Story 1 - youth group

Mount Zion Church Youth Group

While at Living Hope Mission in Haiti, I had the joy of being part of the church's youth group. This group of young adults and teens had a unique bond in Christ.

Every Sunday evening there would be a meeting. They would open in prayer, then one youth would lead a 15 min devotion and then they would do an activity - board games, show-and-tell, movie or Andris would give some teaching. On those Sundays, we saw many new faces from the community.

Yet, more than a once a week meeting was the day-to-day interaction of many of these young folks at the mission. It may have meant a soccer game with the director, Andris; practicing a song for the upcoming Sunday service; sitting around the outdoor kitchen enjoying rice; making hundreds of paper flowers for the upcoming Mother's Day or working together to lead a church service. I saw beauty of unity, friendship and encouragement in the body of Christ through these people.

Then I came - a white, American dumb to the understanding of their language, Creole, and their culture. I moved in with the mission's directors, Andris and Mary Jane, for an unstated amount of time. ( I was not allowed to state when I was leaving until the day before departure.) Yet, this group opened wide their arms to me like they did to others coming from their community. This was one quality I especially admired - they could be a close group but were still able to include another.

In the video above you can see us singing, "The Battle Hymn of the Republic" in French.

"Just how did you come to singing with them?" I hear you asking.

I had been at the mission for one week. The youth were practicing songs for the upcoming Mother's Day program. I was watching. Andris then asked,"Do you want to try singing with them?"

"Yes" I answered. I timidly joined the group and tried to make those "funny" sounds. A couple days later I wrote in my journal

"...I went to practice with the youth for the upcoming program. One song, "Alpha & Omega", I don't know in English... the other was "The Battle Hymn of the Republic". In the chorus, the boys would sing "Glory, Glory" in there low voices followed by the girls, "Hallelujah". We sang in Creole of course. I simply watched Fenel's lips and listened to those around me." That is how I learned (and would still be if I were there now) - lip reading, listening and singing.

The language barrier was the biggest challenge for me those months. When I arrived I knew only a handful of phrases in Creole and when I left I could speak no more than in a light conversation (if you could call it that). This was frustrating. I love to talk to people, learn about them and simply understand what's going on. I remember on day in particular ... I was standing outside, we had just finished a Bible study.

"Koman ou ye?" Degazon, the cooking teacher, had asked with a smile. "Koman ou ye" means "how are you" in Creole. I had probably already heard this question 100 times that day. When one of the only phrases you know is "How are you" and you see 100 people. Guess what they ask you? and when the only reply you know is "good" ...

"I am frustrated," I retorted in English.

"Fr-ust-ra-ted? I don't understand?" She said with a very confused look, "In Creole?"

"I am well," I responded with a laugh at her confusion.

Yes, a language barrier is a frustrating barrier which crumbles in the matter of time and study. One way, I found to crack this barrier was singing with the youth. I got to the point in which I "mastered in making those funny sounds" even though I didn't understand what those words meant. But hey, that could be semi-fixed by having a couple high school students practice translating into English..

I thank God for the opportunities He gave me in interacting with the Zion Church youth group.

Mesi Senye! Mwen renmen Haitian zami yo mwen!

Thank you Lord! I love my Haitian friends!

Home again

Home again. It's been awhile since I've wrote anything on this blog ... let me give a little update. I came home to Kentucky about a month ago. Thus, I have completed my School of Servanthood internship with Reaching the Nations International. I've had quite the adjustment coming home. Let's say I wasn't expecting culture shock coming back to the place where I "look" (and act) like everyone - my own home. Yet, it hit me in the face. It's been a month and I'm about adjusted to our simple, complicated life in the cabin.
Here I am at a place seeking God for "next steps". One of the greatest things I learned this year was how much I need to learn. I think college is my next step. This next bit of time I'll be trying to "learn" what skills I can. My ambitions are high ... I want to learn French, how to crochet, knit, become "better read", guitar and so forth. But I find most days all I have time for is cleaning, cooking and going to work. We'll see what happens. I have to go now but I want to leave with a thought which Oswald Chambers left in his book "My Utmost Highest". "If you are going to be used by God, He will take you through a multitude of experiences that are not meant for you at all, they are meant to make you useful in His hands, and to enable you to understand what transpires in other souls so that you will never be surprised at what you come across. Oh, I can't deal with that person. why not? God gave you ample opportunity to soak before Him on that line, and you barged off because it seemed stupid to spend time in that way." Jonathan and I

Sveta playing the violin and cousins dancing

Some of those I love

All dressed up in country looking clothing.

My three youngest siblings.

Jonathan

quote

"Live each moment intensely"
-Mother Teresa

Haiti part one

Emily and I with some kids

Ashley and I with kids (Eddyson, Eberdine, Gessica, Lyberly, and Tarcha.) This was my last day in Haiti.

Have you ever asked the "Why" questions?

Hi friends and family

As many know I've been in Haiti the past three months. A week ago, today, I was flying home from the place and people I had grown to love on my way back to Columbus, Ohio to some more people I love and to finish my internship with Reaching the Nations International.
I plan to add a few posts with photos and stories from those months in Haiti. I am now sorting through my photos. I lost all the pictures I took the first two months but I was given all the photos the Mission took so I'm gonna have to see what I'll have to share.
Coming back was difficult for me, yet God's helping me keep it all in perspective. I'm trying to find my place in Columbus. I've even wondered "Why am I here?" ... Since in Haiti, I've seen area's of growth needed in my life ... now I'm ready to go do what's needed there so I can be "useful". But here I am ... God knows why. All this I'm writing is related to what Helen Morgan wrote once ... ( In our lives ) "How anxious we are to see 'fruit'. When a little appears we tend to brag about it and even photograph it because it seems to justify our existence to others and "make it all worthwhile". But we do not need to justify our existence. God called us and will use us when and how he wants. Dare we say that simply to obey Him is not worthwhile?"' I love that last line - the punch line. "Dare we say that simply to obey Him is not worthwhile?"
In my own life, I want to get on with things so I can "hurry" up and see some "fruit". Aren't you glad God's not in a hurry. That's one thing I love about God. The Bible says, " God is not slack concerning His promise as some count slackness but is long suffering toward us not willing that any should parish but that all should come to repentance." In my impatience I am wanting to "justify my existence" here. I ask, " Why am I here?". I want to be "needed" in my own little corner here. Have you ever felt that way? Dare we say that simply to obey Him is not worthwhile?
Yes, but ...
Dare we say that simply to obey Him is not worthwhile??
Yes, yet Why ...
Dare we say that simply to obey Him is not worthwhile? God called us and will is use when and how he wants. Isaiah 45: 9 says , " Shall the clay say to him how forms it, " What are you making?' ... No that would be silly to even think about. In verse 12 God goes on by saying, " I have made the the earth and created man on it. I - My hands - stretched out the the heavens, And all their host I have commanded. I have raised him up in righteousness, And I will direct all his way; ..." Next time you are out in a meadow full of wildflowers, or gazing into the starry night or upon a mountain sun-rise with the dew softly resting on the grass or are watching your children ponder the Creator of All - Him who by His hands stretched out the heavens - Him who made the earth and created man in His own image. I think that kind of Creator knows what He is doing in your life and mine. Do you?
God knows the beginning and end of the picture. I present a challenge to you if you have ever questioned like me ... Dare we say that to simply obey Him is not worthwhile?

A Little about Haiti

Ok. This picture in blurry. Here I am with my 5th grade class. Last week I practied two English songs with them everyday which they sang for church Sunday. The kids are a joy to me.

Here are some of the children lined up for school to begin. This school has about 200 students in attendence grades preschool -6th.

Flowers, flowers. We made 100+ paper geranium's for the Mother's Day Program.

Inside the church. This is at the Mother's Day Program on May 31st.

The youth sang a song for the Program. I joined them. They were singing, "Alpha and Omega". I didn't even know the song in English. Here I listen to the one beside me, read the lips of someone and sing...

People, people, people, we had about 500 come to our Mother's Day Program.

Here I am sideways ... With Baby Joos. Notice the chicken in the background. We're in the church ... There are a couple plump chickens that hang out around the church. One day, I went down to the church to teach the English to a couple youth. Low and behold, two chicken were perched on the bench my students usually sit on. It looked as if they were ready for class.

Can we fit everyone and the church in the photo? Nope.

Can you find me? I'm on the back right.

You can see the church in the background. It's still under contruction. About one third of it has a roof.

In this picture you can see the side of the church with the roof.

Haiti

Haitian sunset.

Mary Jane and Andris (in foreground)

mission grounds ( in background)