April 2010 prayer note-- Haiti
Dear friends,
Thanks for praying for my visit last week to Haiti. I’ve been trying to figure out for a few days how to put this visit into words but in many ways I know I can’t do it justice. Haiti experienced a truly tragic and devastating earthquake 3 months ago. Many buildings are now heaps of rubble or uninhabitable, thousands upon thousands now live in tent cities or under tarps on the street, and it seems everyone lost family or friends in the quake. Power is still out and running water is sporadic. The world community responded quickly and yet in looking around at all the damage it’s easy to wonder if Haiti will ever be fixed, since the problems run so deep and much of that attention and immediate help has already gone away.
And yet, despite this tragedy and hardship, God is clearly present in Haiti. Some friends of mine often use the expression that “Grace is like water, it flows downhill and pools in the lowest places” and perhaps nowhere is that expressed better than in Haiti and among the Young Life staff I was privileged to spend time with there.
All of them have stories of challenges and difficulties they have faced since the earthquake. Jacky lost his sister in the quake when the building she was in collapsed. Bouzy had left his university and was on his way home when the quake hit, but 800 students still at his school were killed. Chedrick was in the YL office on the first floor of his house when the quake hit, he went running outside and turned to see his house swaying—knowing his wife and daughters were upstairs and not knowing if the house would collapse with them still in it. It didn’t, but they’ve been living in tents ever since because of the damage the house sustained. Wadny has been living in a Toyota van with his wife and 7 month old daughter for the last three months since his house collapsed.
And yet, despite losing friends and family and having to survive in tents and cars, all of these leaders talk about how God’s grace has been so evident to them. Choo-Choo’s house collapsed with his 6 year old son inside, but he dug the room out to find his son still alive under a V formed by two walls falling together. The leaders all live in tents and under tarps, yet they thank God they’ve had food and water enough for each day. Noyo said when the quake happened he first thought the world was ending and then in the aftermath of the dust and noise of people crying out he feared he’d never see his family or friends again, yet they’re almost all safe. Noyo has written a song about how faithful God is and the Haitian leader sing it with an amazing heart. They’ve begun to minister again in schools and neighborhoods, helping feed others, clean up quake damage, and present the gospel to teenagers. They are focused on reaching out to teens, training up servant leaders and have a new initiative to invest in teenage girls and help them grow as leaders that already is having amazing results.
One of the Young Life senior leaders I was there with said he felt we were seeing 2 Cor. 8:2 in action which in The Message says "Fierce troubles came down on the people of those churches, pushing them to the very limit. The trial exposed their true colors: they were incredibly happy, though desperately poor.” I can’t think of a better way to say it. Despite the difficulties our staff face, despite their poverty and the brokenness all around, despite my tendency to feel hopeless when seeing the challenges, these Haitian leaders feel the grace of God upon them and see their situation with the hope that God will continue to provide. Their ‘true colors’ of faith shine through in a way that is truly amazing, humbling and inspiring.
When we asked our leaders how we could best help them, their first answer was always “Pray for us”. So please pray for our Haitian leaders and for God’s wisdom as we make plans to help them not only rebuild, but continue to reach out to teens and train up servant leaders who will impact Haiti for Christ.
Other requests:
· The next two months for me are busy with trips to Mexico, Costa Rica and Colombia for leader training times. Please pray those trips would go well and that they would bear fruit in the lives of key leaders in these countries.
· You can pray too for the finances needed to support this ministry and what we’re doing in countries throughout Latin America. Thank you to so many of you who make this ministry possible with your gifts.
Scott
Thanks for praying for my visit last week to Haiti. I’ve been trying to figure out for a few days how to put this visit into words but in many ways I know I can’t do it justice. Haiti experienced a truly tragic and devastating earthquake 3 months ago. Many buildings are now heaps of rubble or uninhabitable, thousands upon thousands now live in tent cities or under tarps on the street, and it seems everyone lost family or friends in the quake. Power is still out and running water is sporadic. The world community responded quickly and yet in looking around at all the damage it’s easy to wonder if Haiti will ever be fixed, since the problems run so deep and much of that attention and immediate help has already gone away.
And yet, despite this tragedy and hardship, God is clearly present in Haiti. Some friends of mine often use the expression that “Grace is like water, it flows downhill and pools in the lowest places” and perhaps nowhere is that expressed better than in Haiti and among the Young Life staff I was privileged to spend time with there.
All of them have stories of challenges and difficulties they have faced since the earthquake. Jacky lost his sister in the quake when the building she was in collapsed. Bouzy had left his university and was on his way home when the quake hit, but 800 students still at his school were killed. Chedrick was in the YL office on the first floor of his house when the quake hit, he went running outside and turned to see his house swaying—knowing his wife and daughters were upstairs and not knowing if the house would collapse with them still in it. It didn’t, but they’ve been living in tents ever since because of the damage the house sustained. Wadny has been living in a Toyota van with his wife and 7 month old daughter for the last three months since his house collapsed.
And yet, despite losing friends and family and having to survive in tents and cars, all of these leaders talk about how God’s grace has been so evident to them. Choo-Choo’s house collapsed with his 6 year old son inside, but he dug the room out to find his son still alive under a V formed by two walls falling together. The leaders all live in tents and under tarps, yet they thank God they’ve had food and water enough for each day. Noyo said when the quake happened he first thought the world was ending and then in the aftermath of the dust and noise of people crying out he feared he’d never see his family or friends again, yet they’re almost all safe. Noyo has written a song about how faithful God is and the Haitian leader sing it with an amazing heart. They’ve begun to minister again in schools and neighborhoods, helping feed others, clean up quake damage, and present the gospel to teenagers. They are focused on reaching out to teens, training up servant leaders and have a new initiative to invest in teenage girls and help them grow as leaders that already is having amazing results.
One of the Young Life senior leaders I was there with said he felt we were seeing 2 Cor. 8:2 in action which in The Message says "Fierce troubles came down on the people of those churches, pushing them to the very limit. The trial exposed their true colors: they were incredibly happy, though desperately poor.” I can’t think of a better way to say it. Despite the difficulties our staff face, despite their poverty and the brokenness all around, despite my tendency to feel hopeless when seeing the challenges, these Haitian leaders feel the grace of God upon them and see their situation with the hope that God will continue to provide. Their ‘true colors’ of faith shine through in a way that is truly amazing, humbling and inspiring.
When we asked our leaders how we could best help them, their first answer was always “Pray for us”. So please pray for our Haitian leaders and for God’s wisdom as we make plans to help them not only rebuild, but continue to reach out to teens and train up servant leaders who will impact Haiti for Christ.
Other requests:
· The next two months for me are busy with trips to Mexico, Costa Rica and Colombia for leader training times. Please pray those trips would go well and that they would bear fruit in the lives of key leaders in these countries.
· You can pray too for the finances needed to support this ministry and what we’re doing in countries throughout Latin America. Thank you to so many of you who make this ministry possible with your gifts.
Scott
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