GO YE- Haiti 2012

“If He was here, Jesus would walk the same way,” Patrick turned and said as we followed him single-file up a steep path of rocky terrain and plantain trees while little Richardson hugged my waist tightly to ensure I didn’t fall. Patrick may not have known the weight of his words at the time, but that phrase stayed with me as we made our journey up the dirt trail to a woman’s house in need of prayer. Even now as I’m back in America, sitting comfortably with a full belly in a climate controlled room, the phrase “WWJD?” has taken on a whole new meaning.

Patrick, our Haitian translator, the man who learned English through self-teaching of comparing his Haitian Creole Bible with the English version, only a mere 6 weeks ago I might add. Patrick, 26 years old with a 16 year old sister and a 9 year old brother, a mother who passed away on July 15, 2011 and a father who died when he was a young boy, once attended school in the Dominican Republic but had to return home to his village due to costs of his education. Patrick, our Haitian translator who works for Mission of Hope in order to put food on the table for his younger siblings and who God used mightily to impact our entire team. But there I go, getting ahead of myself….

Note: I started to document and write everything about this trip, the details, day to day…but it didn’t feel right, details aren’t what I want to share. The people, that’s what I want to share. The ones I traveled with, and the ones I met that impacted my soul to its very core. So please, as you read on, let these characters in my story of Haiti January 2012 touch your heart as they have touched mine.

MAIN CHARACTERS: There are two main characters in my story, without these two people, my Haiti experience would be just another mission trip. Let’s meet them, shall we?

PATRICK: I wrote a bit about Patrick earlier, but I don’t want you, the reader, to miss out on the great depth of love our team, and myself, have for this humble man. Our first real encounter with him was when he accompanied us into a village called Source Matelas (pronounced “Seuss Mahtlay”). He was quiet, watchful, and in his slow, yet perfect English, he told us we would be going from house to house, asking people if they know Jesus, if they are saved, and if there are any prayer needs. We did as we were instructed, and the first woman we came to had back pain, the first man we came to (Charles Mac), the same problem.  As we took turns praying for these people, it was immediately evident that Patrick was more than just our translator, he was a prayer warrior. The authority in which he prayed startled me, but I loved it. I knew this man was for real. In that village that morning, there were 3 women led to Christ, and one woman (Sandra) who Derek baptized using Rebecca’s water from her water bottle.  There were many people we prayed over, including a lady who was due to have a baby in about month. There were village children all around, most wanting us to cut our evangelizing short so we could play soccer.  It was in that village, going up the path I wrote of prior, that I really felt like one of His disciples. I looked down at my feet, filthy in my sandals, and I knew why the washing of the feet was such an honoring experience for the disciples. We went into homes that had no airflow, in the 90 degree weather with several people crammed into one room, and I knew, our Savior must have done the same thing.  I held a newborn baby, soaking wet in urine, but sleeping as peacefully as can be. And it was Patrick who was our guide, it was Patrick who led us in song on the way back from the village for he knew our hearts were heavy with what we had just seen. We saw Patrick be silly that afternoon while visiting an orphanage. He danced, he sang, he jumped. He had a gentle way with the children and our team knew we were in good hands when he was around. The following day, Patrick came with us to the village of Leveque where MOH had broken ground on 500 new homes to replace tents put up after the earthquake. Not only did he come with, he helped us paint (yellow) a house for a family who would soon be moving in. Before long, we were once again singing by his leading and while he worked side by side with Debbie on the inside of the house, he learned what her teasing was all about. J The Haitians don’t quite get our sense of humor, but Debbie tried.  She and I also tried to teach Patrick the song, “this little light of mine.” That day while painting, Patrick heard and saw all of our silliness, and loved us just the same. We learned more about him and he learned more about us, and when it was time to say goodbye when we returned to the mission, we reminded him that while he will see several teams each week and may never remember us, that we would never, ever forget him and would always be praying for him. As we stood in a circle of goodbyes and tears, Patrick reminded us, “When you go back home, you love everyone. You preach the Gospel. You make disciples.” Did he understand that our team was called the “Go Ye” team and that what he had spoken was our very mission? Probably not, but God knew what we needed to hear, and who we needed to hear it from.  Debbie later told us that Patrick opened up about wanting to preach the Gospel and evangelize all over Haiti. I pray one day, with his brother and his sister that they will get to do that. Thank you Patrick, for that’s all I can say. There aren’t enough pretty words in the entire world to make you understand how special you were/are to me and my team.

ELIZABETH: Our group coordinator/leader for the week. I instantly fell in love with this beautiful brunette who was all smiles and passion. Her story at the Mission of Hope began a couple of years ago while she was living in her home state of Colorado. She had a great job, all of her family and friends were there, but something was nagging her. She kept hearing from God to move to Arkansas. Ha! Arkansas! From Colorado! That’s what she was thinking…she had no idea what in the world He was asking of her or why, but through many sleepless nights, she finally obeyed Him. She packed up and moved away from financial security, family and friends to journey on a path that God wanted her follow. In Arkansas, she got connected to a church that went on mission trips yearly. Though Haiti wasn’t ever on her radar, she somehow got corralled into going to the Mission of Hope with a team, and when she arrived, she knew. She couldn’t get enough and had to go back, and the “whys” and “whats” and “whens” of obeying God started to make sense. It was then that an internship opened up for her to stay at MOH for 3 months, and that later led to a job. This story stayed in my heart during our stay on the mission. Obedience. Where would she be had she not moved to Arkansas? Her love of the Haitian people and land, her compassionate heart, and her tender spirit were contagious! And ya know, the next time He asks something of me that doesn’t make any sense, I’m going to remember Elizabeth’s story. We all need to remember Elizabeth’s story.

THE SUPPORTING CAST:

THE CHILDREN: Each and every one, whether I remember their name or not. But especially Tracy, who followed us the entire time at Source Matelas and who, after I gave a pack of granola thins to, was licking the paper because she was so hungry. And then there was 11 year old Richardson at the village who told me he loved me and held me tight. Little Pierre at MOH orphanage who sang “Hallelujah” and Matthew who kept telling me “no” every time I’d say his name. Steve who let me love on him, Christina who I met last time I was in Haiti at the Berci property, and saw again on this trip. There was Juna that I held, Phalencia from Victorious Kids Orphanage who is 13 and very very smart, little Guanshay (sp?) who sang to me as she rubbed my cheeks and wiped my tears, Revaldo who sang like a champ, Bobby, Jerry, and the list goes on and on and on. So many faces, so many little hands, so many smiles and hugs and kisses, all happy and unselfish in giving their love freely and openly.

OUR PRAYER WARRIORS: in particular? My mom (mine and debbie's, and derek's mom), and our oldest sister, Deanna. Not to mention the countless number of people who invested in us financially and/or prayerfully. The many people who texted and called and emailed me specifically saying they were praying on our behalf, I/we say a big THANK YOU!!! But in particular, it was our mother and our big sister who carried us via prayer to and from Haiti. I have no doubt that they were both on their knees in prayer before, during, and after our trip and I believe that great things can be accomplished for the glory and honor of the Kingdom when people have a supporting cast of prayer partners such as we had.

EXTRAS:

 DELMONT: Another translator at MOH, he said after he graduated school, he would travel around the world, maybe even Tampa, FL, and be “the BEST SOCCER PLAYER EVER!!!!”

MOH’s PRAISE AND WORSHIP TEAM: our Haitian Hillsong

OUR “GO YE” TEAM: myself, Derek, Rebecca, and Debbie

THE OTHER TEAMS ON THE MISSION: Miranda and her family, Sarah, Isabelle, Cindy, Christy and her family, Bill and Jean

JOHN FROM LEVEQUE: the man with 28 children and 15 mommas of those children…wow! Talk about a lot of baby momma drama…. But such a sweet man who helped me learn more Creole

HOSANNA: a widow in Source Matelas who was so grateful to God and couldn’t stop praising Him for what He had done in her life

THE GOATS, CHICKENS, DONKEYS, COWS, HORSES, DOGS: enough said

AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, MY HUSBAND, DAVID: Without this man's support, prayer, love, and gratefulness for how the Father uses me overseas, I would never be able to take this trip, see Haiti, understand that God's love has no borders, and shine His light in a dark world. Thank you, David. I love you so!

AND SO MANY MORE PEOPLE!!!!! SO MANY MEMORIES, SO MANY STORIES, SO MUCH SPEAKING TO MY SPIRIT FROM THE FATHER!!!! SO MUCH PRAISE I GIVE TO THE GIVER OF LIFE!!!!!

I pray I never forget what it was like to walk off the beaten path, have a man named Patrick turn to us, and say “If He was here, Jesus would walk the same way.”