Wednesday, March 9, 2016

More Good-byes, But Still Busy



Another group from home has come and gone, leaving us blessed and encouraged to keep on with the mission. We can't say how thankful we are for the help that we've received with getting all of our physical needs taken care of for our stay here. I only had to do a few loads of hand-wash laundry before we were blessed with a basic machine to help with the work.  There are also now more beds available here at the house for those who come to join us short-term.


The week that Solly and Susan's and Frances' were here was a busy one. I would venture to say that the most memorable event for all of us was our day trip up the mountain to visit and see the work that's going on. The brothers from ACCF have invested a great deal in helping the people there. I was thankful for the work that's been done to the road already, as it was still quite bumpy while trying to hold small children on our laps. We bounced along the 4 hour trek up, giving rides to people walking and hearing small children holler "Blanc! Blanc!" as we passed by their homes. It was quite something to see how hard these people work merely to survive. Beautiful fields cover the countryside, all tilled by simple pick-axes handled by men who can go all day without anything to eat or drink. Any small piece of fertile soil is utilized, even amongst rocks and steep hillsides.

Headed home after a day's work.


We stopped to visit with a group of women who were all working together to plant back beans with a large stick in their hand to poke a hole and a pouch of seeds tied to their waists. Just as I began to think that I was tired and hot and I had special rights to just sit because I'm expecting, I noticed that one or two of the women out working in the field were at least as far along as I am. There is no time to complain when living in the mountain. 


Upon reaching the village, the first thing we saw was the new school building that is underway. I can only imagine all the ways a building that size can be utilized by a group of people who are living in stick and mud houses. It was a blessing to see that a couple of homes have been built for the widows in this particular village. There are still several families that could, at a minimum, use something for their children to sleep on. We spoke to a young mother of four children and stepped inside her home. There was only one bed in the two-room, dirt floor hut that housed a family of six. It was mentioned that a blanket drive would be of much help for this village. Evenings in the mountain can be quite chilly, and it doesn't seem at all that there is enough warm bedding and clothing to go around.

When it came time to head back down, we started the trip off at a good pace, but it was quickly brought to a halt when we stopped to drop off a man carrying a heavy load of sugar cane. The clutch pedal had completely stopped working, and we could not move from where we had stopped. While our Haitian friend Ramos helped fix the problem, we took the time to visit with some of the onlookers and take some photos with the amazing creation around us. Soon we were off again, this time moving along even faster, trying to both beat the sunset and stay in gear lest we lose the clutch again. To God be the glory for getting us back safely despite the setbacks and the potential danger at every angle while barreling down the mountainside.



Sunday morning, we had planned to meet at a small "church building" to have a service. The attacks were eminent, as the truck wouldn't start and we ended up being late, but we finally made it there in the middle of a sermon by a young Haitian brother. Aneuse, our translator, helped us to hear his fired up message about Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. "Where is your faith?" He asked a small group of Haitains who had already gathered there. It was a blessing to hear this kind of preaching. It seems there is such a small remnant of true Christ followers around us. 
Barry followed the Haitian's message with a sermon on discipleship. They seemed blessed, encouraged, and challenged to share their faith with those they encounter. We want to urge them to not be affected by the influence that American "mission teams" have had on their culture and on professing believers in Haiti. He explained what it is to be truly born again, and to live our lives accordingly. I have hope that we will see fruit before our time is done here.

Now that we've said our good-byes to another group, there are small daily challenges here at the house while Barry is out working and handling more details. In the US, I had grown accustomed to just me and our small children at home through the day. Now there is almost always someone here seeking something (food, money, companionship, teaching). The language barrier can be a challenge and makes it sometimes difficult to discern who is after the truth and who is after what they think an American automatically has to offer. May the Lord help us in ministering to those who desire a relationship with Christ, and give us wisdom in handling those who are after the "loaves and fishes" but can try to disguise their motives under a false pretense.  


Thank you for your continued support and prayers. Feel free to share your thoughts. We love to hear from you! :) 

-Julia





4 comments:

  1. Thanks Julia! You do well in describing haiti! The Lord will bless your work! I wanted to let you know that we're praying for you but wasn't sure how to reach you so I'll tell you on the comments😊 Eliza currently loves to sing "Be not dismayed what ere betide God will take care of you. Beneath His wings of love abide God will take of you." That is my encouragement for the day! Love Emma for the Graber's

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    1. That's our second reminder about abiding "beneath his wings." It's so precious from the mouths of little ones. Abram's current favorite is "teach me oh Lord to number my days." We have certainly been taken care these first weeks here. Thanks for sharing, Emma.

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  2. Hi hope all is well and your transition to Haiti you don't know me my name is Ralph Barry somebody gave me your information next time I'm in Haiti. I'm with a group of young people from Fort Pitt colony in Canada Elmendorf colony in Minnesota and altony colony in Minnesota. We will be here for about 10 more days wondering how far are you from leogane. We're at an orphanage called OLTCH. Hanging out praying and preaching with kids and doing some repairs. If you're anywhere close by perhaps we can pay you a visit or if you're passing through headed towards the airport. In either case maybe I'll connect with you sometime. I am usually in Haiti every 3 or 4 months

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  3. Oh here is my email candusb@gmail. Com

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