My first week in Haiti, I had the opportunity to sit in on our consortium meetings. The consortium is made up of key Haitian leaders as well as American pastors and church who are coming together to talk about what the Haitian as well as American church needs.

So grateful for the opportunity to sit and listen to these men who care deeply about impacting their country for Christ as well how, we, as the universal Church can speak into one another.

Check out this video and this video for a glimpse of our meetings and the work the consortium is doing.

Standing Out

I do not like to stand out. I do not like having all of the attention on me. I show up early so as to avoid all the turning heads you get when you walk in late. I do not like talking in front of people knowing every eye is on me. I want to blend in. I want to be just another person in the crowd.

I am white. That fact alone means there is no blending in. I stand out. And for the most part I have become used to it here. But honestly, there are times where it really bothers me. 

Today during our VBS in a local community, there were a couple kids who were trying to get my attention, kids who already knew my name.

 “Ou, Ou. Blan!”  Blan is what everyone calls a white person. 

I walked over and again said, “Mwen rele Andrea!” and then helped them with what they needed.

As we drove home, the kids along the side of the rode gave us big smiles and waved as they yelled blan. I smile and wave back. And usually I enjoy that. But today, I was just tired of being different. I was tired of standing out. I was tired of all of the stares.

My next thoughts were I am looking forward to going home where I dont have to be different anymore. But then as the Holy Spirit does, I heard, “Arent you supposed to stand out wherever you are?” Isn’t there supposed to be a noticeable difference in the things you say and do? Aren’t you always “a stranger in this land” This world is not your home. Shouldn't your joy, grace, compassion, love, and forgiveness cause you to stand out in the crowd?

We are supposed to be lights and what stands out more than a light in a dark room?

1 Peter 2:9-12  But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul. Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.

9,000 Words...or just 9 Pictures

Words of any significance are escaping me right now. So I leave with you some pictures.

A view from the hill above our house.

Market Day

Enjoying a break at the beach

A rainbow outside our house

We drove to the top of city to look out over PAP. Venders were there selling their paintings.

Colorful Haiti

Learning to chop coconuts

Overlooking PAP

A night of worship...in English. So good for my soul!

Chikungunya.

Chikungunya.

Everyone is saying it these days. I only wish it was some new lingo that all the cool kids are using. It is, however, a topic of conversation for everyone.

This new mosquito born virus is rampantly making its way around Haiti. If you dont already have it, you know someone who does. It is rainy season here which means a lot more standing water and more mosquitos!

Unfortunately I was one of them. Fortunately, I had mild case compared to many.

Fever. Sever join point. rash.

I was out of commission for about 3-4 days. I have heard of others who have been out for up to 2 weeks. There is no medication or vaccination for this. All you can do is rest, stay hydrated and take pain medication and let it runs it course.

I have had the luxury of being able to do all of those things. I say luxury because the reality is most Haitian don’t have easy access to most of those things.

I have the ability to rest without worry about who where my next meal will come from. The reality is for most Haitians, staying at home means you aren’t out working. Not working means no income which probably means no food.

I have the ability to lay in my relatively comfortable bed with a fan to help keep me cool. The reality is many Haitians have their entire family living in a house not much bigger the the room I sleep in, without electricity.

I have the ability to drink plenty of clean water. The reality is most Haitians will have to walk to the local well to get water.

Pray for Haiti. Pray that those affected will heal quickly.

Global Fingerprints

Today was our Global Fingerprints day where all the sponsored kids come and have fun. Unfortunately, I was unable to attend because a little mosquito decided to pass along a little illness to me and I needed to stay home and try to recover.

So what is Global Fingerprints, you ask? Let me tell you.
Global Fingerprints is ReachGlobals child sponsorship program. I know some people have some strong opinions about child sponsorship programs that out there but let me tell you a little about Haiti and how this program works here.

Here in Haiti, orphanages create orphans. What do I mean by that? Orphanages come in with the promise of a roof over the child’s head. Food. Education. Parents cant afford to care for all of their children so they send some to an orphanage. And this is becoming more and more socially acceptable. I cannot begin to imagine the desperation a mother and father face when they consider giving up their children.

I have heard the statistic that about 85% of the kids in orphanages in Haiti are not orphans in the true sense of the word. One or both of their parents are still alive. Their aunts, uncles, grandparents are still around. 

This is one of the ways Global Fingerprints comes in. They are committed to keeping kids in their families. Each child in the program is living with his or her family. 

GF has chosen to work through a local church called Source de la Grace in Port au Prince. Who knows the needs of their community better than those actually living there?! One of their desires was that this program wouldn't be just for their church. About 40% of the children in the program do not attend their church. What an incredible outreach to see the local church reaching out to its community and experiencing the love of Christ through that.

Through this program, the children will be provided with: 

• education (tuition, uniforms, shoes, books and supplies),
  - health care (preventative education, vaccines, clean water, diagnosis/treatment by doctors),
  - nutrition education and supplementation,
  - social development (healthy relationships, Biblical world view, character, boundaries), and
  - spiritual teaching, training and love

About a month ago, I had the privilege of watching two children receive glasses for the first time as a result of the health care they received through the program. Now they dont have to struggle in school anymore.

Change a life. Change a community. Sponsor a child http://go.efca.org/ministries/reachglobal/globalfingerprints 

Dependence

I tend to think of myself as independent. I take care of myself and I think I do it pretty well. I can do what I want and go where I want. 

All of that is irrelevant here. I am dependent on everyone else. I cannot talk on my own. Even though I am taking Creole lesson and am finding that sometimes I am able to somewhat get the gist of what is being said, every time I want to say something, all of the words I do know are some how are no where to be found. 

I cannot go anywhere on my own. 1. language, see above. 2. safety. 3. I have no idea where i would am going (and there really aren't many places to go). 4. traffic in Haiti is like traffic in So CA on drugs. 5. If 1-4 weren’t issues, I don’t even know how to drive a stick shift, which all of the cars happen to be.

I was making banana bread this morning and I couldn’t even get the oven to turn on.

And not to mention there are still things I learning about culture and the way things work around here. Jen has been so gracious and kind in helping me with literally everything. But for someone who is used to doing it all on her own, this is tough.

As I was sitting today with my journal on my lap, I started to write about my frustrations with not being able to do anything for myself and being in this place of dependence. 

And God was saying that is exactly where I need to be. 

Continually.

In complete dependence on him.

He says his power is made perfect in my weakness. He wants me dependent on him so he can work. But I fight it. I fight it by continuing to try on my own. Or by freezing and not being able try at all. 

A sweet, new friend gave me this verse, “And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things, at all times, having everything you need, you will abound in every good work. “ 2 Cor 9:8

So grateful for a God whose power is not limited by my limitations. He will give me what I need and he will give it to me when I need it. He is continuing to say, keep going. Keep trying. I've got this. 

Shiny Stars in a Pile of Trash

This morning a team of 13 left to go back home. As soon as they drove off, we began to clean up for the 30 Brazilians who were coming over for dinner. Tomorrow another team arrives.

As we sat outside during a debrief time this morning, one of the girls shared about her experience working at the clinic and she said that place is a shiny star in a pile of trash.

One of the observations many of them had was about how much trash there is all over the place. We were at an incredible beach yesterday and as the wind began to blow, the shore was soon filled with plastic bottles and trash. 

And I have to admit, that as I look around, it can be discouraging. Haiti will not change overnight. As I sat in the Constortium meetings the first few days I was here, the Haitian leaders and Americans talked about how bringing change is a long process. Its about relationship and discipleship and those are a process. Even in these states as I see the brokeness, the evil, the pain that fills this world, and those glimmers of hope, those shiny stars, get harder to see.

I love that I get a mini Bible lesson during my Creole class. Franck, my teacher, finds a way to incorporate it in whatever he is teaching me that day. One day he is teaching me vocabulary having to do with food. Why not have a lesson on what Haitians eat during the Lent season. And if we are talking about Lent, we have to talk about Easter and what and why we celebrate. These lessons are nothing new to me. But there is something different in his voice when he talks about these things. Hope. He has hope in the one who died on this good Friday. He has hope in the one who rose again on Easter. He has hope that God will one day return and make all things right. All that is wrong in this world, in Haiti, will be made whole again. All of the suffering that is seen on a daily basis. All of the broken and sick. All those piles of trash will be gone. 

But until that day comes, there are shiny stars. There are glimmers of hope all around. There is the abundance of joy the Haitians have while they sit in their tent praying for enough food to feed their family. There is a deeper understanding that there is more to this world than things when you ask what they want prayer for and their response is to have a stronger faith. And there are those incredible men and women whom I have met who have committed their lives to living in Haiti to be shiny stars, to ultimately share with the Haitians the one thing that will last, eternal life. 

Sometimes its easy to walk around with your eyes closed to keep from seeing hopelessness all around you. But I am realizing that also means I can't see all that God is already doing. 

Death looks like it wins, right up until it doesnt. He is risen. He is risen, Indeed!