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Part of the reason that we take Exposure Trips at The Well is so that people can enter into a new culture and experience first hand the sights, sounds, and tastes that being in another country can bring. Theses kind of trips can bring awareness and enlightenment. It also serves to help people recognize that God is so much bigger than our North American culture and our Western precepts. Coming to a country like Haiti allows us the opportunity to see a fuller picture of God and understand how His kingdom is made up of every tongue, tribe, and nation.
We were able worship at two different churches today, one in Pignon, which is the host city for our trip and the main church associated with Christian Friendship Ministries. I was asked to preach this morning and was delighted to share God’s Word with my new brothers and sisters in Christ. We were told the service would start at 8:00 a.m. So I awoke early to spend some time with the Lord and review my notes. During my time, I began to hear singing coming from the church, which is right next door to where we are saying. I thought nothing of it as most mornings there have been people entering the church for praise and worship. But then our host came into the room and said there was a mix-up and the service had already started. But not to worry, he said, eat your breakfast and then we’ll go. So we hastily scarfed down our food, got dressed and then rushed into the church where they were already 30 plus minutes into the service.
Talk about being flexible and having to adjust on the fly. Before I knew it, I was standing in front of 250 people, most of whom I had never met, all staring at my light skin. Next to me was Peter, the Haitian Director of CFM, who was going to translate as none of the people in the audience understood any English. So together Peter and I shared from the Gospel of John, chapter 6. I would speak a couple of lines, pause, wait for Peter to translate into Creole, then speak again and repeat the action. Some 40 minutes later we had reminded everyone in the church that only Jesus Christ can satisfy them, that He truly is the Bread of Life. A very surreal experience to say the least, but I am grateful for the privilege to teach God’s Word and for a man like Peter to make it come alive for his people.
From there, five adults and three children jumped in a truck and we travelled to St. Raphael to attend another church service. I’ve been on a bad road before, but nothing quite prepared me for what was to come. To say it was rocky would have been kind. It was windy and full of holes and rivers to cross and huge boulders to avoid. Along the way we saw primitive homes and buildings on the side of the road. We also saw the faces of men, women, and children. There were many animals along the way, we often had to honk at them so we wouldn’t run them over. Eventually we ended up in St. Raphael and participated in a service that included worship, teaching, and communion. While not understanding a single word of what was being said, it was obvious that Christ was being exalted and God’s Word was being proclaimed. We were well received by the people in the church and had a delightful time seeing the orphanage and school that is connected to the church.
We continue to be blown away by what we are encountering here in Haiti. Each night we gather with our host and we discuss our observations, highlights, and experiences. They have been amazing and fascinating conversations and they keep us mindful of the Lord and what He is up to, both here in Haiti and in our own lives. We begin our Men’s Conference tomorrow and we are eager with anticipation to what God will do with all the work and preparation we have put into this. Please keep Sam, John, and myself in your prayers as we dive in tomorrow and seek to love, teach, and learn from our Haitian friends.