Real Hope for Haiti

waking up every morning to the sound of roosters crowing

teaching the four most precious, pure-hearted kids on the planet

trying my hardest to speak creole

gazing at the stunning view of the mountains from my front porch

laughing with the icu nannies

being challenged by the way they selflessly serve every single child

constantly sweating through my clothes

rejoicing over the victory of a child finally having his feeding tube removed

loving on beautiful, sick babies

giving secret hand-shakes to sain vique

listening to christmas music during school even though it's the middle of august

dancing and singing with the big kids downstairs

having all kinds of exotic creatures living in my house with me

applying insane amounts of gold-bond powder

hearing paul's precious laugh, and seeing him communicate through facial expressions rather than words

showering with cold water

taking a million pictures

hearing rain drops on the tin roof outside my window

hand-washing my clothes

snuggling biggens before bed, and watching him cry in protest to me leaving him for the night

listening to amazing women sing and pray over kids in the icu

checking for rats before i walk in my kitchen

embracing messy hair

hanging the kids' schoolwork on the "wall of fame"

being taught by those i teach

nodding in agreement as my students pray the sweetest prayers before we start school

being completely humbled by the strength of the haitian people

learning and growing every minute

depending fully on jesus

experiencing joy more abundantly than ever

...these are the God-ordained, grace-filled moments that I am treasuring in Cazale. I constantly find myself whispering words of thanksgiving to Jesus for the way he has poured out his extravagant love on my life. The fact that I am able to walk in his plan for me and genuinely adore every minute of the journey is totally overwhelming.

"You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures evermore." Psalm 16:11

Disciple-Making

Men, women, teenagers & children... they sit in a circle and study the Bible together. They ask questions and ponder how the words they are reading will impact them. 

Because God's Word, it is alive. And it has creative power to transform hearts. 

Some of them know Jesus already and they gain greater understanding as they dive deep into the Scriptures. Others are seeking Him for the very first time, discovering the wonder of who He is and the weight of what it means to truly follow Him.

We teach them new stories, encourage them, and challenge them to respond in obedience to the Word. 

When we visit our Thursday afternoon group, we gather on a covered concrete porch. Tap-Taps and motorcycles fly by just on the other side of the trees and I can hear horns honking, people talking, and roosters crowing. But then Bernard picks up his guitar and begins to strum. Everyone starts to sing, and all the noise is drowned out by sweet voices offering thanksgiving and praise to God. 

Karinda tells stories from the Bible and they soak the words right in. We then discuss six questions, unpacking the meaning of whatever passage she shared. Everyone reads the story through once in their Creole Bibles, and then they practice telling what they've learned to the person sitting next to them, pretending that they are actually sharing the gospel with a friend.

A few of them recount the story to the entire group and, when they are finished, everyone applauds their success in communicating it accurately. We share our burdens and our needs, and then pray aloud in unison, interceding on one another's behalf.

It's a beautiful picture of discipleship.

Our meetings with the men in the Voodoo temple look entirely different from those where we train believers to share the Gospel. 

Karinda and I, along with our translator, walk into the temple and immediately they begin to scramble to find chairs for us to sit in. The Voodoo priest, Jean Robert, leaves for a few minutes to go let everyone know that we have arrived. Slowly but surely, familiar faces that we have grown very fond of trickle in. They carry the Bibles that we have given them. The pages are tattered... they've been used. 

We sit in a circle with Philip, Harold, Jean Robert, Smith, Jean Peter, Jean Claude, and others. Above our heads there hangs a freshly slaughtered animal. The stench of this sacrifice fills the temple. Incense burns to our left, and obscene paintings cover the walls around us. Even so, the thickness of God's presence is so tangible. He is with us, pouring out mercy, giving wisdom, bringing conviction. 

The men express their deep appreciation for us taking the time to tell them about Jesus. Each one of them cracks open his Creole New Testament Bible, and they begin to ask question after question. 

"I have two wives. If I decide to follow Jesus, what am I to do about them?"

"I've been reading in Matthew. Chapter 6 verse 24 says you cannot serve two masters. Will you explain this to me?"

"What does the Bible say about marriage?"

Day in and day out we literally sit for hours, talking and reading, praying and explaining. The Holy Spirit lays scriptures on our hearts to share with them. We encourage, challenge, clarify, offer explanations... 

And then Karinda and I go home, and we pray. We beg God to move in the hearts of these men. We ask him to reveal himself to them in power. We sow in tears, hoping to reap in shouts of joy. (Ps 126:5) 

It's incredible the way that He responds. He gives a dream to one of the men and presses on the hearts of many of the others. His Word accomplishes its purpose... and we watch in awe as the Spirit moves.

............................

There are several other groups. So many more faces and names and stories... so many lives changed by Jesus. I really believe that God is doing a huge work among the people in the DuFort region of Leogane. I believe he is going to use a number of the believers we met with to shine a glorious light into an area that is so dark. I believe that many more will be saved, and I pray that they will be discipled in their relationship with Jesus and trained to share the Gospel with others. 

Please join me in praying for all the people we encountered on this trip. For those we discipled, as well as those we shared the Gospel with. Pray for God to grow them into mature believers who walk with Him and follow Him.

"Then Jesus came to them and said, 'All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." Matthew 28:18