2017 Haiti Mission – Week 3 ( Nov 5 and 6)

I presented the message at the Grace Community Church on SUNDAY. Man was it nerve-racking! I have new found respect for those who stand regularly to deliver the message to a waiting congregation. I told God immediately afterwards  “no mas” but then remembered that was Spanish and not Kreyol. However, since She is an all knowing God I know She got the message…at least that’s my earnest prayer. Lol.

My text was James 1:2-8 and the message was an encouragement for us all (I told them this message was really for me) to stay the course which God has laid out for us no matter what events may occur or what things look like. The passage in James begins by saying we should rejoice WHEN we have trials. It doesn’t say “if” but “when”. And my first point was throughout our lives we all should expect to be tried and tested. However, we need keep our faith intact no matter what because God is ever present to help and guide us…if we would only ask Him. An illustration I used to get my second point across was that of a wood craftsman. The craftsman begins with piece of wood (raw material), tools, and an idea in his mind of what the finished product will look like. He then methodically and patiently works at it until it is complete. The take away here was we are the raw material God is constantly shaping and refining until we become the masterpiece She had in mind. However, we must be patient as She molds and makes us. We must not try to rush to the end…God has a specific plan which will unfold/take shape in due time. Finally, utilizing the message in Verse 6, I shared that we can’t be like the sea and allow the rolling tides in our lives (the ups and downs), the winds (those things which may have a strong/powerful impact on us), or the gravitational pull (those people and things which attempt to move us from where God wants us to be) to dictate our direction. We must remember to rely on God for wisdom and trust that She will give it to us because, (we know) God is always faithful.

SUNDAY afternoon Mr. Cullen tells me to come take a walk with him up the mountain. His passion and heart for the people here have taken him all over the mountain for the past 7 months. As we embark on our journey we stop regularly so he can visit with people. With personal funds he purchased enough food for a few days and a couple of bars of soap for a family in need. Today’s recipient is a young lady with 3 children. As we approach I can see the two younger ones have the distinct profile of being malnourished…protruding bellies and thinning, reddish hair. I am astonished to watch the older child dig into what I know is an empty ketchup package with his finger trying to get a morsel of sustenance from it. Cullen kisses each of them on the forehead and then grabs the soap from the bag and tells the mother she has to wash her baby who is soiled and smelly. It’s as if she needs to be reminded to do so. He then hands the baby to me and we circle up to pray. He explains that the mission offered to take the mother and her children in but she has refused. She knows about the village soup kitchen where she can get free meals but she doesn’t avail herself. Nor has she taken her children to the free clinic in the village. At least she has food for a few days and the family is on his watch list. Cullen says he will check back with them in a few days. As we leave he is chastised by others near this family because he didn’t bring them anything. He tells them he will try to bring them something the next time.

Around 9am on MONDAY I head over to the school and greet the smiling faces of my 4 students. We spend an hour or so going over multiplication tables and solving 2, 3, and 4 digit multiplication problems. About 11 am I head down to the soup kitchen to serve meals and help clean tables. I was a busboy when I was a teenager and, while I liked earning $1.60 per hour back then, I didn’t really care for the work. I must admit I look forward to my “job” and the time I spend here. Also admittedly, not being more conversant in the language is a hindrance as there is always quite a bit of lively conversations going on.

After I am finished I walk over and check on the progress at the construction site where the team was working a week ago. The walls have been constructed but the materials for the roof have not arrived yet. This 3-room house with an outdoor cooking area will be the home of  Dedine, one of the cooks at the kitchen. She introduced me to her son Levinski on Sunday and I found Yvens, one of my math students, is also her son. There are two other children I haven’t met. I ask Dedine if she is anxious to get in her new home and her answer is a very polite smile and nothing more but I guess I really know the answer. Below are side-by-side pictures of her existing home and partially completed new home.

I am free to roam the village and often take casual strolls to and from my work assignments by myself, logging 5 to 7 miles a day. Everyone I meet is friendly and often the “bonjou” we exchange is given in a sing-song-y way (I know that’s not a word but it works). Most people know right away I am a visitor or “blanc” as we are called. There are no paved roads in the village and many of the paths we use are rocky so I often find my focus on my footing as I walk. Take a look at the path I walk between the school and soup kitchen in the photo below.

I complete my afternoon assignments and head back to the guest house to finish preparing for tonight. This evening the men gather at the church for bible study and I have been asked to lead it. I chose Acts 1:8 as my focus text where Jesus commands the disciples to go and witness “to the uttermost parts of the earth”. The central theme for the men for the past few weeks has been “discipleship” so this text is right in line. Surprisingly the turnout is good. There are twice as many men as we had the previous week. We talk about being effective witnesses not only in what we say but what we do. I remind them that everyone in the village is watching them. Just as we start to get into the meat of our discussion there is a heavy downpour. We wait a few minutes because the rain hitting the tin roof make it difficult to hear. After about 15 minutes of continuous rain we are advised to head back down the mountain immediately just in case there is severe flooding or mudslides. We heed the advice, stop our study, and hop in a car to return to the guest house. May be we can pick this up again next week.