Another Post

Another minute, another hour, another day, and another week has gone by since last we talked.   It’s hard to believe I’ve been here a month and a half already!  I already feel at home here and would miss Haiti terribly if I had to leave.  But thanks be to God I don’t.  I get to enjoy this wonderful country with its wonderful people for at least eleven more months. :)

 

These last couple of weeks have been pretty crazy and fun.  I’ve been living at the crèche now for at least two weeks and life here feels normal and more like what it should be as a missionary to a foreign land…living on a nice beach resort while doing mission work just didn’t quite feel right. 

Some things that have come out of living here are: since I take my bucket bath at the local showers I have started to make connections and friends in the community.  I have a place to practice my Creole and get to interact and enjoy some quality bonding time with the local Haitians around the cleanliness of our human body.   Also, I have made some of the Haitian nannies’ smile as they see a white American male wash his clothes by hand...not something you see very often in Haiti.  I’ve brought joy, or God has brought joy through me, to all the kids that live here because I live here with them.  I’ve had some great times of jammin’ to music with the kids around our charcoal grill as I make my dinner.   I have connected with more Haitians living at the crèche because I am no longer this white guy that comes in each day and then goes back to his nice resort.  I’m the guy that does things a little more like a Haitian and because of that I think it has opened a few more doors into friendships here. 

I bought two bracelets since being here and now all of the bracelet venders are showing up at my door asking me to buy some of their products.  How many bracelets does one man need? :P

Since moving here to the crèche I have felt like a judge, determining who is the offender and the offended amongst the kids…and at times having to punish the offender.  I feel like a big brother, a parent, a teacher, a best friend, an authority, a handy man(in very little ways) and just a man called here to show these kids Christ’s love.  The truth is, this is what I feel, and all these roles are part of who I am to the kids. 

Also in the last two weeks I had the privilege to be part of a going home party for a little boy and girl.  After such a long wait, their adoption finally went through and they went home to be with their family.  This definitely was one of my highlights of being here thus far.  I also had the opportunity to work alongside of a group that came here from Snyder Texas to do some works projects.  They did things like: repair both our water tanks, build a cooking shed, build a swing set, and paint our baby house for us.  They also brought encouragement to us along with a giant bag full of granola bars and snacks.   It was a huge blessing having them here for a couple of weeks.  It was sad to see them leave on Thursday.  

I have been wrapping up the story of Moses over the last week and the theme of that story, to me, is God’s faithfulness.   He remained faithful even when the Israelites strayed time and time…and time again.  God has remained and will continue to be faithful to me too.  There have been times where God could have said to me, “oh you screwed up so I’m leaving you to fend for yourself.” But no!  He doesn’t do that.  The verse the kids and I have been memorizing this week is this:  It is the Lord who goes before you.  He is with you.  He will not leave you or forsake you.  Do not fear!  (Deuteronomy 31:8) 

No matter what we do (or don’t do), no matter what kind of mistakes we make, God will NEVER EVER EVER leave us.  What a comforting thought.  This doesn’t give us free reign to do whatever we want knowing that He’ll forgive us, it’s quite the opposite.  It gives us free reign to do that which pleases God.  Think about this way: if someone has pledged their life to you, to never leave or abandon you, the last thing you’re going to want to do is going to destroy trust with that person.  No! Because that person is so faithful and honorable you want to bless and honor them back in return.  That’s how it should be with God.  Knowing that there’s nothing that will turn Him away we should bless Him with a full commitment of our lives to Him.  He is faithful to us, we need to be faithful and faith filled to Him.

Anywho…your prayers are definitely felt here.  I have had no other encounters since I think last I told you with little creepy crawly critters…except for that nasty centipede a few nights ago :p

Have a great night and a peace filled week knowing that Jesus is with you through everything.  Blessings my dear friends and family.