Power in the Name of Jesus

Will you go? Will you leave your family and go? I wrestled all week with why God called me to Haiti this week. On Monday, particularly, I kept feeling that the ministry I would have been doing in Charlotte would have mattered more and I would have been more needed. God does not need me to accomplish one thing. There is not one thing that I can do that advances His kingdom apart from His will carried out through my willingness to just go. Humbling, yet deepening. Every day of my life I want to know Jesus further and deeper. I want to understand His purpose in my life and I want to see His power. This week I have seen His power and I have been forced to understand that it is HIM who stands in control. As someone who has served in full time ministry for close to 15 years, sometimes He has to bring us to a third world, developing country to REALLY get the memo that it is JESUS who does the work, not us. Sad, but very true and honest. So, this week He has done a work. It has not looked for a minute how we anticipated it would. As we prayed for many months in preparation, God created a different scene for our time in Haiti that differed dramatically from what we envisioned while on our knees. But, God. But, God is more powerful and more beautiful than we even understood 6 days ago when we stepped foot in this land called Haiti. Here is one of the glimpses into what HIS plans were for us during our time in this place, what He had planned for us to do, what HE accomplished with (or without) us simply because we were willing to go.

Praying with and over a patriarchal voodoo priest in one of the most desperate, darkest villages of Haiti.

 I still believe that God is in the process of claiming this man for Himself. There was a sweet light that was felt in this mature, aging man that also met a very dark, hardened heart hungry for power and money. God just needed us to show up, to demonstrate through our time that Jesus sees him, and speak words of life and God's power into him. As sad as it sounds, God showed me how this man and I are similar. This man who is very far from God believes that it is HIS power that can heal diseases and his magic that can change situations. Through this trip, similarly, I realized that I believe sometimes that God needs ME, that He needs me to be there to help bring healing to others or make His name great. While I want to make Jesus's name great and I want others to experience His power, the deal is that He doesn't need ME. Just like the Haitians don't need the voodoo priest. This man and I were both believing the lie that God is not enough and we offer something more than what He is capable of apart from us. I am not insinuating that we use the same methods (no voodoo for me, obviously!) but the same dependence on self. Believing the false idea that maybe my counseling training or the hardship that we have walked could offer something to help change lives. Prideful and without full faith. Forgive me, Father, for ever believing that I have anything to offer outside of you. You are enough. You hold the power. You change lives. You want me to show up, but you don't need me.

So, this trip that I envisioned for all these months, that I believed would be about loving on women in brothels who are being sex trafficked - believing that God would change those women's hearts through something that I said or did...this trip wasn't about bringing those women closer to Jesus. We never even saw those women or stepped foot into a brothel. This trip was about God changing ME. This trip was about God showing me that He wants my obedience and He wants me to show up. But, His power alone is great and I have absolutely NOTHING, even after years of ministry experience and even if I love until I am completely poured out, that He alone cannot provide. I am nothing. He is everything.

I have felt challenged this week on whether I truly believe that God can change anything by His power. If I am being honest, I still struggle in moments with the reality that we prayed and believed in great faith for a son and God said no. I didn't believe that He wasn't able to provide but simply understood that He said no. In that same way however, was I believing that my prayers could change God? It is not our prayers that change God, our prayers change us. Coming to Haiti and being here forces you to pray big prayers. I am still processing how those prayers and that strong belief of what God is capable of can bring about His power. He wants us simply to believe. Then, the results require faith. What His will brings about is the question of "Do you really trust me?" and "Do you get that I know better?". Pray with great faith and believe with a huge hope, but leave the final outcome to me (Jesus). We were challenged by my sweet friend, Gentry, in a sermon after suffering the tragic loss of two sons to remember that "it's not over until it's good because God is good." Yes, it's not over with this voodoo priest until his life offers no hope (or magic) apart from the changing grace of Jesus. I believe that for this man. Those prayers will change MY heart and I stand believing that GOD'S power will change HIM. Scripture gives us several truths attached to this reality -

His ways are higher than our ways.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding.

Commit all of your works to the Lord.

When you seek me, you will find me - when you seek me with your whole heart.

Have no other gods before me.

Test me and know me.

So, I have now answered the question of why He called me here. I am thankful that I made the decision to be obedient. I have asked forgiveness for my selfish, prideful, critical heart. And, I am changed. I have experienced and now understand just how HUGE the Father's power is. It is all Jesus, whether I show up or not.

To Him be all glory and POWER forever.

Thank you, Haiti, for giving me more of Jesus.

-Rebecca (and the rest of the team)

A Beautiful Rocky Day

A Beautiful Rocky Day. Tuesday

It's been a long day ending with rousing praise at church.  But a good day. A rocky day only in the sense that we collected large rocks in the morning to decorate and give to the women we ministered to this morning. These were meant to be memorial stones. This afternoon we collected small stones for Bingo playing pieces. We got to encourage a room full of women with God's word and they left with full bellies, beautiful hygiene kits and, we hope, hearts filled with God's love. Midday we encountered a woman who was either possessed or intoxicated or both. Melissa boldly summoned her for prayer and we surrounded her, anointed her and joined Melissa in prayer. We loved seeing this woman's demeanor and actions changed. It was an awesome encounter that sort of rocked everyone in a good way. 

Thank you for journeying with us in prayer! 

Donna, for the team

Wednesday

Today, we asked Mission of Hope to take us into the poorest section of the village, LaCue Shadou (Yard of thorns).  A part of the village where few teams visit.  A place where voodoo is followed and worshipped.  As we sat on the bus and prayed for God's spirit to surround us, we saw the voodoo priest sitting under a tree.  We joined him and sat with him for an hour asking him questions about his lifestyle.  We prayed over him and asked God to transform this village in the name of Jesus.  We believe that God heard our prayer and LaCue Shadou has now been bathed in Jesus' blood.  
We also met a woman with a young baby who accepted Christ.  Later in the day we returned with a Bible for her.  We met others in this small community and had a dance party with the children.  We taught them how to whip and nae nae.  
God continuously reveals to us that He is in control.  Before we came to Haiti we prepared to ministered to the women in the brothel, which would have been 6 women.  Instead God gave us the opportunity to visit with 18 on Monday, 22 on Tuesday and today we were welcomed into a dark place.  Women and children giggled during dancing, cheered the children on when they played games, and followed us to the bus when it was time to go.  We praise God for all that He has done.


Kimberly, and the rest of the team 

First day in Ministry

Ministry Day 1 

Proverbs 16:9 "The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps."

Today we had planned to visit the Pappillion "Nightclub" and, due to pre-arrangements by the Village Champions, we arrived with hearts full of many emotions that we gave to the Lord in prayer and were expecting to minister to the six women there. However we saw only a greedy business owner and no other women there. So after praying next door! at our translator's home, the Lord soon revealed another plan. We settled in the yard of a gracious family and proceeded to conduct women's ministry. During our morning shift we built relationships through intros, nail painting, and sharing stories. Kimberly shared a powerful personal story. At one point, our translator looked at me and told me they were expecting to hear about the importance of family. In a surreal moment I stood and gave an impromptu lesson about our roles as women in families and God's role as a loving Father who has purpose for each of us. 

In the afternoon we returned and many of the same women returned, plus some. We taught them to play Bingo. Melissa was a great caller and all was translated to Creole. The ladies seemed to enjoy this. We then attempted to do the craft we had planned to do in a quieter, enclosed space. Decorating simple flip flops on the lawn was a bit chaotic. A lot chaotic, actually, but our MOH interns assured us it was a relatively tame day of Village Ministry from their perspective. At the end of our time, we helped distribute food and juice the Village Champions provided along with wonderful " Days kits" full of hygiene items for the women. These were lovingly handmade by a group of Forest Hill women! Thank you, Ladies!

We are thankful that most of our day was spent in the shade! We ask for your prayers for our health, especially as one teammate has felt ill today, and that the Lord will establish our steps again tomorrow when we "plan" to do more village women's ministry. 

Blessings and thank you to our church family and supporters,

Donna Elyea & the October Haiti team 

Day 2: Haiti through the eyes of the rookies

Hello from Haiti!  We wanted to start by saying we arrived safe and sound and are trying our best to "be Haitian". This morning we experienced a spirit-filled open air church filled with Mission of Hope visitors as well as many Haitian villagers. A true Haitian service is unlike anything many of us have ever experienced and though most of the worship and sermon is in creole, it's amazing to feel how the language barrier does not affect you when everyone comes to worship the same God, different languages and all.

Being my very first experience in Haiti I honestly had no idea what to expect to feel or see. If I'm being really honest, the drive from the airport to Mission of Hope is really something that you can not prepare someone for seeing without your own eyes. You look around and really are just in disbelief that children and families live like this. Some of the things we have passed along the way or seen in villages so far are images that tear at your heart. I think shock and sadness would probably be the best word to describe my initial feelings at seeing Haiti for the first time. 

Staying at Mission of Hope you are able to hear about all the ways God has used Mission of Hope to do amazing things in the villages......but....there is so much left to do here....so much.
But...in the midst of these frustrations and sadness and heaviness I have seen already so many glimpses and moments of happiness, of pure joy and hope.
My prayer this week is not only that our heart breaks for what breaks Jesus's heart, but also that we increase and multiply those glimpses of joy and hope  we see in the hearts of the Haitians..

Like Marissa said above this experience has been humbling to the say least.  There is something indescribable about Haiti, and the people here.  I see now why so many of the ladies in this amazing group keep coming back again, and again. There is a love here, a community and so much hope. I know the Lord is working in great ways, even if I do not see it all.  In church this morning I sat there and could not stop my tears from flowing, watching the way the Haitians worship...there is a pureness in it.  So real, so raw and so incredibly beautiful.  This journey is also unbelievably sad, and hard for me as a first timer.  You want to help, and when you hold a beautiful girl who hugs you tight and you have to tell her Grandmother that you can not pay for her to go to preschool, when you see little ones in tears with no clothes on, and no on one running to scoop them up, when you hear about orphans, disease, death, tent homes, and malnourishment it breaks you.  There is so much I want to soak in and learn from this experience. I just know God Is present and has big beautiful plans for Haiti.
Kelli & Marissa and the October women's team 

Broken Vessels

Twenty-four hours until my feet are in the Haitian dirt. Twenty-four hours until I'm captivated once again by the sights and sounds so near and dear to my heart. Twenty-four hours until I am home yet again. I keep joking with my friends and family that I may never come back to the States, but sometimes I feel like it's not a joke. I love Haiti so much and I wish I could pack up all of those I love and bring them with me. There is something so special about this country and I want so badly for everyone to experience it.

This trip is one like no other. Being my 4th trip, you might think that I am fully prepared mentally, physically, and spiritually, but to be quite honest, never have I felt so lacking in all of those aspects. How does one prepare to enter brothels? I am completely relying on the grace of Jesus for what to say and do while I am there. One of my favorite songs, "Broken Vessels," reminded me that it is by the grace of God that I am saved. It was through Christ's love for us that He laid down His own life. The more that I remind myself that I am not going to Haiti for me, the more peace I experience. No matter what is to come, God is good and His plan is good. The Lord has so much in store for this trip and I am excited to see where He leads us.

With that being said, it is very evident that our team is under attack. With team members suffering from a variety of things such as: flu symptoms, old injury flare ups, sick kids, eye problems, infections, lack of sleep, super busy weeks, and more. Through all of this, we are reminded that God is so much bigger. We are confident that the Lord's plan is the best plan and we are constantly humbled when things don't go our way. Please pray for our team as we obey God's command to go and make disciples. Some specific prayer requests include: health for our team, swift travel plans, our hearts, the hearts of those we meet, and most importantly, that Jesus will be glorified and that His name will be known.

My favorite line from "Broken Vessels" is this, "Take this heart, Lord, I'll be your vessel. The world to see your love in me." Please pray for us as we strive to make this a reality. We are are a group of broken women, going into a broken country, in hopes of spreading the good news that Christ has done in our lives. Thank you so much for the support, encouragement, and loved that you have poured out to our team.

Peace,
Brisa and the rest of the October Haiti Team