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Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Excerpts taken from Brother Chuck's Log - Mission Trip to Haiti
Another night of roosters crowing, dogs barking, sheep baa-ing, people snoring and the Haitian Missionaries singing at about 2:00 in the morning. Most of the team members have gotten used to the sounds and sleep right through it now, but there are some who wake up to these strange noises and, thank God, are able to go back to sleep.
Today we had both the clinic and VBS in Z'Orange at the church. The clinic was up on the platform, and VBS was in the back. Today they were a little busier than yesterday; it was a steady stream of people all day.
I had to go into Port to get some more water and groceries, and I cannot tell you how wonderful it is to be able to drive into Port with reliable transportation. I can't thank everyone enough for this wonderful gift. I went into Port and was back in 3 hours; I actually got back in time for lunch.
Pastor Lonnie, Chuck, Ken and Will walked up to Jerusalem II, which is a 2-hour hike straight up a mountain. For the ones who had not taken this hike before, I warned them that this is not for the fainthearted. When Pastor Lonnie and Chuck came back, they said I had not exaggerated. In the late afternoon, Dr. Raina and Dr. Saunders came to me with a young boy who they think has meningitis. They said we needed to get him to the hospital in Port-au-Prince. Dr. Saunders and I took the mother and little boy down to the main road so they could take a tap tap (truck like a taxi) to the hospital. I gave them enough money for transportation, and for doctor and medicines. Hopefully, we will hear from them before we leave to see how he is.
Pastor Lonnie was suppose to preach at Jerusalem IV and Will was going to show a video of creation, but God had another plan. It began raining, about he time we were supposed to start. People here will not go to church when it is raining; it is just too messy with the mudd-its bad enough they have to walk in complete darkness. Jerusalem II has a thatched roof, so that service definitely was cancelled. Tomorrow night will be the last night of the Revival, and the churches will be attending.
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Excerpts taken from Brother Chuck's Log - Mission Trip to Haiti
Monday night we didn't have as many people as I would have liked at the church service, but I know it was exactly how many God wanted. The reason there were so few is that on Monday and Tuesday they have market here and the locals walk for five or six miles down a mountain and then back up in one day, so they are tired. I prayed that night that the Lord would send more people and the Lord said, "Put some feet on that prayer and I will show you the way." He gave me the thought of sending Will to Jerusalem IV in Gabriel (military truck) to pick up people so they would not have to walk to the main church, and afterwards, we could drive them back home. I thanked the Lord for His solution to my problem, but thiswas just the beginning. Tuesday afternoon a truckload of about thirty Haitian missionaries pulled up singing and praising the Lord. The Pastor of this group told us he had a vision two weeks ago that this was where he was suppose to come on this day and stay for three days. We will be having our revival three more days.
What is amazing to me is that I did not see this as a miracle as it was happening. I just thought this was strange for these people to come all the way up here from Port-au-Prince and be dropped off for three days. Then at church last night, the Lord nudged me and said, "Here is your prayer answered." How many time does the Lord answer our prayers in another way than we ask and we don't see it? I just have to ask the Lord to forgive me for being slow and thank Him that He shows me that he does answer my prayers. He answered this one two weeks before I asked.
The team is doing great. They are working in perfect harmony, as the church should. We are so blessed that He gave us this opportunity to serve Him. Please continue to pray - the Lord has just begun His work for this team.
Monday, April 25, 2011
Excerpts taken from Brother Chuck's Log - Mission Trip to Haiti
After breakfast, Cathy gave the devotion, and then the Team got busy getting the medical and VBS things ready to leave by 8:30 to go to Daniel's voodoo village. When we arrived, very few people were there, as usual. It seems they have to see us coming before they begin to come. Ken, Ginette, Laura, Ivory, Beverly, Lotta, Chuck and Will started the VBS off in front of the voodoo temple, as you can see in the pictures.
The Medical Team consisted of Raina, Marilyn, Kat, Cathy, Saunders, Linda, AJ, Simon, and Pastor Lonnie; they started the clinic on the porch of Daniel's house. People slowly began to line up, and it is amazing to see the quiet order in which they did so. Six years ago any medical clinic was total chaos; we would have to stop the clinic and tell everyone to line back up before we would continue. We would have to do that several times a day, and threaten to come to a complete stop if they would not get in line. Now, because of God's presence, there is peace and order. Our God is a God of order, and He is pushing satan out of this valley.
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Our efforts to call sinners to repentance, to reclaim backsliders and to edify the Saints have taken on new meaning as God blessed us to send Pastor Wesley and Deacon Gary Brown to minister to the people of Z’Orangers, Haiti. They were there from March 27 to April 3. Below is just a sampling of the report they are giving to the church. Also, Pastor Wesley kept a daily journal which will be published in its entirety in our next issue of CRE. You don’t want to miss it. This is not the first time we have been blessed to take part in foreign missions, as Sister Willa Adams is sent yearly to minister in Romania. However, Pastor Wesley is now prepared to make Haiti our central focus in all foreign mission efforts of the church.
“Several things struck me,” said Pastor Wesley. “The hunger for the Word of God, the exciting worship of God and the longing for companionship are all at the top of that list.” Pastor also noted the repeated personal references made by the Haitian people. “One Haitian girl standing between me and a Haitian boy said to me through one of our interpreters that my hair looks like his hair, and my face looks like his face. “Another Haitian man said to me that he and I have the same root. That was his way of saying that we have the same ancestors. And these kinds of comments were also made to Gary (Deacon Brown). They really seemed to appreciate our being there. And I cannot help but think that our shared ethnicity had a lot to do with that. For many of them, I believe Gary and I were the first African-Americans they may have ever seen.”
Pastor Wesley and Deacon Brown were blessed to travel to Haiti with Truth Evangelistic Ministry (truthem.org), based out of Fort Walton Beach. Headed by Charles Martindale, Truth Ministries has a long history of Godly service to the Haitian people, making multiple trips per month. Brother Martindale’s home church, Wright Baptist of Fort Walton Beach, pastored by Sean McMahon, serves as a sister church to the Jerusalem Baptist Church in Z’Orangers. Jerusalem held a pastor’s conference and revival during the week of the visit, and Truth also held Vacation Bible School, a health clinic and several Bible Studies during the week.
We give God all the praise for another chance to join Him in His work of calling, reclaiming and edifying, and we eagerly await our next opportunity in Haiti. Will you join us?
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