The Daily Survival Challenge... Our God is Greater, Stronger, Higher!

This past Sunday’s church service was FOCUSED! There was a confidence about how we are to deal with the present challenges facing Haiti. This confidence was expressed through the songs sung, the prayers prayed, the scripture read, the message shared and heard.

A special prayer time to pray for the country and the world was announced for Monday morning 8 am to noon, citing that where two or three are gathered Jesus is also there and will hear the prayers of his people. There was a confidence in the words spoken by Pastor Lumanes, “Peyi sa se pou nou! Li pa pou bandi yo nan Potopwens. Tout bagay ki imposib pou lòm li posib pou Bondye.” ‘This country is for us! It is not for the gangs of Port au Prince. Everything that is impossible for man is possible for God.’ The invitation came, “Vini, nap mete tèt nou ansom pou bay Bondye lwanj.” ‘Come, let’s unite together and give God praise.’

So we sang! “Prè la kwa mapè vèyè, kwè, obèyi, priyè, Jouk tan lè la va sonnen Pou li vin chèchè mwen.” ‘Close to the cross I will watch, believe, obey, pray, Until the time he calls to come to get me.’

“Jezi, pran mwen jan ou wè’m la, san fòs.” ‘Jesus take me as you see me here, without strength.’

“Bondye ou Fidel, ou pa janm pa la.” ‘God you are Faithful, you are always here.’

The sense of confidence was displayed all the way to even the name of the women’s choir… “Konbat” which is a verb meaning combat, struggle.

Psalm 1 was the basis of the meditation. (Please take time to read this psalm!) Pastor Lumanes said for mankind, we more easily imitate what is bad than what is good. “Chak jou mechan ap vin pi mechan.” ‘Each day wicked becomes more wicked.’

“Si ou p’ap viv anba yon benediksyon, w’ap viv anba yon malediksyon.” ‘If you aren’t living under a blessing, you are living under a curse.’

There is indeed a continued stronghold in this world that thinks Truth is power enforced through violence, chaos, hostility, and revenge. It is through this cycle of revenge that Satan remains the ruler of the world

NOW... Please search the song and lyrics of "Thank You Jesus For the Blood Applied" by Charity Gayle.

The song describes to me how at the cross Jesus paid the debt "I" owed. HE made a WAY and gave HOPE. Jesus took MY place, laid inside MY tomb of sin. JESUS was buried there for three days but then JESUS walked right out again, overturning the verdict of the sentence of death. Now death has no sting and life has no end. By your blood YOU have saved MY life, brought me from the darkness and into glorious light. Glory to HIS name.

Read what Jesus says in John 12:31-32... "Now is the judgement of this world; now the ruler of this world will be driven out. And I, when I am lifted up, will draw all people to myself."

The resurrection of Jesus Christ is much more than just a happy ending; it's the Judge's surprising verdict! It was the verdict of heaven's Supreme Court, and it overturned all the verdicts of the rulers of the world. Jesus introduced a new and beautiful truth--the truth of forgiveness. Our God is greater, stronger, higher!

"This is my house! God gave me this house!" Wilta exclaimed with great JOY and confidence. Wilta's family, with her husband and four daughters, was selected to receive a new Safe Home as a result of a generous donation to MH Safe Homes fund.

Jean Rene, MH Safe Homes Coordinator (below L), leads the family in dedicating their new home to continually look to God as their refuge. We read together Psalm 23 and Psalm 91. Jean Rene described a common sight here in Haitian culture of little chicks finding refuge from a storm under the wings of the mother hen. The wings of the mother act like an umbrella for the young chicks where they know they don't need to be afraid. Jean Rene reminded us that as Christians in the ‘daily survival challenge’, we are in a good place, a good place to take shelter; on a good path. That God is where we find safety and we need not be afraid. 

 

Our God is greater, stronger, and higher, than any other! 

You may recognize Mizou (back). She and her daughter Alisyen (front) live together with great grandson Dabentz pictured below. On a visit, this past week, they were found preparing beans to cook that they had grown in their garden. Later that day, the beans were cooking in a pot placed on three rocks over a wood fire. Mizou had gone down the path to "chanje kabrit", to move their goat to a new place to graze. 

Some small provisions were purchased from a neighborhood seller: two gode of rice at an all-time high price of 75 gourdes per gode, one gode of cooking oil and a small baby food jar filled with locally made peanut butter. The corn harvest drying in the sun is also from their garden. 

Below great grandson Dabentz is taking a sack of shelled corn down the road to be ground into corn meal. As our visit was nearly concluded, it was time to walk their two pigs down the road to find a little something to root out to eat. Everyone participates in the 'daily survival challenge'.

MH Ag Department is utilizing many hands to shell the peanut harvest. No question about it, it is a time-consuming process. 

The PRIZE purchase from the Pignon Saturday market... this "Bef" which will provide 'lunch meat' for the First Thousand Days program for the entire month of November. The butchering will start as soon as Kalo changes his 'go to market to buy a "Bef" clothes'...into his 'Butcher's uniform'! (below) 

Kalo says, "Anpil vyann", Lots of meat!  According to Kalo, this one 'rump' hanging from the tree will supply as much meat as eight to ten goats.

Above, Sunday lunch buffet with beautiful presentation. Below, a simply beautiful decoration for October Breast Cancer Awareness month at the Mirebalais hospital. 

This is eleven month old Djuvens. He is in Group A of the Sylvain First Thousand Days program. The problem with his lower lip began to show up at three months of age. Insecurity issues in the country prevent travel to Port au Prince where some specialized medical attention is needed. 

Here you can see the current school pod for elementary grades one, two, and three. The white paths are part of the Prayer Path that encircles the Sylvain campus. See also the Prayer Labyrinth (right). Soon a second pod for grades four, five, and six will undergo construction to the left of the current pod, to be ready to house fourth graders in September 2022.

You also may recognize Elirose. She is a young wife and mother who is by default in the ‘Daily Survival Challenge’. Elirose herself carried the wood to her small piece of land to start her small home with beautiful Mt Pignon in the background. 

Elirose and her family have had many touches from the beneficial ministry functions of MH. She and her husband were married through MH marriage ministry, two sons have passed through the First Thousand Days program and moved on to have a place in MH school.

Along with this is the Power to the Parents program where a family with a first year preschooler is gifted two goats during the first semester. A recent visit with Elirose offered the opportunity for her to share the daily survival challenges she faces with her family. To date she has successfully raised and sold six goats back to MH.  When purchased back by MH, there is benefit of some 'matching funds' going into an education savings account.  

Elirose shares the common daily survival challenge of not having any money to buy food. She says there is no money to buy a little lamp oil to break the darkness of the night. Their three month old baby boy wakes in the night. Elirose says she knows there are roaches crawling on him where he sleeps but she can't see to help him. 

These are the times of real temptation when she says she could quickly decide to take one of her goats straight to the market to sell to get all the money to buy food and other necessary things for her family. BUT, she stands firm against that temptation in favor of investing into her children's education by selling at a later date and getting the additional benefit of the money put into savings to pay school tuition. Elirose is not giving up. 

Last year her son Kerventz was burned by a cooking fire. MH was able to assist with some medical expenses that were out of range for the family to pay. Even with all these hard life difficulties Elirose says she will never be discouraged. She must keep up the fight of survival. The minute you let discouragement steal from you, you have nothing. Her faith and trust that our God is greater, stronger, higher than any other is how she gets through the day with courage and confidence. 

Elirose with her husband and third son when he was one day old!  They are NOT giving up. 

John Muir, a naturalist renowned for the establishment of Yosemite National Park in 1890 is quoted as saying, "The mountains are calling and I must go". Well, Saturday early morning the mountain called and I went. At the top, as the sun was coming up, God gave this sign. The shadow inside the circle is me with my hiking friend Herby. I heard God say to me, "I know you are here, I love you, and I will always be here with you. See, I have you framed in this circle of light." 

So if Elirose is not giving up, nor Mizou … Wiltha … Djuvens’ family… How could we possibly give up?

Our God is greater, our God is higher, our God is stronger than any other. Into the darkness You shine! Out of the ashes we RISE! Our God is healer. If our God is for us WHO could ever stop us? WHAT could stand against us?

(Words taken from “Our God” written by Chris Tomlin)

Jesus continues speaking in John 12:35-36. Jesus said to them, “The light is with you for a little longer. Walk while you have the light, so that the darkness may not overtake you. If you walk in the darkness, you do not know where you are going. While you have the light, believe in the light, so that you may become children of light.”

So for ME…JESUS has saved my life. He has brought ME from darkness into his glorious light. My job is to BELIEVE—God’s job is the outcome. How could I give up? How could I NOT give my ALL to HIM? 

What is Truth?

What is Truth?

So many questions on the minds of people around the world today... big questions, deep questions, hard questions, unanswerable questions. Where do we look for answers? Now that's a GOOD question. Where DO we look for answers? It is fair enough to want answers... to need answers.

Many times a question is answered with another question. This is often the case in the Bible, the Gospel, the Living Word of God. Reading in the Book of John we find an amazing story where Jesus is in the middle of a religious trial as well as a civil trial because of his claim to be the Jewish Messiah, the Jewish King. John chapter 18 is all about the betrayal and arrest of Jesus. Talk about QUESTIONS! Standing trial is all about questions. 

Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor at this time, asked Jesus the DECISIVE question, (John 18:33) "Are you the King of the Jews?"  Jesus gives and acknowledgement and continues to say, (John 18:36-38) "My Kingdom is not of this world... For this purpose I was born - to bear witness to the truth." 

I am reading a book titled, "Beauty Will Save the World" by Brian Zahnd that was recommended by a friend. The author is writing how Pilate, in his confrontation with Jesus, asks the cynical question, "What is truth?" 

Continue on in the Gospel of John, (ch 19:10) "Do you not know that I have power... to crucify you?" And there it is! In this moment the truth comes out - Pilate had answered his own question. For Pilate, truth is power; power enforced by violence. Pilate had the power to enforce his truth by condemning Jesus to death on a cross. To Pilate, violence is truth, violence is reality. 

Brian Zahnd describes Pilate's paradigm of truth like this, "In the end it is the truth of power enforced by violence that is the ultimate truth of the principalities and powers... Jesus came into the world to give the world a new truth, a new gospel - the gospel truth that God is love. Jesus and Pilate represent two different truths, two different gospels, two different ways of organizing the world... Ultimate Truth is not power enforced through violence, but love expressed through forgiveness."

"From the day that Cain killed Abel, ultimate reality seemed to be that the world was organized around the principle that those who possess the power of violence run the world. This has been the story of world history... Christ came to give the world a new organizing principle... a principle that would be organized around love and forgiveness."

SO... Yes! there is much unsettling news around the world. Amidst all the trouble, what shall we cling to? What do we know? WHAT IS TRUTH? We must cling to the truth of what we know... and that is

Jesus came, Jesus died, Jesus arose, Jesus ascended, and... Jesus is coming back! For You!             

Remember, we may be in this world BUT we are not OF this world. 

 

Until Jesus' return, the world will continue to see much of this truth of power rather than the truth of love expressed through forgiveness. Currently that truth of power we see in Haiti is expressed through a declared transportation strike. This is a version of the situation that we are hearing here... Gas tankers sitting in the port are not transporting gas throughout the country because the gas truck drivers are striking because of the dangers that lurk in the city of Port au Prince. SO... cause and effect... supply and demand... you can guess what happens... gas prices have spiked! overnight! from 400 gdes per gallon to 1500 gdes per gallon in some areas. That would be the equivalent of approximately $4 increased to $15. Along with that come increased prices across the board...rice, beans, oil... anything that is transported. 

The balance is upset. This doesn't take an economist to see how this will affect families in an already poverty stricken nation. So the population is in an uproar. It is looking like there will be another "Peyi Lok" (Locked Country) where any road leading to any where will be made impassable. This is in demonstration so that the people of the country can have their voice heard... which is to say...           

"We just can't live like this!" 

This common site, simply transporting goods and people from one place to another, will not be seen for the next few days.

Photo by Ben Croghan

 For a time, Many Hands motorcycles may not be able to go zone by zone sharing the Good News of the Gospel of love and forgiveness through Jesus Christ.

Other forms of transportation won't have freedom to pass either!

Photo by Ben Croghan

Yesterday, Many Hands Depot Manager Yves Garard, (pictured below), went about his job of stocking the depot on Many Hands campus with non-perishable items needed for the functioning of Many Hands First Thousand Days Program. He traveled by Three-wheeled motorcycle to Cerca Cavajal in the morning and by motorcycle to Hinche in the afternoon.  

He described his take on the day... he came upon several road blocks but was able to pass after paying the 'local gang' 250 gourdes (approx. $2.50 US). Yves says these are just young men in every small community that simply take advantage of the opportunity when everything is upset already. And the reason being, they are young guys with no job, have no resources to take responsibility for themselves. So they see this little extortion exercise as a way to make a few gourdes. 

Yves point of view is if there were jobs, people would have work and would take responsibility to carry it out and there would be much less of this nonsense that goes on.

Evenie, pictured above, and Beatris, pictured below, had to cross a road block to get to work on Many Hands campus yesterday. There was no room for vehicles of any kind to get through. But pedestrians could pass by ducking under a length of iron that had been welded to the bridge. After they arrived to work, they laughed as they demonstrated their "ducking exercise"! 

Evenie remarks that "only when Jesus returns" will we see the end of the day by day suffering here. 

Beatris says, "people will just have to walk!" Then continues in her dry humor, "When they get tired of walking, they can run! When they get tired of running, stop and take a break and start walking again." 

If you can see into each 'solution' as shared by Evenie and Beatris, you can begin to grasp the resolve, the surrender, most Haitian people have. This is LIFE. Set your mind to get through and rejoice that Jesus is coming back!

Photo by Ben Croghan

In my opinion, rainbows are seen in abundance here. I think there is a reason. Haitian people benefit from frequent reassurance that God is still here with them; he will never leave them. We all need the confidence this gives to handle each day with courage and joy, standing on the TRUTH of the power of love expressed through forgiveness. 

This is the Ultimate Truth!

Blessed!

Blessed! That is how we feel after spending a meaningful time with our family the past couple of weeks. We also now feel blessed that we are packed and ready to return to Haiti. 

Haiti is in the news....sorry to say that's kinda normal. 

We are also blessed to live where we do in Haiti. We will arrive on the Missionary Flights International DC3 plane, landing on a grass airstrip less than one mile from the Many Hands Campus. We will be greeted by many trusted Haitian staff members who are always looking out for our team. The Pignon area where we live is rural and quiet and not an enticing environment for the gangs that seem to think they rule Port au Prince. We will be cautious and stay aware of what is happening in our area.

We understand Haiti seems like a high risk. We as sinful beings on this earth can find hope and strength in the pleading found in Psalm 80, It reads, "Stir up your might and come to save us! Restore us, O God; let your face shine, that we may be saved!" (verses 2b-3)

These words of scripture can demonstrate a proclamation of faith as well as an active prayer to be restored. Repeated in verse 7, "Restore us, O God of hosts; let your face shine, that we may be saved!" Verses 17 to 19 continue, "But let your hand be on the man of your right hand, the son of man whom you have made strong for yourself! Then we shall not turn back from you; give us life, and we will call upon your name! Restore us, O Lord God of hosts! Let your face shine, that we may be saved!" 

We stay vigilant and hope-filled for the intended end of the things of God. Your prayers are coveted as always, to pray for God to restore peace and order.

Above, Jonathan and Anna with daughter Lila in Holland, MI. Below, Jennifer and John with Oliver and Ivy in Spencer, IA.

Grandma and Grandad with Liam in Cedar Rapids with Brittany and Michael below.

The blessing of many beautiful family moments along with many beautiful fall days will be remembered.

What a thrill it will be to return and see the progress that has been made since the end of September! The Maliarette First Thousand Days Center is getting a new entrance. The set up with the former entrance gate did not provide much needed shade. 

This roof will be covered with thatch to provide that missing shade!

Below is a gazebo under construction for the NEW First Thousand Days Center to open in January 2022 in the community of Jean Boule.

The Jean Boule Equipping Center is shown in the background. We are already ready with a kitchen and latrine. The Jean Boule Center is also getting an entrance gate of the same design to provide shade.

As Many Hands is moving into this next zone we are hosting a series of Community Conversations to have a time to share some topics with the community members as well as hear from the community members about what specific challenges they face so that we can get to know each other and work together. Pastor Lumanes, front left, is opening the dialog at this event. 

Please come together in faith with this plea, "Dear Lord, give us life, and we will call upon your name! Restore us, O Lord God of hosts! Let your face shine, that we may be saved! Amen."

This is a time as urgent as any in the history of the world that God's people can be a shining light for Jesus. Allow the Light of Jesus to shine through you in whatever you do.

In times like these....

As we hear from many friends and family and friends of friends and family, we are very touched by the outreach of care and concern as to how we are doing. We are beyond grateful for the prayers and inquiries for our safety and well being. People in Haiti were probably less informed about the status of things following the earthquake than those of you with regular access to world news. Of course people knew the earthquake had happened on August 14 but not much news was reaching our area. The tremble was felt in the Pignon area but no damage. Tropical Storm Fred had passed, then Tropical Storm Grace came through leaving Pignon with some much needed rain. 

Friends of MH have supported Earthquake relief in a huge way. MH relief efforts include sending an initial load of 47,000 pounds of staple food transported in 3 trucks. Then just this week, another 55,000 pounds of rice was purchased and spilt between 4 trucks that have arrived in the earthquake zone.

Monday, I had accompanied a gal seeing an oncologist at the hospital in Mirebalais which is about 2 hours from where we live. While there, I talked to people who had come to the hospital from the earthquake zone. One man I spoke with said his house was completely caved in. His father and sister had died. He was at the hospital with his wife who had sustained injuries and was in need of surgery. Hard to wrap your mind around the depth of loss and sorrow this family must be feeling. 

However, when trouble strikes, the Haitian people don't waiver.  Haitian proverbs are quoted all the time. I don't doubt there is a Haitian proverb that states, "You do what you gotta do!" Because this is what they do. 

And MH is stepping out in this way...  MH staff are shown here working together unloading the trucks that delivered a total of two thousand 27.5 pound bags of rice to MH Campus.   

And here it is!!  55,000 pounds!!

Trucks from the Southern earthquake zone arrive at MH campus at midnight Wednesday, August 25. What had been unloaded earlier that day, by hand, now needed to be loaded, by hand.

For over 2 hours, rice bags were flying!

Two MH staff members, Pastor Jean Ronel Joseph (pictured above) and Ag technician Kely Marcellin (Pictured below in purple), traveled for HOURS on the road to arrive at the destination in the South where the relief aid distribution of the food would take place. 

Temporary housing of sheets and tarps probably didn't withstand the hard rain reported by Jean Ronel. The rain fell all night the first night Jean Ronel and Kely were there. It probably slowed the distribution process a bit. But... You do what you gotta do! 

Kely sharing New Testament bibles, toothbrushes, and little wooden toy cars with people in the area.

In times like these....LIFE MARCHES ON. YOU DO WHAT YOU GOTTA DO! MH ministry continues strong each day in times like these. 

In times like these, after just a 'normal' rain in the Pignon area, a chunk of road that leads to Fontenn, a nearby community where we normally travel to, was washed out.  

This is not 'temporary' housing. This is the day in and day out living conditions without a natural disaster to call in relief aid.

This man was not a victim of an earthquake but a victim of a truck accident. MH offered the life restoring gift of mobility with a mobility cart!

Even in times like these with drought, Avocado trees bear fruit! These Avocados are planned as a supplement to the First 1000 Days Program meal!

In times like these, welcoming a new baby boy into the Pignon community. I find myself trying to imagine the babies that have been born in the South of Haiti since the earthquake. hmmm.

Even in time like these, Gramma can be found playing store with her grandkids, negotiating a price for the clothing they have "for sale". The wheelbarrow would be a typical medium used for selling nearly any type of goods. 

In times like these, MH has audio bibles to distribute. Young and old covet this tool to hear God's Word.

Above is Mme Pierre. Her husband just passed away. We are so thankful she has her audio bible. Below... Mme Pierre's neighbor also getting the gift of an audio bible. MH Chaplain Pastor Lumanes is teaching both ladies how to use it.

You know Joslin, below, and his dad. In times like these...they continue to support themselves by making and selling chairs. Pictured is my ti moto, AKA scooter, where they carefully tie on the load!

In times like these, MH nurse Lerosane seizes the moment to train and teach these young teenage gals about their bodies. Encouraging them to respect themselves.

Odzeliah, who lives in a nearby community, doesn't remember how old she is. She does know President Vincent was in power when she was born. History shows this man was president between 1930-1941.  Odzeliah sweeps her yard each day with the broom behind her. The neighbor says she has a garden where she goes each day to weed. 

In times like these.... Odzeliah's tiny house! with her beautifully kept yard!

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed by thy name; thy kingdom come; thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. AMEN      In times like these.