catch up on...well...everybody!

Intensive Session #2!

After a big changeover weekend...lost three, kept 2, added 3...we are back at it in the classroom this week doing our final intensive session of the semester.

Chris Palmer has come all the way from Wales to teach for his first time at Emmaus.  With Simeon's help, first year is working through Missiology with Chris.  As I popped in this morning to take the picture, the class was discussing whether churches should require people to be baptized again if they were baptized through a different method than their church baptizes the first time.  

"Well, what does the Bible say about it?" Chris finally asked, and I always LOVE watching the class dive energetically into His Word.  "I really like to try to depend wholly on what His Word says..."

That's a good class.

Leroy Lindsey is back with us again, this time working through Wisdom Literature with our second year class and with Elio's help!

Pam's class is so full as they pick their way through Church History that it was actually 10 degrees hotter in there than any of the other rooms!  This morning they were looking at some of the symbols used during times of persecution to represent Christianity and why...good stuff!

Meanwhile, Phil and Pehpay have been all over the campus, pickaxing trenches to put in cable that will do...something good...for the internet situation, which is simply. never. resolved.    I hope that something good happens.  No matter what, they've been working like crazy.  

For Alfie and Maud asking about Junior and Ezechiel and Enick...here's a quick update:

Junior is back from his two weeks of residency at Indiana Weslyan, and loved it, even despite the cold.  He is back to work at Emmaus as the internet/computer guy, and is back to being a full-time student, this time online.  Getting the hang of that is proving to be a bit challenging...online learning isn't easy, especially with said internet issues, and with ESD (extreme social-ness disorder).  I get that :)

Ezechiel was here yesterday, and continues to pop through once every 10 days or so to check email, catch me up, so that we can pray together and sometimes to get some help for the school or church.  Should have taken his picture!  

The overarching reality for Ezechiel is that the more he does, the more that needs done.  The more he's home, the more he needs to be, the more he's on the mountain, the more he needs to be there.  The more he helps with the school, the more help they need, and the more he preaches the Gospel, the more people come to hear more of the Gospel!  Every time I shake his hand and pray with him, I am overwhelmed by the many and heavy burdens on his shoulders, and am always reminding him what I'm really reminding myself: God knows, they are God's burdens, and Ezechiel is only called to do what God places before him for the day.

There is so much need.

We are incredibly thankful for the help of a special group of people in Canada and in the US who are getting some support to him to help pay his teachers, finish building the school, and keep good education happening in a place that never had any for over 200 little ones.  

Meanwhile, his family is doing well, the road project continues each Saturday, each Saturday, and Ezechiel continues to just never seem discouraged.

I am planning to join him again on the mountain in March as soon as we have a few less visitors.

Finally, Enick is in one day a week, coming to check internet, eat (man, does that boy need to EAT!), get a good night's sleep IN A BED (all the rest of the time he continues to live and sleep on the floor of the school) and to run to town for supplies.  It's always a joy to see him, and the things the Lord is doing on His/his mountain are inspiring.  Voodoo continues to be very prevalent in Enick's area, so he is never without a story of great prayer and fasting over people drowning under Satan's grip. 

Like Ezechiel, Enick seems NEVER to be discouraged, living fully in the confidence and knowledge that our All Powerful God is Victorious.  His brother (current EBS student Walnique) continues to join him every other Sunday, helping preach and teach and disciple, which is a great encouragement to Enick.  He works hard to always be above reproach, and the same great love and dedication that the Lord has given him for his people I see in them for Enick.

Again, we all plan to join him on his mountain as soon as we have a few less visitors.  

All the while we have one EBS family wrapping up, and a new EBS family moving in.

The Weavers, a young couple from Sabetha, Kansas, are moving down in two weeks to join our team (more info on them soon!) and the Aberles are heading back to Sabetha, Kansas in April upon completing their two year term!  We're so thankful for both of these families and for the many people God continues to weave into our lives from every tribe, tongue and nation!

the body.

Lots of simple good news to share with you.

Junior is home, or as home as he'll ever be this side of heaven, and we are all SO glad.  The kids have been downright blissful, the student exuberant, the staff grateful for his help, already, and me?  I'm just HAPPY.  I know God's got lots of plans in lots of places for Junior...but when God has him in OUR lives, even if just for a while, I'm so grateful.  

He doesn't know how long he'll be staying, but we'll take what we can get!

Today was our first English chapel of the year (every Friday) and it was a great kick-off to the year and to having the Heckman's with us.  Ethan is sharing his drumset with the chapel, which the students are LOVING as an addition to worship, and today Phil and Emily led with Jean-Marie and Freny...it was GREAT.

Emmaus especially likes songs like this one, because of the repetitive nature.  Makes English a bit easier :)  You can catch a little Sofie dancing in this one, too...

It's GREAT to be through the first week, to have things up and running, and up and running well, to be working with people who are called, gifted and working hard in all the corners Emmaus in this corner of His Kingdom.  

Phil is planting and Claudin is reporting and Belo is planning EBS's next missions trip...Simeon is working-alongside, Fanfan is taking classes for his Masters, Matt is preaching...Junior is  computer labbing (yet another of his many gifts and interests), Leroy is teaching, Vilmer is working our our license (with legal work being in HIS many gifts and interests), Giselaine is reorganizing food storage...

All men and women in love with the Lord, burdened to see Him known and transforming in Haiti, all at work in so many different capacities based on gifts and callings He's given, with joy and for His glory...

The Body of Christ.  It's a beautiful thing to be a part of...joined by so many of YOU sharing and giving and praying and coming to help make all of this possible.  

Thank you.

Sunday, Junior, Noel and I will be headed for Baron for the first time in a year to join Ezechiel.  

As I've shared, a lot has changed for Ezechiel and Baron since this time last year.  

If we survive the incredibly strenuous hike :), we'll be joining Ezechiel for the church service and for the day to love on him and Baron.

We're hoping to listen, to meet, to see.  To pray, and to pray and to pray.  To preach and to encourage and to come-alongside.  

In case you haven't realized it over the years, that is the CORE of Christ's calling and giftings in me.  I love being Mama.  I love teaching English.  I love helping with finances and training and learning with our staff and students in budgeting and scholarshiping and spending.

But I was MADE to hike alongside others in life, to listen, to pray, to encourage.  To relationship.

I don't know what you call that.  But it's what Ezechiel seems to need right now.  Not a friend to sit with for 20 minutes in Saccanville and pray with him, but someone to hike alongside and go the lonely places and walk in his struggle with him.

So grateful for the opportunity to do just that....and to share it with you!

Thank you for your prayers...

Amen.

Are you dying to hear?  I've been dying to hear.

Just hung up with Matt, and they are all going to bed.  Exhausted, drained, fed and done.

And at peace.

It was a good day.  Matt kept saying "I got some pictures of it..." so I'll have more tomorrow, but for tonight's update...

When they got to Port, they found the house they're staying in, found Junior, all got dressed, talked through and prayed through the service, and headed to the morgue, where there was a preliminary viewing.  They thought the service was going to be there, but it was WAY too small for the hundreds already arriving.  With the time for the funeral rapidly approaching, a place had to be found.

One of Junior's brothers is the yard man for the huge Mormon Temple next door, and there we go.

This afternoon, the ten Christians shared the Gospel at the witchdoctor's funeral to almost 1000 men and women rooted in Voodoo in a Mormon Temple.  

Again, I'll share more tomorrow, but Matt said the service was great.

As people were gathering for the service, the guys got to meet lots of area witchdoctors, mambos (female witchdoctors), politicians, family members, followers and friends.

Matt was surprised to see Junior meet several men and women who are ALSO children of Ti-Paul (Junior's dad) for the very first time.  Some of Juinor's siblings are in their 70's!  Others, small children.  Junior was continually meeting "new" family throughout the day...being cast out from the family for the last 18 years has kept him from even meeting some of his own siblings!

"God's Spirit was just with us, Stace," he exuded tonight, "in a powerful way.  Belony was the MC for the event, and from the start of the funeral to the finish, he took every opportunity to teach the truth of the Gospel...with such humility and clarity and joy!"

Then Junior got up and shared his personal testimony, tributing his father for initially giving him permission to convert.  "The greatest gift I ever received from my father was the gift of freedom..."

I wish something awful I could have sat in that front row for that testimony this afternoon.

The whole time Belony and Junior were leading and sharing, there was a woman in the front row, demon-possessed, screaming, wailing, thrashing, eyes black and rolling, etc.  Berthil prayed, and ignored or accepted by everyone, she continued.  A few of the students sang a song.  She continued screaming.

While everyone seemed to almost be expecting demonic action, Matt--not all that accustomed to it while preaching in church--was unsure of how he was going to preach with this woman screaming and collapsing literally 2 feet from him.

Men, women and children not only packed out every bench, but filled every aisle.  Matt said there were even dozens of people standing outside of every window and door, listening, watching, wondering at the 10.

"It was like everyone was in a state of uncertainty," Matt said tonight.  "It was obviously SO different than what everyone expected to hear, and everyone was almost intrigued...spellbound."

When it was time for Matt to share, he stood and opened his Bible to Isaiah 6, praying, praying.  Matt said as he began, he felt the Holy Spirit meet him and pour through him in a way he's rarely experienced, with a great boldness, great love for everyone around him, and great authority.  With the students all sitting behind him, praying and supporting the Gospel going out, Matt started into the Word, Isaiah 6.  "In the year King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne..."

The screeching woman immediately, immediately went back to the front bench, sat down, silenced, and sat, unmoving, the entire sermon, her mouth wide open and eyes fixed on Matt's face.

Matt said he talked first about the realities of life.  Of death.  Of grief.  Of sadness.  Of loss.  Of difficulty.  Of the place every single one of them found themselves today.   Of the world.  Of Haiti.  Of Ti-Paul's loved ones.

And then?  Then he talked about an entirely different Reality.

Praise the Lord.  Praise the Lord for our entirely different Reality.  Praise the Lord for the entirely different 10 men and for Christ and boldness and His authority in them.

Unpacked the new reality, the entirely different.  Entirely different from everything they've ever known.  Halfway through, Matt realized these people had never even been in church, didn't even know how to respond.  They knew how to do darkness.  But needed some help recognizing light.

"If you hear Truth" Matt encouraged them, "...if your heart moves within you and seems to say, YES, that is TRUE, then you say, Amen!  Amen, may it be."

From that moment forward, Matt said he was overwhelmed with Amens.  Can God work in the hearts of men who have never met Him?  Does His Truth ring true even in the midst of lies?  Can Light be seen even in the darkest places?  With joy we say YES.

"I still cannot figure out WHY Junior's family let him do it, Stace" Matt told me tonight.  "Every prayer, every song, every word was given by one of us 10.  Nine of us strangers, foreigners.  I don't know why they let us do it, but they did."

The students finished off the service, Belony still unpacking the Gospel throughout, songs of praise sung boldly, loudly, and alone.

The spirit of disgust, of hatred, of anger, all seemed to have left the Mormon Temple while the men shared God.  Openly.  Freely.  Boldly.

Afterwards, Matt said family members of Junior and witchdoctor's he'd met beforehand who had refused to shake his hand, refused to look in his face, refused to soften, approached him afterwards.  One particular man, a brother of Juniors and also a witchdoctor, had been so seething and hateful towards Matt before the service, and then ran to him afterwards.  "Thank you.  You have convicted my deepest heart."

"It wasn't my finger that poked you, friend, but the hand of God."

"Yes."

The service over, most everyone headed home, and Junior led the 10 to the place of his birth, the house of his childhood, the head temple for the region where Junior both played as a toddler and saw horrific things, both slept and experienced nightmares, both lived and died, in many ways.  It was at this temple Ti-Paul was to be buried.

But today, cloth covered all four sides.  What was to happen inside was to stay inside, and was not for the Christians to see.  Not for others to see.

So with boldness, Junior entered, the 9 with him.  Everyone in the yard tried to stop him, but Junior quickly told them that there was NO place he could not be.  No place God could not go.

In the middle of the temple, surrounded by all the talismans and trinkets of Ti-Paul's life and trade, was a huge pit, still being dug by three men.  The siblings all came in, and on one side of the pit were the 10, and on the other side of the pit, the witchdoctors and leaders Ti-Paul had worked with.  Siblings all around.

Matt said within a matter of moments, it was complete chaos.

"God can't BE in here" the witchdoctors hissed.  "You can't bring your stuff in here.  You can't come in here.  You can't be a part of this.  You can't see this.  You will only mess stuff up.  You will all go, NOW."

Matt saw the boldness of Christ in Junior in a way he has never seen it before.

Junior stood before them all, almost shaking with boldness and anger, and countered back.  "I am his son.  I am in charge.  This funeral has been given to us.  We are not going anywhere, and God was here before we came."

Then Belony, who we already know to be greatly bold about the Gospel, began to share it, again.

The family began fighting over whose funeral this was, who should be sharing what and why, shots of whiskey began to be ceremoniously and yet chaotically taken by everyone in the temple but the 10 (alcohol is a rather large part of voodoo in Haiti, as well...), the coffin began to be carried in, while the hole was still being dug, being lifted over fighting family members heads, it was over 100 degrees in there, everyone was screaming and yelling...

And there were the ten, standing silently.

Matt said it was complete and entire chaos.  When things calmed down a little, Belony began again, this time to several priests/family members had had ENOUGH.  They started threatening and jeering at Belony, drinking, drinking, fighting, fighting, pushing, finally dropping the coffin haphazardly into the hole and cracking it.

"Get these religious ones out of here," the ringleader finally hissed, and Matt fully expected to be bullied out.

But he said as many fists were flying, not a one was at the 10.  As much fighting as was happening, none of it was in the face of the 10.

"I am very glad you brought that up," Belony said, boldly, calmly.  "You continue to call us the religious ones, and I know that many people call you that, as well.  I want to let you know, before all these witnesses, that we are not religious men.  We claim to be followers of Jesus Christ and nothing else.  We are nothing but followers of Jesus."

The fighting continued, the 10 waited, and as tension continued to mount, the ringleader barked again, "Are you finished, so we can get on with OUR ceremony?"

"Almost," Junior glowed.  "Father!", Matt said Junior poured out in prayer, "Forgive these people.  They live in such utter darkness, such confusion, such foolishness and such complete ignorance of You.  Forgive them, for they don't know what they are doing."

"We are finished."

They piled into our small truck and pulled away while the curtains closed and the drums began to pound.

Victorious.  Because the battle is not theirs.  But His.

And we already know: He's victorious.

The Gospel was shared today, WELL and completely (Matt was so proud of our students...I am so overwhelmed by motherly/sisterly Godly pride) to almost 1000 people, probably 90% of whom are deeply engrained in voodoo.   People coming to hear more fear and darkness were surprised and touched by light and truth, instead.  God showed up mightily, and was at work...IS at work.

Our 3rd and 4th year students had the senior trip of a lifetime, embracing an opportunity to BE the Body of Christ for Junior and for each other, to sacrifice their time, their comfort, and realistically, their necks, to be faithful to sharing the Gospel.  They practiced, in the hardest context I can imagine, what they have preached and studied and learned.  They are Davids.

And Junior?  Junior has done nothing new.  He has lost his dad, but he had already done that.  As a 12 year old.  And he stood alone when he had to, but he has already done that.  Many times.  And He has given to God what is God's, which he has done over and over.  And he has cared not at all whether he lives or dies or eats or has, as long as He is after God's heart.  Again.  I am, with all the depth of the word, inspired.  Again.

And Matt?  Well, it's true.  There are a lot of great things he could do with the brain and articulation God has given him.  Others aren't slow to remind us what is being "squandered" through Matt being poured out in a place like Haiti.

But we have said it before and we will say it again.

There is absolutely no better, no greater, no richer, no sweeter place to be than smack in the middle of wherever God's asked you to be...

And today, that was preaching The Bible at a witchdoctor's funeral in a Mormon temple in Haiti.

Praise the Lord, He is Good.

That all the earth may know that there is a God in [the WORLD], and that all may know that the Lord does not deliver by sword or by spear; for the battle is the Lord's."  1Sam17

the battle

There are many things churning below my surface today, but the one that keeps rising are thoughts of David.  

Ever since Vilmer reminded me that the battle here is not ours, but at the feet of God, my perspective has been peering over that battle field with the cowering Israelites and the mocking giant.

Goliath's challenge to Israel in the name of his pagan gods was not ultimately in defiance of King Saul, nor the Israelites, nor David.  And it was not for self-preseveration nor for ego defense that David went out.  David rose and went and fought that "All the earth may know there IS a God in Israel, and that the battle is the Lords."  (1Samuel 17)

And as that giant's challenge reached the feet of our God, it was His to fight, not Israel's.  Not David's.

Nobody thought David, a boy coming with sticks and stones, could defeat Goliath.  And they were right.  Even David knew he couldn't.  "I come at you today in the name of the Lord you have taunted" David declared, and his effort, a pathetic pebble from a scrawny kid, in the hands of God, sunk in and defeated.

You know, when I asked just a few days ago for help for Emmaus, I was asking you well-established business people, you churches.  I was like Saul, most comfortable to have the situation addressed by a strong soldier sporting some shiny armor.  

And praise the Lord, I know there is indeed help coming from that field.  Frankly, I wasn't asking you, young sister, to talk to your high school classmates and raise up your minimum wages.  I wouldn't have asked you, retired women, to generously doll out your widow's mite.  I never would have uncomfortably approached you, fellow Haiti missionary, to fork over your precious and much needed tax return.

But all that's exactly what has happened.  What felt like Goliath a few days ago has arisen many Davids with many pebbles, and again--the battle, the challenge--is STILL NOT MINE to approach, but His.  And He is.  And He's using His children.  And as we've seen from David's story, it is enough.

And I wasn't ASKING for the funeral to be given to Junior.  I wasn't ASKING for the Gospel to be preached in the midst of utter darkness.  I wasn't asking for a David in the midst of a battle.  I was just hoping God could use Christ in Junior, in some small way.  And yet the battle, I'm reminded, is the LORDS.  And He can do with it what He wants.

And Junior never should have asked.  And his family never should have agreed.  And Matt should be here right now, not on the road to Port.  And the guys should be polishing off their breakfasts, not piled in the cab and in the back of our truck in the scorching sun on the dusty road, heading to Port with him.  And you, guy that doesn't know us and doesn't know Junior and doesn't even know Haiti, you never should have listened to that still, small voice and found the $500 this whole thing is going to cost and sent it off to Haiti.

In my battle, none of that stuff ever would have been.   

But the challenge of the world, of Haiti, of Satan, of man...they're not challenging ME.  It's HIS.

And even when 1 man stands before hundreds, speaking the foolishness of God before the wisdom of men, God works in that man.  God works in Junior.

And even when 10 men (yep, I said ten.  Junior. Matt. Berthil. Jean Marc.  Leandre.  Gesner.  Jodenel. Simeon.  Belony.  Samson) stand before a thousand, that all the earth may know that there IS a God in Haiti, God rises to the occasion.  Comes out to meet the challenge.

When Goliath called, and mocked, and taunted, and challenged, his voice did not echo over the empty valley forever.  There were many many people who were fully aware of the fight who God could have used.  But they just plain didn't believe the battle was actually HIS.  Just plain didn't trust Him enough TO be used by Him.  OUCH.

It's true, they also didn't take any risks.  They may have been the "smarter" ones.  

But they entirely missed out on being used by Him.  And were NEVER heard of again.  And David, he was given the label, the legacy, the stories I long for greater than any other tagline: a man after God's own heart.


TODAY there is a quiet battlefield, in a small valley, on a small island off of Florida.  And for many years, silence has echoed in response to much taunting, many lies, much challenging.  

But there are some small boys.  A witchdoctor's son.  A pasty foreigner.  A tiny man who used to beat the drums. A tailor.  A preacher.  A soccer player.  A poor man who lives to serve children.  A student.  A musician. An orphan.

And they're coming before the challenge not with sticks and stones, but with Bread and Water.  That all the earth, that every man, woman and child may know that there IS a God in Haiti.  That there is a freedom from chains.  That there is a hope for a future independent from the past.  That there is a rebirth available to grown men.  That there is a Light in the Darkness.

Today, they stand.

I am with them.

Gesner

Belony

Samson

Simeon

Junior and Jodenel

Matt

Leandre

Jean Marc

courageous

Turns out when Junior needs family, he has it.  I continue to be blessed by the realization of what a stellar group of students God has brought Emmaus...what a precious gift!

Matt, Berthil, Leandre, Samson and Jodenel are all heading out from the Seminary at 6 am tomorrow morning.  Leandre and Jodenel are Junior's roommates, Berthil and Samson his good friends, and all of these 3rd and 4th year students are ready to join Matt and Junior in leading this Christ-focused, witchdoctor funeral.  Wow.

We're working to tie together the details and find a place for them to stay, the funeral is at 2 pm Thursday afternoon, Junior is so encouraged, and I'm asking you all to please be praying for these 6 men as they work to minister in this very unique, very exciting, very personal and very complicated situation.  

Praying for the Lord to open, shut, lead, silence, speak, protect, direct and move.  To be the I Am.

"I told Junior this morning on the phone," Vilmer just told me, "That he must be courageous.  This is not witchdoctors and the government and friends and family challenging Junior.  They are challenging GOD.  His brothers and sisters are telling him that his father is in Mala, an eternal place for those faithful to voodoo, and they are telling him that they will all go there too.  

"This is breaking his heart, and here is a chance for God, in the face of being challenged, to present to them through Junior that there IS a different way.  There is another choice.  A different path.  He must be courageous!  

"Ah, we must stand with him in Spirit and in prayer!!  Send our brothers!  We will stand with him.  When God is challenged, He works!"

Thank you for standing with him, too.

urgent family prayers

I have a post in the works, but suddenly here this morning we have something far more urgent for your prayers!

Junior left Monday for Port-au-Prince for the funeral of his father, which is tomorrow (Thursday).  We spent some time talking and praying with him before he went, knowing that he would have little to no support, would be asked to attend a voodoo focused funeral service, etc.  We prayed for this rare and heavy ministry opportunity for him, and he went.

This morning, he called both excited and emotional.  After much prayer, he approached the sister (the eldest of the 31) who is preparing everything for the funeral.  As is normal for someone who has been a well-known and powerful witchdoctor for decades, the local government was covering all the details for this service, dozens of witchdoctors are expected to attend, many government officials, and hundreds of followers.  The service was to be laden with voodoo tradition and as is common, fear and lies...two of the things Satan commonly uses.

Junior asked her apprehensively last night if she would be willing to throw out that whole plan, and let him do the funeral instead.  

I don't know why, but for whatever reason, she and the siblings--none in Christ--agreed.  The service couldn't be in a church, but if Junior wants to make all the arrangements for the service, he has permission.

"You know I'm going to preach the Gospel, right?" he warned.

They know.

Here at Emmaus we have 70 men and women, his family, who could sing and lead and preach and come around him...but it is TOMORROW, and it is in Port-au-Prince.

But, this is obviously a major opportunity to preach the Gospel to a VERY non-Gospeled crowd, many of whom have been so entrenched in the opposite of Christ for so long, I'm sure they have never had the chance to come near it.

He called to ask Matt to come and preach, and as nonsensical as Matt preaching a voodoo priest's funeral in Port-au-Prince tomorrow seems...Junior is family.  Though he is surrounded by 30 siblings and hundreds of cousins, nieces, and nephews, right now...he has none.

Please pray with and for us as we try to think this through and work things out, as we look at any possibility of having several people involved, and as we try to figure out how to make it possible.

What a door Junior's Father seems to have opened through the death of this once powerful, feared man...Junior's father.

I call him brother.

Can you tell Matt's not home?  I have no one to talk to after the girls go to bed :)

I LOVE Junior.

I know this must seem obvious...you all know that most of my favorite ministry moments and evangelism opportunities involve him, and how much I have learned  am learning from his transparent walk with Christ.  

But seriously.  I do.

The Bible talks a lot about what the body is supposed to look like, describing the way we live together as family, as brethren.  But there are few I have been able to learn and experience "brother" with as I have Junior.

Today was no exception.  

Belo was supposed to preach at "tent church, corner of l'Accul du Nord, 10 am."  Belo instead had to preach somewhere else, and thought Dr. Bill would.  Then, Dr. Bill had to preach at Vilmer's church in town, so the group of weekend students (5-6 guys who live too far away to go home every weekend) promised that they would cover it.

But, come Sunday morning, well...nobody likes to preach tent churches (read: super hot, super simple, super not-classy) and nobody likes to preach 10 am services (read: super hot, super long day, get home super late.)

But, Junior had promised that they would, and I had promised that I would take them.  Him.  Despite super-hot, super-long, super-no-matt.

SO, at 9:45, Junior and I and the two girls piled in the truck, which now smells HORRENDOUS.  Blood-vomit-urine mixture.  Soaked into the seats.  Let's just say I think God was trying to help me learn yesterdays "give give give, turn the other cheek" lesson because He KNEW what the truck was going to smell like baking in the sun this morning.  OH man.  

ANYWAY, piled in the truck, and headed for "tent church, corner of L'Accul-du-Nord."

So, turns out, those aren't really great directions.  We combed one end of l'Accul to the other, and saw no big tent.  We tried to call Belo.  No answer.  We tried to ask people, but people who aren't IN church at 10 am on a Sunday morning tend to not KNOW much about churches.    The Smell.  The Sofie.  The Staring.

All to no avail.  Finally, a kid on a bike takes us all the way back OUT of L'Accul-du-Nord and down a different street, which is apparently where the "corner" part of the directions was supposed to lead us.

We get out of the meat-pit truck, and approach a huge UNICEF tent only to realize that I knew that smile...the pastor was Henri Claude, graduate of a few years ago.  

We go into the oven of a tent church (which I successfully convinced Lily was fun, like camping, until the sweat was pouring and she realized why Junior was the only one with us) and despite the 20 benches, there were only 2 benches worth of people there...spread out among the 20 benches.  

Everyone was trying to make it real fancy, real formal, especially because the foreigner was there.  Junior leaned over a few minutes in.

"Um, I don't think I'm supposed to preach what I was going to preach."

"OK, preach something else."

"UH, Stace, you know I don't like to preach.  It took me a long time to put together this sermon."

"Yeah, but if you don't feel like that's what you're supposed to preach, preach something else."

"UH....uh...I think I'm supposed to preach what I preached in Baron."

"GREAT, preach that.  But you're not making a ladder this time.  No machetes."

My joke was rewarded with a very nervous smile.  Ah, June.  Preaches the Gospel like nobody and nothing matter but Jesus, like no one I've ever heard, and still hates standing before people every time.  

So after a few hours of singing, announcements, prayers, and wrestling a sweaty Sofie to the ground, Junior was up, and Henri Claude asked him to please talk about himself for a few minutes so everyone could "know his great importance."

There were a lot of things about this little church that were just struggling.  A lot of "red flags" in the first portion, a lot of indicators that there were some mis-aligned priorities, and messed up theologies.  I wondered how Junior could make a difference, could bring Christ to the situation in just 40-50 minutes.

Christ in Junior brought Christ to the situation immediately.

Junior stood up shyly.  

"Uh," Junior said looking down.  "I'm Junior.  I know Pas wants me to tell you about my importance, but all I can say about myself is that I'm nothing.  Nothing but that He loves me and is in me.  So I have nothing to share but Christ.  My only importance is Him."

No one knew quite what to do with this very culturally-opposed declaration.

"And, uh, could everybody just come up here, so we could all sit together, and study the Word?"

Nobody moved until Henri turned around and motioned for everyone, trying to keep up appearances of a "full" church, to do what Junior said.  Everyone clumped in the front 2 benches, and began to realize that no pompous French diatribe was coming.  Just 20 people, just the Bible, just a study.

He pulled back out 2nd Peter 1:1-15, pulled out a twig ladder that a boy outside the tent had thrown together for him, and started sharing the pearl of great price, the steps we must work towards, "applying all diligence", that we might not be rendered useless nor unfruitful in our knowledge of Jesus.

It was awesome.  Really powerful, really scriptural, really practical, just great.  I could read from the back (where I was still fighting sweaty Sofie to the ground) that several people were glued in, some weren't paying any attention, and one guy, as Lily pointed out loudly, was very asleep.

But Junior shared as if he had an audience of One, as he always does, and the Spirit and His qualities just exuded.  

When Junior sat down, no one got up.  Every time anyone sits, someone gets up to do the next thing. This was the time for the pastor to get up and share a "summary" or devotional from the sermon, but Henri Claude stayed where he was.  

I thought maybe the extreme heat and long message had put him to sleep, as well, but after another few moments, he slowly stood, and turned around to face us.  He was crying.

His eyes puffy and red, he faltered, then after quietly sharing a distorted jumble of apologies and confessions that I really didn't understand, he took a deep breath, and said, "More on that later.  I need time to pray.  The point is, the Lord has spoken strongly in my heart today."

And there was no denying it.  There was no more show, no more French, no more speeches.  Just Henri and his touched heart, moved humble and transparent by the hand of God.

It is a holy moment to stand in the presence of one deeply and unexpectedly touched by God, miraculously transformed from the person he had appeared to be an hour earlier.  

And my brother sat back down beside me, immediately took Sofie and smiled at me like, "Hey!  How ya' doin'?"  

Perhaps the reason Junior is so able to be used by God is because his spirit is so unaware and unfocused on whether he IS being used by God.  

He refuses to be an obstacle of God pouring living water through him by focusing on what God is doing through him.  Junior is focused on The Source, and unconcerned with anything else.

And he's my brother.  Stinky, sweaty, single-handed, 10 am, tent, whatever.  It's a gift, a gift, to be family.  A gift to be of no value except that I am loved by HIM.

go

I don’t even know where to start. 

 

Today was GREAT.  When you tell a group who’s been in Haiti for 2 whole days that you’re going to a remote village and that they are then going to walk around and share the Gospel with complete strangers…I was just thankful there wasn’t a meltdown.  That’s a lot.  I would have understood if they did.

But true to form, these 18 are no complainers.  There were a few tears, and more than a few fears, but we spent the evening planning, and at 6 am this morning, we those to Jesus, climbed into the truck, and went. 

 

     Go, therefore and make disciples of all the nations…Matthew 28:18

It took two hours to get there, and with grime in our teeth and sleep in our eyes we met in the church where dozens of children had already gathered.  We worshipped through song and prayer for a bit and broke into three ministry groups: sharing the gospel with kids, with women, and door to door.

     For I did not shrink back from declaring to you the whole purpose of God…Acts 19:27

From 8 until noon, joined with a slew of students, members from the church and members of an evangelical group Junior’s been working with, we worked.  The church, His church.  Teens, adults, Haitians, Americans, English speakers, Creole speakers, going through this huge community.

Sharing testimonies.  Praying with people who were hurting…Women who recently lost children…Mothers of 7, 8, 9 children completely unable to take care of them and worried…A woman who was demon possessed…A witchdoctor…children. 

 

Telling charcoal sellers why God made them: to be in relationship with Himself.  Sharing with households that sin, unlike commonly believed, is not just murder, but anything that rejects God’s plan or is less than holy.  Drawing lines in the sand to show people the divide now created between a Holy God and unholy men.  Glowing to tell attentive children and smoking old men about God’s solution to the problem, and the opportunity to live with Him now and forever. 

     To open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the dominion of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who have been sanctified by Faith in me…Acts 26:18.

Matt worked with one of the door-to-door groups, but I worked with a group of 5 women, sharing with all the women (and quite a few men and children) that we could find.  All the women in the market, families frying fish, women nursing children, groups chatting around the lottery booth.

We were working along a fantastic young man, Lindsey, who is currently being discipled by Jodenel.  Everywhere we went, we greeted everyone, and then he opened with this:

“I know when you see groups of foreigners like this, you think that they are here to give money or to give food, because that is what foreigners usually do.  But let me tell you that today, they aren’t giving those things.  But they are giving something more precious than gold.  Something that lasts longer than food.  I’ll let them tell you.”

 

     Do not be afraid any longer, but go on speaking and do not be silent, for He is with us…Acts 17:9

Then, the women I was working with took turns sharing their stories, sharing the gospel message, and praying with everyone.  Tentatively at first.  Scattered at first, but then more and more passionately, completely, powerfully.  I was so incredibly, for lack of a better word, PROUD.  I mean, sister proud. 

The Gospel was shared so personally, so passionately and so purposefully that I was just astounded, blessed, and reminded all over again that Lindsey was right.  We DO have what is more precious than anything else.  We DO have the only thing that lasts.  We DO have the one thing that EVERY person, regardless of race or national, culture or language, sex or age NEED. 

And the more I was overwhelmed by how grateful I am for His forgiveness, His death, His redemption and His Holy Spirit, the more I wanted to share it. 

Which is EXACTLY how it’s SUPPOSED to be. 

Sharptown, the family you sent to Haiti knows the Truth.  And shared it boldly to hundreds of men, women and children in Haiti today.  They were not phased by the demon-possessed woman chained to cement blocks, but put their 14 year old hands on her and prayed for her instead. 

They were not intimidated by the dying woman on the floor, but instead crowded into her home and sang her songs of His peace.  They stepped their beautiful feet over running sewage, blackened their hands holding hands brimming with charcoal, burnt their flesh standing in the blazing sun to tell His story, OUR story, over and over and over, gave all their energies climbing the Zaccheus tree, slithering like the snake and singing their hearts out with clingy, desperate for attention children. 

     We are also just men of the same nature as you, and preach the gospel to you that you should turn from the vain things to a living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all that is in them  (Acts 14:15).

Sometimes, "We must obey God rather than men" (Acts 4:29), just means obeying God rather than ME.  Doing what He asks us to do:  Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation” (Mark 16:15), instead of what is comfortable, what is easy, what we feel like, and what we already know how to do. 

     We are also just men of the same nature as you, and preach the gospel to you that you should turn from the vain things to a living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all that is in them  (Acts 14:15). 

We had some follow up as a group of 60 afterwards that was also very sweet and shared lots of conversions, follow-up names and phone numbers, and hundreds of seeds planted.

Ah, I could talk about it all night, and Matt had several moments that he has detailed as some of the “very best of my life that I never want to forget” that I’ll share with you soon (BUT I AM TOOOO TIRED!).  It was great. 

THANK YOU for your prayers for the day and all the encouragement and love we've received since yesterday's doggie drama.  (Sof is still doing well...)
THANK YOU, Brenda for keeping the girls so I could do this with the team and translate and share my heart out

THANK YOU, Sharptown Group for being willing to do something so crazy and for pouring yourselves out so selflessly

THANK YOU, Junior for helping us plan and tweak and set this all up,

THANK YOU, Jodenel, Jean-Marie, Jean-Baptiste for being faithful to Him in this large zone so we had true disciples and fired-up evangelists going with us,

THANK YOU, Cammie, for stretching way out there (“I’ve got to be the Yay-Rah person?  AHHHHH”) and leading the kid’s evangelism,

and THANK YOU Lord for BEING more precious than gold, everlasting, for WANTING to be in relationship with me, for going so far as to even sacrifice your ONLY and innocent Son to reconcile that relationship that I screwed up, for forgiving me, for giving me new life, for letting me follow you, for HELPING me follow you by the Holy Spirit and for giving me LIFE, now and forever. 

Oh man.