Back to Where it All Began…

This past week was spent in Port-de-Paix (northwestern Haiti) spending time at the HOLD (His Outreach for Learning and Development) the Children orphanage. It was a week of refreshment, reuniting with old friends, and seeing the precious children the Lord placed in my life in April 2010. It was then that the Lord developed a greater passion for Haiti and for orphans. It has led me to where I am now, all thanks to God! Though there was not much sleeping, and we were in the hot sun, playing with and holding kids, there wasn’t a second that went by that I didn’t cherish the moments given by God.
One of the greatest joys was getting to see my baby girl again—although she’s not looking so baby-ish anymore. Her name is Nerline, and she is 6-years-old. She has a sister also there at the orphanage, named Juliana. They have come from an abusive home, but I praise the Lord when I see that they are smiling more than they have in the past. Nerline never let me leave her side; she even insisted I come in to sit with her while they had lunch and would feed me her food and sips from her drink. She was able to share me a little more this year, but no one else was allowed to sit on my lap, except her sister sometimes. I tried to talk with them about what had happened at home, but Juliana was just completely silent and had her face to the ground. I am praying for the Lord’s healing in their lives, and am praying honestly and sincerely that one day the Lord will allow me to adopt them. Tears would flow from Nerline every day as we left the orphanage, and the last day was absolutely heart-wrenching. I find comfort in knowing that all of those children in Port-de-Paix belong to the Lord and He is the one who is in control and takes care of them and loves them deeper than I or anybody ever could. I’ve also grown close to about 6 other girls and one boy. Two of the girls are of the oldest there, and once they hit 16 it will be time for them to go, and one is 14. I hope to have a chance to talk with them more and mentor them spiritually.
We also did outreach in the village during the week, and through that approximately 40 children repented and received Jesus as Lord and Savior! Of course, only the Lord knows their hearts, but even more than that number is what matters—at least 100 children just in that small village heard the Gospel and seeds were planted. One amazing story coming from this is that a voodoo priest’s daughter named Franseska came forward to accept Jesus as Savior and turn from her sins. She was challenged by another boy named Watson who was older than her, saying that she couldn’t because of being a voodoo priest daughter. Jean, our interpreter stopped him and explained that it doesn’t matter that her father is a voodoo priest, that she has the choice to make for herself, and the Holy Spirit was really working in her heart because she still came forward! We then prayed for her for protection and explained the authority she has in Jesus’ name now that she’s a child of God, and the evil one cannot touch her! I have heard stories of persecution of children that receive Jesus in a voodoo family, and we were concerned she wouldn’t be able to come back the next day, but praise the Lord she was back again! And we gave her a Bible. She was very happy to receive it, but you could still sense the pain she’s been through just by looking into her eyes. Praise Jesus for saving this girl and that she now has a hope she never had before, amazing grace!
There was also exciting news that HOLD the Children is looking to expand their orphanage in buying some land behind it and building smaller homes for the children to receive more training for the future as they get older and need to be on their own. While we were praying on the rooftop as a team, it turns out that the person who owns the land was finally ready to sell the land! That week they had a meeting with the people, and last February they already had an offer from a couple in the states to cover the whole cost. God is doing amazing things, and I’m excited for these children’s futures here in Haiti!! I am also praying that one day I may be able to be a part of it, if it be God’s will! Wherever the Lord leads is where I want to be! In other news, I may get the chance to go back to Port-de-Paix one more time in May because the short-term team that was going to come with WIM has cancelled, which has freed up my time. I’ve always thought 4 days is too short to be up with there with the kids, and this may give me more of an opportunity to talk to some of them individually and pray with them. The Lord has been continuing to provide more funds while I’ve been here too, so it would seem that things are falling into place to go again! Now I only need permission from those who run the orphanage!

The Last Stretch

There is officially only one month left of the school! It’s hard to believe that I’ve spent the past three months in Haiti—I’ve been in Haiti longer than I’ve been in America this year thus far! I love it! Last week we did our outreach in the colorful village and apartments across the way. The Lord was speaking to both adults and children through the Holy Spirit in us. It was neat that we were actually able to preach the Word on their property this time, and the fact that they gave us a vacant house to use to teach the children was really awesome! I did a Bible lesson on King David showing kindness to Mephibosheth.

At the end, after giving an invitation, I asked whoever wanted to receive Jesus to come stand up with us, and after a little silence and then some giggles, a girl stood up right in front. As she stood up she saw that the others were making fun of her and laughing, but we brought her up and encouraged her and telling her it only matters what God thinks, and that it is a GREAT thing to become a child of God and explained to all of them that it is a decision between the individual and God alone. After she repented and received Jesus as her Savior, we told her about how the angels rejoice in heaven over just one sinner who becomes a child of God, and that we were so excited for her! She had the biggest beaming smile on her face—say a prayer for this girl if you think of it. Her name is Manouchka—we gave her a Bible that night too. Praise God for another soul won to the Lord! I felt the Holy Spirit tell me to say that they could still come talk to us if they were not saved and wanted to be after we finished sometime. After playing an intense game of Bèf, Bèf, Kabrit (Cow, Cow, Goat, also known as Duck, Duck Goose), another little girl came up saying she wasn’t saved and wanted to be! The Lord was at work in her heart, and two children came to Jesus that night!

On Thursday some of us students went out and did evangelism in our local area—nobody came to receive Jesus, but we were not discouraged because seeds were being planted and we were still able to see the Holy Spirit at work in their lives. I saw a lot of convicted faces, but also sad faces because they were not ready to give up their sin. I remember one man in particular would stray from the law of grace, and move into talking about religion. He just couldn’t get past it, and then he’d start mocking Jesus. Every time we brought him back to the truth, though, his face would change, and there would be conviction. But there was something deeper inside his eyes—it’s as though Jesus was showing me the man’s pain through his eyes. We continue to pray for him because I have a hope that the seed that was planted will grow until he’s ready to give up his sin and choose to live for Jesus!

I leave for Port-de-Paix tomorrow with Mission Discovery to see my babies again at HOLD the Children Orphanage! I also get to re-unite with Justin and Christina Fulkerson (as many of you may remember that used to go to Bayside). They are the ones who, through the prompting of the Holy Spirit, invited me and introduced me to Haiti for the first time in 2010! And here I am in Haiti two years later, being trained for full-time missions for a 5-month period! They are so precious to me and love them dearly—and we have a special bond over Haiti, and am very excited to be with them again! I will be back again on Saturday, and will have much to report of God’s goodness, I’m sure!
Until next time!
“Now in putting everything in subjection to him, he left nothing outside his control.” ~Hebrews 2:8

Five More Souls to Bring Glory to Jesus!

Yesterday we went and did ministry in a small neighborhood near our mission home. At first I was not going to go because of feeling weak and tired physically, but I kept hearing the Lord say I needed to go. After several times of Liz walking back through our room, God was showing that they hadn’t left yet and prompting me to get ready to go. I was still saying no, and the last time she came through the room, a surge of supernatural energy from the Holy Spirit invaded my body and I got ready to leave with them. By nothing on my part of greatness or skills of speaking did the Lord allow me the honor of leading those 5 souls to the Lord (I can tell you I’m just like Moses when he says to God that he is very unskilled in speech–oh man, not that I’m now comparing myself to Moses–just have some of his same issues). The first woman gave her life to the Lord was joyful and very happy to receive a Bible, however she said she had a problem with her eyes that prevents her from reading, so she would have her children read it to her. We asked if she would like to be prayed for for healing and she was very glad to. She was healed by God’s grace and mercy and can now read it herself. She even asked which church we worship at, and we hope to see her there the Sunday after Easter!

The other four came from one family. All of them had looks of despair from conviction of their sins, but once they realized the punishment Jesus took for their sins, they were 100% ready to receive Jesus as their Savior! They bowed their heads and gave their lives to Jesus, and we gave them Bibles as well. They were hungry for more of the Word and asked if that would be the only time we’d pass through because they wanted us to come and continue teaching from God’s Word. We are hoping to be able to come back and do more teaching. There was also a group of kids I had met last Saturday I got to meet with again. Perhaps there could be a ministry opportunity with the children as well? I pray so!

Another praise-the colorful houses community that didn’t allow us to have a children’s club on their property now this week had an empty home prepared for us to teach in! I did not go this week, but I heard nothing but good reports, and 2 more lives were added to the Kingdom from the other village area! I will be going back next week for sure! Missing those precious kids’ faces.

Yesterday we went to our orphanage and it was a special day–all of the kids wanted to just be held and loved on. None were interested in playing or anything–just wanting some lovin’. These are always my favorite days. 🙂 One child named Chrislam who normally avoids us and has a bit of a hostile attitude whenever we try to talk to him (because of his background) has even begun to warm up to us. Last Saturday he actually came up and sat right down on my lap for the first time. I would tell him that I love him and Jesus loves him, but he would keep saying in Creole, “you lie!” I just kept telling him over and over again, and at one point he said “I don’t love you.” Smiling, I still told him I loved him, and by the time it was time to leave for the day, I told him one last time. I asked him if he loves me, and he had a sad look on his face, grabbed my arm, and nodded yes. This little boy has a special place in my heart and pray that he continues to receive revelation of the love of Jesus!

With only five more weeks to go of the school, my heart starts to become sad. These three months have passed so quickly and I’ve grown so close to my brothers and sisters. I don’t want to take any of this precious time remaining for granted. This weekend is Easter, Mike’s coming back on the 9th, I’m going to Port-de-Paix with Mission Discovery the 16th-21st to see my babies at HOLD the Children Orphanage again, and by that time there will only be three weeks left! WOW!

Because I don’t know if I’ll be writing again before Easter, I wish you all a blessed Easter with whoever you’ll be celebrating with. Though I will miss the family traditions I’m used to in the States, I’m very excited to be able to celebrate Jesus’ resurrection in Haiti! I’m not sure of all our plans, but I know we’ll be going to a Haitian-American church where they speak English in the morning. JESUS LIVES!

A Season of Changes and Flexibility

Wow, it has literally almost been a month since my last post. Phew! Well since that last earthquake there have been no after-shocks or anything, but it sure made for an awesome way to evangelize to the Haitian people the next day. We now have David here while Mike is gone, and we had his wife here for a week as well! It was so wonderful having an older woman here for awhile to be the “mom.” She was a huge blessing to us, and we certainly miss having her here. While she was here, her and David treated all of us students to a day at the beach with a picnic and everything! It was a beautiful day and while we were there, the man who owned the property we used came to know Christ, and we were able to also share the Gospel with children and feed them. Then afterwards, I took each one out on my back or in my arms one-by-one…and sometimes two-by-two into the ocean and played with them. It was so much fun just to have a day of rest and be in the ocean! Especially because it is so hot here all the time. 🙂 I am so thankful for them to have done that for us. It was a special day with the family.

Every week seems to change lately. Through this, the Lord has been teaching us flexibility and patience both with the circumstances and with each other. We’ve had to adjust plans, take on more responsibility, give up certain comforts, and learn to work with a bunch of different personalities that all have their own way of doing things. By the grace of God, through the stretching of our faith, much growth has come out of it!

We have been going out every Tuesday and Thursday to evangelize and pray for the hurting and sick. The Lord has saved many souls through these times and we have witnessed miracles before our very eyes! We saw a lady who was one who practiced voodoo and came from a family who does come to the Lord. When we entered the gate into the yard of this family, there was a symbol of voodoo at the very front of the gate and there was a fire burning beneath it. As we prayed for her and two others who came to receive Christ, we noticed the Lord had put the flame out. The powers of darkness were not able to stand amidst the presence of the Almighty God! This lady had a pain throughout her whole body from the oppression of the evil spirits, and when she renounced all of the voodoo and curses that were put on her, and gave her life to the Lord, the pain completely left her body. Another afflicted by the darkness was brought into the Kingdom that day! We explained to her the authority that she has over all evil spirits through the name of Jesus so she can live in victory every day. A week or two later Liz went back and brought a Kreyol Bible to her so she could begin to grow more in her walk with Christ. This is just one of MANY amazing testimonies of what Jesus is doing in Haiti.

More recently we have begun to have a Bible study for 2 different areas for both the adults and for the children. The first area we visited was a community where there was a voodoo priest who kind of ran things—yet the people still hunger for the Word of God, and the second place is a community of “colorful houses” (as we reference them) that were built for earthquake victims. Last Tuesday was our first time, and the president of the colorful houses told us we could not teach the Word of God on their property. So, we simply put the kids down, let go of their hands, and walked across the street to an orchard field, and the kids followed. Then we were told we couldn’t do it there either, so we moved to the gravel road between the two, but then were told we could really do it on the orchard because someone else owned it and he said it would be ok. We are praying that the president over this property will come to know Christ before the end of this time we are here. BUT the club was a lot of fun to teach. My translator, Wesly and I led them in some songs in Creole and I taught a Bible lesson on Zaccheus. We didn’t have time to do all that was planned so we cut the games out, but the most important part was taught. At the second place, almost all the children came forward to receive Jesus as Lord and Savior! PRAISE GOD, ALELOUYA!

There is currently a team of 9 that just came in from Tennessee to build a ReachHaiti church/mission base up in the mountains of Pignon. They spent the weekend with us and some of the students are up there right now helping out for the week. They were a lot of fun and we can’t wait to see how the Lord is going to bless this time up in Pignon. Michael should be coming back on April 9th, and I am very excited to have him come back! (I’ve missed you Mike, if you are reading this!) We will have the teachings for these two communities tomorrow and Wednesday we will do outreach in a new area closer to home—within walking distance. Thank you Jesus, all credit and glory to the Father! God be glorified this week in your lives. 🙂

Love your sister in Christ,
Becca