Back in the DR

We've been here in the DR for a little over a week. It's been a bit stressful, but good. We spent most of last week at the University with a bible study group. Throughout the week, we spoke to them on different subjects. Voice for the Voiceless, the power of prayer, hearing God's voice, and just whatever came up. In the afternoons we did evangelism with them. It was so difficult for me. On the first day, I went out with two Dominican men and Denine, our leader here at the base who speaks both Spanish and English. I was expecting to go out and talk with people, but then the Dominicans started this whole thing where they started to stand up and preach and sing worship songs. That's great and everything, but completely different from anything I'm used to. The next day, I went out with a couple Dominican girls who spoke very broken English and later on, another guy who speaks pretty decent English joined us. I started talking to a guy and came to find out he was a photographer and was working on a project for poverty. I asked the guy to ask him what he was going to do with the pictures when he was done, but one of the girls just started preaching at him. You could tell this guy was frustrated. I was definitely frustrated. Probably even mad. It was just ridiculous. Here I was, trying to have a normal conversation with a guy that was leading to talking about Jesus, and they just go in and talk at him. I didn't even know what to do. I think by the end of the week, though, through seeing how we evangelize, they were able to view it a little differently. I think they started to understand that evangelism isn't always preaching. So in that respect, I'm glad we got to do it. It was great to just hang out with the students from the bible study and disciple them a bit.
We did a few other things throughout the week as well. One of the guys from the bible study runs a baseball ministry for little kids. Baseball is huge here and the kids love it. They always have some kind of teaching and worship before the game. We told them the story of David and Goliath and had them act it out. They loved it! Then during the entire game we got to take pictures. We also did a program for some kids in a neighborhood near us and it was pretty similar.
This weekend was perfect. Some of us girls (the ones who aren't sick) got to go shopping. Their stores are so weird. All the clothes are bedazzled and ghetto. You have to search SO hard to find something decent. But it was so great to have some kind of normal activity to do. I didn't get to buy a whole lot cause I'm starting to run out of money, but even just getting to go was awesome. Then when we got back, we made brownies and fruit salad and popcorn and watched Dear John. And cried. A lot. It's funny how emotional I am here. I miss my family so much and that movie made it even worse. It's weird thinking about how long I'm going to be gone from home during track. Six months has been hard. How hard is a year and a half going to be? But getting to have a girls night and some sense of normalcy was so good. And you'll never believe how much of a lifesaver chocolate is here.
Please be praying for the girls on our team that are sick. They've been in and out of the emergency room this whole week trying to figure out what they have. Now they've found out that 2 of them have Giardia, a parasite. I don't think they know yet what's wrong with the other. One of the other girls had an Amoeba but she's just about back to normal. They are getting really discouraged and sick of being sick. These three girls are the same three that had Dengue Fever with me. So it's been way too long. They need healing. Please be praying especially for them and also for our entire team. We are all ready to go home, but want to finish strong.
Also, please be praying for the Central America team. They are going through a lot right now from what it sounds like. You can read their blog post about it here.

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The top ten things I learned from Haiti

10. It's the little things that get you through. Sapi Bon on a hot day. Juice at dinner. Skype dates - even if there can't be video. A fan blowing on your face.

9. There is no maximum number of people who can fit in one vehicle. 30 people in the back of a tiny truck? No problem.

8. It is possible to fall off of motorcycles. If it happens, Haitians WILL make fun of you.

7. Mosquitoes can destroy your legs, but stretch mark cream can cure any scar.

6. Kids don't need to wear clothing until they're 10 years old.

5. I miss my family more than I ever thought I would. As much as I love it here, it's going to be soo good to come home to them again.

4. Joy can be found in the most desperate situations. The smile of a little Haitian child can brighten anyone's day.

3. Once you experience poverty of that level, nothing else will compare. The poverty I thought was in the DR seems like nothing now. It's seems like we're in America now. What will it be like when we get back home?

2. Being sick really sucks. Especially being sick with the Dengue Fever. But even when you're stuck in bed with the ugliest rash you've ever seen, the worst back pain you've ever experienced, and your eyes feel like they're going to pop out of their sockets, God can speak to you in powerful ways.

1. Jesus is so powerful. He chooses to use me to show his power. To heal the sick and cast out demons. I seriously can't get over it.

Prayer: Prostitution

It is only the beginning of the day and Margareth is finding herself already exhausted. It is busy in the brothel today because of the holiday, and there is no stopping the countless men flooding in. Margareth had sold food on the street all her life making about $33 a day but since losing most of her family in the earthquake she was forced to change her occupation. With only her son and granddaughter left she feels desperate to provide for them and has begun to lie to them about how she earns her money. As ashamed as she is of her occupation, she feels that she can’t get out of the cycle she is in.

The men that buy her frighten her. While she is working, she tries to shut off her mind and become senseless, but sometimes the men are forceful and cause her pain. Sometimes they hit her or threaten to. Some days, business is slow, with no men coming to the brothel at all. But it’s days like today that are tough, with more than 20 men using her body for such a small amount of money. She only gets paid $1.50 per man, barely enough to cover her rent at the brothel. The 32 other girls who live in the house are also plagued by the same problems. Disease spreads rapidly, even with the use of condoms in place. If she had the money, she would restart her rice business. It would cost $133 to begin again, an amount of money almost impossible to attain. If she leaves, she will be forced to sleep on the street until she can find someone to take her in. Margareth has trained herself to have no expectations of any hope or anything good. How she longs for the day when she can escape this way of life.

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Hope: Prison Reform

A gate stands, reaching higher than any person can see. An enormous lock and chain prevent anyone from going in or coming out. Darkness covers the whole area and a sign defines the place inside: prison. All of a sudden, the gate violently explodes and a new gate is revealed. A beautiful, white gate appears. Light shines everywhere and the sign that once called this place a prison is redefined. It is now known as an “area of change.” This was the vision Philipson Georges received which caused him to begin a ministry in the prison of St. Marc, Haiti. It was a long journey to even begin this ministry. Two years after Philipson saw this vision, during a prayer meeting a friend felt they should go pray in front of the prison. While they were fervently praying, a man came by to ask why they were praying so loudly. Philipson told him that he had been trying to start a ministry inside the prison for some time, but was unable to get a meeting with the prison inspector. When the man told him that he was the prison inspector, Philipson had a hard time believing that the door was opened so easily after years of trial. The meeting was scheduled for the next day and within two weeks the ministry began. He began telling the prisoners about Jesus, baptizing them and teaching them about the bible. The staff at the prison began to notice a change in the prisoners. Fighting began to decrease and the ministry flourished. Now many of the prisoners are following Jesus and eagerly learning more about Him and His word. Philipson has had complaints that the women are praying so loudly at night that the guards can’t sleep, and many of the prisoners know sections of the Bible by heart. This is a testimony of Philipsons persistence with following his vision and God’s blessing on this ministry. With three services a week and many other activities the prisoners have something to look forward to and a new hope. Philipson hopes to train them in other areas of relationships, helping them build trust with society and family. Philipson has many dreams and plans for the future. Everyday he sees these dreams come true. Just days before our interview with him one of the prisoners was released and is now attending the services outside of the cell ministering to his friends who are still in captivity.

Philipson is turning this prison into what it was originally intended for. Before prisons existed, the only punishment was death. Prisons were created for the transformation of those who have committed crimes. The time they spend there should change them into the person they should be. When they leave, their families should embrace them instead of shunning them. Philipson dreams of the day this happens. He dreams of starting a school inside the prison so that the men and women can be trained during their stay. Engineers, doctors and electricians can emerge instead of people with no knowledge or training. He also wants to start a halfway house for prisoners who are set free, setting up an accountability program for them.

Prayer is the biggest help you can send for Philipson and the ministry he has started. Pray that Philipson’s dreams for the future will come true. Pray that the ministry will prosper and move into new prisons. Pray for continued transforming of hearts inside the prison walls. Pray that it will become what it was intended to be: an area of change.

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Hope: Access to Primary Health Care

It was a typical day for Roberteau. The seven-year-old Haitian boy went to start the morning fire, but as he was opening the kerosene tank it poured out all over the right side of his body. As there was still a fire from the night before it lashed out creating third degree burns all down his right side. He ran, on fire and screaming, to his brother, who then put it out and brought him to their grandmother. Try as she might, her simple medical knowledge was not sufficient to take care of the third degree burns Roberteau was experiencing. It wasn’t until three days later, when an American nurse finally came to his small mountain town, that he experienced better medical care. Even with her knowledge, his tissue grew together the wrong way and crippled him; he needed more advanced care. After some time and coordination he was sent to live with an American family in Arkansas so that he could have the surgeries needed, but it still took many other surgeries to heal completely and have the ability walk again. When he was 16 Roberteau heard God calling him back to Haiti to finish school. It was while he was back that he gained the vision for this medical clinic in the same area he grew up in.

It was this experience that inspired Roberteau to be passionate about providing care for the people who live in the mountain towns. Still today many people don’t have the health care needed, but He will change that soon. He is now planning on building a clinic for the people of Fond Baptist, Haiti. 2 acres and a partial building have already been donated and all that needs to be done is finish the building. He wants the people living there to be comfortable and well cared for, not only with health but also in discipleship for the knowledge of Jesus Christ. Roberteau and his wife Carolyn are passionate about discipling others in their faith and will be using this as a tool to do so.

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Hope: Access to Clean Water

Access to clean water is a luxury most people can only dream about. Ads can be seen on TV about this dilemma and some are fighting to stop this reality. But as days go by, not much has been done to see the end of this epidemic. Kyle Reno, a well driller from Florida, has discovered his calling in this area of injustice. While on a mission trip to Saint Marc, Haiti, Kyle saw this need in the communities surrounding the city. He found that most children work to get water for their families, the miles that they walk take up the majority of their day. When he visited the source of this water he found that the many miles walked were not worth the water they were receiving. The river that is their source of water was being used as a pool, bathtub, and toilet of humans and animals. While processing this great need, Kyle wondered who could help these people, but everything pointed right back to him. As a well driller, he would be able to provide clean, drinkable water. It wasn’t possible to do anything during his short trip, but when he returned to Florida, he shared with his church all that he dreamed to do. After communicating all he longed to do, Kyle was approached by a man, Nathan Boleen, starting an organization to drill wells in third world countries. Their dreams matched up perfectly, so Kyle decided to partner with him. The next day, a woman from the rotary club asked Kyle if they could sponsor his work. Things really started to take off. By May 2010, he took a second trip to Haiti, this time to start testing the water in different communities. What he discovered was shocking. In every sample of water tested, both bacteria and salt were found. This is the same water that thousands of people drink every day.

Kyle is determined to make this happen. He is going to drill 150 wells every year. Instead of the $1750 that it normally costs to drill a well, he and his team will be drilling them for $200-$300. Since he won’t be charging for labor, the costs are significantly decreased and will cost the Haitian people nothing. His goal is to provide clean water for all of St. Marc and eventually many different third world countries. His dream is to help as many people as he can in his lifetime. Once he gets started, there’s no stopping him. No lack of finances, no lack of resources, no lack of workers can prevent him from completing his goal.

The one thing Kyle is most in need of is your prayer. Please pray for open doors and able hands. For ample funds and abundant supplies. Be in prayer for the people who are in need of the clean water. Pray that God would fill them with hope while they wait for the wells to be drilled. Pray for safety for the team who will be drilling these wells as they work to provide this water.

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St. Marc

Sorry that I've been neglecting this blog a bit. It's been crazy here in St. Marc. We're doing more with Voice for the Voiceless here and we've been going nonstop with interviews and research. God is really opening up doors for us, though! Our outreach team is divided into three different groups these few weeks. Steve, Emily Rice and Me are working on the Voice for the voiceless stuff. We're trying to get stories of people struggling through injustices and stories of those who are doing something about it. Emily Williamson, Elizabeth and Hannah are focusing on the brothel ministry. They go over there about every other day and just hang out with the women and share Jesus' love with them. Dani, Jorn, Christine and Hilary are focusing on the movie stuff. They've also been doing a lot of interviews and a lot of outings for the film.
I'm really excited for all the opportunities we have with all these interviews. We're probably going to get to interview the mayor sometime this week, as well as the UN. There are so many stories we can do, but we're trying to narrow it down so that we get better quality stories. It's tough knowing there are so many more that we aren't getting, but we know that it's good to focus on a few good things rather than get a whole lot of crappy stories. I'll try to be posting some of them on here so you can get a taste of the things I'm doing.
The base here is beautiful. It's so green and has gorgeous mountains on one side with the ocean on the other side. It's rainy season right now, so there is so much produce available at the market. We get to explore the city whenever we are free and it's so much fun just walking the streets. I really like it here a lot.

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Beyond the Sea

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A selection of stories from my crazy missionary life.

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Back in the DR

The top ten things I learned from Haiti

Prayer: Prostitution

Hope: Prison Reform

Hope: Access to Primary Health Care

Hope: Access to Clean Water

St. Marc

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