Another Side of Haiti

Think back for a moment about all the pictures you've seen of Haiti. If you've never been here before, what is your perception of this country?  Do you have an image of innocent, sweet--eyed children looking a bit grungy or hungry? Is it a woman scrubbing her clothes near a stream? Is it an old man with a big garden hoe walking home after a day of working his plantain field? Maybe it's an image of the beautiful rolling mountains, or the filth of the overcrowded cities. All of these images may strike a tender spot in anyone's heart and portray a country of people that surely don't have it like we do in America.

The side of Haiti that you don't often see in photos is, to us, the most burdensome. Barry has driven home at night many times, but one particular night seems to stand out, as the whole family was along for a two hour drive home in the dark. Route National 1 is, for lack of a better word, crazy, even in the daytime. When darkens falls, however, its as though people have lost their minds. The nights are so dark here that driving visibility is minimal, yet the immense parties along the roadways even spread into the roadways. Crowds of people stand right in the lane of traffic and carry on as though they are invincible. They dance and booze and carry on and don't even flinch when headlights suddenly appear just before a vehicle quickly swerves to avoid hitting them. These parties are everywhere, and just as many night clubs are bursting at the seams. There are new ones opening all the time. Young people flock to these parties by the hoards, dressed to the tee in fashionable designer clothing.

In a country with thousands of missions and a church on every block, this is what's happening all over. There is still a voodoo temple or two for every little village.  The drums still beat at night.

The burden for souls is a real need.  Our mission is not to make the Haitians more educated, more prosperous, or get them a visa to America. Our mission is for them to kneel at the cross and begin a sincere commitment to walking with Christ. When a few devoted souls see the truth and are able to witness to their own people, that's when we'll start to see revival.

We have great hope of this happening right here in the little stick church in Hostin, where four hearts have turned to the Lord.  Renalson, at sixteen, seems to have a hunger to learn and and is evidently growing. Annette, the second to come to the Lord, is an astoundingly different person. Her once tough, snappy nature has turned to outright joy and peace.  McLawd, a younger man who has been attending regularly with his live-in girlfriend, also said he wanted to give his life to the Lord. The cost is  high, however. His girlfriend has been earnestly seeking for months, but their situation, we believe, has kept her from full surrender. Pray that these two can see what they need to do and God will help them do it.  Most recently a young mother who hasn't been coming to this church for long made a commitment after the Sunday service.  Pray that we can have wisdom in helping them all to carry on in their walk! The enemy is raging and will do everything possible to stear them off course.

We thank the Lord for working!