Haiti Update #5

Just a normal drive through town

Devotions

This morning Beth McHoul shared with us about Heartline and God’s call on her life. Her testimony was just as impactful as John’s and her challenges were direct. After having seen what we have seen, what are we going to do about it?

Beth McHoul sharing a powerpoint with our group

It’s not a guilt trip. Don’t get me wrong, it was definitely challenging, but not guilt motivated. There is a reality of pain, poverty and suffering in this world, all over the world. When you see it, you are changed forever. What does that look like?

She said some really good things and shared some powerful stories, but what stood out to me the most was her heart for the mission God has called her to. When you see pain and suffering over and over again, you can become calloused or hardened from it, just as a defense mechanism. Personally when something really wrecks me I know how to put up my defenses and suppress it. But as she shared, after 26 years of being here, her compassion and passion has not diminished. She spoke of those she knows suffering and the tears were there behind her eyes. She talked about the orphanage we saw and the tears and broken voice was there. Here is a woman who walks the walk, and she walks it well.

I wish I could tell you more about her and John and their ministry to the Haitians. It would do you well to look up Heartline and find their stories. Or better yet, come down on a trip and meet them here in Haiti!

OK – Day Camp

Our group in front of the Day Camp

Today we went back to the OK Center and were given the amazing opportunity of working with the summer day camp. Around 100 young ladies, ranging from 4 or 5 to about 16 years old attended. We had the opportunity to do the Gospel Beads Bracelet with them after getting some new string from the school. (Our main craft bag managed to find a new home at Cite Soliel unexpectedly.)

Charissa Helping with beads

Danny helping tie the bracelets on their wrists

After all the girls had their bracelets we gathered them together for the Wordless Book lesson. Sam and Melody shared this time! 

Sam and Melody sharing, PP translating

The girls were very attentive. When same concluded the talk, she said if they wanted to talk more about Jesus or this free gift, feel free to talk to us. We typically think that as an alter call where they would come talk to us individually. Yet all of sudden little hands shot up!

So through the interpreter, Pierre (affectionately called P P), the little girls asked a question and we attempted to answer them. I love Q&A, but I thought I’d leave it to my team and see how they respond.

The first question was, “before creation, what was the world like?” Abby gave a great answer about how the Bible says, “in the beginning God created the world. So before the world was created by God, there was nothing.”

The next question was about the creative order and man’s place in that order. Sam attempted to answer about how God created Adam and then created Eve in His image. Before she could finish her answer, the older girls started shaking their heads in disagreement. The said, “NO, Adam asked God for Eve and then God gave Adam Eve.”

This led to an interesting discussion! I tried to help Sam out, and Frank interjected “this is a pastor and he has training in this. He will meet you in the back if you want him to ask you questions while the rest of the kids can get to their next activity.”

We didn’t expect too many to come back, but around 10 girls went back immediately. As I joined them with PP, more girls came back. In all, I’d say around 15 or so girls came back. We had Q&A about the Bible for the next hour or so! I loved the interaction. These girls asked some really good questions.

I shared with them the importance of making the Bible the authority for our answers and our lives. We looked at what God says about creation, about forgiveness and salvation. They asked about would they be punished if they confessed their sins to God. Why do some people know the story of God but don’t believe it.

Then the questions about Baptism came up. Can someone go to heaven if they are not baptized? And what if you’ve done everything they’ve asked and they still won’t baptize you? It became apparent that the process of baptism here is different then we have in our church.

I explained that genuine faith in Jesus Christ is the only requirement from God to be baptized. And that it is faith that saves you and not baptism. Though baptism is important as Jesus commanded us to be baptized. But baptism is a symbol and declaration of our belief in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ, not the way we are saved.

The pastors here have the “authority” to reject someone from being baptized on whatever they don’t like. It can become very difficult for some to get baptized here and they become confused and burdened by this. It was really sad. We had some good discussions about it, but my heart is heavy. I thought Matthew 23, where Jesus pronounces a Woe on the Pharisees who made coming to God a burden to heavy to bear. I pray that these Haitians can find hope in the Gospel and find it liberating and not a burden. That the Gospel casts out fear, it does not create it.

 On the walk to lunch with Frank, I found out that P P is not a believer. Which then made sense, because many of the girls questions he responded with, “ah this is my problem to,” or “this is my question too!” I thank God for the opportunity to be able to share the Gospel with him many times and he then had to translate it to others. Pray for P P to receive Jesus Christ.

I mentioned lunch. It was pizza, delicious pizza made in the ovens at the bakery. Haitians don’t really like pizza and it’s too expensive for them. But Nick taught them how to make a very delicious pizza. We all thought it was better then most we get back in the States!

Afternoon service project

In the afternoon we picked up where we left off yesterday in the out building. Yesterday we primed it, today we were going to paint it. As well as clean out the other side of the building.

Here are some before and after shots:

Cleaning it out was crazy. The group that went in to clean it out had their fun time removing loads of trash, junk and jumping away from huge roaches, lizards and huge spiders! They did great and got it all cleaned up. 

He was about the size of an egg

Prayer Requests

Pray for PP’s understanding of the Gospel!

Pray for the summer day camp and the 100 girls attending.

Pray that we allow God to work lasting change and memories for our team.

Pray for our work tomorrow, hopefully we get to go to a orphanage!