an incredibly anointed man of God who operates heavily in the gifts of the Spirit and I am really excited to see how God moves through him next week. When Sean came and did a similar service last year, students got miraculous healed in our service (including a student I even had invited). I’m expecting God to do even greater things this time so please keep us in your prayers.

Check out our awesome gear that we have been giving away this year. We have had our best start to ministry ever. Be sure to be checking out my Facebook page for real time updates. I try to update it daily.

It was great to share for a few minutes yesterday at Walk on the Water Faith Church in Osage Beach, MO. I will be heading to Springfield later today for a few appointments, and will be in St Louis this coming weekend. I’m excited to get back out to Los Angeles next week to start the school year running in campus ministry. We have an incredible line up and I’m excited to see what God does this coming year! Thanks for your prayers and your financial support. Once the school year gets going, you can be sure to see much more frequent updates. Additionally, your going to want to stay tuned for an exciting summer recap. After all, this has been my most exciting and productive summer ever!

The summer tour is finished and I’m working to take care of the administrative ends of things before the school year starts up again in Los Angeles. I’m looking forward to heading into my third year as a full time missionary, and that will start again full time in mid September. The last few months has been the busiest and most productive summer of my life. The mission trip I took to Haiti was incredible and we made a substantial difference in the village of Fond Doux, Haiti. Additionally, it was great to travel with the Prolife Ministry again that I have been working with for the last 4 years.

In the midst of this, I find myself facing a very unique situation and would appreciate prayer for it. The powers of darkness are going to try do everything they can to get us distracted, frustrated, and loose focus. I met a lady at the last Christian music festival of the summer and from what I thought would be a blessing was in reality a curse.

This lady essentially came up to me and signed the title of her 2004 mustang over to me. She knew I needed a car from a discussion I had the previous day with her, and I saw it as a substantial blessing from God. I had been trusting God for a new car for a while and saw this as a big answer to prayer. What I didn’t know however was that she was schizophrenic, crazy, and is seemingly hearing voices from demonic spirits. The following weeks would result in a series of crazy texts and phone calls to both me and my coworkers ranging from her falling for me romantically to me and my coworkers being Satan. The story is too crazy to completely explain and grasp from just reading this however.

The plan is to have the mustsng returned this week, and in doing so, free myself from this ladies craziness and any future liability regarding the manner. After speaking to several people including my mentor out in Los Angeles, it’s been decided that this is the best decision.

My prayer request is for safe travels for those who are returning the car. I also pray that God will provide me with a better car, as well as the finances to maintain, and for God to be glorified through this whole process.

As the rest of the country suffers from hear waves, I find myself up in the state of Washington, where you can see your breath in July. I’m up here at Creation North West Christian music festival. I first wanted to say that if you met me at this festival or any other festival this summer, that it was great to meet you. If I took your picture, you will probably get a phone call from me sometime soon. I also wanted to thank everyone who bought a light sword to help my mission work.

For those of you who are considering supporting me monthly, know that it will make a substantial impact in the kingdom of God. Just as the troops on the front lines in Afghanistan can’t operate effectively without the help of the home base, I can’t operate without the body of Christ giving me the financial support to survive on the front lines. Everyone’s financial support is very important, regardless of the amount, just as each role in the military is important, whether it’s a mechanic, a pilot, or a soldier on the front lines.

I am currently in the process of raising $5,000 for a reliable car that will last me a while. As many of you know, I have been without a car for a few years. I just wanted to thank the lady who gave me $1,000 today. Though we have barely met, you’ve blessed me and the body of Christ significantly. I applaud you and thank for your your heart to reach this generation! I only have $3,800 more to raise and would love it if you could help make this a reality. You can make donations online or mail checks to my mailing address at

Bryan Citrin
8929 Guthrie ave, apt D
Los Angeles, CA 90034

Thanks Again!

Bryan

I will continue to post more stories and pictures of my Haiti trip and travels, whether via my Facebook page or on here. I am currently in South Dakota right now getting ready for another Christian music festival, having been in Wisconsin and Pensilvania over the last two weeks at other festivals. Your continual financial support and prayers has helped make God’s calling on my life a success, and for that I am very thankful.

As a student finishes testifying, all I can remember is the Haitian pastor frantically pulling my mentor aside. Moments later, my mentor is at the front of the church apologizing that we had to leave immediately. As we rush out of the single roomed half tarped Hatian church, the girls pile into the back of the closed bed truck as the guys pile into the back of the tap tap, an open bed pickup used as a taxi.

Evidently, there had been gun shots and a potential riot was breaking out. After the show the Hatians put on during the last election, the last thing we wanted to be was Americans in the middle of an angry and desperate Haitian mob.

Scripture such as Isaiah 54:17 promise safety, but I believe obedience to God’s leading is an important aspect to God’s protection. There are a lot of uncertainties when traveling to foreign countries, and even the simplest things in the United States such as safety can be taken for granted, and it’s that much more important to be sensitive to God’s leading when traveling abroad.

Other things easily taken for granted in this country consist of what we view as basic life necessities, yet in countries such as Haiti, they don’t necessarily have that luxury. I’m talking about things such as clean water, clothing, shelter, or even a warm shower.

The poorest people in the United States could be considered rich in Hatian standards. Even the homeless in the United States are well off, seeing as they have access to clean water, food, clothing, and housing from the many shelters and missions scattered across our country, not to mention programs that will help provide them with jobs.

The poor in Haiti struggle just to have the clothing to wear and the food to eat, as they make do in their one room hut or tent they live in. Many of them would love to work, but don’t even have the option of ever having a real job, due to the lack of availability mixed with their lack of even the most basic education.

It was a real blessing to be able to make a positive impact on these people’s lives, people who could probably never offer me anything, yet God was able to use me and those with me as a channel of His love and compassion for the Haitian people.

Whether it was providing rice and beans to local families or providing much needed clothing, it was a very meaningful trip. One Haitian said that our
presence not only brought joy and happiness to the orphanage, but to the whole village of Fond Doux where the orphanage was located. This village does not receive a lot of outside help, seeing as most Haitian customs officials haven’t even heard of it.

Only God knows what would have happened if we had stayed during that service. Thankfully He got us back to the orphanage safely with no complications. We returned to that church a few days later to finish what God started. It was one of the most powerful services we had during the trip.

After the seemingly longest two weeks of my life being spent in Haiti, I find myself back in the United States. Having been back a comparable amount of time, the last two weeks has definitely been easier and gives me a whole new appreciation of what God has blessed this country with. I want to thank you for your prayers during the trip; it definitely helped make it a success.

I’m back from Haiti and am actually a little bit out side of Chicago now getting ready to head to a Wisconsin Music festival. I will be posting a Haiti update rather soon (and be sending out an update email), though would have sent it earlier if I didn’t get sick.

As soon as I got back from Haiti, I headed straight to Creation East Music Festival, the largest Christian music festival in the world. On my way there, I ended up getting really sick, so much so that I had to visit the festival paramedics (they gave me some prescription medicine and a shot). I didn’t even want to sell light swords at the festival, and that means I was pretty sick.

However, I did end up making a quick recovery, ended up selling a lot of light swords for missions, and made some good contacts, praise God. I was also able to go to one of my supporters church while I was in PA, and that was an unexpected blessing. More to come soon, thanks.

Bryan