Scene 1 ~ Miracles
Story from Luke 3, John 1, Mark 2-5
Crowds followed Jesus wherever he went as he performed many miracles and healings. He cast demons out of people and the demons shuddered in fear before Jesus. His teaching and miracles concerned the local Jewish leaders; they were not comfortable with some of Jesus’ unusual methods.
One time when Jesus was teaching he told a paralyzed man, “Don’t worry, your sins are forgiven.” When some local religious leaders questioned Jesus on who gave him the authority to forgive sins, saying God alone can forgive sin, Jesus proved his authority to them by healing the man completely!
Another time, Jesus was exhausted after teaching all day. He suggested that he and the disciples get
into a boat and go to the other side of the sea. A fierce storm came up suddenly. No matter how hard
they tried, his disciples couldn’t keep the boat from filling with water and went to Jesus in a panic.
Jesus stood up, and said to the wind and waves, “Quiet, be still now.” And the wind stopped blowing and the sea became calm. When the disciples saw this they looked at each other and said, “Who is this man that even the wind and the waves obey him?”
On several occasions Jesus raised people from the dead. Once as Jesus was traveling he was asked to go to the home of a man named Jairus whose daughter was very sick. While on the way to their home, news arrived that the girl had already died. Jesus continued on and when he arrived at Jairus’ home there was a crowd of people inside weeping loudly. Jesus asked them, “Why are you crying? The girl is not dead—she’s sleeping.” The crowd laughed at him. When they went into the girl’s room, Jesus took the girl’s hand and said, “Little girl, get up!” Immediately the girl jumped out of bed and began walking around! Jesus told them to give her something to eat. Her parents were absolutely amazed!
After spending an entire night in prayer, Jesus chose twelve men out of all of his followers to be his
apprentices, calling them apostles. They traveled with Jesus wherever he went as he taught them to live in the ways of God. He sent the apostles out to heal the sick, teach others what they had learned and to share the message of the Kingdom of God.
Scene 2 ~ The Kingdom
Story from Matthew 5, 7, 10, 13,18–20; Mark 3–6, 10, 13; Luke 6, 8-10, 12-15, 17; John 3
Jesus continued to teach people, “The Kingdom of God has come—turn from your sin and self and turn to God!”
One day he climbed up a hill with a group of his closest followers. They sat down together and Jesus
began to teach them about God’s Kingdom. He said, “God blesses those who realize their need for him; the humble and poor, the gentle and merciful—the Kingdom of God belongs to them. God blesses the pure in heart and those who hunger and thirst to be with him.”
Then Jesus went on to teach about God’s laws that were given to Moses.
Jesus said, “Don’t think I came to get rid of the laws of Moses and the writings of the Prophets. I have come to fulfill them!” He taught them, “The laws and commands tell you not to murder, but I say if you hate someone or insult them you are just as guilty as a murderer. Your words and actions bring judgment on you.”
“The laws also tell us to never have sex with someone else’s spouse. But I say anyone who even looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery in his heart.” He also taught them, “If someone steals your shirt from you, offer them your coat too. Live generously! Love your enemies. Anyone can love their friends—but you are to love the unlovable. You must live differently, doing what is good, right and perfect—just like God your Father.”
The people were amazed at Jesus’ teaching; He had real power and authority—unlike their teachers of the law.
Jesus continued to teach about the Kingdom of God using short stories that had powerful meanings,
called parables. He said, “The Kingdom of God is like a tiny seed that is planted in a field. This seed may be small at first but it grows into a large tree where birds can come and find shelter.”
Jesus told dozens of stories like this to the crowds.
He said the Kingdom is…
Like a hidden treasure buried in a field—worth diligently searching for,
Like yeast spread in a large ball of dough—just a little will change a lot,
Like a precious pearl—worth trading everything for,
Like a great feast—where the poor, the forgotten and the outcast all get invited, and on and on…
Jesus was asked, “When is this ‘Kingdom’ that you are teaching about going to come?” Jesus replied, “The Kingdom of God is not something you can predict. People will not say, ‘here it is,’ or ‘there it is,’ because the Kingdom of God is within you.”
“Do not let all of this bother you. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms and I am going there to prepare a place just for you. You know the way to the place where I am going."
One of Jesus’ followers asked him, "Lord, how can we be with you if we do not know the way?"
Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes back into a close relationship with the Father except through me. If you really knew me, you would know my Father too. From now on, you do know him and have seen him in me."
People were astonished at Jesus’ teaching and wisdom. They understood some of these pictures, but
others remained a mystery to them.
One night a Pharisee named Nicodemus came to Jesus and said, “Rabbi, we know you were sent by God to teach us. Your miracles haven proven to us that God is with you.” Jesus replied, “You’re right—but unless someone is born a second time they will never understand God’s Kingdom.” “What do you mean?”
Nicodemus questioned, “How can someone who is fully grown climb back inside their mother and be born a second time?” Jesus answered him, “The truth is, no one can enter the Kingdom of God unless they have been born a second time by God’s Spirit. Humans can only give human life, but God’s Spirit gives new life in the Kingdom.”
“How can this happen!?” Nicodemus asked. Jesus replied, “You are a respected Jewish teacher, but you don’t know this simple truth? If you won’t believe me when I teach you about everyday things, how will you believe me when I tell you about God’s Kingdom?”
“What I am telling you is true. God showed his great love for people by sending me—his only son—to this world. Anyone who believes in me and lives in my ways will find life that is complete and eternal! He sent me here to save people—not to judge them. Those who want to live in sin and darkness will reject me and bring God’s judgment on themselves. But those who want to live in God’s ways will trust me and live forever!”
Scene 3 ~ The Lost Son
Story from Luke 15:11-32
Jesus told them another parable about a father and his sons. “There was once a man who had two sons. The younger said to his father, 'I want my inheritance right now—give me what's coming to me!'
"So the father divided the property between the sons. It wasn't long before the younger son packed his
bags and left for a distant country. There, undisciplined and self-indulgent, he wasted everything he
had on partying and prostitutes. After he had gone through all his money he ended up homeless and
hungry. He got a job with a farmer who assigned him to his fields to feed the pigs. He was so hungry he would have eaten the corncobs in the pig slop, but no one would give him any.
"That brought him to his senses. He said, 'All those farmhands working for my father sit down to three meals a day, and here I am starving to death. I'm going back to my father. I'll say to him, “Father, I've sinned against God; I've sinned before you; I don't deserve to be called your son. Take me on as a hired hand.”' He got right up and went home to his father.
"When he was still a long way off, his father saw him. His heart pounding, he ran out, embraced him, and kissed him. The son started his speech: 'Father, I've sinned against God, I've sinned before you; I don't deserve to be called your son ever again…'
"But the father wasn't listening. He was calling to the servants, 'Quick. Bring the best robe and dress him. Put the family ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Then get a grain-fed heifer and roast it. We're going to feast! We're going to have a wonderful time! My son is here! It is like he was dead and now he’s alive! He was lost but now he is found!' And they began to have a wonderful time.
(Today’s post is from: The Storyformed Way is a derivative of
The Story of God © Copyright 2003-2006 Michael Novelli & Caesar Kalinowski,
all rights reserved. This derivative was created and distributed with
permission. You are free to use, remix, and build upon this work
non-commercially if you attribute Soma Communities. For details, see
creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/)
Wednesday, July 22, 2015
Saturday, July 18, 2015
Haiti Update #7
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| Spencer, June, Zark, Lance and I at the beach on Thursday |
(sorry no more pics today, my cord is in my checked luggage)
I’m sitting in Miami Airport waiting for our flight to board
and thought I’d take a chance to update you all. We were delayed leaving Haiti
for an equipment change. This delay led to us missing our flight to Cleveland
last night and caused us to have to stay in a hotel last night and head home
this morning. They were able to get us on two flights back to home. 10 members
of the team are flying through Philadelphia and 2 of us have a direct flight.
Unfortunately the we couldn’t all be on the same flight, but we will arrive
back in Cleveland about the same time. We thank God for safety in our travels
and ask for prayer until we are safely home!
Morning Devotions
As I type this, devotions were yesterday morning. Frank led
the devotions for us yesterday. We discussed the Matthew 25 passage together,
about what ever is done unto the “least of these is done unto me.” We should
never minimized the importance of looking out for others. As Melody pointed
out, these people Jesus is talking about didn’t even realize they had done
these things, these acts of grace were like second nature to them. We should be
following Christ so closely that it is our natural desire to care for others as
if they were Jesus.
Frank’s testimony was very challenging to me and our team.
Again, I wish you could have been there to hear him tell you as this post won’t
do it justice. Really the best option for you is to just go on down to Haiti
with Heartline an you will be blessed while you serve Jesus.
Frank grew up in a pastor’s home and accepted Christ at a
young age, but in his teenage years he decided his father’s way was not the way
he wanted and he moved out. It was harder then he realized and he had a season
where he had very little. He allowed this to fuel a desire to “succeed” and
gain material status. Over the next 15 years he built up a sum of wealth and
continued to be driven.
Until one day he lost most of it. He was less disappointed
with the loss of money as much as he lost all that time. He then did what he
said he’d never do; he went back to church. He realized he had worked toward a
temporal material goal and missed out on eternal values. That’s when a friend
invited him to go to Haiti. He accepted the invitation but had no idea what he
had just said yes to.
In Haiti he was exposed to extreme poverty as he had never
experienced, really most Americans have never experienced it either. They went
through a tent city on their way to a school. The school yard was also the tent
city trash heap and he couldn’t believe that these children played soccer in
these conditions. Most of the kids were naked and bare foot running around the
trash.
He was sitting there trying to process this scene and
thought and figure out what he could even do. As he looked down he saw nails
mixed in the trash and the thought “I could pick up nails” came to him. So he
began to pick up nails, filling his pockets and his hands the first day. Then
he came back with buckets. Later he came back with buckets and Smarties and the
children would gather nails and trade them in for Smarties.
So many things about Frank’s story amaze me, but I love the
truth he impressed on us. When facing such insurmountable odds, and looking at
a mountain of problems it’s easy to just give up and walk away. God gave him
that picking up nail idea, and that one task to focus on got him moving. Then
God gave him another one idea task, and then another. Now he is working with
Heartline and has led 26 short term trips this year. He is an amazing man to watch lead a team. He
is real with you and admits his own shortcomings. He is confident leading the
team. His driving skills amaze me. He knows so many of the Haitian people,
every where we went. He has a deep love for Jesus and that love flows to the
orphans and the Haitians in a very clear way.
I’ve said it a few times in these updates, I thank God for
Frank. I’ve learned a lot from him this week and I’ve made a new friend and
co-labor of the Gospel. I look forward to seeing how God works in this new
friendship and partnership in the ministry.
Rebuild Globally
Being the last day and a travel day, we didn’t have time for
much. So Frank took us to Rebuild Globally (www.rebuildglobally.org). Rebuild was
started as a ministry to help provide Haitian jobs, and God has blessed this
ministry and has grown it into an established independent business. You should
check out their story.
The make sandals out of tires. In Haiti people either burn
old tires or throw them in the ocean. Rebuild has developed a way of making
sandals out of them. After several attempts, their standard sandal is made with
an old tire, leather tanned in Haiti and then hand stitched to make a good
looking and comfortable sandal. Kenneth Cole sent a designer/consultant down
and signed a contract line with them. Their sandals are being sold all over the
world! This has allowed them to hire 15 Haitians in well paying jobs that allow
them to buy a home and send their kids to school. Really cool!
UN Base
We then had a great opportunity to meet up with Steve
Nuzzo’s team from Dayton, Ohio for lunch at the UN Base. It was great making
this connection and seeing Steve. Steve was a part of the Akron Area Youth
Workers Network and we’ve become good friends. Now that he is in Dayton, we
don’t get to see each other that often. It was a blessing to find out we were
in Haiti at the same time.
Oh and Steve used to be Sam Preston’s youth pastor. She was
excited that her first youth pastor and her current youth pastor were with her
in Haiti!
Departing
Well you already know the out come of the traveling. But
leaving Heartline was hard. The time sure flew by and we were all ready to come
home, but at the same time we weren’t. We’ve made new friends in Frank, June,
and Kalipso. Of course there was John, Beth, Matt, Nick, Recky(sp), Rob and the
list goes on.
Haiti is a place with great need and a place you feel like
you are needed, even if you don’t know what to do. Leaving brings with it a
sense of unfinished business and a “wish I could’ve done more.” It was hard
saying good by to June and Kalipso at the truck. Frank came into the airport to
make sure we got checked in. But it was hard saying good by once we left him.
Hard. That is a word that describes the Haiti trip in many
respects. It’s hard to see poverty. It’s hard to feel inadequate to make
change. It’s hard to see the systemic problems that permeate a culture. It’s
hard to imagine ways of bringing change. It’s hard to not want to be involved. It
hard to leave our friends and it’s hard to leave Haiti.
But Hope is another word. The Gospel of Jesus Christ brings
hope in this life and in the one to come. There are sings of hope all
throughout Haiti. Heartline is a ministry that brings God’s hope, hope of real
change. Hope that equips Haitians to a self sustaining lifestyle and faith in
Jesus. Heartline partners with many other like minded ministries in Haiti that
are building bridges of hope to people who desperately need it. Whether you
ever go to Haiti or not, you could be a partner of hope with them in more ways
then you can imagine. Prayer is the most important and first place we should
all start. God is the source of hope and He will give it to those who ask!
Prayer Requests
Pray for orphans, children, moms, dads, and families of
Haiti to have hope. Pray for jobs. Pray for Haitian pastors to preach the word
faithfully.
Pray for our travels. Just about to board so I will end now.
Thanks for your prayers!
Thursday, July 16, 2015
Haiti Update #6
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| Frank too a selfie with our group at Wahoo Bay! |
Morning Devotional
This morning Rob, the head of the sponsorship program,
taught our devotions. Rob and his family have lived down here for a year and
will be heading back to Canada in August. They are praying for someone who is
willing and qualified to take over the sponsorship program.
We looked at Numbers 13 and how the 12 spies reported on the
land. 10 said the land was beautiful but were afraid and said it could not be
done. 2, Joshua and Caleb, were confident in the power of the Lord to overcome.
We each shared the thoughts we had from the passage. Rob talked about the two
choices we face, fear or faith.
This was the passage that gave him the encouragement he
needed to bring his family to Haiti. There were many fearful questions and
ideas about bringing his family here, but he had faith that God was bigger then
the fears. What a great opportunity it was for us to be challenged by Rob and
his family’s faith!
Orphanage Number 2
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| Abby holding a sleeping child and a little boy |
Today we had the joy of visiting another orphanage. This was
a completely different type of orphanage then we went to the other day. This
orphanage is one of two orphanages that a pastor operates. He oversees the one
we were at today, and then another that is an hour past the village church we
visited.
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| My little buddy and me hanging out by the soccer field |
This orphanage was well staffed with several caring adults.
The kids all looked healthy and had better sleeping arrangements. The property
was bigger and spacious. Kids have voluntarily showed up asking if they could
stay. The pastor told them that he had no more beds for them in the house, but
they had no where else to go for security and safety. So he set up a couple of
tent buildings. No one is forced to stay in the tents, but several of the older
orphans volunteered so that they younger could have a bed.
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| Kayla helping the kids get ready for the lesson |
One amazing thing we witnessed today was noon time prayers.
The children all gathered in the corridor for prayers. A few of the older
orphans led in Bible reading and prayers. They sang praise songs and hymns. Oh
if you could’ve heard their voices. Especially when they sang “Wonderful
Merciful Savior”! Hearing them praise Jesus in another language is awesome.
Lance said it was the highlight of his trip to hear the orphans singing a song
that he knew, knowing they are worshiping the same God he does!
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| Orphans gathering for prayer time at noon |
We once again were able to do the Gospel Beads followed by
the Wordless Book. Today Lance shared the lesson and Sequoia helped out, while
Kalipso translated. There were 56 orphans we got to share the Gospel with! Then
we did face painting, coloring and soccer!
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| Lance and Sequoia with Kalipso |
We took the dresses our ladies made for the little girls to
this orphanage. Because we didn’t have sizes for the older girls, the director
asked that we leave some for the little girls and they would pass them out more
discretely. She was very thankful to receive them! I wish we could see the
little girls faces when they got them. But hopefully we can get some pictures
of the little girls getting these dresses.
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| The girls handing off the dresses our church ladies made!! |
We didn’t stay very long, and I didn’t have time to connect
deeply with any of the orphans. But I got to sit next to this beautiful little
angel for a few minutes. She had a sadness in her eyes, but a bright little
smile. I just wanted to pick her up and give her the biggest hug. While sitting
there she grabbed my hand and turned it so my Gospel Beads were facing up. Then
she put her little arm on mine so our beads were together and just kept
pointing back and forth. It was the cutest thing ever. I did give her a big hug
before we left, I wish we could have brought her with us.
The Ocean
There was a rumor going on this week about a possible trip
to the ocean. It certainly wasn’t part of my original plan, but after talking
to Frank, it sounded like a good idea. So this afternoon we headed down to the
beach. What a great time we had!
I can’t describe the beauty we saw, so I’ll just post a
picture!
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| Wahoo Bay |
We had such a great time. We got to kayak, eat grilled crab
and jump on the inflatable trampoline in the ocean. Frank took turns taking us out in boat to the
reef and we all got to try snorkeling! It was my first time ever to snorkel!
What a beautiful ocean, to see God’s creation in a different way!
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| My nieces and me! |
This week we have seen a lot of ugly, stinky, dusty and
heart breaking parts of the Haiti experience. But today we got to see some of
the beauty of Haiti. God gave me a thought as I was thinking about the beauty
of the Haiti coastline. Here we see geographic beauty, but all week long we
have seen beauty in the Haitian people! The Haitians are a creative people.
Artisans and craftsman abound. They are hard working, when there are actually
jobs for them to do. They are a strong people and resilient. Walking through the market and seeing their
artwork and crafts, you see their skill and capability. They always want you to
buy, but they are happy to let you see their work for they take pride in their
craftsmanship.
Yes there is many crazy things going on here in Haiti, but
when you consider this beautiful people, you see the Image of God. And that is
the picture of Haiti I will carry with me.
Prayer Requests
Tomorrow is our last day, pray for us that we will finish
strong. We all miss home, but it is hard to leave.
Pray for our morning. We don’t know exactly what we are
doing, but that of the various choices we will honor God.
Pray for our travel home.
Pray for the orphans we encountered today! That they truly
believe the hope of the Gospel and that God is the Father to the fatherless.
Wednesday, July 15, 2015
Haiti Update #5
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| 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?
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| 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
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| 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.)
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| Charissa Helping with beads |
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| 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!
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| 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.
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| 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!
Haiti Trip Update #4
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| All the girls on the roof saying hi |
[Internet was down last night and is slow this morning so i wasn't able to load a lot of pictures today...sorry]
Morning Devotions
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| John McHoul and his pet goat |
This morning we started with a devotional by John McHoul, who founded
Heartline Ministries 25 years ago with his wife Beth. He told us that Ohio
holds a special place in his heart, even though he is originally from Boston.
Then he began with a his testimony of getting kicked out of High School and
getting into drugs. He and his friend, two druggies, decided to do a road trip
across the country and on their way through Ohio a man asked them if they
wanted to go to church with him. He said if they came to church, they could
come to his house afterwards for some food and a place to sleep.
During that church service, he surrendered his life to Jesus
and went to drug rehab in Columbus, Ohio. So Ohio has a significant place in
his heart. He later became a youth pastor back in Boston before coming to Haiti
in 1989.
You ever spend some time with someone whose sincerity and
love for Christ is tangible? John McHoul’s faith is just that way, and is
contagious. He told us the story of David, who was overlooked by his father and
brothers. Who was anointed by God to be king, but went back to tending sheep.
And yet years later, God fulfilled His call in David’s life. Then he challenged
us to ask God what He has called us to, and if we would be willing to
surrender. Knowing that with God, nothing is impossible, no matter what someone
else says. Trust God and watch Him work!
OK Center
Today we did some service projects around the OK Center. The
OK Center used to be a American Western themed restaurant that never did very
well. After the earthquake, the owner sold the land to Heartline. Now Heartline
is trying to consolidate all their different properties to the new larger
property at OK.
A few of our ladies tackled some doors and a safe with oil
based green paint.
Which Sam latter decided to wear abundantly…reminiscent of
Project Shine!
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| Sam painting Project Shine style |
A few of the ladies were given the job of organizing the tool
shed, and they did a fantastic job. The guys were given the task to load up a
truck full of white rocks to use at the Guest House. The morning flew by
quickly and everybody had good attitudes and joyful spirit as we worked. There
was a brief break to feed the goats!
At lunch, which was a traditional Haitian meal of chicken,
rice and bean sauce. Frank had the bakery make us some turnovers, which were
delicious! Maurice, the Haitian man in charge of men’s discipleship program,
shared about his ministry with us. He and Nick oversee a 6 month program that
the men have to commit to. The men meet for devotions and Bible class in the
morning. Some days they will work a couple of hours in the bakery, other days
they will do prison ministry, and other days they do hospital visitations. At
the end of 6 months these men are ready to disciple another man.
Back to work! After lunch we tackled another project. Most
of the team primed a storage building near the women’s training facility. A few
of us had the task of cleaning out the one side of the building. Despite a few
loud shouts, a some acrobatic moves caused by some big roaches and some mice,
the crew got the room cleaned out in no time. A huge thank you to Spencer for
scaring the mice out!
The Market
Around 3pm we finished priming the whole building and
finished up for the day. As we were driving back to the Guest House for dinner,
we noticed that we were headed a different way then normal. Soon the road
narrowed and was full of people, more then what we’ve become accustomed to
anyway. Haitians walk a lot more and all the roads are pretty busy. There were
booths selling stuff every where, and then Frank pulled over.
He came around to the back of the truck and told us this was
Market Tabbare (or at least that’s my Americanized version of it). He said the
supermarket we had been going to is where about 5% of Haitians shop, markets
like this is where 95% shop. Kalipso (I found the correct spelling) led the way
and we were instructed to stay close behind him, in a single file line, and
Frank brought up the end.
What a great experience! If you’ve never been to market in
another country, it is amazing. The culture here is a “daily needs” culture,
especially when it comes to food. The go to market every day for what they need
that day. If you don’t have refrigeration and no secure place to keep your stuff,
you would need to be a daily needs culture.
The clothing, shoes, jewelry and miscellaneous sections were
fascinated. Small isle, teeming with people and business. We made quiet the
spectacle walking through. Sam had green paint all over her, which caused many
questions. Frank also gave out bags of cold water (like small water bottles) as
we walked through.
Then we got to the food department. The fruit and vegetable
area wasn’t so bad, but then came the meat section. The butcher lady doesn’t
like pictures, but I shot one from far away. They were cutting up and preparing
meet right there and the smell was displeasing to most. Then we headed back to
the truck. Don’t worry, we did not get our food there, but at a very nice
supermarket.
One thing that continues to stand out is the trash. The
people in the market, and most every where here, just chuck their trash where
ever. In the market place we tripped over trash left and right. Frank said that
on Mondays, the trash is pushed into a pile bigger then trucks and then set on
fire. Makes us appreciate the sanitation
of America.
We also learned today that things are really expensive in
Haiti. You might think that things would be cheaper here because of how poor it
is. But it is the opposite. A car has a import fee of 72%. So car that would
cost us $10,000 in the States, would cost the dealer $17,200. Then he would
sell it for more. A jar of Peanut butter costs around $10. Because of the
expense, Haitians reuse so many things that we take for granted.
Thoughts
Today I read from 1 John today and two passages really
jumped out at me.
“Beloved, we are God’s
children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared: but we know that when
he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. And everyone
who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.” 1 John 3:2-3
The hope we have in Jesus Christ is what constrains us to go
on mission. The hope for an orphan that God is their Father and He will come
for them is huge. That no matter what destitution they (or I) in this life, God
is our Father and He has plans for us. Eternal life, forgiveness of sins and
the hope of living with Jesus forever in Heaven is joy giving.
Yet this verse is also convicting. If we know Him we will
seek to be like Him. We are to purify ourselves as He is pure. We are to die to
sin, not make excuses for it. Not say I’ve had a bad day, or made some
mistakes, or I have my shortcomings. No! Sin is sin. And we need to die to it.
When we know God our desire is to die to sin. See, that is a convicting
passage, but also hope filled.
Then I read this:
“Little children, let
us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.” 1 John 3:18
It’s easy to say I love God and love others. It’s hard to
show it. Being here and seeing the orphans and those in need around me is hard.
Sure, I’m on a missions trip and showing love now. But what about when I go
home? What’s next?
How can I make sure that I’m not giving lip service, or just
doing things for show, but that love is truly expressed through kind deeds.
Where I’m lacking, I hope in the power of the Spirit that I may do more. Where
I am doing well, I thank the Holy Spirit for His empowerment.
Yet this morning reading that text the thought of, “what
does it really look like to love in deed and in truth?” My prayer is that I can
continually learn more and more how to fulfill this verse.
Prayer Requests
Tomorrow we will once again have the opportunity to share
the Gospel at an all girls summer school! We are hoping to do the Wordless Book
and the Gospel Beads. Maybe even the face painting again. Pray for Kayla and
Abby as they plan on sharing again. Unless someone else on the team wants to,
which would be really awesome!
Pray for us as we try to finish the painting on the building
tomorrow afternoon.
Pray for the Men’s Discipleship program as they just
selected the next class.
Pray for the Heartline missionaries and staff. That God
would allow us to be an encouragement to them this week.
Pray for the Maternity Center, we may get to visit there
tomorrow afternoon.
Monday, July 13, 2015
Haiti Trip Update #3
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| Team with food for orphans |
Today we had a wonderful and challenging day! Words are hard to come by to describe today, so I've included a few more pictures. We headed out today to do a party at a school just outside of City Soleil. Our adventure took us down a maze of walled streets and gated neighborhoods.
Once there we met the directors of the school and Rob who heads up the sponsorship program through Heartline. We arrived around 8:30am and planned to start around 9am, or whenever all 50 of the children showed up. We actually started at 10am, but had an amazing time just playing with the kids!
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| Sequoia and Marissa with the children. |
The Wordless Book is a summary of the Gospel based on colors, which we were able to make bead bracelets for all the kids that correspond to the lesson. Here is a brief snapshot. Gold reminds us of Heaven where God lives. God created us to be with Him, but the Dark page reminds us of the sins that separate us from God. Sin is anything we do that displease God. And our sins cannot be worked off by good deeds. But the Red page reminds us that God loved us so much that He sent His Son, Jesus, to rescue us from our sins. Paying the price for sin Jesus died and rose again. The Clean page reminds us that if we place our trust in Jesus He forgives our sins and gives us a promised home with Him forever, back to the Gold page, in Heaven. Green reminds us that we need to grow in Christ.
They all had to share through and interpreter (the did a great job!)! 50 kids heard the Gospel there!
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| Kayla and Victoria with Calipso as their interpreter |
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| Kayla and Victoria with Calipso as their interpreter |
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| Marissa with Carmelo Anthony (yes that's really his name) as an interpreter |
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| Kayla and Lance with Jun as the interpreter, Dan and Sam supporting |
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| Spencer and the boys! |
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| I'm with Franz, his guy and his Godson. |
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| Abby doing face painting |
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| Marissa and Melody looking over the third floor balcony |
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| Soccer anyone? |
John's Orphanage
After leaving Cite Soleil we headed to an orphanage. I called it "John's Orphanage" because it doesn't really have a name. If you could have seen where it was and how we got there, you would question if it was really an orphanage. It's hard for me to write about the poverty and conditions these children live in. There were 20 children being "taken care of" by three men, and recently a woman. I'm not certain of all that goes on there, but there is definitely neglect and mental abuse taking place. The men will lock the kids in their rooms at night, lock the gates and go to their own home to sleep. The kids have no electricity and are in their rooms till the men come back.
John and the two other men seem nice, and we didn't know the details of the orphanage until we left. But Frank keeps going back because it helps guarantee that these kids get food.
Ok, the conditions were bad, but the kids...they were great! They were overjoyed to see us! Immediately they wanted to jump in our arms. I am proud of our team and how they embraced these children. Due to the conditions they lived in, the kids were dirty and stinky, and our team welcomed them into a loving embrace! What a demonstration of the love of Christ!
"Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world." (James 1:27 ESV)
Today we were the hands and feet of Jesus. Pray for these kids in John's Orphanage, that they would feel the loving embrace of the Heavenly Father tonight!
Abby and Kayla did some team teaching through the Wordless Book and we were able to share the Gospel with the kids. Oh and a couple of ducks ran through the room during the lesson. I told the girls, "I have preached the Gospel all over the world, but I've never had ducks run through!"
Below are some pictures from the orphanage. Note the conditions the kids live in. Pray that God would move and provide safety and security for these kids and the millions of others like them around the world!
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| Soccer in the "yard" |
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| Kayla playing some games |
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| Children gathering for the Wordless Book |
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| Sam getting kids ready for Soccer |
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| Brooke found a forever friend |
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| Marissa provided a loving embrace |
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| Melody doing face painting with the kids |
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| Lance and his pal took a break from dancing for a quick pic |
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| Spencer chilling on a tire with this little guy |
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| Kayla and Abby sharing, Calipso translating |
Prayer Requests
Pray for all the children we encounter. That they might now the love of Christ and we can bring love and hope into their life.
Pray for the orphans. Ask God to move in people's lives to provide support and a home for these kids. Ask God what He might call you to do to impact orphans.
Pray for our team that we let the reality we see impact our lives. Never forgetting the little hands that clung to us tightly or the shed tears as we departed.
Pray for Heartline's discipleship ministries as the men and women who graduate then impact the culture and community for generational changes.
Pray for us tomorrow as we work at the OK center. We will be doing some physical work, painting and moving stuff.
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