Have you ever felt like there are certain seasons when everything seems to be so broken? Seasons of no easy answers, seasons of not much you can do, seasons of raising your hands and wondering what else could possibly go wrong?
You are not alone. Many dear families in Haiti are feeling that way right now. School and its many bills is back in session, an epidemic of fevers, respiratory infections and colds is going around, and messy political wars continue with very little help filtering down. There is so much pain and hunger and injustice and horrific reality.
The more time our staff and students spend outside the walls of
Emmaus, the more discouraging it can be...the stories of people's everyday lives can be utterly heartbreaking, the difficulties utterly insurmountable, the darkness can feel utterly suffocating.
And so we chose the Jesus Response and we GO. Everyday. Twelve staff and students meet in the chapel everyday at 1 pm, pray together, and beeline out the front gate. Mondays they go to the left, DeMange, Rivere Salle, Plain-du-Nord. Tuesdays to the right, Canette, L'Acul, Pillatre. Wednesdays they head to the overcrowded center of town, Bluehills, O-du-Cap, even out to Tru-du-Nord. Thursdays its to the mountains, out to Dufour and beyond, Fev, even Au Bois.
They listen to people's stories. They sit with the hurting, and pray with the dying, and worship with the seeking. They kick balls with the children and snuggle babies and read to the blind. They don't stand back and preach. They bend down and community, and we love that.
Better yet, they do exactly what Jesus tells us to do in Mark 16, they GO into the world and the share the Good News. The GOOD News.
Something totally different than broken. Something totally different than how it's always been. Comfort for the hurting, hope for the despairing, light for the the darkness, forgiveness for the ugliness, friendship for the lonely, joy for the sadness.
Good News for the broken.
Some people they meet week after week and their lives are utterly transforming. Some are convicted and repent and are glowing stories in our students eyes. Some people chase them out, some communities push them away, some refuse to hear, some throw rocks and curses.
And so tomorrow, we go again.
It's not as exciting as the classroom, it's not as beautiful as chapel, it's not as loud as soccer games or as glowing as class photos...but we wanted you to know about this faithful and steady part of every day, for your prayers.
It is through prayer that grace goes before and behind, it is through prayer that grace softens hearts and that grace protects and endures...the same grace that brought us each to Him. Thank you for supporting work like this every day at Emmaus (give towards community outreach here!), and THANK YOU for remembering us in your prayers.
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