Day 5

A visual picture of the week!

This week was all about loving kids.  The whole point of coming to Haiti was to build relationships with kids at the school and the orphanage and at home.  The awesome part about this is we themed this week "We are valuable in God's Eyes."  We have worked with kids who have been abandoned, live in some of the worst situations imaginable and we had a chance to share with them how valuable they are to us and to our God.  This week was awesome.  I personally have never held so many hands, hugged so many kids especially while I was dripping with sweat.  The cool thing is this it wasn't about me it was all about doing what God called us to do in His name to make His name famous to these kids.  

 

We took all their pictures this week and recorded their names.  We printed them out with a little photo printer and then attached it to a piece of paper that stated "You are a valuable Child of God" followed by 1 John 3:1 "How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! We also took the time to write each of their names on the papers because God knows their names.  We formed a tunnel and as each kid was called they walked down this tunnel getting high fives, hugs, cheered, and valued.  Today was a good day it wasn't about anything other than showing those kids that there are people who love them and in our own way attempting to show it.  We grilled hot dogs, served them and then spent time just loving on them.  As I look back I ask what did we accomplish?  I have no idea what the eternal value may be today but I know by the smiling faces of the children that now they know they are valuable in God's eyes and in ours.

On the way home we stopped by the church property where plans are on their way to building a school, church for now hopefully soon an orphanage home, basketball court, hosting home.  We took time to pray over it and speak with the pastor.  The coolest thing about this part is the vision that has been cast can only be accomplished because God will have to make it happen and no one else.  It was an awesome piece of land to stand over and picture what the future can hold to reach the people of Haiti for Jesus.

My Thoughts

Hebrews 12:1-2 "Therefore since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."  

We all are running a race right now.  It could be our own it could be the very one that God has called us to run.  My question, are you to busy looking at the race your running and not God?  The truth of the matter is it is not about your race it is about the God who gave you that race to run.  Keep running yes but keep focused on Jesus the author and perfecter of the race.  You see the race is not about a place, or a certain people it is about making God's name known and famous where ever you may be.  When you grasp that idea it isn't because of the place or the people it is because you have seen God and have meet Him face to face.  When you talk about what God has done it isn't about whether people understand what you have gone through it is about what you are doing to help them understand that they to can have an encounter with a Holy God that can change their lives just like you.  I heard a leadership guy talk about leaders who get to the top on their own and how wrong this is.  He asked a question.  Who are you pulling up behind you so you can reach the peak together?  So who are we pulling up with us so they can encounter God just like we have.  It shouldn't be about a place, a feeling, an idea, a vision, a purpose, it should be about loving God and staying focused on Him and Him alone.  Who or what are you focused on?

Day 3

Day 2 at the School and Orphanage

Today was awesome.  We played games with the kids and they liked it.  We held and hugged them.  We showed a veggie tales video in english and they sat there and didn't move it was great.  Held a girl today with a beautiful smile.  Her name is Lunow she could melt your heart in a minute.

Orphanage

The game team played limbo with the kids today and they loved it.  Not only that but a certain individual who can be named latter kept calling the kids cheaters which is hilarious because the only word that is comparable in Haiti is a thief.  Took pictures of the kids today and this one little boy had the biggest smile.  Think about this, a little boy who has been abandoned by his mother living in a place that is less than desirable and yet he has the most amazing smile.  But when the littlest thing doesn't go our way we get upset or discouraged. My heart broke.  Even as I type this thinking about him makes me want to steal him and bring him home with me.  Another little boy who wouldn't smile at all was another I could stick in my luggage and bring home. Wishing I could do more.  The video went well today.  And so did the cross crafts.

School

Today we played soccer with the kids and that was awesome, showed them a veggie tale video and it went well. They loved it, sat still and watched it without moving.  Wish veggie tales would put their stuff in other languages it would be helpful.  Soccer had to be my favorite it was the US vs the Haiti boys and it was heated.  Actually it was a great time.  All the adults and students played and no real injuries except a bruised toe and foot.  The team did awesome today couldn't ask for a better team to serve with.

The stop on the way home

We stopped by a village on the way  home and walked through it.  About thirty kids came running up and held our hands wanting a hug or to hold your hand.  A boy by the name of Jonrenell came running up and we walked that village with our arms around each other like we knew each other for years.  We stopped by Jonny's (A JIHM staff) discipleship group.  Picture this 20 boys sitting in jeans and a t-shirt right next to each other if not nearly on top of each other and they were excited to hear about God and how to walk with Him.  They didn't care about the cool factor, the excitement factor, the power point, the music they cared about being taught the word of God.  Funny how in the states we get caught up in everything other then Jesus.  Who's going to be there?  No one my age is there so I can't come and invest in others.  It's boring.  I need to go to the pool.  You name it I've heard it.  How about we get excited about what Jesus has done and living for Him that all the other stuff doesn't matter?  Just a thought.

Day 4

Day Three in the Orphanage and School

Today was a hot one.  The sun beat down on all of us draining the energy from us all day.  Yet the team stepped up and did an awesome job loving on kids while sweat poured out of their bodies.  I stand amazed at what they are doing.

Orphanage

Good day at the Orphanage.  Played some games, some good some needing work.  Showed the Prodigal Son veggie tales which went better then expected.  Hugged a lot of kids and watched a lot of kids get hugged. A good day.

School

Again hugging and holding kids.  Played some soccer.  Meet two boys Jason and TingTong.  Played a juggling game with a soccer ball was a great time. 

What an awesome couple of days watching student pour into kids day after day.  A place where age doesn't seem to bother them, perspectives are changing about life all good things.  My question for today.  Why do we worry so much about people's ages or grades when we should be worried about wether they know Jesus?  Maybe Jesus should be the focus not our own guidelines we put up back home.

Day 2

Second day in Haiti and things are going great.  Our students have overcome some obstacles and done a great job.  

The School

We arrived at the school this morning with 71 kids present.  The cool thing is we showed up with a plan and for the most part things went the way we had hoped.  It is awesome to see students work in their strength zone.  We played games some worked others didn't.  We brought out the soccer and kick balls and things got interesting.  We made crowns with the kids today and they loved it.  They got to decorate the crowns with markers and stickers and proved to be fun for all ages.  At the end we had planned on showing a veggie tales movie but due to some unfortunate situation we were unable to do that.  The cool thing is our students rose to the challenge and put on a skit/lesson for the kids.  They did an awesome job you would be proud.  The time at the school was great today.  Pray that we are able to use the pictures we took during the day for our God finds you valuable day on our last day with the kids.

The Orphanage

If any of you know me you probably know that little kids don't tend to flock to me especially girls.  Well we showed up at the orphanage and I had this one little girl that was persistent in holding my hand and me holding her.  (It was a good day!)  We played games with them and our kids did a great job with that.  Zach Arington played "Jesus Says" with them and had them marching around the orphanage and acting like a train it was awesome.  Lauren Neal did a great job telling the story today with our group of talented actors.  All of our students did awesome loving on kids that don't get loved on that much.  I am so proud of them, if your one of their parents and your reading this you would have been proud of them too.  Our students made crowns with the kids and somehow I ended up with one on my head so life is good.

Tomorrow

Back to the school and orphanage tomorrow.  Pray for things to go smooth.  For us to continue to love these kids and for the energy of our team and the team from Haiti who are outstanding.  It is a pleasure to work with such a gifted bunch of individuals who love Jesus and the people they serve.

Day 1

Loyalty

I started reading in 1 Corinthians right before leaving for Haiti.  It is amazing how Satan will use people in the church and even its staff to divide what a church is doing.  Churches and ministries split all the time because people have their own agenda or get upset.  Yet even today we have not figured out that this is how satan divides and destroys effective ministries.  All this leads to something awesome that took place at Victory Bible Church in Haiti.  Before the service the Pastor has all his staff and any visiting pastors join him in the back of the church to pray for God's presence and leading during the service.  

Here is what I saw.  Men of God praying all at the same time to a God they love and lean on all the time.  Men of God wanting desperately for God to show up in the service so that lives are changed.  Then something interesting happened.  After the praying time concluded they all embraced each other one by one wishing each other a good service.  

Division can kill a staff, destroy a church but when men pray together and yes embrace one another all for the glory of God amazing things will happen.  No it's not the hugging that makes it happens it's the symbolism.  Do you ever embrace someone you are at odds with and wish them well?  Chances are you don't.  I wonder what could happen if our church staffs could get the picture that when we become divisive with one another we are not who God wants us to be and He cannot be glorified when division is taking place.  So what is it going to take to get the divisive spirits out of our church's?  Maybe we should start praying with each other, yes embracing each other, better yet how about genuinely wishing each other well for what God has called the other person to do. 

The Ball is in your court what are you going to do with it?