There were over 10,000 of you individual people who kept up with this blog after the earthquake and then I just dumped you. Sorry about that.
Anyway, I thought I should probably bring you up to speed as we just remembered the fourth year since the earthquake. We were in Haiti for that anniversary. It was solemn but beautiful.
Bryan and I have gone back to doing the stuff we did before the earthquake: Bryan is a building contractor and I'm the director of a little library in upstate New York. We're still raising a couple of kids. And we are still leading teams to Jeremie, Haiti, where we worked before the quake. We lead a few teams a year to experience the roller-coaster ride that is Haiti. Extreme beauty, kindness, joy...and extreme suffering, poverty, hopelessness...
We provide a way for people to experience the Haitian people and their culture and we give them opportunities to minister in Haiti. Every team is different.
We've taken medical teams, dental teams, optical teams, and often, people with no special skill sets who just want to see what "missions" are all about. Well, Haiti has open arms and there is a place for everyone.
I am publishing the newletter from our January trip if you are interested in keeping up with us or in going to Haiti yourself: Here goes...
As you know, Bryan and I
have been leading teams to Haiti for 25 years, following the example of my
parents. We’ve seen government coups, embargos, hurricanes, death, disease, earthquakes and drought. We’ve
also seen the rain come. We’ve seen revival and restoration and rebuilding.
We’ve seen people healed naturally and supernaturally. We’ve brought hope and
been given hope.
The current President of Haiti, Haitian pop-star-turned-president is, for the
first time in our lives, making good on his promises. Things are
looking up. By “looking up” I don’t mean that there is enough medical care, or
food, or an end to poverty. As Jesus said, “The poor will always be among you.”
But there is hope. Even the bus ride only took 8 hours to go 120 miles instead
of the usual 12 hours. This last trip was a beautiful time to be in Haiti. And
for our family, it was historic. Let me explain:
My grandfather, Pastor George Clerie, was a native Haitian
evangelist who preached the gospel in the remote regions in and around Jeremie
in the the Grand Anse province. Many churches were founded in the mountains as
a result of his ministry. When we take teams, we go to visit and encourage
these people, who are George Clerie’s spiritual children, so to speak. I like
to think of it as his physical children visiting his spiritual children! And I
also believe that these generational connections are both physically and
spiritually powerful.
This time, we were headed to the only church that we’ve NEVER visited and our parents have NEVER visited. In fact, our team was to become the first foreigners ever to visit this place. It is called Doco, with perhaps a couple
hundred residents. We would enter the village as Pastor Clerie’s grandchildren
and great grandchildren, and their friends. And yes, all of our kids were on the team, including
our son Travis’s beautiful fiance, Kayla.
Before we left for Doco, we took the team to some traditional places to get a taste of
Haitian culture: From the market, to the cemetery, churches, the public
hospital, orphanages, and into the homes of the people. Some of the team felt
called specifically to children’s ministry so we were able to give them the
opportunity to work with children. They had expected to work with a small group
of 30 but were quickly overwhelmed by 80. The rest of the team would go on to Doco.
The trip to Doco was 1 1/2 hours by truck, then 8 1/2 hours
on foot. We would cross the Voldrog River 80 times. Our Haitian friends kept
track of these crossings by putting a small pebble in their pockets on each
crossing. When they were counted on arrival, sure enough, there were 80 of
them!
On arrival, we were welcomed by a big crowd of curious and
joyful onlookers, who shook our hands, hugged us, and showed us our
accomodations that were specially prepared by the villagers. They had constructed
a framework of poles and tarps for a shelter, and had dug an outhouse made of
palm branches.
After some games, visiting, and a meal with the Haitians,
the lamplit night church service began. It’s actually a misnomer to call it a “meeting” or a
“church service.” I would call it a “celebration” or a “dance marathon!” One of
our team members called it a “disco,” but that’s still too tame! When Haitians praise their Creator, they actually do it...with every fiber of their vocal chords, drums, hands, and bodies. It's a breathtaking experience for the timid chorus-singer who can barely keep a steady clapping rhythm. Surprisingly, at the end of the night, the tin roof still remained.
After the “meeting,” we rolled out our blankets on the
ground outside the church to get ready for bed as 50-75 Haitians quietly watched us from a standing
semi-circle. It was funny to be observed so silently and closely. I could hear
whispers in Creole like, “Oh, that’s a nice bag she’s sleeping in.” I smiled myself to
sleep. Except without the sleep part.
When the Haitians said it would be cold in Doco at night, I
thought, “Yeah, right. To Haitians, 70 degrees is cold.” But they were right.
It was cold. It was New York cold! We all froze during the
night and hardly slept. But it was beautiful. We were happy to be there. Hot or
cold.
The next day we played games with the children and the many
adults, who wanted to play, too! It was a wonderful time of fun and fellowship. We
also visited many of the homes in Doco. They were proud to show us their humble
huts and were regretful that they had nothing to offer us. We learned about their
families and their crops and prayed and sang songs of blessing over their
homes. Some of the oldest people remembered my grandfather and had accepted
Christ when he had preached there over 60 years ago. I was able to introduce them to his great grandchildren, who
they were overjoyed to meet.
That night, there was another 3 or 4-hour dance marathon. This time there were even more people crammed into the tiny church, since others had joined us from across the ravine. Perhaps they heard the celebrating the night before and didn’t want to miss the fun! They slept overnight with us, too.
That night, there was another 3 or 4-hour dance marathon. This time there were even more people crammed into the tiny church, since others had joined us from across the ravine. Perhaps they heard the celebrating the night before and didn’t want to miss the fun! They slept overnight with us, too.
The next morning, we left behind much of what we had carried for the people of Doco to use; tarps, sheets, blankets, backpacks, and Creole Bibles; and began the long walk home. Our hearts were even lighter than our packs.
Our daughter, Kate, has been dating a young man named Brock
Lescheid who was also on the team. At a beautiful place along the river where
the water was crystal blue, he knelt and asked her to be his wife. There was no better
place in the world to win her heart than in the country that courses through
her veins. She said “yes,” of course, and we all had even more cause to
celebrate!
Back at the hotel in Jeremie, we had much to discuss with
the rest of the team. Those that had worked with the children at the orphanage and hospital
shared their hearts with us and we shared ours with them. There were many tears, as usual. There were many laughs, too, and even some
engagement toasts!
The team that stayed in Jeremie had held abandoned babies for hours. They wept over the sick and dying as they prayed. They held
orphans who had never known the love of a physical parent. The Doco team
celebrated, played, and fellowshipped, even with our sore feet. We had different stories about the same God.
Our trips to Haiti aren’t about “a mission” or “a project.”
Our trips are about people. We
give whatever we have to give. It is about personally giving and receiving the
love of the Father. The touch of the Master is very personal.
Bryan and I tried to explain to the congregation in Doco
that the reason we had come on foot and traveled the path of the Haitians is
because we wanted to honor them.
“You see,” Bryan said, “Every year you people of Doco come to Jeremie for the annual convention of churches founded by Pastor George. Every year we see you there, sometimes falling asleep in the pews after your long walk.”
They all laughed.
“You see,” Bryan said, “Every year you people of Doco come to Jeremie for the annual convention of churches founded by Pastor George. Every year we see you there, sometimes falling asleep in the pews after your long walk.”
They all laughed.
He continued, “This time, we wanted to come to you, in the
same way that you have come to us so many times. On foot. We wanted to walk the same route that
you walk.” The church errupted in applause and cheers and “amens” and there was
so much joy at this news! It meant more to them than I ever could have
imagined.
I suppose it shouldn’t have come as such a surprise to me
that “walking in somebody else’s shoes”
would mean so much, especially after having used this well-known cliché for so
long!
But there’s a verse in the Bible that has also become a cliché. How many times have we heard “Deny yourself, pick up your cross, and follow me” without even thinking what that means on a practical level? We may think, “Yeah, it means being totally sold out for Christ,” but that’s just religiousspeak, that’s not practical. What does it really mean?
But there’s a verse in the Bible that has also become a cliché. How many times have we heard “Deny yourself, pick up your cross, and follow me” without even thinking what that means on a practical level? We may think, “Yeah, it means being totally sold out for Christ,” but that’s just religiousspeak, that’s not practical. What does it really mean?
Jesus was
calling us to get outside ourselves and walk his route.
The cross he
carried was a symbol of the weight of the world in all its sin and
suffering. Maybe Jesus was
actually asking us to unselfishly identify with and carry the burdens of
others. Maybe Jesus knew the power of this act.
When we have compassion for someone’s struggle, for their
pain, for their hardship or circumstances, and even when we identify with their
joy, we are able to move in the power of the transforming love of God. What we
say and what we do will minister to their deepest needs. People will actually
believe us when we pray.
There is a reason that flowery prayers don’t speak to
someone who’s suffering. But silent tears do.
There is a reason that Jesus layed hands on people. There is
a reason that he touched them. There is a reason he was “moved with compassion”
before he healed or before Lazarus came out of the tomb.
There’s a reason that going to Haiti moves people to their
cores. It is because for one brief moment, we are taken out of our American
“problems” and self-consciousness and actually identify with and have
compassion for complete strangers. And Haitians see it and are forever changed
by it. And we are surprised. Because we never knew we had it in us!
If imitation is the highest form of flattery, then maybe we
should copy Jesus.
Matt: 16:24 If anyone wants to be my follower, you
must deny yourself, pick up your cross, and follow me.
Thank you so much for your prayers and support of this
ministry, passed down, from generation to generation. If you are interested
in going with us to Haiti, we’d love to have you. We’re even planning an “Old Duffers” trip for people wanting to minister in Haiti but who may not feel
physically capable of being on an “Extreme Team.” I know, the name is not as glamorous, but the work is the same. May God pour His blessings on
your life as you continue to serve Him.
Love,
Bryan and Lisa
P.S. If you are interested in following this blog in the future, the new url will be full-life-haiti.blogspot.com
P.S. If you are interested in following this blog in the future, the new url will be full-life-haiti.blogspot.com
Thank you for coming back to us, Lisa. I am so inspired by your faithful life, your full life, your servant life. My prayers continue for all of you and for me to learn from your example.
ReplyDeleteI am giggling over the "Old Duffers" title - perfect. I also know that I usually state the obvious because it has just occurred to me (I'm slow), but you did exactly as Jesus did in walking the raven path. God came to us to walk our path and show his love in a way that no other religion can claim. His love is so overwhelming. That He, the Almighty Creator, honored us in the living Christ makes me speechless.
ReplyDelete