the ayars affairs: climb every mountain

Thought I'd give you a break from my perspective and give you Eric's instead, written after our day at Coup-a-David to his wife.

You will notice that Matt is "amazing"-- but that I am referred to as "nuts." Yeah, Eric's probably been around too long :)

Listen in...

Martie,
It's Sunday afternoon. We are relaxing around the house after returning from the mountain church.

The experience we had today was intense. We left at 7:45, drove a half hour on rough roads, then began our hike into the mountains. The hike took us past some fields, livestock and houses where the Haitians were going about their business.

They are extremely poor. Starving.

The hike was an hour and a half over rough terrain, muddy ditches, steep hills and stream crossings. Stacey is the one who really wanted to do this hike and she wore flip-flops. She's nuts.

When we got to the church, we were quite sweaty and exhausted. We went in to the block building and our whole group sat on the front pew which sagged under our weight. We were the only "blancs" (foreigners) in the congregation of 150. They asked us to stand and introduce ourselves, so we stood and Matt introduced the whole group.

The entire service was in creole, but Matt translated most of it for us in real-time. He was amazing.

I could not believe how well-dressed the people were. Women in pure white dresses, spotless who had just hiked the same trail that left me sweating and dirty. Little girls in fancy dresses, boys in suits with tie and jacket. Amazingly clean. I was the dirtiest person there.
The singing was spirited, enthusiastic, and in tune.

The message was one of encouragement from the story in 1Kings of the widow who used her last bit of flour and oil to make bread for Elijah, herself and her son, even though it was all she had and she expected to starve to death after that. The Lord provided for them because she was faithful to give what she had.

The pastor used this story to encourage the hatians to give God what they have, however little that may be. It was heavy. Especially knowing how very little they have. These people know hunger. They just came through a 6 month drought which was devastating to their crops.