Haiti Update

The other day at church a young man from L.A., here on a short term mission team, asked me what I have learned or if I had any advice for him. What I told him was not profound, but I believe it is the same advice necessary for all Christians, whether in Haiti or anywhere else in the world, if we are going to be obedient to the Great Commission.

I told him, “it’s been 2000 years since Christianity began, and we still haven’t reached the whole world with the Gospel. You can’t expect to reach all of Haiti in one week. Instead, as God gives you the opportunity, focus on reaching the one.”

This advice, while taking a lot of the grandeur or mystique out of missionary life, is usually the only option we have. In Haiti, especially being my first time here and still learning life in the culture, my evangelism and discipleship is most often closely tied to navigating daily life. What this looks like is having morning devotions with my translator, Junior, who is a Christian, but not firmly grounded in solid doctrine; or in things like conversations with my motorcycle-taxi driving friend, Daniel, discussing what saving faith truly is. While Daniel is committed to raising his daughter in church, there is little evidence that he understands this kind of faith, and as such takes his daughter to any and every “Christian” church in the area.

The reality is that even among Christians in Haiti, the religious atmosphere is often a mixed superstition that ranges from church attendance to voodoo ceremonies to “the power of positive thinking.” This is why it is vital with both our words and our lifestyle to declare the Gospel of Christ and invite people into the freedom of God’s Kingdom. This requires relationship and it is done little by little, one person at a time.

 Personal Update

I am now taking a step further into Haitian living as I have taken on temporary home-ownership. My friends from New Hope Haiti Mission have returned to the U.S. for the next 6 weeks and I am now house and animal sitting while they are gone. This is a major blessing financially, but is only a temporary solution.

Once they return, I think the next step may be renting some form of long-term housing that will last me through the end of the year, also allowing for more privacy and space than public guesthouses.

New Hope will also be allowing me to utilize their staff’s help in getting a vehicle bought and registered. If things work out as planned, I hope to have this done in the next week or two.

If you would like to give a gift toward the car or housing needs, or for food and projects at the orphanage you can do so here.

Prayer Requests

“Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” -Jesus; Matthew 6:10

• Pray for God to send revival; that salvation and healing will come to Haiti.
• Pray for Junior and Daniel in their faith life, and that God will continue to bring me into relationship with others “with ears to hear” the truth of the Gospel.
• Pray for God’s direction for Heart of God-Haiti as our mission here continues.