Home Safely

Our team made it home safely to Greensboro tonight after the decision to leave Haiti early because of the pending Hurricane scheduled to hit late this evening.  While we are certainly grateful that we were able to get home, our hearts are heavy for the friends we had to leave in Haiti.  Please pray for the people of Haiti; many of whom have nowhere to go for safety and have merely a tent for protection as the Hurricane approaches. 

We did not have continuous internet connection at our home in Haiti, so we were unable to maintain the blog.  We will update the blog with our many adventures and how God was able to use us in unexpected ways.

Sincerely,

Haiti Team #2
Randy, Steve, Arenice, Linwood, Ingrid, Lisa, Onique, Amy and LaToya

Faith Renewed

As we approached the concerete building that appears to be under construction, we can hear the sound of voices singing, hands clapping and drums beating. There was no sign, parking lot or even front door, but the sound of praise let us know that we had reached the Valley of Hope, the church where we would worship today.

We had the honor of worshipping with Pastor Maxeau who has so graciously served as our host here in Haiti.  The story of how the church was founded is amazing.  Every Sunday, he drives two hours through inner city traffic, dodging animals and people,  while motorcycles weave in and out of traffic in order to get to a place called Bernard.  Bernard is situated in the mountains near the Dominican border.  Bernard is rural farming community and the people living there are miles away from any stores, schools or hospitals. Vodoo is commonly practiced there and prior to Pastor Maxeaus efforts, there was only one Catholic church and no protestant churches in the area.

His church was started after God told him to go to a place called Bernard, which he didn't even know existed.  One day, as he was traveling through the contryside, he was sharing his vision with a friend.  As he was sharing his vision, his friend said, "My brother, if God has sent you to Bernard, then you should build your church right here, because this city is Bernard."

So, he went door to door to spread the gospel.  That very day 15 people accepted Christ as their Savior.  And that is how it all began.  He now has approximately 250 members worshipping in a newly built sanctuary, where six months ago once stood merely chairs and palm branches.

Although they had no electricity, no windows and concrete floors, today we were priviledged to celebrate our Father in one of the most powerful, pure and sincerest worship experiences that any of us have ever had. Hallelujah!!!

The people there welcomed us unconditionally as their brothers and sisters in Christ.  What they didn't know is how much their faith, hope and love impacted us.  Seeing their passion for Christ restored and renewed our own faith and helped us go back to the basics of what it means to be a Christian...unadulturated love for Christ and others.

Tomorrow we will be visiting a school in City Soleil, described to us as the poorest slum in the Western Hemisphere.

Please continue to keep us in your thoughts and prayers as we both give and receive hope here in Haiti.

In His name,

Haiti Team #2

Dancing for Jesus

Today we visited the Afka orphanage. Afka is a NDI feeding site and while there, we had the opportunity to actually share a meal with the girls and the workers. This orphanage is home to 18 girls, all under the age of 16.  Some of the girls are there because their parents died…some in the quake, some before.  Other girls are there because their parents had to make the humble decision that they did not have the means to provide adequate food, water and shelter to their child.

When we arrived, we were honored to be a part of a Pastor’s bible study group.  Together, a group of 10+ Pastors meet weekly to discuss their readings of “Experiencing God”, an English bible study series that has been translated into French just for them.  These men travel long distances just to be in the presence of one another for the equipping and encouraging of the saints.  It reminds me of the early church described in the book of Corinthians.  Once these men finish their study, they have made a pact to go and find 12 others to lead in this same discussion.  Here in America, we think we have everything figured out… these men seem to have found the true way of growing and developing disciples.

The rest of our time there was spent playing games and developing relationships with the girls.  We colored, read books, played cards and games.  The most popular game was music freeze.  Although we did not speak the same language, the universal language of dance brought us together for a fun-filled afternoon.

Only God knows what tomorrow will hold…we know there will be bumper to bumper traffic, we know there will be the smell of diesel fuel in the air, but what we don’t know is how God is going to shape our lives as a result of the interactions we have with the people here in Haiti.  We will be worshipping with Pastor Maxeau and his newly built church in the mountains.  Will we have a face to face encounter with a voodoo priests?  They say it’s a possibility… all we know is, if God be for us, who can be against us?!

- Haiti Team #2

The House

Late Friday evening, we were welcomed in a home on the countryside that is rented only to believers.  We had a great dinner made by the wife of one of the Pastors that is hosting us.  The house is beautiful: 4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, dinning room, living room and a media room… not to mention the balconies that adjoin every one of the upstairs bedrooms.  This place is most certainly a blessing…an oasis of sorts.  Lest we forget we are here on a missions trip, the cold showers quickly bring to our remembrance that we are not here for pleasure.

- Haiti Team #2

Merci Jesus - Day 1

Praise the Lord we arrived safely; we entered the airport and got our first glimpse of the destruction that is a result of the earthquake in January.  The terminal itself was destroyed; they are now using a warehouse to process people going through customs.

On our way to our home for the next 7 days, Randy encouraged us just to observe our surroundings.  The evidence of the earthquake is overwhelming.  There is debris everywhere; multi-level buildings pressed down to the size of a one story home.  In the midst of this destruction, though, there is hope.  You see hope in the faces of kids dressed formally in their uniforms.  You see hope in the eyes of women walking proudly down the street with goods for their families balanced ever so skillfully on top of their heads.  You hear hope in the words of a street corner preacher proclaiming the gospel to any and all who will listen.

The quake did cause destruction and countless lives were loss; but the hope of Haiti lies in its future.  It was the tilling of the soil in order to prepare the ground to receive the seed of the gospel of Christ.  A revolution is most certainly on the rise.

- Haiti Team #2

Haiti Team #2 Ready for Take-Off

Haiti team #2 will depart GSO at 7:10 am tommorrow (Friday) We will be working in support of schools and orphanages as they care for their children.  Please pray for the safety and good health of this team.  Times are tough where we  are going!    Our 9 team members represent 4 churches (Westover, Mt. Zion, Calvary Christian, Forest Hills Presb)  and spands an age range of at least 40 years.  Some are first timers (newbies as we call them) others are " old pros. "   We will blog as we can and we count on being covered in prayer as we know we will.     Well that is all for now,  GOD CALLED we got to go.   Randy

Journal - Day 8

Day 8:  October 8, 2010

Today is our last day in Haiti.  The team is tired and recognizes the day as being bittersweet.  We have seen so many things, felt so many emotions, and have each experienced God is many different ways.  We look forward to going home, but feel that our hearts could stay & serve for another few days.  We will leave Habitation Hatt with much more than memories.  We will live with the picture of a broken country permanently engrained in our hearts.

Our team is no longer a team.  We are a family.  We love each other as if we have been together our entire lifetime.  We trust each other with our finest belongings and our rawest sentiments.  We depend on each other to love us through difficult experiences.  And we share an experience that changed all of our lives.  Together forever in Christ. 

Although the ground in Haiti is shattered, the people here remain hopeful.  The broken structures may not ever be repaired, but the joy brought to Haiti from the missionaries that come, heals many broken hearts. 

On our way to the airport, we passed a billboard with a picture of Jesus and a kreole statement beside His picture.  This was the most fitting way to leave Haiti in our hindsite.  The saying was:  “ Jezi se embwa ou”  Translation?  Jesus is our hope.

Amen.

- Fran