Our last full day at the mission.

Today has been bitter sweet because we all realize that it is almost time to go home. It was our last trip to the rock this morning as a team, it is the final day to finish up anything that needs to be done before we leave, we have to pack and do all the things that are needed to prepare for our departure. There is a large part of us all that is anxiously ready to go home, but I must admit that there is a small part of me that wishes I could stay. It has only taken God a week to develop within me a heart for Haitian pastor's. It hope that God makes a way for me to come back soon and do trainings for them and encourage them in their walk with God.

But today has also been a true blessing because it was today that I was able to meet the young man that Holly and I are sponsoring. s such a sweet child, He is about 6 years old and is full of life. He was able to spend most of the moring with me and the rest of the team. We talked, ate candy, drank juice and played soccer together. It really made me miss my own boys even more than I already do. My children are so blessed, if they realize it or not is a different story, but they don't have the worries and the problems that these children here do. My children will recieve a free High School education, if you want to finish High School here it will cost you. My children have plenty to eat 7 days a week. If these children here get to eat all 7 days they are very blessed. I could go on and on with the differences of my children and the ones in Haiti but I think you get the point. But one difference these children in Hati don't have to experience is your love and support. Because you see just 20 bucks a month feeds this child, clothes this child, educates this child and give him or a her a chance for the future.

Donald Curtis, President of Children's Lifeline International has a dream. And that dream is that a future President of Haiti comes from this program and that they turn this Country upside down for Jesus Christ. I may have met that child yesterday. His name is Mark. Mark is 16 years old and he is a Christian. He speaks very good english and has a very good head on his shoulders. He worked with Brother Marty and myself at the well yesterday. Mark came throuh this program, someone sponsored him, someone sent him a love bundle, someone helped give him an education, someone helped lead him to Christ and just maybe that someone made it possible that Mark may be the that very Moses of this mission that leads his people out of their spiritual bondage. But if not Mark there is someone somewhere that God has a plan for and that someone may be needing you to allow God's plan to unfold in their lives. God bless you all. And thank each of you that made my trip possible.

Day 4 in Hati

Today was a very enjoyable day for me. Saturday morning around 100 pastor's and church leaders gathered at the church that lies within the mission for Pastoral Training. They had gathered here this day in hopes of learning something from an American pastor, but in reality this American Pastor learned something from them. Their Spirit was so true and humble, they hung on every word and after a little over two hours of teaching and questions and answers they were offered lunch, but they chose to postpone lunch so they could recieve more of the Word of God. Their spiritual hunger was greater than their physical hunger. Back home I have people complain because we are not out of church on Sunday's when everyone else is. And these men and women didn't want Pastor Larrie Pike and myself to stop. We may have more money, food and lands in America, but we sure are poor compared to the Hatian's spirit of worship and hunger for God's word. (The picture above is of the translator and myself after the Pastor's Training)

After the traning we took a ride to a orphanage that Lifeline feeds. This was one of the saddest sights that we have witnessed. To see all those children that has been left in this cruel world all alone, no family to speak of. They seemed to be very ecited to see us. Maybe it was candy we brought or the love and attention that they knew we were going to give them but very quickly we became very popular and each of us easily found us a new friend.

Each of us that went to this orphanage left there with a change life. These boys and girls have no one to depend on in this world except the Pastor that runs this orphanage, he is there only hope of survival. I pray that he never grows weary in well doing but will continue on dreading the path that God has placed him one and continues to minister to these children. But without the food support of Children's International Lifeline his job would be 4 times as hard. God bless all of you that support this ministry because when you do you are feeding these children. God Bless.

Hati Day 3

On our 3rd day in Hati we took a trip to one of the schools that recieves food and support from Children's International Lifeline. It was at this school that I was able to meet the child that my parents sponsor. It was a thrill to get to meet this young man and share with him the love of Jesus and the love and prayers of my family. We played with some of the toys we purchased him and then I was allowed to walk him home to help carry his load of goodies. It was at his home that we found out that he and his family share their home with 2 or 3 other families and this house barely looked big enough for one family. My heart began to melt as I thought of this young man's living conditions and the dificulties that he faced on a day to day bases. It is times like these that I am so grateful for what I have.

As many of you know, Holly and I are preparing for the arrival of our 4th child, a little girl. And I have been worried about where we are going to put her, for all our bed rooms are taken. But after seeing this young man's house it is as if I live in a mansion. A house with 5 rooms in Hati can house 5 families, each family gets one room. And I was feeling bad because of the possiblity of my two oldest boys maybe going to have to share a room in the future. Now I realize we are blessed to be able to have our own bedroom and not have to share one room with our whole family. God help us to always realize how blessed we are and never allow me to forget the many good things you have done for me.

After we left the school we went a few miles down the road to another feeding station to assist in feeding the children. This was truly a great and unique experience. Some of the children after they had eaten would try to fool us blondes, that is what they cal white people, and sneak back in line to eat again. Tell a child they couldn't have 2nd's was more than I could bare. But it was Friday and many of these children realized that they wouldn't be able to eat again until Monday. This trip has surely given me a new outlook on life and a greater appreciation for the things that I have been blessed with.

Day 2 in Hati

Today has been a very eventful day to say the least. It started out at 5:00 a.m. with no electricity, and let me tell you my friends it is hot in Hati at 5:00 a.m. By 7:00 a.m. we were headed to the "Rock" for devotions. The "Rock" is a very special place to this mission. For it was on the "Rock" that the founder of this mission, Arnold Lemke prayed and recieved a vision from God about what was God's will for this wonderful mission that has touched and transformed many lives in the past several years. Since the day that Bro. Lemke went to the "Rock" this has been a very special place to get a hold of God in a mighty way. And get a hold of God this morning we did. Our devotion was led by Sister Linda, a woman on our mission team. She is from Ohio and she has a heart for God and a very loving spirit that is evdident no matter what language you speak.
After our devotion we came back down the hill in just enough time to see the children enter the school yard to play. And it was there in that school yard that my heart was stolen away, (Sorry Holly). She is a little Hatian girl about 4 years old and she is simply adorable. Se was attempting to swing so I went up to her and began to push her on the swings. With every push she would steal my heart away with the most beautiful smile and a gleeful giggle that echoed throughout the play ground. She was so beautiful, not a care in the world at this time. But the longer I pushed the more my heart began to break at the thoughts of this little grls future would hindge on the $20.00 sponsorship a month from someone like you or me. As I fought back my tears, because I don't want them to see me cry, they need to see hope in me not dispair. But as I fought back my tears God assured me that he has plans for that beautiful little Hatian girl, but not only her but al the little boys and girls in Hati, plans of peace, love and souls salvation for all that will believe in the glorious name of Jesus. May God use me and others like me to make a difference in the lives of those that are around us everyday.

1st Day in Hati

After a long day we arrived at the mission just before sun down and just ahead of a very refreshing rain. From the time we stepped off the plain in Port au Prince till we arrived at the mission is was one adventure after the other. I have always thought that my wife had a interesting driving style but it is nothing like I witnessed in Pot au Prince. The rules of the road is that there is no rules. We rode in back of a pick-up truck with cattle rails on it and to say the least it rode nothing like my father-in-law's Caddy.

After dinner 5 of us took a walk to the place that is tenderly called the cross. It is a 30 ft. tall concrete cross that is standing on the highest point in the mission and it is painted with florecent paint so at night it glows for the whole community to see. It sure was a beautiful sight from the cross. As we stood there in the darkness with only the lighting from the passing storm to light the sky, we could hear in the distance the chants and screams of voodoo worship. While we were standing on that peaceful rock it was made evident to me that no matter how close to the cross of Christ I may get, there is always going to be wickedness off in the distance, and that thought just about broke my heart. But then I remembered as long as I stay close to the cross the wicked world can't harm me. And that thought my my heart and soul sing for joy. May God bless us this week as we labor for his Kingdom.

With great anticipation!

If you just talk to me for a few minutes, it is not hard to figure out that I am very excited about my upcoming mission trip to Hati with Children's International Lifeline. Cody Meadows, Marty Burton and myself will be joined by 4 others from different churches on a week trip with Bro. Donald Curtis to this very needy land. I have asked myself a million times "What in the world are you going to do in Hati" and usually the answer comes back the same everytime, "I have no idea". But with the excitement and almost childlike anticipation that God has placed in my spirit I know that God has something special in store for me there. I will do my best to blog each day to allow you to follow my journey with God. May God bless you all.

Do we love our neighbor?

Matt 22:35-40
35 Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying, Master, which is the great commandment in the law?36 37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. KJV

I am raising children and shepherding God's people in a drastically different culture than my father did. As a matter of fact society is so different now than it was then, it is hard to find the things that are the same, if there are any. But there is one constant, one thing that has never changed and one thing that never will and that is the Word of God. And no matter how man might try to explain it away, there is no escaping the fact that Heb 12:14 says, Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord: KJV.

Wow, that is a powerful statement and one that needs much consideration. What does God mean by that statement? Is He saying unless I get along with everyone around me I can't make it to Heaven? No that was not what he said at all. What He is saying is; If I have a personal relationship with Him by salvation through His So Jesus Christ and allow His Holiness to dwell within me then I can have a right relationship with my neighbor.

Our society needs a revival of "Love thy neighbor as thy self" mentality. Now some of us might ask, just as the lawyer ask Jesus in Luke 10, just who is my neighbor? This question leads us to believe that the lawyer thought that Jesus was being narrow minded and exclusive, but our Lord followed up the question with the story of the Good Samaritan. Then when the story was finished Jesus looked at the lawyer and said, "Which one of these three men was being a neighbor?"

You see, we as Christians should not be asking who is our neighbor? Trying to just get by as with little effort as possible. But we need to be asking, "To whom can I be a neighbor to today?" See, the true love of God has no boundaries, it see's no race, no color, no ethnic background, not one barrier does it have. But it allows me to view all that is around me as my neighbor and also gives me a sincere compassion for them when they are in need.

In Matt. 5:20 Jesus said unless our righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees that there is no way that we can enter into Heaven. The Pharisees lived under the principle of "Eye for and Eye, Tooth for a Tooth" and also by the rule of "You scratch my back, Ill scratch yours." But Jesus came to this world to totally expel that frame of thinking.

God's love is all-inclusive, Richard Taylor said, "the enemy, the ugly and the unlovely, the wretched who can give nothing in return, the stranger and the foreigner, the man of a different color, race, or nationality- all are the proper objects of this love which is required in the second commandment."

God help us to love as God loves and teach other to do the same.