Living Expectantly

We began this morning, 6am at The Church on the Rock.  Worship had started as we entered the large sanctuary, like a pole barn, and many were worshiping Christ with hands in the air, knees bent on the ground, and lips singing thanks to our God.  The site was heavenly.    As we entered this worship service, we were filled with many emotions and wonderment of this spirit-filled service we were about to experience.  We felt welcomed, excited and a little bit apprehensive. 

The pastor read scripture and led songs not only in Creole but also in English.  Together we sang, raised hands and harmonized to “How Great Thou Art.”    We were all blessed by the generosity of the leaders to share their service in English for US.

Following the message, the pastor asked for all who were celebrating birthdays today, to join him for a Birthday Blessing.  Unbeknownst to many of us, Claire stood and joined the others to celebrate her birthday.  It was beautiful to hear the prayers to Claire, asking to give her wisdom which is given generously, as in James 1:5, and for the presence of the Holy Spirit to fill her.  Claire’s eyes exhibited     love, grace and Joy at that moment. 

The tap tap (bus) took us on the next journey through the heart of the capital, Port au Prince, where streets were bustling with activity, traffic was chaotic, and people were busy.  Lined up throughout the streets, we saw goods being sold on make shift stores/ door fronts, from rolling wheelbarrows, and from buckets on the tops of their heads.   It was evident that work is hard in the city.  We watched as groups of men were handling stalks of sugar cane with machetes to expose the sweet pulp and hope for a sale and profit.  We asked ourselves many difficult questions about the lives of the people of this country, as we travelled through this capital.  All of these experiences have led to great discussion later that evening about living expectantly. 

We arrived at Carrefour, the Home for the Sick and Dying Adults.  We felt this was going to be out of our comfort zone as we were called to meet, pray with, and massage the hands and feet of the patients.  Many of those we touched were very ill with fever, thin, frail and yet displayed such gratitude for our care.  At one point, a few of us were in a large ward with women lying on small beds when we started singing How Great Thou Art.   The women being massaged joined us in song in Creole.  It was lovely and heart wrenching.  Music is a universal connection.

We ended this afternoon with a tour of the National Museum of Haiti, which was another eye opening plight to this once Caribbean paradise.  Groups of Haitian school children filled the museum along with us.  We listened to the history of the ransacking and plundering to extinction of the true indigenous peoples in the 16^th century. History has not been amiable to the Island since then.  In 1804 revolution gave the Haitian people their freedom. 

 

 

Polar Opposites

Today was a day of polar opposites for our team.  We started the day visiting Grace Village with a tour that showed us all the different ways there is hope and success being built up in Haiti.   The setting for Grace Village is up a hill a bit with a view of the Caribbean Sea.  The structures are all new, well built and brightly colored.  The walls of the buildings were yellow, purple, red and turquoise stucco.  The facility is spotlessly clean and full of hopeful teachers, administrators and students. 

 

 

 The committed, long-term missionary named Kiki, who led the tour, showed us many features of the facility with pride.  We saw the dining area where the school children and staff eat, their on site tilapia farm, library and school.  She showed us the changed format of the “orphanage”.  Groups of kids live in one of several houses with a Mom and Dad in a more family style setting than a typical orphanage.  We heard of one graduate from the school who after graduation aged out of the program.  But rather than having the limited future options of a typical orphan, he continued on to medical school. 

We were really impressed with the way this organization is keeping families together and looking for ways to test and spread technology to provide education and income earning opportunities for the local population.  They tried a hydroponic farm but its being repurposed as a model that the local people can use in their own smaller plots because a hydroponic operation is far beyond the means of the local people.  Grace Village is predominately Haitian run!   

 

Another component of Grace Village is Grace Church, which serves the local community.   We heard people getting ready for worship.  The reason we were standing next to the church is because we toured the new bakery, which isn’t even in full operation yet. But this bakery like Grace Church is part of the town of Titanyen, where Grace Village resides, and intends to employ more people of Titanyen.  They are teaching Haitians the skills of baking, and developing local recipes to fit a commercial kitchen.  They are buying ingredients from local sources which further enhances the local economy and hopes.  Grace Village is an example of humanity helping at its best.  

 

Seeing Grace Village inspires many positive emotions of amazement at the goals they’ve set and accomplished, pride of being part of it, and hope to have it continue and grow.  The bright colors, well maintained grounds, smiling children and committed employees made us believe this is a wonderful way to help Haiti.  We wished that critics of organized religion and critics of spending resources on Haiti could see the success and future hopes that have come out of Healing Haiti and Grace Village.

Then we saw another side of Haiti. Our missionary task today was to visit “elders” who have been sponsored by Healing Haiti.  From the bright, hopeful and succeeding Grace Village we got to see the way old and medically challenged people live.  The first home we visited was that of Jude Jean Paul and his mother.  He’s been sponsored by the elder program even though he’s only 25 years old.  As a middle school child he had  an epileptic seizure , which due to lack of medical support caused severe brain damage.  He is wheel chair bound and totally paralyzed.  The challenge of supporting him broke up his family as his father left.  His mother who is diabetic and partially blind is devoted to his care and his only support. It was heart wrenching to see the living conditions, and Jude Jean prone on his wheel chair.  The look on his mother’s face was one of total defeat.  We provided comfort for Jude Jean while one person massaged his legs and another massaged is hands.  A third team member sat with his mother to massage her neck and back.  We asked if they were getting the medical attention they need.  The team sang to them and prayed with and for them.  Jude Jean looked more at peace and his mother joined in the singing and showed relief from our visit. We were pleased that our efforts brought some comfort to this family.

 

The next stop was at the home of Charitable.  It was clear that she knew what the people from Healing Haiti do to provide for her spirit and comfort.  She repositioned her chair and sat down for a scalp massage.  This visit included singing, prayer, and inquiring about her condition and needs, but it also came with some flirting and joking about her age. The team was relieved that this visit would be clearly easier, and we could deliver God’s gift of interaction and fun. 

We then visited with Maricia, who greeted us at her in front of her house with a huge smile and hugs.  She never stopped smiling as we rubbed her feet, and once again sang and prayed with her.  She and her grandchildren joined in the singing.  The visit with Maricia was just delightful. 

Our last Elder visit was with Edmonde.  When we arrived at this house he was lying on the floor on a small piece of cardboard because the floor is cooler.  (And it is hot in Haiti, even in November.)  Even though he is blind and mostly deaf, he still has a lust for life.  Edmonde lives in a new house that was recently built for him through support from Healing Haiti.

This was a day of highs and lows. We went from the joy and excitement of Grace Village to the reality of the life of aging and medically challenged people in Haiti.  While Grace Village impressed us with what others are doing the elder visits gave us a chance to bring God’s love to individuals.