So, I’ll tell you a bit about our 3rd day in Haiti over break… Since it was Sunday, it was time for church! I always love going to church in Haiti, it truly feels like the Lord’s day. People get dressed up (seriously, they would put us all to shame!), and head to church to worship their Lord and Savior. The church on campus rocks with praises and prayers for a couple hours as people, who despite the hardships life deals them everyday, raise their hands high and sing at the top of their lungs to Jesus! It is such a joy to see and I love worshiping alongside my Haitian brothers and sisters.
However, this Sunday we took church to the small fishing village of Karnage. This village is shrouded in such a darkness. The mission and church have been continually ministering to this village but the devil has such a stronghold there. It is a community of mostly single mothers who have children to feed and provide for that they can’t always afford and many are in unhealthy or abusive relationships.
We saw the heartbreak firsthand while walking to the village. Some of the girls from our team were walking behind a young mother headed to Karnage. She was carrying a small baby and had another little boy walking alongside her, holding her hand. She was carrying a bag of food or other goods upon her head.
Now the way to Karnage is not an nice, easy road. It’s a worn, dirt path with rocks, cacti, thorns, dips, twists, and turns. And at one point during our trek to the village, the mother was practically dragging her crying, little boy who was about to throw a tantrum if he had to walk one more tired step. So she let go of his hand and he fell behind into our group. Some of the girls picked up this little, screaming child and started to carry him. Due to the nature of the path he got passed to me to carry as we had to “scale down some cliffs” (maybe they were just short rock outcroppings, but still!). So I carried this sweet little one into the village.
Photo credit: Kaley Breault
At one point our group broke off to head down a different path to the center of town but this young mother motioned me to follow her. Since I was carrying her child I felt like I shouldn’t object or separate from her, so I followed. With my limited Creole skills I understood her asking me if we were headed to the middle of the village and she told me we were basically taking a short-cut.
We shared this moment that was strange and bit awkward. Looking her in the eyes then I was struck again by how different our lives were, yet how similar we were. She couldn’t have been that old, she was young probably in her twenties. Yet she had these two small children depending on her. She was tired, wearied from the weight of a lot more than the bag she carried upon her head. Here I was about the same age, a foreigner from an affluent country visiting her little community. What did she think looking at me? She was speaking to me in Creole yet she waited, with a slight laugh, expecting me to not be able to understand but not having any other way to communicate. I indicated that I understood at least partially what she was saying and she turned around and continued to lead me into the center of the village.
It was like we both realized in that moment how different we were and how different our experiences were but we were able to connect just briefly and acknowledge each other as living human beings with individual hopes, dreams, and feelings. I don’t know, but it really was an intense and interesting few seconds when we made eye contact, I really felt like we were looking deep at each other’s souls. I caught a glimpse at the realities she faced in her everyday life and was overwhelmed in knowing that through it all she was of immense value to God, that she was created in His image for a purpose and He loves her dearly.
Photo credit: Beth Lockwood
We ended up arriving just before the rest of the group to a small central area in the village under the shade of a few palm trees. Some people had brought out some benches and chairs for our church service. Throughout the entire service, I continued to hold and love on her sweet little boy – he would just not let go of me. The congregation members that came with us (Mme Nene and Pierre) led a few songs and read some Scripture before our team performed the Freedom Drama as the main message, giving the basic salvation story this Sunday. Brad talked a little more in depth about the gospel and then the students broke up to talk and pray with people individually. One young girl, Joselanda, wanted to know more about having a personal relationship with Jesus and said she wanted to accept Him into her life for the first time. It was great to see seeds that were planted coming to fruition and also others continuing to grow or just starting to consider some ideas about God and the gospel.
Photo credit: Beth Lockwood
After the mini-church service we had with these wonderful people we got to spend some time just playing games and hanging out with these young people and their children. I’m so glad we were able to love on them for a bit and just have fun! Some girls from our discipleship group from the summer had also walked to Karnage this Sunday for whatever reason so I got to reconnect with them a bit. It was so sweet to see the students able to love on the kids too, to be the hands, feet, and face of Jesus to this village that is in such deep bondage to sin and darkness. Just keep this village and the sweet people living there in your prayers, God has begun a work in the hearts of the people there and I know He will continue to bring it to completion. Pray for continued transformation and that the light of Jesus would go out and shine brightly in the darkness there. Pray for those who have become believers, that they will serve as examples to their communities and that God’s love would be manifested through their lives.
Photo credit: Beth Lockwood
Most people relax and rest after church, there’s no hurry or concept of time wasted. So after we headed back to the mission campus after church we got ready to take the orphans to the beach! Most of the kids love the sand and the water (at least once they get over their initial fears) and it is always such a great time! Today, however, the clouds rolled in and put a bit of a damper on beach day. Believe me, it was not cold by any measure to us used to Midwestern winters but the kids started to shiver as the wind picked up a bit! But everyone still had a blast splashing in the ocean waves or being buried in the sand. After awhile we wrapped up all the kids in our towels and took them back to campus, worn out from a fun but cloudy day at the beach!
Since the other team from Texas Tech was arriving tonight by bus, we were going to have a movie night at the church and invite people from the community. So we went out to invite people in town to join us to watch The Jungle Book and snack on popcorn. It was sweet to see those who showed up – like a grandfather bringing his granddaughter, the orphanage mamas with the kids, some teenagers. Many people are afraid to come to the mission campus at night since we are so close to the beach where there are superstitions of creatures that will prey on you after dark. So it’s been cool over time to see the number of people who will come to movie nights. And it was great to be able to love on kids who come as an escape from abuse. I got to hang out with my friend Rosenika and dance together to the swinging songs of The Jungle Book!
Overall, it was a great and relaxing day that the Lord had made!
Circle Haiti 