I am leaving tomorrow people! And I got our projected schedule of events too! It looks like a pretty "easy" trip; we get to go play with the kids at the Children's Home, and on Sunday we get to go worship with Church Project Greeley's sister church, in Beaujoint (my favorite thing to do in Haiti is worship Savior with the Saints who live there!) And, also... more exciting than seeing the goats, we are planning to go to the Citadelle! (And San Souci Palace!) (And the beach!) (And we get to visit the hospital!) (And!!! We are planning to do some work at "The Base." Well, the mission house. But I feel like James Bond when I call it "The Base.") But also... these things might not happen. Its exciting, to go back to Haitian time for a week, and rest... away from the clock and elevated expectations. Plans change, and its always okay when that happens. In Haiti, anyways.
So, that's enough of me making you jealous of how much fun I'll be having. I'm going to talk about the real reason for going. The real reason I need to go... anyone needs to go, really... but why am I the one asking for money to go back in the Spring.
I was showing the girls pictures of the Citadelle, on the same day I got the schedule, and we were talking about the history of it. I love the history of this beautiful island, and these sweet, wonderful people. I briefly discussed the history before I went last time, but it was ever so brief, and more information than anyone could effectively retain. In any case...
The Citadelle is easy to google, and really fun to learn about. What I was telling Sarah and Delilah is that King Henri Christophe built it to ward off any French invasions that might have happened after they secured their independence. (King Henri was a key leader in the slave revolt, by the way.) No invasions ever happened. It was a fortress. While I was chugging along on this super cool history lesson Sarah interrupted and said "They used to be slaves, but there are no slaves anymore?" And this stopped me in my tracks.
No slaves. Anymore. I said yes, their bodies belong to themselves. They have a choice in what they do now, and there are no terrible people who will force them to do something that they don't want.
But, there is still bondage in this country. While most Haitians profess to practice Christianity (Catholicism) there is a darkness that is being hidden. There are many who use the Catholic saints to disguise the Voudou spirits that they worship. I will not go into detail about the Voudou religion. It is fascinating and scary... and very, very real. Last time I was there, I was lucky enough to get to see some places where they practiced their ceremonies. The basics of it are that they believe in one big spirit who cares nothing for the people he created. There are many lesser spirits that exist to cause mischief and mayhem... who can help or hinder the people of earth. If they are pleased it will go well, and if not, it will go badly. This religion was carried from Africa on the slave ships to Haiti all those years ago, when slavery was manifested in a physical way. Praise God they do not need to contend with this any more. In some ways breaking the spiritual bondage of sin is so much easier. There is only one name that anyone needs to cry out... JESUS! (Romans 10:13)
We know that our Creator is one who loves us, and cherishes us, and made a way for us to live WITH HIM once we leave these skin suits behind. (Haha. Gross. But really.) And how will anyone know unless they are told? (2 Corinthians 5:1-4)
This is why I go. I will leave the link for the website of New Life Missions at the bottom, so that you can go read about who my church works with. New Life is wonderful, because they believe in reaching the culture of these people! Why would I, an American, go to Haiti and change the heartbeat of this country? God made them to live as Haitians, not Americans... and New Life trains local people in biblical theology to go into their own villages and teach their own people. We are not brainwashing them to worship Savior our way. They worship the True God their way... with their culture. I don't know if I am making the waters muddier... what I am saying is that culture is an important factor. I desire for the people of Haiti to find freedom from sin, through Christ, not freedom from bathing in the river, or freedom from having a flexible time schedule. They can ride their motos with goats hanging in bags off the side of it... or continue to burn their trash. The children SHOULD be naked if they want. None of that matters, when their eternity is so much more important! (And all of these things is what makes me love the country!)
So, why should you help me go? Because, while the Christians in Haiti are laboring for their country, there is still need. This time I am going I am taking a lot, a lot, a lot of stuff. Supplies. Baby formula, clothes, spam, lotion, shampoo... its all stuff that costs a lot of money over there, or they just plain can't get it. There needs to be people going ALL THE TIME. These are things I can run to Wal Mart and grab. If nobody takes it to them, they do without.
Besides needing things, they need to know that there ARE people who love them. It means a lot to these Saints to see Americans coming and giving time and resources to help their people. Despair can take hold so easily... and its important for those of us willing to give time to be able to do that. Unfortunately, not everyone who has the time to give has the money. Sometimes, people who have the money do not have the time. WE MUST WORK TOGETHER!!! And while I get to hug them, and converse with them, and sit and eat meals with them... hold their babies. (I met a 5 month old last time I was there. Her name was Camsis... will she still be alive this time? Will I see her walking? If I go three times a year, will she learn my name, and look for me in the crowds of Blanco's) Hold their hands... cry, and laugh together.
I get to be the one who does this... but you, my friends get to be the ones who make it happen. And its no secret to my friends in Haiti that it takes a team of people to send just one. And they are grateful. I couldn't express their gratitude properly... but look at my photos. You will see in their eyes that it makes a difference, and I am not the only one creating that difference.
So, Merry Christmas, and go to my fund raising page to donate, (https://www.gofundme.com/t7d8thvg) or send me money in the mail, and PRAY, PRAY, PRAY! Before you do anything, the most important thing you can do is pray.
http://www.newlifemissionhaiti.org/
Monday, December 21, 2015
Wednesday, December 2, 2015
Guess what people?
Well, time flies, right? And I just realized that I have spent just about an entire year talking about the place that I love. I hope you love it by now, too. Besides spending a lot of my blog space talking about Haiti, I have been counting down the days until I can go back again... and now I'm in the 20 day stretch! I can hardly contain myself.
When I get there I am going to look for the goats. (Its not hard to find them. They are everywhere.) And I am going to welcome the sound of those stupid roosters until I'm trying to sleep. And there is nothing at all like waking up before the sun, and listening for the trucks and motos to start driving down the road. And, I get to eat spaghetti and hot dogs for breakfast... (Its a real meal they eat. And it is so delicious.) and I absolutely cannot wait for rice and beans. I'll eat dinner outside, and smell the smoke from trash burning. (I know, gross. But it became so familiar and comforting. Like a campfire.)
I cried last year when I found out that I was going to have to sleep on the airplane. Leave my children, and everything that made me feel safe. Now, its just something I will do for a night, and I know I'll survive. I dreaded the cold showers. But now, its just what I will do in Haiti. The heat isn't so bad. Neither is the humidity. (I will go in Summer, one day... then we'll see what I think of the humidity.) All of the things I thought would break me... made me a better person. I wanted to go help somebody... and instead the people there taught me more life lessons in one week than I ever learned in 32 years of my life!
So, now I get to go have a Haitian Christmas. I have spent a lot of time trying to avoid the materialism and commercialism and all the pressure to do things a certain way. Maybe I will learn something new while I am away. My family is also so very excited for me, and so sweet and supportive. We can have our special traditions when I get back, and when I come back I will have new stories to tell them. They love Haiti too.
They speak Haitian. Sort of. When dinner is ready, they yell "Manje! Manje!" and everyone comes running. They can say trash, and noodle, (Its funny, because they know the word for noodle, and think that you just add an "s" on the end to make it plural. I keep telling them that it probably doesn't work like that, but... they don't believe me. And then they ask me to give them Haitian hair. All the braids... and barretts. I wish we could all go, and they could play with the kids, and see the critters, and eat the food. One day.
So, I get to go back in 20 days, and guess what else? I GET TO GO BACK IN MARCH TOO!!! Hooray. I won't have to wait almost a whole year to go to the place that brings me to life.
So, my friends. I actually need your help. I always feel tacky asking for money, but the truth is that it costs a lot of money to go. There will be more blog posts about what we will be doing while we are there for a mission trip... this is a quick one to let you all know what I am up to, and also... time is important. I don't have a lot of time to come up with a lot of money. I just wanted to mention to you all... that if you are inclined to help you can send a check to me, and just put "Haiti Spring Break" in the memo. And if you have specific questions for me, then email me! And I will certainly be posting again (Like, before I leave in 20 DAYS!) with some more real actual facts about why I love Haiti...
Have I mentioned before that Haiti makes my heart sing?
When I get there I am going to look for the goats. (Its not hard to find them. They are everywhere.) And I am going to welcome the sound of those stupid roosters until I'm trying to sleep. And there is nothing at all like waking up before the sun, and listening for the trucks and motos to start driving down the road. And, I get to eat spaghetti and hot dogs for breakfast... (Its a real meal they eat. And it is so delicious.) and I absolutely cannot wait for rice and beans. I'll eat dinner outside, and smell the smoke from trash burning. (I know, gross. But it became so familiar and comforting. Like a campfire.)
I cried last year when I found out that I was going to have to sleep on the airplane. Leave my children, and everything that made me feel safe. Now, its just something I will do for a night, and I know I'll survive. I dreaded the cold showers. But now, its just what I will do in Haiti. The heat isn't so bad. Neither is the humidity. (I will go in Summer, one day... then we'll see what I think of the humidity.) All of the things I thought would break me... made me a better person. I wanted to go help somebody... and instead the people there taught me more life lessons in one week than I ever learned in 32 years of my life!
So, now I get to go have a Haitian Christmas. I have spent a lot of time trying to avoid the materialism and commercialism and all the pressure to do things a certain way. Maybe I will learn something new while I am away. My family is also so very excited for me, and so sweet and supportive. We can have our special traditions when I get back, and when I come back I will have new stories to tell them. They love Haiti too.
They speak Haitian. Sort of. When dinner is ready, they yell "Manje! Manje!" and everyone comes running. They can say trash, and noodle, (Its funny, because they know the word for noodle, and think that you just add an "s" on the end to make it plural. I keep telling them that it probably doesn't work like that, but... they don't believe me. And then they ask me to give them Haitian hair. All the braids... and barretts. I wish we could all go, and they could play with the kids, and see the critters, and eat the food. One day.
So, I get to go back in 20 days, and guess what else? I GET TO GO BACK IN MARCH TOO!!! Hooray. I won't have to wait almost a whole year to go to the place that brings me to life.
So, my friends. I actually need your help. I always feel tacky asking for money, but the truth is that it costs a lot of money to go. There will be more blog posts about what we will be doing while we are there for a mission trip... this is a quick one to let you all know what I am up to, and also... time is important. I don't have a lot of time to come up with a lot of money. I just wanted to mention to you all... that if you are inclined to help you can send a check to me, and just put "Haiti Spring Break" in the memo. And if you have specific questions for me, then email me! And I will certainly be posting again (Like, before I leave in 20 DAYS!) with some more real actual facts about why I love Haiti...
Have I mentioned before that Haiti makes my heart sing?
Monday, July 6, 2015
Crusading and Soapboxes
It was my intent to make one more picture post of Haiti... we'll see. I'm sure I'll be talking about it, before the day is through. I just love that place! Guess what? I'm going back in December! I already bought my ticket and everything! Somehow I managed to save a lot of money in just a few months. I can hardly wait.
I've become some sort of crusader lately. Sort of like I expected, going to Haiti was (selfishly) more about me than about helping those "in need." How much help can you give someone in 6 days? What kind of relationship can you establish in less than a week? I kind of just went along for the ride, and watched, and felt... For me, I intentionally went to find some kind of quiet... some solace from the "do" part of my life. We all know how busy moms are. There just never seems to be enough hours in the day, no matter how early one rises, (5 AM?) or how late one finally goes to bed. (11 PM?) What I needed was to be taken from my life, with its noise and constant chaos, and be stretched and forced to reckon with certain things in my life that were not helping the Kingdom. Or me. Or my kids.
I think that we all have "stuff" that we need to come to terms with. We have habits that make us comfortable, sinful attitudes that we don't realize are there, and that have become second nature to us, and we have personalities that can help us or prevent us from succeeding at living the way God wanted us to. That, and circumstance. There is so much happening in this world that keeps us from achieving what we were made for. And there is so much searching in all of us for what that is. Do you know what? I will tell you a secret... and thanks to Jesus for giving Peter and I someone who is very honest, and very wise, who shared it with us... you are living it! You can think about that... but God has placed you in YOUR life to do what YOU can do the best. What is it that excites you... what makes you "come alive?" Only you know, and only you can do it better than anyone. I'm chasing rabbits, like usual.
I sort of gave up on what my "calling" was/is. I don't think I even knew. I was discontent and tired, and lacking any sort of drive. I had no desire to do anything except place one foot in front of the other and just survive. I had no time or will to consider where I wanted to be, as a person. Just forget about even trying to achieve that. So, since I don't think I said in the last two posts, what Haiti was for me was a time out. A stop sign that brought me to a screeching halt, and God beating me back into His will. I was afraid, timid, weak, lazy... frail. Did I say this already? I feel like I have. I don't have enough brain space to remember what I already said before. And I conquered all of the things that have kept me from living for real. I got a passport! I flew on an airplane! I left my family waaaaay out of my sight! I made myself vulnerable to a lot of people I never would have trusted before! And I gave up trying to control my own life... the things I had no say over, the things that made me afraid to begin with. I woke up. So, just call me Sleeping Beauty.
What I can say is that here, in writing, it looks so easy. But it hurt more than anything. Its really hard to confront yourself and have to go home and make a change. And I can remember being so angry that I had to leave Haiti and actually go back to my life and do things differently. So, you know what? Going to Haiti made me confront stuff. And coming home made me confront stuff... and here I am now, stopping myself every single day from sitting on the sidelines and watching life blow past me. Now I'm for realsies in the race, doing it! I still get up earlier that a lot of people, and I still go to bed later than a lot of people, and my life is still pure, unadulterated chaos... but now I have a better perspective and I'm a little more realistic about how I use my time. Yay, for growth.
See? I didn't waste any time talking about the place that I love. Does anyone else cry a little bit when they open a deliciously humongous pot of rice and beans and smell the scent of Haiti? Or wish they could drink Creole sauce right out of the pan? I feel homesick for a place I've only lived in for a week. I am so glad my husband is willing to give up a week of the holidays for me to go back! And so grateful for the support of my children, who, even in their disappointment of me leaving at Christmas time said "Mommy! If you are going at Christmas, you can take everyone PRESENTS!!!" I am so proud of them. They even started telling me all the things that they have that I can pack in my suitcase for the kids at the orphanage. One day, I am going to bring them with me, and let them play with their new friends that they have never met. We are doing life with those Haitians now, and it feels so good that my whole family is invested in the well being of a world they have never seen.
So, what is the crusading part? Its a lot about Haiti... more about that later, perhaps. But I was referencing my life here in the USA. I came to a realization... after the whole entire hullabaloo over homosexual rights... they are calling it human rights. I'm not going to say what I actually think about that. We all have opinions, and we all disagree with someone else... and its a very real possibility that we will never agree with each other. Whatever. I'm secure in my thoughts, but this isn't about that. Don't miss my point... I'm already giving this issue more time than it needs. Guess what happened when gay people were made "allowed" to get married? We all forgot about REAL human rights. Like slavery. Like children being taken from their families and forced to do things NOBODY EVER should be made to do. We stopped fighting for the people who have no voice.
The kids have a book about the underground railroad... its a favorite of theirs, and it upsets me to read it, because we are learning about slavery as history, even though it is still happening. And I can barely choke the words out when they ask me (Every time... they know the answer, but they still ask.) if slavery is really gone. And we aren't just talking about sex trafficking. What about child soldiers? What about forced child labor... cheap clothes. I do my best to not contribute to a broken system, but I often times fail because I would rather be ignorant than heartbroken... but lets not forget, ok? In all the distractions of this world... the messy political system... lets not forget that sometimes things that seem like a big deal maybe aren't... or maybe they are, but we need to keep remembering the other things that are too. Remember those that have no voice... And do you know what? If you google "Trafficking in Haiti" the results are overwhelming. Haiti is just one small corner of the world. What about in my back yard... Denver? What about in your places... its everywhere, and we ignore it every day. And my question is, where do we go from here? Will we ever be able to overcome this injustice?
So, that, and body image. Nutrition... my daughters (and sons) are seeing unrealistic photos of people every time we leave the house. I showed them videos of the power of photo shop, and thank the Lord they got it! They see pictures now, and recognize that its not real... they (hopefully) stand a chance of making it through this life with a healthy perspective on what real, healthy people are supposed to look like...
I've become some sort of crusader lately. Sort of like I expected, going to Haiti was (selfishly) more about me than about helping those "in need." How much help can you give someone in 6 days? What kind of relationship can you establish in less than a week? I kind of just went along for the ride, and watched, and felt... For me, I intentionally went to find some kind of quiet... some solace from the "do" part of my life. We all know how busy moms are. There just never seems to be enough hours in the day, no matter how early one rises, (5 AM?) or how late one finally goes to bed. (11 PM?) What I needed was to be taken from my life, with its noise and constant chaos, and be stretched and forced to reckon with certain things in my life that were not helping the Kingdom. Or me. Or my kids.
I think that we all have "stuff" that we need to come to terms with. We have habits that make us comfortable, sinful attitudes that we don't realize are there, and that have become second nature to us, and we have personalities that can help us or prevent us from succeeding at living the way God wanted us to. That, and circumstance. There is so much happening in this world that keeps us from achieving what we were made for. And there is so much searching in all of us for what that is. Do you know what? I will tell you a secret... and thanks to Jesus for giving Peter and I someone who is very honest, and very wise, who shared it with us... you are living it! You can think about that... but God has placed you in YOUR life to do what YOU can do the best. What is it that excites you... what makes you "come alive?" Only you know, and only you can do it better than anyone. I'm chasing rabbits, like usual.
I sort of gave up on what my "calling" was/is. I don't think I even knew. I was discontent and tired, and lacking any sort of drive. I had no desire to do anything except place one foot in front of the other and just survive. I had no time or will to consider where I wanted to be, as a person. Just forget about even trying to achieve that. So, since I don't think I said in the last two posts, what Haiti was for me was a time out. A stop sign that brought me to a screeching halt, and God beating me back into His will. I was afraid, timid, weak, lazy... frail. Did I say this already? I feel like I have. I don't have enough brain space to remember what I already said before. And I conquered all of the things that have kept me from living for real. I got a passport! I flew on an airplane! I left my family waaaaay out of my sight! I made myself vulnerable to a lot of people I never would have trusted before! And I gave up trying to control my own life... the things I had no say over, the things that made me afraid to begin with. I woke up. So, just call me Sleeping Beauty.
What I can say is that here, in writing, it looks so easy. But it hurt more than anything. Its really hard to confront yourself and have to go home and make a change. And I can remember being so angry that I had to leave Haiti and actually go back to my life and do things differently. So, you know what? Going to Haiti made me confront stuff. And coming home made me confront stuff... and here I am now, stopping myself every single day from sitting on the sidelines and watching life blow past me. Now I'm for realsies in the race, doing it! I still get up earlier that a lot of people, and I still go to bed later than a lot of people, and my life is still pure, unadulterated chaos... but now I have a better perspective and I'm a little more realistic about how I use my time. Yay, for growth.
See? I didn't waste any time talking about the place that I love. Does anyone else cry a little bit when they open a deliciously humongous pot of rice and beans and smell the scent of Haiti? Or wish they could drink Creole sauce right out of the pan? I feel homesick for a place I've only lived in for a week. I am so glad my husband is willing to give up a week of the holidays for me to go back! And so grateful for the support of my children, who, even in their disappointment of me leaving at Christmas time said "Mommy! If you are going at Christmas, you can take everyone PRESENTS!!!" I am so proud of them. They even started telling me all the things that they have that I can pack in my suitcase for the kids at the orphanage. One day, I am going to bring them with me, and let them play with their new friends that they have never met. We are doing life with those Haitians now, and it feels so good that my whole family is invested in the well being of a world they have never seen.
So, what is the crusading part? Its a lot about Haiti... more about that later, perhaps. But I was referencing my life here in the USA. I came to a realization... after the whole entire hullabaloo over homosexual rights... they are calling it human rights. I'm not going to say what I actually think about that. We all have opinions, and we all disagree with someone else... and its a very real possibility that we will never agree with each other. Whatever. I'm secure in my thoughts, but this isn't about that. Don't miss my point... I'm already giving this issue more time than it needs. Guess what happened when gay people were made "allowed" to get married? We all forgot about REAL human rights. Like slavery. Like children being taken from their families and forced to do things NOBODY EVER should be made to do. We stopped fighting for the people who have no voice.
The kids have a book about the underground railroad... its a favorite of theirs, and it upsets me to read it, because we are learning about slavery as history, even though it is still happening. And I can barely choke the words out when they ask me (Every time... they know the answer, but they still ask.) if slavery is really gone. And we aren't just talking about sex trafficking. What about child soldiers? What about forced child labor... cheap clothes. I do my best to not contribute to a broken system, but I often times fail because I would rather be ignorant than heartbroken... but lets not forget, ok? In all the distractions of this world... the messy political system... lets not forget that sometimes things that seem like a big deal maybe aren't... or maybe they are, but we need to keep remembering the other things that are too. Remember those that have no voice... And do you know what? If you google "Trafficking in Haiti" the results are overwhelming. Haiti is just one small corner of the world. What about in my back yard... Denver? What about in your places... its everywhere, and we ignore it every day. And my question is, where do we go from here? Will we ever be able to overcome this injustice?
So, that, and body image. Nutrition... my daughters (and sons) are seeing unrealistic photos of people every time we leave the house. I showed them videos of the power of photo shop, and thank the Lord they got it! They see pictures now, and recognize that its not real... they (hopefully) stand a chance of making it through this life with a healthy perspective on what real, healthy people are supposed to look like...
Wednesday, April 29, 2015
Bo Joint
So, as promised, a week or so later, here are some more pictures! Hoorah! I am going to try to find some from my favorite village, called Bo Joint... (Maybe my spelling is wrong...?) pronounced Boo Jwin. The people here were so very, very sweet. We played a game called "Little Sally Walker" (You know the game, right? You dance in a circle.) The little boys were so funny. And um, explicit. Haha. I'd be dancing with them, and then be like "Whoa! I had no idea a five year old would do that!" Boys are boys are boys... They shared Cacao with us, which is a funny story I will tell you, and sugar cane, which is another story I will tell you.
This is a Cacao fruit. It opens up, and inside are a bunch of seeds, like a pomegranate, but bigger. There is a white flesh covering the brown seed. You can suck the fruit part off of the seed, and spit the seed out. A few of us (Not me. I was warned before I did it...) Tried chewing the seed. Yuck! What did I do when I was offered some? I tried to take the spit out, sucked on seed from the wrong side of the shell! I was the subject of much laughter. I didn't realize why they were laughing, until one of the teenagers showed me what that side was for. Then we all had a good laugh together, and I took from the other shell. It was really good. I don't have a picture of the sugar cane... but, the story goes like this: When we arrived at the village, they were all sitting around eating it. We eventually asked for some (Not a rude thing to do. In fact, you can ask for anything. But, its also acceptable to say no, without explanation. A great practice I wish we adopted here in the U.S. ) Well, nobody wanted to share. So, we said "No problem, no problem..." BUT then they all went outside the tabernacle (The place they meet for church, sort of like a garage port...) and started EATING SUGAR CANE IN FRONT OF US! So we asked again, and again they didn't want to share. After a long silence, a little girl said "You want to buy?" And Mark laughed and asked her why she would try to sell it? As it turns out, there were some Blancos in the village a couple of days before who bought it... Mark said "No."
I am not going to get into all of the details of whether or not we should have bought it. We had good reasons for saying no. Yes, this is a country where this kind of thing CAN help them. But, we also had reasons for not. Primarily relationship. (At least, thats why I wasn't going to buy any.) Buying from them would have set us up just like all the other rich, white, Americans who come and purchase anything they want. This village has just been adopted by my church, Church Project Greeley, as our sister church. We are funding the construction of their church building, and supporting the pastor of this village. But more than throwing money at a situation, we went to create a RELATIONSHIP with them. We will go back there again and again and again. They needed to come outside of themselves and let us into their lives. The inner workings of their village.
Guess what? A teenaged boy went home and got us a couple of stalks of sugar cane. And he gave them to us. When we went the next day? They had a bunch for us. And they shared their bread. Possibly their weeks worth of bread, for us. I'd say not buying the sugar cane was a wise choice.
So, sugar cane is so, so good. You chew the stalk, and kind of suck on it, and then spit out the tough stuff. You only get the juice out of it. I began understanding how their lives go... they lack in a lot of "real" foods, and quite frankly, its so hot there you don't really feel like eating, but these fruits they have can level your blood sugar and keep you feeling energized.
This is a Cacao fruit. It opens up, and inside are a bunch of seeds, like a pomegranate, but bigger. There is a white flesh covering the brown seed. You can suck the fruit part off of the seed, and spit the seed out. A few of us (Not me. I was warned before I did it...) Tried chewing the seed. Yuck! What did I do when I was offered some? I tried to take the spit out, sucked on seed from the wrong side of the shell! I was the subject of much laughter. I didn't realize why they were laughing, until one of the teenagers showed me what that side was for. Then we all had a good laugh together, and I took from the other shell. It was really good. I don't have a picture of the sugar cane... but, the story goes like this: When we arrived at the village, they were all sitting around eating it. We eventually asked for some (Not a rude thing to do. In fact, you can ask for anything. But, its also acceptable to say no, without explanation. A great practice I wish we adopted here in the U.S. ) Well, nobody wanted to share. So, we said "No problem, no problem..." BUT then they all went outside the tabernacle (The place they meet for church, sort of like a garage port...) and started EATING SUGAR CANE IN FRONT OF US! So we asked again, and again they didn't want to share. After a long silence, a little girl said "You want to buy?" And Mark laughed and asked her why she would try to sell it? As it turns out, there were some Blancos in the village a couple of days before who bought it... Mark said "No."
I am not going to get into all of the details of whether or not we should have bought it. We had good reasons for saying no. Yes, this is a country where this kind of thing CAN help them. But, we also had reasons for not. Primarily relationship. (At least, thats why I wasn't going to buy any.) Buying from them would have set us up just like all the other rich, white, Americans who come and purchase anything they want. This village has just been adopted by my church, Church Project Greeley, as our sister church. We are funding the construction of their church building, and supporting the pastor of this village. But more than throwing money at a situation, we went to create a RELATIONSHIP with them. We will go back there again and again and again. They needed to come outside of themselves and let us into their lives. The inner workings of their village.
Guess what? A teenaged boy went home and got us a couple of stalks of sugar cane. And he gave them to us. When we went the next day? They had a bunch for us. And they shared their bread. Possibly their weeks worth of bread, for us. I'd say not buying the sugar cane was a wise choice.
So, sugar cane is so, so good. You chew the stalk, and kind of suck on it, and then spit out the tough stuff. You only get the juice out of it. I began understanding how their lives go... they lack in a lot of "real" foods, and quite frankly, its so hot there you don't really feel like eating, but these fruits they have can level your blood sugar and keep you feeling energized.
This is a river we stopped at for lunch one day, on the way to Bo Joint. It was in this beautiful jungle-y area. My friend and I were careful to point our cameras and our eyes in this particular direction, since there was a naked man bathing in the river behind us...
This is the truck we rode around on the whole week we were there. We sat in the back. If you look carefully you can see the benches. I liked to stand and hold the rail, because I could take in more of the sights and smells of Haiti. Plus it was more cooling to have the wind blowing in my face. In Haiti there are no rules on the road. There is a lot of honking (Just to communicate. Not like here, when you honk, you have rage.) There are many Motos... Motorcycles... driving between two cars passing each other, in either direction. We saw a couple of car accidents. Mostly involving tipped over trucks. There is a high rate of mortality when it comes to the road... People were piled on top of trucks, and they were especially skilled at fitting four people (Yes, I saw four people) on a moto, and sometimes they would be carrying live animals, like a goat, in a bag tied to the side of it. It was delightful. (I am being serious. Delightful.)
So, this is the last photo for today... the troops are getting restless. My day is calling. This, my friends, is the church they are building in Bo Joint. As you can see, it is in the newly developed phases... While the VBS team was there playing with the people the men went back to town to get some more brick... clearly its running low. When the truck arrived and we finished our activities the children RAN down the road, laughing, and excited, and started helping unload the block. There were little bitty things carrying these cement blocks... they have so much pride in their meeting place. Its going to be the central part of the inner workings of their village. A school, a place of worship, a meeting place for other functions... They were all so excited, and everyone wanted to pull their own weight when it came to finishing it. I saw another, recent photo this past Sunday at church. The walls are completed! I can't wait to go back and have church there, with my brothers and sisters of that particular village! (And, a side note... most places had septic bathrooms. At the very least, a covered hole. Here? Its really in the backwoods. We had none of that. A tinkle trip took a hike. It was very... freeing.)
Saturday, April 18, 2015
Awed...
So, obviously I've been back from Haiti for awhile. Oh, how I love that place... those people. They are so sweet, and kind. I don't even think I could tell you all about it here on the blog, or even if you were sitting right in front of me, and do it justice. I can say that I would go back tomorrow. Or today, if I could. And you know I'm going back there! A lot of my expectations were... shattered. I expected dirty, stinky, trashy... despair and hopelessness. But instead it seemed that everywhere I looked there was beauty. They burned their trash at night, and I would lay next to the open window trying to sleep and listen to the crazy roosters crow in the dark, and smell the scent of burning plastic and wood and paper... and I loved it. You couldn't go three feet without seeing some kind of animal. Goats were everywhere... Ha! It was hilarious. I love goats. And I got to eat goat. It was delicious. There were cows and pigs and horses too. Chickens. Free range chickens all over the place. I asked if people knew who the chickens belonged to, and the missionary (Rick) who lived there said "Yes. There aren't many property disputes. They know who has what, and they respect that." If only we could have that kind of attitude here, in a place where everything we want is almost handed to us... Let me load some pictures and tell you some stories...
This is the New Life Mission House. I woke up at 5 AM every day... an hour and a half earlier than what I did before I left... I surprised Mark, the team leader... haha. He came out in his boxers, not expecting anyone to be awake. It was hilarious, and a joke we carried on for the rest of the week. (I kept saying "Do you have any idea how many naked people I see every day?") He also got up early, and we drank our coffee (Mmmmm. Haitian coffee...) and did our own quiet activities until folks started stirring. A few of the days we had some great conversation about the culture of Haiti, and about ourselves. It was wonderful to be awake before the sun, and hear the sounds of the day stirring... Peace.
This is the New Life Mission House. I woke up at 5 AM every day... an hour and a half earlier than what I did before I left... I surprised Mark, the team leader... haha. He came out in his boxers, not expecting anyone to be awake. It was hilarious, and a joke we carried on for the rest of the week. (I kept saying "Do you have any idea how many naked people I see every day?") He also got up early, and we drank our coffee (Mmmmm. Haitian coffee...) and did our own quiet activities until folks started stirring. A few of the days we had some great conversation about the culture of Haiti, and about ourselves. It was wonderful to be awake before the sun, and hear the sounds of the day stirring... Peace.
This beautiful woman is Andina. She cooked for us, and cleaned too. She went to bed long after I did, and woke up around the same time... I would some out of the room, and sit at the table, and she would have the coffee brewing already. She would put it out, and wave at me, and say "Coffee, coffee!" I found out that it is rude to not greet eachother in the morning, so on the second day I found her in the kitchen and said "Bonjour, Andina!" She lit up... They loved when we tried to speak their language, and laughed when we messed up...
This is a typical meal in Haiti. Rice and beans. So, so good. We had rice and beans every day... our food didn't vary much, but it was delicious, and I never felt like I wasn't getting enough. We ate three meals a day, but most Haitians only eat once a day. I think its a cultural tradition born of poverty. Even the children took what they were given happily...
I loved this little girl... she reminded me of Delilah, with her sass and spunk... She lived at the children's home near where we stayed. It was exhausting being outside of my comfort zone, but every time we went to see the kiddos at the home I was excited and energized. They loved the attention and all the games we could play with them. We jumped rope, played soccer (They ALL adored soccer!) and even just sat and talked. Some of them can speak English, but try to keep it a secret. We would see that one of them was understanding more than they were letting on and we would say "You DO speak English!!!" And they would laugh and get embarrassed.
More of the Children's Home. The boys were so BOY! I have a soft spot for little boys. I love their hearts, and their gentle spirits that are hidden behind that rough edge... Boys in Haiti were no different. See that thumbs up? What a Prince... and they loved high fives and fist bumps, and secret handshakes. Throwing the ball, kicking the ball...
I can't help myself. Seriously. Aren't they the cutest? I left a huge chunk of myself over there... I spent a lot of time being humbled by these people. Even the children... And this sounds cliche, but these kids are the future of that wonderful country. I am honored, also, that I got to observe first hand how the Saints over there are pouring the love of Christ into these motherless, and fatherless... abandoned souls. They need encouragement, for sure, but can't you see the light in these precious babies? Its working!
This is a goat... that was given to Mark as a gift. We all know that in most foreign cultures its rude to refuse a gift, so he took it, and he went for a ride in the truck with us. Whats funny is we left him on the truck to eat at a restaurant, and he was still there when we came back. Respect. The goat was called Jason Shepherd. Ha. Inside joke... I am sure that by now he is in the missionary's freezer.
Okay, I'll end today's post on this one. This is a really special photo for me, because of the sign behind the kids. (In their lion masks they made for vbs...so cute!) That is a Church Project sign, just like the one we have here in Greeley, Colorado at my meeting place, and in Aurora, Colorado, and at multiple locations in Texas, and in Ohio? I think... And this was presented to this church while we were there... It says "Church Project, Biblical, Simple, Relevant" In Haitian Creole... There are churches in Haiti who are a part of the Church Project network. And we got to worship with the believers who attended this church, as well as another congregation... (That was the one thing I was the most excited about, meeting the Saints in Haiti. What a privilege to come to the throne of God with those warriors! I was not worthy of them... I can say that much.) I was just so excited to see a physical representation of what God is doing in my world... adding churches that I know to be doing work that I am also laboring in... in parts of the world that I alone cannot touch. We are all one body, and I was just so... I don't even know what word to use... humbled? honored? Awed! to be there to see that... And to be a part of a body of believers who are sacrificing in order to build a more lasting kingdom!
Monday, February 23, 2015
Countdown calendar
21. Haiti is located in the Caribbean.
Pray that people would see them as individuals, not just a group in a
certain place.
|
20. Native Haitians were called "Taino," meaning "The
Good People."
Pray that we would still see the "good" despite the changes
that have taken place in history.
|
19 The Taino called their land "Ayiti," meaning "Land
of Mountains." Now we call it "Haiti."
Pray for the people who live in the mountains, that they would be
ready to learn from us.
|
18. Haiti is the most mountainous nation in the Caribbean.
Pray that we would be in good physical shape to climb the mountains.
|
17. Haiti’s highest peak is the Pic la Selle at 8,793 feet
high. Pikes Peak in Colorado Springs is 14,114 feet high. Mauna Kea in Hawaii
is 13,796 above the ocean.
Pray that we will have energy to play with the children in the
mountains after we have hiked to the top of them!
|
16. Haitians use a language called "Creole." This is a mix
of lots of different languages.
Pray that we would be able to communicate with the people in Haiti
clearly and effectively.
|
15. Haiti's national sport is Soccer. Haiti first competed in the
national cup in 1974.
Pray that we would be able to have fun in Haiti!
|
14. Only half of Haitians can read and write.
Thank God for being able to go to school and learn.
|
13. A typical worker in Haiti makes $2.75 a day. A person in Colorado
earning minimum wage makes about $65.00 a day.
Thank God for all of the things that you have!
|
12. Haiti has the highest percentage of orphans in the Western Hemisphere. (The side of the
world we live on.) Before the 2010 earthquake the number was estimated to be
430,000
Pray that we could share lots of love and affection with some of
these children.
|
11. 7.3% of Haitian children die before they reach Simon's age. (5)
In America that percentage is 0 .7%.
Thank God for your good health, and the medical resources that we
have in America.
|
10. Haitians enjoy cock fighting. They feed their roosters raw meat
and spicy peppers soaked in rum to make them tough. The winning rooster can
win up to $67.00 for just one game.
Pray that we would respect the cultural differences of this place,
and not impose our American opinion on them.
|
9. Haiti is almost completely deforested because of competition over
land, charcoal mining, agricultural practices, and feral goats overgrazing.
Goats! I love goats! Pray that I get to see some!
|
8. Deforestation has caused flash flooding and mudslides. Topsoil has
washed into the ocean, leaving muddy brown ring along the coast.
Pray that we would see the beauty in the people, and in the country,
despite the abuse it has suffered.
|
7.Haitians primarily practice Catholicism. Others are Protestant.
Most of them practice Voodoo alongside these other religions.
Pray that Christians would respect the rich culture of this place,
while also clearly teaching about Jesus and the freedom he offers them.
|
6. Haiti has an island called "Tortuga Island." Tortuga means "turtle" in
Spanish. It was a pirate stronghold
many years ago.
Pray that we would learn about the history of this nation while we are
there.
|
5. Life expectancy in Haiti is 50 for men, and 53 for women. That is
about the age of Grandma and Grandpa.
Pray that people in Haiti would hear and accept the freedom of Christ
before their time on earth is over.
|
4. The Citadel is a fortress located in Northern Haiti. I will be at
the same place as the Citadel.
Pray that we can use this part of history to share the love of
Christ. He is our fortress in the storms of life!
|
3. I will be in a place called "Cap Hatien." It is also
called "Le Cap."
Pray that we are safe on the
airplane and during our stay in Cap Hatien.
|
2. The nickname of Le Cap is Le Paris des Antilles. This means
"The Paris of the Antilles."
Pray that we
would also become fond enough of this country to call it by a nickname.
|
1. Haiti used to be called "The Pearl of the Antilles by the
Settlers who lived there in the 1700's. It is now the poorest country on our
side of the world. (Western
Hemisphere.)
Pray that we would see the "Pearl..." in this place, and
offer it the riches of Christ.
|
Saturday, January 3, 2015
Haiti and other news
See? I told you I would be back on. There's something about not being pregnant... or having a small baby to care for. Suddenly I get to sleep all the way through most nights, and I can take a few minutes for a cup of tea each day. My house doesn't look like a hurricane blew through it, and I can actually think through life in general. It also means I get to say what I'm thinking. So... my thoughts.
I can't actually remember when I decided that I was going to Haiti. (Only for 5 days... to me it feels like a huge lifetime commitment.) And I have made arrangements for someone I trust to take care of the kiddos while Peter is at work, and Peter has made arrangements to work for only a couple of days that week... The Lord has altered my way of thinking drastically. Sometimes you need to be shaken up a little bit. I like being comfortable. I like my current sleeping habits, I like that I own my house and don't need to pack my stuff every year anymore. I like warm showers, not being hungry. I like my bed... even just a year ago I was ready to do anything, and give up everything if that's what God wanted. Now... I have settled down and gotten complacent.
But maybe I just needed to take a break and catch my breath. You've read my blog, and you know what life was like. It was FUN... and we had a lot of ADVENTURES! This year we are getting ready. There is a secret thing we are headed toward this year that I can hardly wait to announce it... I was telling Sarah just a few months ago that we were waiting for God to say "go." Like a race. (Hebrews 12:1, after Paul tells of the faith of the past saints...) "Let us throw off EVERYTHING that hinders!" Just go read the rest! Oh, fine... I'll tell you! "And the sin that SO EASILY entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us! Let us FIX OUR EYES ON JESUS!" Have you ever read Hebrews? Its one of my favorites!
And she asked if we were on "get ready" or "get set." Ha. She is so sweet. We finally got a go... and I am so very excited! The reason why we finally got a go is because we were ready for it! My eyes were fixed on the "author and perfecter of my faith." Even just my committing to Haiti made me realize that there are people in the world who still have less. Much less. I cried when I found out that our plane was flying out of Denver at 1:30 AM... and when I heard that the shower is outside. And there's no hot water. And that we are staying in a dorm style mission house. These are things I don't want to give up for a blink... and things that they don't have EVER. But most of all I was upset because we are ONLY going for less than a week to help with orphans. Children without mothers and fathers. I wish I could bring them all home with me, because we have a big house, and lots and lots of love to give. I was upset because of my selfishness in resisting giving up things that aren't even actually needs.
So, here is some information about the country itself and those beautiful souls that reside there.
Haiti is a Caribbean country. It is actually in North America. The funny thing is when I was saying I wouldn't go to Haiti, my reason was that "It's on another continent. I would maybe go if it was in North America or South America..." Yeah. I thought it was in Africa. My geography is a little rusty. But its waaaay better than before my smartie pants daughter started school. She loves maps. So... you go to Miami Florida, and then fly over the (Atlantic) ocean past the Bahamas (South East?) and then land in Cap Haitien, at the very Northern tip of Haiti. That's where I'll be. I know its an extremely rough geographical description... but go look at a map. Its enough to get you started finding the place. You can look over this link to learn about the people my church is partnering with: http://www.newlifemissionhaiti.org/
The reason I thought it was in Africa is because of the African culture... and here's why. (A history lesson.) It started with Christopher Columbus. Then there was lots of killing and strife among the native people and the settlers... there was war happening between the Spanish and the Europeans, eventually leading to colonies being abandoned due to sickness and starvation and general upheaval. This is where the French moved in, and despite their colonies being destroyed multiple times by the Spanish, they resettled each time, eventually successfully. (1660, if any of you need a solid date.) So, from 1492, when Columbus sailed the ocean blue, until 1660, when the French ruled Haiti. (Now you'll never forget that important piece of history, thanks to my rhyming skills.) There was war. And another gem? 1751, earthquake and tsunami, killing hundreds. 1770, earthquake. Ok... I need to say at this point that I am skipping a ton of information in order to streamline this blog. This is all coming from Wikipedia, so you can go read the whole article if you need everything technical. I am headed toward a point, so I am trying not to make this a two parter.
Alright... where was I? Eventually these colonies, established in the Caribbean became very wealthy, due to Sugar, Cotton, Coffee, and Indigo. But, it wasn't due to the the settlers labors, it was because of the hard work of? Yep. Slaves. At one point in time, the number of slaves outnumbered that of the French, and because of the terrible treatment of the slaves they were constantly bringing in more from Africa... from many different tribes. Meaning that there were multiple languages and variations in religious beliefs. (But, always Voudou.) The settlers had to find a way to control their slaves, so they resorted to terrible punishments.
Revolution was inevitable, and it came in the year 1791. In 1804 after a lot of details I am skipping Haiti was established. They were in debt because of financial demands the French, British, and United States made (Because of "lost property.") Oh, if only the new Haiti could have placed a price on their suffering, their lives lost... in the quest for freedom. And if only they could have known where true freedom came from.
After this, there were laws put in place to prevent the white people from establishing any towns, and also an elimination of any inequality in skin color. All citizens of Haiti were to be referred to as black. That's not especially relevant, just interesting.
There is a long history of political struggle, and Haiti never really got itself going, so to speak. There were continued exports of Sugar and Cotton... but Haitians were typically employed as seasonal workers in Cuba, and there were not enough laborers home to work in their own country. When the Great Depression came along, their export prices dropped, resulting in violence. (Another fact? I just read a book with Sarah about World War II. The Great Depression was one reason Hitler was able to rise to power...I cried my way through a book designed for a 5th grader. Why is this world so terrible? And how are people capable of such evil?) So, now what I intended to be one blog is going to be two... or maybe three? Lets learn together.
Ok. Politics are really, really not my strength. I'm going to skip all of the details for now. But the fact is that there was war... and there is still fighting over democracy. People are still trying to gain control and take away the choices of the people. It is a country in need of peace.
And what have I even been talking about for the past couple of months? Where does all this come from? From Jesus! And what does most of the world believe? Children are our future... and guess what? I can't bring the Haitian children home with me... but I can love them while I am there! I can pour myself into them... pour Jesus into them, and maybe one day change will come for this precious country, because of the efforts of the saints who live in Haiti, and because of the efforts of the saints who can only leave their lives for a short time, or who can't go, but can give financially. Or who can cover those of us going with prayer... Another passage about running the race... About being poured out? Paul (An amazing guy. Can't wait to give him a hug... sit right next to him, hear his stories...) in writing to Timothy, says that one day people will find teachers who are just going to say what they want to hear. But, this is his charge to the believers.
"Keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge the duties of you ministry. For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time has come for my departure. I have fought the good fight, I have FINISHED THE RACE, I have KEPT THE FAITH!" (2 Timothy 4:5-7)
I can't actually remember when I decided that I was going to Haiti. (Only for 5 days... to me it feels like a huge lifetime commitment.) And I have made arrangements for someone I trust to take care of the kiddos while Peter is at work, and Peter has made arrangements to work for only a couple of days that week... The Lord has altered my way of thinking drastically. Sometimes you need to be shaken up a little bit. I like being comfortable. I like my current sleeping habits, I like that I own my house and don't need to pack my stuff every year anymore. I like warm showers, not being hungry. I like my bed... even just a year ago I was ready to do anything, and give up everything if that's what God wanted. Now... I have settled down and gotten complacent.
But maybe I just needed to take a break and catch my breath. You've read my blog, and you know what life was like. It was FUN... and we had a lot of ADVENTURES! This year we are getting ready. There is a secret thing we are headed toward this year that I can hardly wait to announce it... I was telling Sarah just a few months ago that we were waiting for God to say "go." Like a race. (Hebrews 12:1, after Paul tells of the faith of the past saints...) "Let us throw off EVERYTHING that hinders!" Just go read the rest! Oh, fine... I'll tell you! "And the sin that SO EASILY entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us! Let us FIX OUR EYES ON JESUS!" Have you ever read Hebrews? Its one of my favorites!
And she asked if we were on "get ready" or "get set." Ha. She is so sweet. We finally got a go... and I am so very excited! The reason why we finally got a go is because we were ready for it! My eyes were fixed on the "author and perfecter of my faith." Even just my committing to Haiti made me realize that there are people in the world who still have less. Much less. I cried when I found out that our plane was flying out of Denver at 1:30 AM... and when I heard that the shower is outside. And there's no hot water. And that we are staying in a dorm style mission house. These are things I don't want to give up for a blink... and things that they don't have EVER. But most of all I was upset because we are ONLY going for less than a week to help with orphans. Children without mothers and fathers. I wish I could bring them all home with me, because we have a big house, and lots and lots of love to give. I was upset because of my selfishness in resisting giving up things that aren't even actually needs.
So, here is some information about the country itself and those beautiful souls that reside there.
Haiti is a Caribbean country. It is actually in North America. The funny thing is when I was saying I wouldn't go to Haiti, my reason was that "It's on another continent. I would maybe go if it was in North America or South America..." Yeah. I thought it was in Africa. My geography is a little rusty. But its waaaay better than before my smartie pants daughter started school. She loves maps. So... you go to Miami Florida, and then fly over the (Atlantic) ocean past the Bahamas (South East?) and then land in Cap Haitien, at the very Northern tip of Haiti. That's where I'll be. I know its an extremely rough geographical description... but go look at a map. Its enough to get you started finding the place. You can look over this link to learn about the people my church is partnering with: http://www.newlifemissionhaiti.org/
The reason I thought it was in Africa is because of the African culture... and here's why. (A history lesson.) It started with Christopher Columbus. Then there was lots of killing and strife among the native people and the settlers... there was war happening between the Spanish and the Europeans, eventually leading to colonies being abandoned due to sickness and starvation and general upheaval. This is where the French moved in, and despite their colonies being destroyed multiple times by the Spanish, they resettled each time, eventually successfully. (1660, if any of you need a solid date.) So, from 1492, when Columbus sailed the ocean blue, until 1660, when the French ruled Haiti. (Now you'll never forget that important piece of history, thanks to my rhyming skills.) There was war. And another gem? 1751, earthquake and tsunami, killing hundreds. 1770, earthquake. Ok... I need to say at this point that I am skipping a ton of information in order to streamline this blog. This is all coming from Wikipedia, so you can go read the whole article if you need everything technical. I am headed toward a point, so I am trying not to make this a two parter.
Alright... where was I? Eventually these colonies, established in the Caribbean became very wealthy, due to Sugar, Cotton, Coffee, and Indigo. But, it wasn't due to the the settlers labors, it was because of the hard work of? Yep. Slaves. At one point in time, the number of slaves outnumbered that of the French, and because of the terrible treatment of the slaves they were constantly bringing in more from Africa... from many different tribes. Meaning that there were multiple languages and variations in religious beliefs. (But, always Voudou.) The settlers had to find a way to control their slaves, so they resorted to terrible punishments.
Revolution was inevitable, and it came in the year 1791. In 1804 after a lot of details I am skipping Haiti was established. They were in debt because of financial demands the French, British, and United States made (Because of "lost property.") Oh, if only the new Haiti could have placed a price on their suffering, their lives lost... in the quest for freedom. And if only they could have known where true freedom came from.
After this, there were laws put in place to prevent the white people from establishing any towns, and also an elimination of any inequality in skin color. All citizens of Haiti were to be referred to as black. That's not especially relevant, just interesting.
There is a long history of political struggle, and Haiti never really got itself going, so to speak. There were continued exports of Sugar and Cotton... but Haitians were typically employed as seasonal workers in Cuba, and there were not enough laborers home to work in their own country. When the Great Depression came along, their export prices dropped, resulting in violence. (Another fact? I just read a book with Sarah about World War II. The Great Depression was one reason Hitler was able to rise to power...I cried my way through a book designed for a 5th grader. Why is this world so terrible? And how are people capable of such evil?) So, now what I intended to be one blog is going to be two... or maybe three? Lets learn together.
Ok. Politics are really, really not my strength. I'm going to skip all of the details for now. But the fact is that there was war... and there is still fighting over democracy. People are still trying to gain control and take away the choices of the people. It is a country in need of peace.
And what have I even been talking about for the past couple of months? Where does all this come from? From Jesus! And what does most of the world believe? Children are our future... and guess what? I can't bring the Haitian children home with me... but I can love them while I am there! I can pour myself into them... pour Jesus into them, and maybe one day change will come for this precious country, because of the efforts of the saints who live in Haiti, and because of the efforts of the saints who can only leave their lives for a short time, or who can't go, but can give financially. Or who can cover those of us going with prayer... Another passage about running the race... About being poured out? Paul (An amazing guy. Can't wait to give him a hug... sit right next to him, hear his stories...) in writing to Timothy, says that one day people will find teachers who are just going to say what they want to hear. But, this is his charge to the believers.
"Keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge the duties of you ministry. For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time has come for my departure. I have fought the good fight, I have FINISHED THE RACE, I have KEPT THE FAITH!" (2 Timothy 4:5-7)
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