just a few comments

1) We love when YOU comment!  Most times when I hit "Publish Post", I have no idea who's reading, what you think, if I am making any sense, if any of this matters to anyone, what is happening in your life, what the Lord is teaching you, anyone else's perspective, etc...  


When you comment, it turns my sharing into a conversation, and I love that!  Thank you for all the comments and emails from the recent Konpech blog.  Please leave comments when you have them!


2)  Oh crud.  Just to clarify, all I was talking about there was the fact that we now have yet ANOTHER dog--a baby,  whimper all night, there-is-NO-vet, Lily-will-not-put-it-down, I-just-stepped-in-another-piddle-puddle, Boone-stop-eating-the-puppy-- dog.  We did NOT need another needy little girl in our lives right now, and yet there was nothing I could do to say "no", so...meet Ella.  Who is also, of course, adorable.

3) Oh Crud was NOT at all talking about Konpech.  It was indeed a completely different evangelistic experience, but the Lord continues to really be speaking to my heart about Konpech and I am not in any way discouraged.  Neither is Junior.  

God's been patient with me, He loves the people of Konpech, He's given us a continued burden for sharing the Gospel with them, so...we will continue.

Since returning from there Tuesday, many Christians in the community have felt that they must share with me the foolishness of our efforts.  I have been well informed the past three days that the people of Konpech are the people of Satan and therefore beyond redemption, that we should NOT go there, should NOT "risk our lives" by trotting on that Satanic earth, absolutely should not touch anyone from Konpech, and was even instructed yesterday by concerned friends to immediately kill Ella, the "dog of Satan", to burn the body, and to be sure to keep it FAR from my children for fear that demons might attack them through the dog.

Yep.  Extra Extra: Those crazy missionaries living in Saccanville now have a dog-of-Satan playing with their small children.

Instead of being immensely frustrated and discouraged by this kind of a response from 'the church', I am instead trying (I say "trying" because it is taking great effort not to be discouraged here!) to use these as a great teachable moments.

If we live in fear of a 1-pound dog because we believe Satan lives in it and has power over us...how are we any different from those who follow Satan?   Can fear exist in our lives if Perfect Love has been Lorded?  Has Christ who is in us overcome the world, or has He not?  

Did Christ touch the sinners, the prostitutes, the lepers, the demon possessed, or did He not?  Do "Christian, small, everyday" sins create less of a gap between ourselves and a Holy God than "Satanic, big" sins?  Did Jesus die less for others than He did for me?

Is it an option to avoid telling BAD people about Jesus and to only share Jesus with GOOD people?  Is it at all Biblical in any way/shape/form to refuse to talk to, visit or heaven-forbid TOUCH a person that who lives in darkness rather than Light?  Didn't He touch me?  When I was still His enemy?

DO WE KNOW AND LOVE GOD IF WE REFUSE TO KNOW AND LOVE OTHERS, even "the least of these"?

Oh, the need for Jesus--TRUE, real, dirty, touchy, CRAZY Jesus--is all around us.  All around us, family.  Not just in Konpech, and not just in Saccanville, either.  The need for Him is no greater in our corner of His world than yours.

It is soo great.  Oh Lord, use me.

(that was a long comment.)

4) Babies are not birds.  I had the totally awesome experience on Wednesday to translate for Deb as she shared with 10-weeks-pregnant Micheline imagines of how a baby is grows inside mom.  Mish, mother of 4, had never seen such a thing, had no idea about what a growing embryo baby looks like, and was beyond thrilled.  Suddenly this little one that she REALLY didn't want inside her is a miracle.  

She also thinks a 5 week old developing embryo baby looks like a baby bird.  So do I.

It was so fun, in fact, that yesterday 8 women joined us while Deb shared a bit more about what the Bible says about children and helped us work through some cultural debates that "be fruitful and multiply" (which of course in the Creole Bible is translated: make many, MANY children) means that it is wrong to control or limit in any way how many children you have, even if you cannot care for 10 children, and even if those 10 children will be hungry.  

We got into all kinds of good things, talked a bit about natural and free family planning methods, and it was so great to be able to be a part of that and to discuss many "unspoken" issues, and to be able to reflect together on the real point of it all : bringing God glory.

I also greatly expanded my Creole vocabulary bank.

We finished with a video on babies from conception to birth, and it was a blast to watch everyone's faces and to hear at the end complete silence, and then praises to the Lord.  "I didn't know it was a miracle.  It is a miracle!"

5) Baby birds are really cute nonetheless.  We've been watching these little hummingbird guys since they were eggs, and finally yesterday, they took off.  

6) Sick of Sick.  Illness just continues to penetrate our family, the visiting professors and the students.  I've been sick now since Feb. 24th, and cannot seem to recover, and since yesterday have seemed to be sick all over again...coughing, sneezing, sore throat, runny nose, aches...yuck.  Please keep praying for all of us and for the girls, especially, who have also been sick for a long time.

It's an extra challenge to be patient, energetic, loving, intentional, organized, meeting the needs of my girls and my family, caring, gracious and giving when I'm hacking away and clouded.  Anybody have any ideas?  

I hope you know that we love you...God never took away His passion for our same-culture family when He gave us His passion for another.

Patient & Love

 The road to Konpech is just a little path--one you'd never think to follow to a place you'd never think to go if you didn't know where you were going and exactly why.

Some of Lily's buddies from across the street led the way, and we picked our way over the cacti and through gardens and this dried up canal to the land of the Konpech trees.

The woods finally cleared revealing five crumbling mud homes and a voodoo temple in the middle, the "sacred stick" I had heard about propped in front.

Junior jumped right in with a small group of women and children, and as expected, lots of people came around to see Lily.  He took advantage of the audience and started reviewing some stories he had shared before...how sin came into the world, how the world was created, and the story of Cain and Abel.

I've seen and been privileged to share the Gospel in a lot of yards with a lot of people in Haiti, and Junior was passionate, clear and captivating, but I have just NEVER seen a people group so distracted, seemingly bored and quite rude.  I sat quietly with Lily, listening intently (pretty much by myself) to Junior, really surprised by everyone's disinterest.  

I mean, as a rule, most places I have previously been seemed like I could talk for 3 hours about a rubber-band collection and still have a rapt audience.  

But the creation of the world held no ones interest today.  I looked around for my "person of peace", someone who had "clear" eyes and a seemingly different disposition, the type of person I usually connect with right away and bring into sharing the gospel.  I found no one.  

As friendly and courteous as everyone was, there was a great veil over everyone's faces.  It was like Junior was speaking Chinese.  Lots of people were very interested in Lily, but that was about it. 

Lily, of course, wasn't nearly as interested in everyone else as she was in a litter of puppies nearby, and she scooped one up and loved on it, drawing even more of a crowd.

A group of young men started heckling Junior and speaking inappropriately to me, and Gesner immediately boldly and beautifully swept them away into a separate conversation, giving Junior a chance with the women and children and sharing the Gospel in a different way with them.

Chris shared a bit of God's plan from Noah to Jesus with similar results...disinterst.  I played in the dirt with my toe, praying fiercely that the Lord would show me some "in", that someone would hear though they seemed to not be listening, prayed that God would make some connection for me, bring something to my heart to share.  

Junior looked at me when no one else would listen, and I felt a God given wave of love--all His--for these rather hard and disinterested men and women and children beside me.  

We weren't there because of their interest in God, but because of His interest in them.  

 Still praying, I jumped up and tried to bring the Gospel Junior was sharing down to an even more personal level, drawing a line in the sand and sharing WHY God hates our sin...not just because it shows that we are choosing what we want over what He wants, but also because our sin creates a big space between ourselves and Himself...something He hates. 

I used Junior's and my relationship as an example, and while I could not find an understanding eye, we had a lot more attention.  We talked about the space that comes between Junior and I when I wrong him, and about what sin is.  We talked about that wall that sin creates-- too high, too deep, too long for us to get around ourselves.

Gesner stood in as Jesus, making our relationship possible again, making it possible for me, a sinner, to walk with God.  

The lesson was so simple, and yet still so difficult for everyone to understand that we went through it several times, giving lots of examples, and as I walked around the little community with several of the ladies and kids, I knew that an invitation for a transformed life needn't be given just yet.  There is a LOT of understanding that is not yet there, MANY veils for the Lord to pull back to make that possible.

Many of them women far younger than me were toting 4th and 5th children.  The poverty, of course, is immense.  A complete lack of any kind of education, stimulation or learning--along with a deliberate commitment to be in darkness--has left many community members unintentionally and deeply closed minded.

We all prayed together, a few more earnestly than others, and as we were praying I felt the sun on my back and the breeze pushed past my neck and I remembered again that there is NO place that God is not, NO person that wasn't made for Him.  I don't care who they've invited to live in their trees, in their children, in their homes.  There is NO place that God is not.

He has been and continues to be incredibly Patient and unendingly Love with me...What do I have to offer Konpech other than what He's shown me?

"Tough crowd!" I muttered to Junior as we walked away, Lily bawling because I made her put down the puppy she'd been mercilessly over-loving for the last 90 minutes.  

"It's not their fault" Junior quickly reminded me, and he is right. 

 Satan has taken a foothold in their lives because they were born giving it to him.  Every child and even dog in the village had a rope around their necks, symbols of bondage, commitment and/or bargaining with dark powers.  Konpech believes many great lies and lives under many great fears...but it is because for a hundred years, it was all they heard, all they know.

It is NOT all they know anymore.  It's can't be left all they know.

HOW many people in our lives are living the way they live because it is all they know? We have to be living, breathing, practicing, speaking Truth to people so that NOW they know something else.  They might not choose it.  That's not our burden.  But it IS our burden that ALL have heard...and heard enough to truly understand.  

As we headed home, we gave our farewell to the village, who invited us back soon.  Lily put down her new friend and immediately started bawling.  We headed off all the same, when a small elder woman came after us and grabbed my hand.

"Take the dog" she said.  

"OH, no," I said, "But thank you.  We have a dog at home, a very big one."

She grabbed me by both arms, looking down at Lily's quivering chin and looking at me full on.  "For a year now you and your friends have been bringing us this other word.  We do not have anything to give you.  I don't have anything you could want.  That dog is mine, and I want to give it to you.  Please take the dog."

oh crud.  

the road to Konpech

After several weeks of talking and praying together about Konpech, we'll be heading there for the first time in quite a while in a few moments.  As the community seemed to be closing to the Gospel, an older woman asked for Lily, so with Christ before us and Lily between us we go.  Would love your prayers and will report tonight.

He continues...

Ok, Finally!  My third "good stuff".  This is really good.

If you've been with us for a while now, you'll remember Konpech.  If not, you can read my initial post here on this near-by but very isolated and deeply dark area, or scroll down a bit and click on "Konpech" in the word bank and read the whole story.

Junior and several other students have had a continual burden for this little community, about 80 people who are all descendants of the same one or two witch-doctors.   Deeply entrenched in the old ways, Junior has carefully and prayerfully been working to spread the Gospel here, but after a few set backs at the end of the school year, had not returned for many months.

Until last Sunday.

"It's time," he told us a few days before.  "I've been waiting and waiting for His timing, and I feel that it is time.  I'm going Sunday morning, because I know they will all be there, and won't yet be busy making the big meal of the day or doing laundry.  Six of the guys are going with me.  Please pray...I don't know what to expect!"

one of the trees of Konpech that the people believe to be inhabited by demons

All throughout church I was thinking and praying for them and the precious people of Konpech, anxious to get home and hear, uncertain of what the morning would be bringing Junior.

We waited anxiously after arriving home at 11:30, but the guys didn't return until just after 1 pm.

Junior beelined for the house grinning, and sighed "That was GOOD" as he sank onto the couch, weary from the hike and five consecutive hours of ministry.

"Everyone was so excited to see us," Junior relayed.  "They immediately found a bench and brought it out for the 7 of us to sit on, while dozens of the community sat or stood around us on buckets or rocks or on the ground.  They knew I was there to talk about God, but instead of asking me to leave or indicating they didn't want to hear, they brought a bench...they wanted to hear what I had to share.  This excited me!

"So, after we all talked for a few minutes about how everyone was, we began again.  I acted as if no one knew anything about the Bible from what I had shared last year, and just began telling them the story of Scripture.  We talked about how God made the world, how sin came into it, different people's stories in the Bible, what God decided to do about the separation and death sin brought in, Jesus' birth and life, His ministry, His death and resurrection.

"I just laid out the whole Gospel, and the guys helped me, and everyone listened.  It took about four hours, and everyone listened.

Junior on the road to Konpech

"You know me, Stace.  I don't ever like to force people to accept what I'm saying, or even try to persuade them to accept it.  So I didn't even mention converting or accepting or believing or changing or anything like that.  We just laid the Gospel out there, and after we had, we said, 'Ok, well, it was good to share that with you!'

"Wait!" a woman called Zouta told Junior as they rose to go.  "All of us!  We must all be saved!  We all want to be saved from all our sins!"

"Whoa, whoa," the crowd quickly shushed her, not forgetting they were standing on demon land next to demon trees and were demon committed people.  "Speak for yourself.  That's a big thing.  We're not ready for that."

"Fine!" Zouta quickly brushed them off.  "Then me.  I must be saved.  I want to be saved from all my sins."

"Me too," another woman, Youseline, said, stepping out from the crowd.

"What do you mean?" Junior asked, ever the one to make sure conversions are sincere and that people know what they are talking about before making any decisions.

The two woman and the 7 guys discussed what being saved fully means, all while the crowd listened intently.

"This is what you want?  To make Him Lord of your life and die to your sins?" Junior asked.

"Yes" Zouta, "Yes" Youseline, and then a surprising third woman stepped out, "YES"...Edline.

the isolated community of Konpech

"OK!" Junior said, and after sharing a bit more about how to ask for and receive salvation, Junior asked them each to ask God for it, again, in front of all their peers.  The three women prayed, and when Edline finished, a young man, Rolin, asked Junior if he could pray for the same thing in his life.

Four conversions, in a place like Konpech, with NO invitation for conversion and no pressure from the guys and no pressure by the presence of missionaries (everyone knows what we want them to do just by being missionaries), no gifts or food or Bibles for motivation...four conversions like this are a big deal.

(Don't get me wrong, of course...any conversion is a big deal.  There are just a lot of indications here that these conversions were very sincere in a very poor country where many people have converted two dozen times in hopes of pleasing you, in hopes of getting you to leave, in hopes of what you might bring them or in hopes receiving some kind of aid.)

Junior and the guys returned again this past Sunday and started back at the beginning of the Bible, using chronological Bible story telling to teach far more about God than the brief summary of the week before.  In the midst of torrential rains, they found far less people Sunday, but are encouraged and dedicated to heading back each Sunday morning to study the Word with the new believers, and many non-believers, in Konpech.

Junior's past in Voodoo (until he became saved as a young teen and banished by his witch-doctor father) continues to make him a great vessel of God in heavily voodoo areas (he knows the beliefs), and it's such a joy for Matt and I to see God use him, the other students, and everything that they are learning for His kingdom.  Five of the seven are currently taking "Spiritual Warfare" with Tom Black...all the better!

Please keep Konpech, Zouta, Youseline, Rolin and Edline, and Junior and the other students in your prayers.

He continues to pursue His people.  He continues to have a plan.  He continues to provide for it.  And He continues to let us each be a part!

Praise the Lord...He continues!

a week of thanksgiving and elbow grease

It's about all we can do to hang on lately!  There is SO much going on!

Most exciting news: Junior spent the afternoon in Konpech this afternoon, sharing the Gospel, and today, the witchdoctor who owns the property/runs the community came over to listen.  For whatever reason, after Junior was finished the witchdoctor told him that he could see that what Junior is doing is a good thing, and to keep coming!  This could change everything for everyone, as that many people have been concerned that listening to Junior could cause the witchdoctor to kick them off the land...we'll see where this goes!

For now, it looks/feels a lot like a miracle...something only God can do!

Other very exciting news: tomorrow morning Matt is proctoring my first year English final exam and then teaching both of his courses while Lily and I go to the airport to get Aunt Lisa and Uncle Adam!  Adam's going to help out Don, and Matt where he can, and Lisa is going to help me...get everything done at the office (month end finances, year end finances, financially register all 45 students for next year, grade all 45 finals, create/print diplomas, create/print 150 programs, finish making our "year at Emmaus" DVD, etc.) by watching Lily, help me get the house ready for us to go, and help me go through all of Lily's old stuff, sort things for Sofie, rebuild Lily's crib, see what we'll be needing for Sofie, etc.

I am REALLY beginning to feel 35 weeks pregnant (swollen feet, sore everything, can NOT cool down, can't sleep...you know) and WOW, I would be COMPLETELY overwhelmed by this upcoming week if my little sister (who also happens to be incredibly organized and shockingly efficient) weren't coming to take care of me :)

Other fun news: This week, in lieu of a "normal" graduation ceremony due to the fact that there are only 3 students graduating from the fourth year program, we are doing a full week of activities followed by a large "Thanksgiving" service on Friday involving members of the community, local church and past-graduates.  That means that this week will also be full of soccer matches, musical chairs (this is a BIG and frequently VERY passionate party game here in Haiti :), Coke drinking competitions (last year, Borgella won by drinking 12 large glass bottles of Coke in less than 30 minutes), egg races, dramas, musical performances, a talent show, a Bible trivia competition and...I can't even remember what else.

Lily, Sofie and I head for Ohio a week from tomorrow, so we also have a lot of friends to visit/farwell this upcoming week!

Praise the Lord for the invaluable help of so many Americans/Haitians/Canadians during this time to finish the school year WELL, to help the students finish well, and to relationship-build, kingdom-build, and literally build-build with Emmaus at this time!

Don's sidewalk project complete and already decorated by Lily...

Prayer request: tomorrow Matt, Lucner and Paul have the very unpleasant and painful responsibility ahead of them to let a student go.  While everyone involved is increasingly confident that this must be done and is the right thing to do, it's looking as if this will not go well and Matt's been dreading it all weekend.  Please pray for everyone involved.

lots in life and parallel living

Bryan, Leslie and the kids head out tomorrow, so these last few days have been filled with lots of meetings, last second questions, decisions, changes and discussions.

Lily, and Jacob and Josephine, are really going to miss the 4 youngest Easleys!  Life has been so much more enjoyable for each of them because of having each other.  Leslie's camera was stolen yesterday off of her wrist while taking a picture...and yet they are still sad to go!

We have a visiting professor coming in Saturday, Dodo has been down sick with some kind of Haitian contamination, and suddenly tons of "year end" stuff is on our plates:  Spring EBS newsletter (want one? email me your address), creating a DVD for presentations this summer, personal spring newsletter (want one? email me your address), preparing for registration in April for classes in the fall, preparing for graduation, creating wedding invites and programs for 2 students (why do I always say 'yes' to everything???), pushing to get through as much material as possible before final exams, working through some issues EBS's financial system is having...you get the picture.

Also, today is my dear friend Elisa's birthday (Happy B-day, EJ!) and if you are not following my room-mate's blog of her life and His ministry in a closed country, you are missing out on some unbelievably touching and heartbreaking photojournalism...If I had no Lily, no husband, wasn't pregnant, and had a visa, I would be on a plane right now to join her.


After meeting with Junior some yesterday, he shared that the women of Konpech have been "firmly asked" by the men of Konpech to stop meeting with the Christians.  For their own welfare, they have requested that we stop coming.    

"Junior, I'm sorry," I said deeply and earnestly.  "What a discouraging day."

"What?" he said, with a grin.  "I'm not discouraged!  This isn't MY thing!  They're His, preaching the Gospel is His, leading me to Konpech was His...He knew this would happen and He's still taking care of it.  I'll continue to be in prayer, and when it is time to return again, I will go!  Not discouraged!"

Ah, so many days I wish I was more like Junior...which is really just saying that I wish I was more like Jesus, like Junior is.  I am so easily discouraged and so quick to forget that none of this is mine.  I'm always trying to hold His gifts in clenched fists instead of in palms of outstretched hands.

If it's all His and I trust Him, then I have no right to be discouraged by the ways of man.  Junior is outwardly living parallel with his inward faith in who He is.  

As my loving and straightforward friend Sharon would tell me after receiving a discouraged, doubting email: "Go read your own blog!"

busy, beach, burden

This past weekend was a busy one and the week has started much the same! The internet drama continues, so hopefully this blog will make it up sometime.

We enjoyed Friday night with Don, making plans for his team coming down in April, and then saw him off early Saturday morning.  No one was happy to see him go, but Lily had huge tears streaming down her cheeks and broke my heart.  I'm so thankful that despite His faraway calling on our lives, He still gives us precious times with family.  We are thankful for family in Lily's Haiti life!  She loves her Uncle Don, and is already talking about how he will "be back soon!"

Don and Maxi

 the guys scheming early Saturday morning

Saturday, we headed out with the Easley's and Hubeles for the beach.   Traffic (see below)  meant that it took 2 hours to get there, but once there, it's always worth the trip.  We had a fun day, supper together at our house that night and at least Matt, Lily and I went promptly to bed.

Lizzie and Lily both look so tired!

from left to right: Leslie Easley, Sarah E., Jacob E., Brian and Lizzie, Josephine H., Matt & Lil, John and Rachelle Hubele, Jacob H., and Ben E.  

Yesterday, Matt and Bryan headed to Vilmer's church in town while Leslie, Bubba and Dodo and the kids and I walked to Saccanville's Maranatha Church.  After all this talk of how much cooler it has been this spring, yesterday ended all that.   "Haiti" hit...it was hot and humid and is again today!

Heavy on my heart today is Konpech.  Upon Junior's arrival there yesterday afternoon, he was asked not to return again.  I'll sit down with Junior tomorrow to learn more about how things transpired and to spend some time in prayer with him over this people group, but I can't seem to put them out of my mind...Neither can He.

Please keep praying for this zone and for this precious and fragile opportunity to share Christ.

konpech, more heartbreak and a new direction

Matt, Lynton and Junior spent yesterday afternoon in Konpech and found the community to be very much so in mourning.  Irene was a bit of a matriarch for the community, and Matt met over 10 of her children.  No one minded them being there, and appreciated their sympathy and prayers, but no one was interested in talking about the Lord, either.  That's ok.  This is about the relationships, and I believe their presence yesterday helped those continue to grow.

On Friday, Matt was finally able to discretely capture a few images of Konpech...

Below, some of the trees "inhabited by demons."

Junior, next to one of the BIGGEST trees I've ever seen in Haiti, another "untouchable" dwelling.

This stick below is what is left of the most sacred tree that Konpech had.  The community believes strongly that if you touch this twig that you will die, and that it holds the most power for their village.

The new community "battery", this time a sheet, to replace the one that Junior originally destroyed.  Again, a "battery" is an object placed at a crossroads to protect a community and to curse or kill intruders.  It is supposedly inhabited by a demon, and anyone that touches it will die.  (you're starting to follow by now that there is a LOT of "threat of death" in Voodoo.)

Please put Konpech, Junior, Belony, Matt, Lynton and others working there on your long-term prayer list.  I am anxious to get out there and meet some of the people I have been praying for, but do not want to go at the expense of Matt not being able to go, as that he is a much stronger support and theological help for Junior.  With Little Miss at home, it's one or the other...He'll open the door when it's right.

Meanwhile, I'd also like to ask your prayers for a rather heavy task we have ahead of us this morning at 11.  Friday brought us just crushing news that requires a direct confrontation of the blatant sin of a dear, dear friend today.  We are just heartbroken over this situation in which what was desired was chosen over what HE desires (aka, sin), and deemed 'best' over what He has clearly deemed BEST.    

Because of His love and our love, it cannot be overlooked or swept out of the way, and direct confrontation is always so hard, though often, the right approach.  Please pray for us as we try to articulate in a loving, gracious and unwavering fashion His love and ours, His requirement of Holiness in His children, OUR requirement for holiness in our intimate relationships with believers.  We are hoping and praying for sincere repentance and transformation and restoration in Him.  Also praying for a lot of wisdom on our part to know what our role needs to be in that. 

We have encountered SO MANY of these similar situations in the past 10 days that it has been very hard not to be discouraged.  Matt was asked to preach during a Student Visitation to a large church yesterday, and felt very led to start in Hebrews 2:1-4

"We must pay the most careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away."

...and then RE-lay what it means to be a Christ-follower, to be saved, to have died with Him on the cross AND to have life with Him through the resurrection, to be IN HIM, etc...

That service yesterday was a truly HOLY time.  The Spirit spoke through Matt in such a clearly inspired and passionate way, the large congregation was clearly moved by the Spirit, and Matt and I both individually felt very led by the Lord in this rather new direction.

Up until these last months, we have mostly felt led the past four years in community evangelism and in the training of the men and women who are leading the church.  But we are now beginning to feel very led and empowered to start putting some additional focus (in the classroom and in our daily lives) addressing the idea in the church and in Christians that being converted is all that matters.  On Sanctification (becoming HOLY like He is) and not just on Justification (being justified by the cross.)  On being IN HIM, and not just on being "a Christian", being "converted."  

As He shares more of His heart with us on this, we will share with you.  

For now, I KNOW that He didn't ask us to "be holy, as I AM holy," (1 Peter 1:16, Leviticus 11:44) thinking all the while to Himself that it is not possible.  For now, I KNOW that His perfect plan for each of our lives includes a lot more than doing what we want and then claiming the cross.  

The cross is not to be "name it and claim it."  Either we died to sin and to ourselves with Him and rose again as NEW creations with Him, no longer slaves to sin and working towards being like Him, or we didn't.  We can't stand by, "saved", personally untouched by the cross and just "throw it out there" every time we choose what we want over what He wants, every time we sin.  

He came, and died, and rose again for MORE than what we're seeing in the "Christian" lives of those around us.  We do need to keep preaching the cross.  But not without the MORE.  

Can you tell we're feeling a bit overwhelmed as of late :)  There is SO much going on...not just work, but spiritually.  Pray that we would be sharp in Him, only possible through lots of good "Mary" time at His feet.  You know by now that "Martha" is more my nature :)

and then today she died.

Yesterday afternoon, a group of 8 headed back to Konpech, finding Irene back in bed again and doing poorly.  They prayed for her for a long time, being fully aware that and feeling the weight that her healing wasn't first on His mind...SHE was.

Matt came home and said, "God wants those people as His own.  This is going to take a LONG time.  They are deeply rooted in something I'm just beginning to better understand, and that something is deeply rooted in FEAR.  God has a plan for Konpech.  It's going to take time and all of our dedication and patience to preaching the Word and being in prayer."

Irene died this morning, and the community of Konpech, and Saccanville, is swimming.

Junior is concerned that the door may be closed, that the community will no longer be open to even seeing him or the other students, will be nervous to even let them enter the village.

There are a dozen theories, lots of talk, lots of slander against our God, and I have to admit to feeling heavy.

Keeping our thoughts captive to Christ is not always the easy, emotional response, is it?

But this is why her death, what people are saying, and what tomorrow holds cannot be allowed to shake us, can not be allowed to cause any fear, any doubt.  This is what I know for sure:

The children of Konpech are desired by Him.   He has a plan for their pursuit, and His plan is better than ours.  Perfect, in fact.  I don't know what that is.  God has clearly brought the Emmaus community to Konpech at this time, and God also knew well that Irene would be brought to her feet Thursday and that she would die today.  I know that God will use and redeem each so-called victory and each so-called defeat.  And I know, I know His plan will not be defeated.

More than He wants our healing, our happiness, our peace or our joy...He wants US.  And He's pursuing and waiting for us for as long as it takes.  He was in it for the long run for Matt, and for me.  He's in it for the long run for Konpech.  And we don't plan on quitting a moment before He does.

Thank you for your continued prayers, especially tomorrow as Matt, Junior, Lynton and maybe a few others approach the village with the next step in the history of His plan.

big news

You gotta read this.

Morning, family!  Didn't plan on blogging today but just heard great news I'm anxious to share.  Yesterday afternoon, Lily and I were across the street, playing/talking with a household of women and small children.

While we were there, Belony, Junior and Lynton approached, and I knew they were heading for Konpech.  It was late in the day, but they wanted to share the next Bible story and show the Jesus film as it was getting dark if Konpech was interested.  However, when they arrived, the community was in a bit of an uproar.

A woman in the community was terribly sick, and had been for several weeks. No one was very interested in the guys because everyone was concerned about this woman who was quite seemingly breathing her last.

For over a month now she had been unable to get up, had been unable to urinate for 3 or 4 days now, and was quite lethargic.

Belony (dear Belo...please keep lifting up this apostle) immediately asked if he could pray for the woman, and the men of the village quickly and harshly told him "NO."

However, in just a few moments, someone from the woman's household came to them and asked if they would please come and pray.

The guys headed into the house, where everyone was very divided.  Half the household yelled that they couldn't pray for her, the other half, that it was her only hope.

"Stop," said Belony.  "Let me tell you a story first.  I want to tell you about a guy named Pehpay."

But immediately, Belo was interrupted.  "We already know about Pehpay!" the people said.

"GOOD," said Belo.  "Then you know that he should have already been dead a long time now, but that instead he and I were hanging out at the Seminary earlier this afternoon, because of God's great power in his life."

"Yes," everyone said.  "We heard that some man of God came to him and that God healed him and that he is alive and well today."

Just then, the master of the house silenced everyone and asked the guys to please pray for her, as that it seemed to be the last hope.

Belony said everyone stood to the side with their arms crossed, just staring, while Belony, Lynton and Junior prayed for the woman.  After a few moments, Belony said he felt very moved to grab the woman's arm.

"Because of Jesus, Get UP" he commanded her.

And she did.


Once again, I find myself with complete lack of language to describe something so miraculous.

She did.  She got up, and immediately ran from the house, saying, "I've got to pee!"  (you're allowed to smile...I know He is :)

When she was finished, everyone crowded around her to help her stand, and Belony said, "Back off!  Let her stand."

And she did.  She was completely with them now, standing strong, and immediately, Belo said, raised her arms to praise Jesus.  By now, the entire village had come out, and the crowd parted as the head of Konpech, the lead witchdoctor, came to see for himself.

He stared at the woman and her household, arms raised in praise of a God they have barely been introduced to.

Finally, he spoke begrudgingly and shuffled back out of the circle : "When I offer the sacrifice for our demons, now, I will no longer offer them for your house."

Everyone was deathly silent.

"Don't" said the healed woman.

With a community completely amazed, baffled and astounded behind them, the guys headed home.

"I didn't ask anyone to become a Christian," Belony said.  "They were just reeling.  They needed some time for it to soak in."

But suddenly he broke out this morning in his signature God-grin.  "But I will today!"

After lunch today the student body will make the hike together and do what the Body of Christ is supposed to do....join together and life-on-life Konpech, preaching and sharing and praying the whole gospel according to their gifting.

Sound a little crazy?  Jesus is.  Spend five minutes in any part of your Bible and tell me that this can't be. SO excited that Christ's power through Belony got a little crazy in our dirt corner of the world yesterday.

Go share this blog with someone, and I'll keep you posted after this afternoon.

lots of changes & a shocking new reality

Morning, friends!

The sun keeps rising here in beautiful Haiti, and it just seems that everything... from Lily's hilarious morning antics to the soft breeze, waking up to Matt making coffee to the brilliant blossoms...points to Him.  I'm so grateful this morning for this one life He's given us each and the chance each day to celebrate new mercies and to BE more like Him.

Lots of things are going on...

Last week after many years of working here in Haiti, Mary Lou left the Haiti field.  Matt and I worked with Mary Lou on a daily basis for our first several years here, and it just never gets any easier to live life alongside of each other and then have someone leave for good.

Joetta, the field treasurer, also left the field last week, meaning we're missing her humor and friendship and everyone's missing having a field treasurer!

Dave and Marilyn also exited, though not permanently, on Saturday for a few months away of work, travel and rest.  It seems we are always transitioning!

As I shared last month, both Julie and Hannah finished their one year terms and left in January, but the happy news is that they are BACK this week for a visit, to introduce us all to Julie's now-fiance Bill, and to get to say good-bye a little better.  (due to some family needs, Julie had to leave in quite a rush!)  Can't WAIT to catch up with these dear friends and to drill Bill.

Please keep praying for all of these missionaries as they transition: for His enduring and un-matched peace and for His continued clear calling on their lives.

Matt joined Junior this past Sunday in Konpech for a few hours, an afternoon that really opened his eyes and both broke and excited our hearts.  There are around 100 people living in this community, and they shared with Matt that they have all come from 4 people who started the community a LONG time ago, committed to Satan.  The poverty of the village was shocking to Matt, most people showing orange hair (vitamin deficiency) and children aged four or five still breast-feeding to curb starvation.

More shocking then the poverty, however, was this reality:  In 2011, there is a village 20 minutes from the main road where NOT ONE PERSON has EVER heard even an OUNCE of the Gospel.  In Haiti.  Where Christianity and missions, etc., have been around for decades.  Not ONE person in the crowd that gathered Sunday to hear Junior teach how sin came into the world had EVER heard ANYTHING about it.  No Idea.

When Junior told them how the world was created, where Satan came from, who made the trees, how sin came into the world...no one had EVER heard it.  There is an entirely UNREACHED people group living in complete darkness a 20 minute walk from me.

Belony says they've never heard the news because Christians largely avoid areas noted as being 'evil zones' such as Konpech, choosing instead to continually evangelize "safe" areas.

The reality continues...if this is true, that there are 100 people who have never heard one word of the Truth 20 minutes from here, then there are places EVERYWHERE in Haiti, most deemed 'demonic areas', that have ALSO never been reached.  Other people, JUST like you and I, who because of fear of Satan, have NEVER been given Hope.  Who continue to live under complete fear and bondage of Satan...perhaps because they NEVER knew there WAS another option.

(Is it possible, too, then, that in America/Canada/Europe, etc. that there are LOTS of people who have perhaps truly NEVER heard the Gospel?  Completely unreached people?  20 minutes from the church?  Perhaps people Christians largely avoid because they are known as being 'difficult'?  Just a thought...)

I can honestly tell you that until this past month, I would have told you that by now, everyone in Haiti had at least heard the Gospel.  This new reality is keeping us awake at night, and we're pumped to see the students as worked up about this as we are.  IF we believe that God has all power, and that Satan is nothing before our God, than what have we to fear? (as Junior has so boldly shown.)

Suddenly, there is a LOT TO DO!

February 28th (our spring break), a group of 21 students will be working to evangelize a zone not that far from the airport, hoping to eventually plant a church there.  Please be praying now for this upcoming major day of ministry, and please CONTINUE to be in prayer for those HE created in Konpech.

Many of you have been asking for more information about this "Bible story telling method" that I've used in SEEP and that Junior solely uses for evangelism.  I've been working on this blog and will have it up this week: complete with what that method is, how it works, where you can find the materials (for free), what Junior has added to it (which is just crazy, and insanely effective) and more about Konpech.

Thanks for all your continued prayers as we live life, with all it's changes and potential for what God means it to be, with you.

big buzz

Word on the street (coming from all the way in town):  An insane man living near Konpech yesterday burnt to the ground their most sacred tree.  In the rain.

While many people throughout these northern zones are almost in mourning to have lost this long-time famous home for demonic activity and dwelling...you should see the students faces this morning!

Junior is, of course, beside himself.  "I told them that He who was in me was greater than he who dwelt in their trees," he reminded me with a grin this morning.  "I rely so fully on His power...and I guess now they've seen it!"

I know that a lot of this spiritual warfare stuff is hard for our western minds to understand, but ponder this:  until two weeks ago, the Gospel hadn't been taken to Konpech in years.  Persecution of Christians trying to evangelize had kept the zone in the dark.  Two weeks ago, Junior leans on their deadly trees, crumbles their town's demonic symbol, and tells them about God and Satan, and then last week, tells them about the Creator of their trees, of their children, of themselves.  Last week, they asked him to please come again this Sunday to explain to them how sin, like jealousy and murder, came into the world.  He's prepared the story of Cain and Abel.

And unlike Konpech promised, Junior isn't dead.  But the tree is.

take that.  

I know what everyone else is saying...this morning I want to know what KONPECH is saying.

We'll find out Sunday!

deadly trees, Story #1 and power

Get ready to get REALLY excited about this blog...

Side note:  Our internet issues make me want to SCREAM!  A few days without internet is no big deal, but by today, day NINE, I am nothing but irritated at our inability to communicate, see pictures, show pictures, upload an interview which is already late, talk to our families, upload Matt's master's assignment, download his lectures, order materials for the seminary...all of which is dependent on internet! You are missing out on some GREAT pictures!

Pray that whatever the problem is would become resolved, or that the Lord would work on my attitude and teach me something from all this!

Besides, I have lots to be content about, and today ended up being downright exciting...no computer required.

I had shared with you a few days ago that Junior was to begin a "Front Gate" ministry today with community members that want nothing to do with church, but want to know more about the Bible.

Well, this afternoon at the set time, no one showed.  I would have been disappointed, but would have appreciated the afternoon off.  But not Junior.

He decided instead to spend the time he had dedicated to evangelizing, and just "headed off" in search of an un-evangelized area.  Heading straight out the gate to the first house across from us, he asked the grandmother if there was a zone nearby that had no church or Christians.

She kind of looked at him funny, and said, "Uh, YEAH.  I mean, haven't you heard of Konpech?"

"Well, yeah," Junior said confused.  "Of course I've heard of it.  Everyone knows that is a "mystic zone". (an area in Haiti with a history of being a choice dwelling place for demons and spirits)  But I had meant someplace I could walk to!"

She laughed at him again.  "Uh, it's a 15 minute walk from here.  Straight back.  Just keep going straight back.  I'll send the kids with you to show you, but don't touch ANYTHING once you arrive.  Even just touch one of the trees, and you will surely die.  And DON'T tell them about Jesus, because the last time a group tried to evangelize that area, they threw stones and bottles at the pastors, hurting several of them."

I would have been nervous, and come home to plan and prepare a trip to the area with a large group or something.  But again, not Junior.

He happily headed off with the kids, excited to have discovered an area "in desperate need of Christ" only 15 minutes away.  Upon arriving, however, he was not warmly greeted.  At all.  As soon as he announced to the community, a series of about 20 homes arranged in a circle with several large trees in the middle, that he came to tell them about Jesus, they firmly asked him to leave.

"Unless you're here to tell us more about Satan, you can leave" he was told.  "And don't touch the trees, or you will die!  Our spirits live in them."

"OK, then!  Let's talk about Satan!" Junior said (ah, I LOVE this guy.)  So he began at Story # 1.

Junior's the one that taught me the Bible Story Telling Method of evangelism that I use on Saturdays.  There are about 200 stories, working through the Bible, to be taught ideally each one a few days apart for a full year.  Junior has these chronologically memorized, but I look up each pre-assigned passage ahead of time, review the facts and memorize the story and the questions.  And Story #1 is about the existence of God, and how Satan fell and came to be.

So, Junior told them all about Satan.  Who he was.  How he fell.  How he came to be.  Junior told us this afternoon that everyone in the village seemed to be there...very excluded area, nothing to do on a Sunday afternoon.

When he finished, he walked over to a tree and put his hand on it.  Immediately, everyone (who was beginning to like Junior) apparently freaked out, warning him to quickly offer a sacrifice in order to spare his life.  (How can it be that this community has existed for hundreds of years and today still lives in complete fear of their TREES!)

"Next week," Junior told them, "If you want, I'll come tell you about how these trees came to be (Story #2, Creation), and about why I am not afraid of what you have been afraid of your whole lives."

In the middle of the path upon entering the village, Junior saw the communities "battry."  This is like a spiritual booby trap, something unusual or attractive that people would want to touch that has been cursed and is said to hold much evil power.  Anyone who touches a "battry", a sign of power for the community or witch doctor, is said to die soon after.

Junior said that he could see that this object, in this case a small plank of wood that looked like a small door and wrapped in some kind of ribbon, was highly regarded as a symbol of Satan's great power.  Before he left, Junior picked the embedded "battry" out of dirt path, and quickly broke it between his hands.

"This doesn't have any power over He who is in me"  Junior told them.

"Come back soon," he was told, "So we can see if you are alive and to tell us more stories about our trees."

Junior came home pumped, excited to be back at Story # 1 for the hundredth time in the hundredth place, excited to have found Konpech in his backyard (Konpech is mentioned in Emmanuel Felix's book on Haitian Voodoo), and thrilled to have actually been invited back TO tell them about the very Person they insisted he not mention.

His excitement is contagious...it was all Matt and I could do this afternoon not to leave Lil with Dodo and Bubba and head back with Junior.  We'll have to wait till Wednesday.  (Don't worry, family :) Unlike Sophie, Lily won't be telling Bible stories in Konpech anytime soon!)

Why had I never tried that?  How have we been here for over a year now and not even know that this community existed ACROSS THE STREET?  Why had it never occurred to me, once everyone in Saccanville had heard about Jesus, to just ASK someone, "Are there any people around here that don't know about Jesus?"  How's THAT for an evangelism strategy!

I'm so thankful...as we continue to learn from, be inspired by, and be challenged by the men and women we are here to serve and teach.  Please be praying for this exciting new opportunity to share Him with a lost people.