Out and About in Haiti

God is always up to something.  Being a Christian in never dull.  Our 2nd day in Saint Louis was a beautiful Sunday.  Brittany and I and all the staff from the mission went to church (which is right across the road from the mission).  The church service was three hours long.  About 1/2 way through, very much like in America, all the kids left the service for kids church.  When Brittany understood it was time for kids church she bolted out with all of the kids. Since I know about three words in creole it was hard for me to understand any of the service.  First I prayed that I would have a pentecost like experience and just totally understand what was being said.  After that did not work I just resorted to people watching.  The time really did fly by.  When we got back to the mission Evalin gave Shekinah, Brittany, and myself a tour of the mission.  We met the Gran Moun (old people), went by the orphanage, and went to the birthing center.  Brittany was able to see first hand the miracle of new life, but I will let her post about that!  While she did that I caught up on my sleep and did what I did as a kid - took a Sunday afternoon nap.  

It is hard to recap such an amazing experience.  I will do it in a nutshell and maybe we will expand a little bit on some of the specific events.  We went to Anse-a-Felur on Monday.  We went to see a Voo-Doo temple and monument.  Yeah - like real Voo Doo.  In my spirit I could feel the oppression.  It was the most real that evil has ever felt to me.  The people in the temple had an emptiness in their eyes.  It was somewhat unsettling to be there, the three Haitian security guys with us moved us through pretty quick.  It was an hour away from the mission and the drive was pretty interesting.  One day we went to the House of Hope which is a home where kids with tuberculosis live.  They were so precious.  One afternoon we went down to see the Gran Moun.  There are many kind souls in that group.  Brittany helped with the Gran Moun feeding each day which I know was a special experience for her.  While we were at the mission we spent alot of time in the orphanage.  There were two boys I loved so much - twin brothers Givens and Givensons.  I literally would happily take these boys into our home to live with us.  On Friday when I saw them for the last time I cried.  

On Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday we went with our new friend Melonnie  to the jail to bring the people there some food and some Jesus.  On the first two times we went all three of us prayed (through a translator) and in order to be brief I usually just prayed a couple of sentences.  On our last trip to the jail I heard directly from God which was pretty amazing.  When we got there the guys in the cell started talking to our translator, and they recognized I was a man of God and they wanted me to say a long prayer.  I was so stunned I could barely speak, but I managed to pray with the men.   Melonnie and Brittany just let me pray that day.  After the Amen the men told me how I must come back to Haiti to visit other Haitians and their families and tell them all about Jesus.  I was covered in goose bumps and knew God himself was talking to me.  

The experience in the jail meant  so much to me because I had a tough time being in Haiti.  My natural tendency is to be in the background and do my thing in a quiet unassuming way.  I really questioned what good my being there accomplished.  Though I loved the experience I wondered if it made any difference in the eternal scheme of things.  On Friday morning I wrote alot in my journal and wondered if I was cut out for any type of ministry.  On Friday afternoon in a Haitian jail I felt God gently confirm that my being there was important and a good thing.