Streets: Christa

Christina, Tasha, me, Luciana, Mona

I was brought to tears the other night during worship, overwhelmed by how much I love these street kids. We open the Saturday Night Worship to the community, so that we can all worship our God together. It is one of my favorite times with the street kids, most who we have built relationships with during the week at our feeding programs.

Tasha & Luciana

There is a group of tween girls around the ages of 11 and 12 that we have been able to talk to consistently. They live in the tent city just around the corner from where I live. Ray and I got the privilege to go into the tent city with our nurse Paula, who was taking care of a few sick kids. There’s just really no words to describe what we saw, and because we are American, we choose to keep a low profile and not take pictures since we already stand out and are walking through their homes. So I will include some links to give you a visual, but we were invited into some tents by the kids and what we saw is heartbreaking. It’s exactly what we were afraid of.

Siniace, the edge of the tent city across from our home

Tent City Pictures:

Flag Over Tent City

Small Tent

To paint a picture, the distance between each tent is just enough to walk through. It is a small pathway, but its not even enough width for two people to walk side by side. Some tents are bigger than others, but there is a family of at least 4 or 5 in each one, most have more, such as a common family of 7. Lucley brought us into her tent, which consists of a tarp all the way around 4 sticks and another tarp across the top. Her door was made of tin and had a wooden stick on the inside to slide it closed to give them some sort of feeling secure, when really there is nothing safe about it.

Mona, Luciana, Tasha

Tasha is one of the girls I have gotten to know the most and her sister Jessica has been really sick, so Paula went to visit her and we went along. Her beautiful and young mother was at the door greeting us in her broken English with a glowing smile telling us to please come in and sit down, “chita, chita!!” As we sat down on cement blocks (holding at least 3 neighboring babies in our laps) and we all started to just drip in sweat, she told Evans, (one of our older orphanage boys who was translating), “I know its really hot in here and its hard for you to see this, but I can't thank you enough for coming here and making sure we are ok. It’s so good to have you here and meet you. Thank you for coming...."

At that point I was just trying to process the fact that in this little square of a tent there was one makeshift cot, one table with all their belongings and a sheet to separate the room and the sitting area. There are at least 4 people living in that tent, which probably means they all sleep in the dirt on the floor.

Luciana

I think back to when I was this age and it is probably the worst as a girl. I can’t imagine what it is like without people really investing in their lives as they are going through so many new things at this age. I pray for their purity and protection and that they would follow so close to God. In worship I had 11 year old Mona in my arms, we were standing up praising our God that is so good, and she has her arms wrapped around me like a hug, but her hands are lifted up to God behind me. It was so powerful to be the affection and comfort for her while worshiping together. I just pray that their hands stay lifted so high to the Lord who is reaching down into their lives and pulling them out of where they are. I can see that they are not rich in material things, but they are rich in ways we have never grasped.

Eddlie, Jeff, Me, Dupren, Rachel, Kellens, Peterson

There is also a pack of teenage boys that call themselves the street boys and have a secret handshake (that they so proudly have shared with us). A few of them are Sonson, Peterson, Jivenson, Jeff, Yvell, Kellens, Dupren, Edlie, Ledell and Jaytwoh, who we see everyday hanging out in front of our gate. My life just wouldn’t be the same with out them. They started this saying, “not today, cherie…” just to be funny, like when we say get over here and give me a big hug, of course their response is, “not today, cherie…” while all of them laugh, but really they cant wait to get a big hug from us each day. We were making a joke about how all Haitians love Sean Paul and Akon and somehow it came out Sean John (Puff Daddy’s clothing line)… which then it turned into, “not today, Sean John…” Please enjoy this video of Sonson and then Jivenson and Sonson rapping about who knows what…

We love these boys so much it’s hard to even begin how to describe them to you. But they have touched our hearts in ways no other kids can. They wait for us outside our house everyday, they call us by name and yell from the top of the street, “ME LOVE YOU SO MUCHHHHHH” in their Creole accents, and they walk us to work in the mornings telling us that they are our security guards and that they are here to protect us. As tough as they try to be, we know they are just dying for love. We are overjoyed to be a vessel for God’s love to them as we continue to teach them about Jesus and how He is our ultimate comforter. A few of them come to church with us every Sunday, and some are making jewelry with the pastor’s wife to make a little extra cash for their family to eat.

Jeff and his beautiful cousin

Jeff was one who stole our hearts back in November when he stood crying at the gate as we departed from Haiti in a big white truck. That image was forever burnt in my mind. He shared with me the other day that his dad was murdered and he now lives with his mom and 5 other brothers and sisters in one tent and they go two days without eating often, so he is thankful for the feeding program, but he still doesn’t know how to get food for his mom. Sonson’s dad was also murdered, but by his own brother, Sonson’s uncle, so his family is very torn and he is tossed around sometimes between aunts and other family. He also lost his older brother to what probably was another violent act. Peterson also lives with an aunt and his brothers and sisters are spread out among other family.

These boys roam the streets night and day because they don’t have money to barely eat so they definitely don’t have any to go to school, so they joined together and are the street boys. They desperately need prayer because these streets are rough. They think they are tough and they are all prone to get in fights growing up and seeing so much crime. We pray that the love of God transforms their minds and their past’s wont shape who they are, but Jesus will. I am sure their situations seem hopeless at times, but we pray that Jesus would be their hope in this desperate time. God loves each one of them so deeply and we just pray He leads us in ways of showing them just how full Gods love is for them. A few of them have now been sponsored to go to school, which is a huge blessing but a long road starting school in their early/mid teens.

Open the front gate... and this is what you find! Sonson, Peterson, Jivenson, Ledell

Jeff

Then there are the babies. I will have to write another post about his one, but all I can say is the babies who call out our names while RUNNING full force towards you just to leap into your arms… well…. It just melts your heart. It’s the best feeling in the world, really. They get smothered with kisses, and they know just what’s coming when they jump in these arms.

Nancy, Angline, Diana, Milanda, Ganiva, Guerson, Stevenson

“Listen, my beloved brothers, has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which he has promised to those who love him?” – James 2:5

Support Junior

JUNIOR FANFAN

Junior is a seventeen-year-old young man with a heart of gold. Most who have had the privilege of meeting him, know within a few minutes that God has placed a special calling on his life. His heart for the Lord inspires both his peers and the spiritually mature. Many of the kids nicknamed him "Pastor Junior" because of his dedication and diligence to studying and preaching God's Word.


Although it is difficult to imagine, Junior used to beg on the streets of Delmas Blvd. in Port-au-Prince with many other young kids. He was ushered from the streets into living in the MDL Boys' Home through a friend’s street ministry. Shortly after coming into the safely of MDL, his mother was murdered in Cite Soleil and then his father later passed away in the countryside. Today, Junior, this once timid child, boldly preaches the Gospel, having put his faith and hope in Christ more than four years ago. He often teaches at devotionals and even partnered with other children from MDL two summers ago in doing an evangelistic outreach for their extended family members and community in the village where they grew up.

Junior has long expressed his hope of becoming an evangelist. Ranch Church in SantaYnez, California has expressed a desire to come alongside Junior’s calling and financially support him at Calvary Chapel Bible College in Murrieta, California. Needing an American high-school equivalent education to apply, Junior is currently enrolled in an American school in Haiti called Morning Star Christian Academy. We are praying that more people would come alongside to support his tuition fees until he finishes in 2014. To help Junior to continue to prepare for the work God is calling him to do we need to raise $475.00 a month for tuition and lunch money. Please prayerfully consider whether you would like to become involved in helping Junior by committing to financially sponsor him for half a month's tuition, one month, or multiple months of school. 

As interns, working with him for the past three months has been truly a blessing. He is one of the most respectful kids and we really see so many attributes in him that prove he will be one to rise up and make a difference in his home, community and generation. He is one of the leaders in our Transition Program helping teach and oversea the silk screening business, and demonstrating a great deal of knowledge of business in our classes. We are so encouraged each time he raised his hand in class to share his thoughts and ideas for his future businesses.  We know he is more than capable of running all the businesses that he dreams of one day and we are praying over his steps in getting there.

Click here to sponsor him half month or whole month:
http://www.childhope.org/work/education/juniors_school.html

If you would like to sponsor him in a different amount, follow this link to the main donation page, then specify your contribution is for Junior's school fund:

https://childhope.webconnex.com/donation_form?category=14207

In category, please click "other". 

God Bless Amerika: Christa

“Our body is like a tent we live in here on earth. When it is destroyed, we know that God has another body for us in heaven. The new one will not be made by human hands as a house is made. This body will last forever. It is God who has made us ready for this change. He has given us His Spirit to show us what He has for us.” - 2 Cor 5:1,5

          
 I can’t help but think of this passage as I look at Amerika running around the Feeding Program. Her frail bones look like they could shatter at any small trip and those sad eyes have so much pain behind them. Amerkia lives in the tent city and is most likely only fed 3 times a week at this program. She has numerous brothers and sister and her mother is mentally unstable. The mother will often tell you she herself is 9 years old, when in fact she is probably around 30+. Needless to say, these kids are devastatingly uncared for.

The first time I met Amerika in November, I was put in charge of her to make sure she ate all her food. Because she is (probably) autistic, the kids in the neighborhood treat her like dirt, pushing her down, slapping her arms as she walks by and even taking her food from her. Any kind of disorder or deformities are strongly looked down upon in this culture and treated very differently. Watching the kids treat her like this broke my heart and the mama bear inside of me scooped her up to get her into safe arms.

About a year ago, she was so skinny they thought she was going to die, often fainting in your arms from dehydration. Her hair was bright orange, showing signs of major malnutrition. As she sat on my lap to eat, I experienced something that changed me forever. I have never seen a child inhale food like that. She was so hungry, I was scared she was going to choke. She would tip the bowl over to stack as much beans and rice on her spoon and shove it all in her mouth as fast as she could, scooping up the next bite before she could even swallow her first.



 Something in your heart changes when you see a child that hungry get a meal and clean water. I did my best to get her to eat a gummy vitamin, but she spit it out about 5 times. I think the combination of the sugar and the gummy texture hurt her teeth, which are probably starting to rot due to lack of care.  I pray for her whenever I have her in my arms.

In 2 Corinthians 4:16-18, I’m reminded that, “we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.” As we look not to the things that are seen, such as Amerika’s suffering and all the shortcomings and trials of her young fragile life, but to the things that are unseen, one day the full restoration of all things, including Amerika, at the resurrection to come, and the sure fulfillment of God’s purposes for history. Eternal refers not to timelessness but to that which lasts forever.

Having her here at the program after one year she looks like a different child… although she is not to perfect health, she actually runs around with a smile and her hair is a beautiful brown, fashionably braided. Its been such a joy to see Amerika in better spirits. I have played a chasing game with her to give her kisses and she just melts with laughter when she finally gets caught and attacked with my kisses. I call her trè bèl, which means very pretty in Creole, and she laughs and smiles and I just am so encouraged to see her on a healthy path. 
Her brothers also come to the feeding program. Dupren is 11 and he helps watch over the younger kids as the program is in process. His smile will melt your heart and he is always so shy, but is glad to give you hugs when you pursue him for them. He is hanging out with the older street boys so we are praying he doesn’t get caught up in the destructive path a lot of those boys get caught up in. His best friends are at least 4 years older than him, but are making an effort to learn about Jesus and they come to church with the pastor’s wife, Josie. Dupren and his best friends, Jeff (16) and Eddlie (15) are making jewelry with Josie a few days a week to help make a little extra money for their families.

Her other brother, Jameson (4) is often found running around the program non-stop! He has so much energy, it’s overwhelming. He most likely has ADHD and then his diet (or lack there of), causes him to be a dezoid (which is ‘troublemaker’ in Creole). We often see him chomping on sugar cane, and that may be the only thing he ate that day, so its no wonder he is bouncing off the walls. We are frequently just monitoring him to keep his clothes on… He thinks its funny to pull all his clothes off and run around. But once you catch him, and you have him tight in your loving arms, he finally feels loved and falls asleep. Finally.

This family is so dear to all of our hearts. The Manassero family has tried taking them in for 7 years now, but the mother will not give them over. She has been known to sell her body when she has no money, so we are praying against her giving her children over to this devastating alternative to earning money. Needless to say, none of them know their father. Please pray that they would know the love of their perfect Father in heaven.

“For my father and my mother have forsaken me, but the Lord will take me in.” 

-Psalm 27:10

Dinosaur Eyes: Ray

 

            A few weeks ago, at the feeding program, as I scanned over the mass of dark, beautiful, expressive faces waiting in line to be seated for food, I came in a locked stare with the eyes above. Standing taller than all of the other heads was a lighter skinned boy, arms at his side, with a look that could break your heart, but a face that had these piercing eyes. He looked sad or hurt. Having never seen him at any feeding program before on either of my last two trips or up to this point on this one, I was interested. I couldn't break the stare. I smiled and he let out a small, but barely there smirk. As the feeding program went on, I continued to smile and he just continued to look back at me. Normally, if I want to talk to or love on kid I just go and pick them up. This wasn't going to be that easy as he was a boy and an older one, at least 12. Not knowing if he spoke any English and being a bit timid on my Creole speaking skills, I said nothing.  I did however inquire about him to Susette (mom of the family who started Child Hope) and Chillup (who runs the feeding program) to see if they knew anything about him. They did not, but spoke with him and gave him extra food and water. I continued to watch him while washing dishes, waiting to see a real smile. Then it happened! It was like I had struck a pot of gold! From that smile, it was like his arms just wrapped themselves around my heart and I wouldn't be able to shake them even if I tried. He made sure to come say bye to me that day before leaving and I must admit my heart melted a little.

           Now Jimsteve is one of the older helpers at the feeding program and I get to see that smile a lot more often... along with a hug or nudge when he is feeling generous. ;) I made him a friendship bracelet made from yarn (just about the only thing we are allowed to give the kids) and we have had broken conversations here and there. I am not sure of his full background, but I know that he lives in the tent city down the street and has two pairs of shoes and does not go to school. I pray for his heart, his safety and health, and his future and I ask that you join me in prayer for Jimsteve. Pray that he does not fall in to the street boy mentality, but grows to have a personal relationship with the Lord. 

My Soul Reedemed

             

We met a young man at worship the other night named Emmanuel, whose smile lit up the dark night sky. We later had the opportunity and complete honor of talking to him at dinner about his testimony. As Emmanuel sat down to tell us about his day, we quickly saw that this boy was in fact quite an outstanding young man of God. He started with asking us some heart-searching questions. His first, “What is the most important thing you ask God for everyday?” We talked about asking for the power of the Holy Spirit to give us understanding of the Lord's will and of scripture. We talked about love and forgiveness and to see His people the way He sees them. It was neat to see a piece of his heart in what He prayed for everyday. The next question broke our hearts before we could answer it, knowing by the look in his eyes that it was not hypothetical, but instead coming from a place of true emotion and past hurt... “If someone killed your dad and your only sister, how do you forgive them? What do you do?”

Stomachs sank and knots in the throat formed. After attempting to keep ourselves together and knowing we could not relate, we shared biblically how we are to forgive and find closure and comfort in Jesus when no one on earth can bring us healing in that way. He then began to share of his devastating loss of his family. At the young age of 10, Emmanuel experienced the power and devastating results of voodoo when his father and sister were murdered through someone’s curse upon them.

We have heard a few stories of how people use voodoo to kill and one we heard the other day was bone chilling. With walls filled with skulls cemented together, a voodoo practicing women lived behind her shrine and proved to someone how she can suck the life out of her prey from outside of their house. She demonstrated this by having an outsider place a ripe and good watermelon inside the house in an unspecified area. After reciting voodoo practices, the women told them to go back inside to get the watermelon, representing a life she potentially preyed on. The person came out with the watermelon in one piece, but when it was sliced in half it was absolutely hollow with only seeds left inside. She explained that this is how she sucks the blood out of her victims from outside the houses to give her life and power.

This may have been a similar curse upon Emmanuel’s family or it may have been a physical attack, but either way, it was devastating. We just wanted to hold him as we sat there fighting off tears and staring into his big eyes. At age 10, one of the only ideas of his future this young boy had was to murder the people that killed his family. Emmanuel fought feelings of brokenness, fear, and anger with no relief or form of coping. Emmanuel himself was raised in a voodoo practicing family, but by the grace of God, at the age of 12, his mother and grandmother were saved and gave their lives to Jesus giving them complete redemption of their past involvement in very demonic activities. Emmanuel soon thereafter found the Lord himself.

Emmanuel is 20 now and he ended his testimony with his redemption story. He was baptized this last year and loves the Lord above all else. He shared his dreams of being an architect, to go to the states to get better education, and then come back to Haiti to empower his own people to build this nation back up. He shared his hopes and desires for a wife who loves the Lord and wants to help him raise his kids to live their lives for Christ. He wants a wife that will do worship nights and bible studies with him as he leads his family in the way of the Word. It was so encouraging and refreshing to see such a young person really pursuing God’s will and being content with where He has him now.

  He said recently he saw a shrine of voodoo idols outside someone’s house and he watered it down and swept it away. With the power of the Holy Spirit and the healing of Jesus, he no longer had feelings of pain and anger towards those people who killed his family, but feelings of freedom and a new found urgency to pray for those involved in voodoo. His struggle with wanting to kill the people who took his family, is now a desire for them to have a new-found life in Jesus Christ.  This is radical proof of the transforming power of the Holy Spirit in his heart. He no longer lives in fear of voodoo or people, but in the promises of God. A quote that he said that we will never forget reads "They can kill the body, but they cannot kill my soul. My soul is for the Lord.

Emmanuel mentioned how scared he was to share his testimony, but now sees how powerful it is and how God can use it to show His power in healing and redemption. Emmanuel has asked for prayer in boldness. He knows God has given him this story to proclaim God's glory, but he wants to overcome his fear and share his testimony to a bigger group of people who need to witness the healing power of Jesus and overcome tragic wounds of the past. 

            We were able to end our time with praying over him and we ask that you join us and be in continual prayer for him as well.   

"They can kill the body, but they cannot kill my soul. My soul is for the Lord" -Emmanuel Victor, 20

                                                                           

Happy Birthday Grandma!: Christa

Dear Grandma,

Happy 80th Birthday!!! I am sad to not be with the whole family in Colorado to celebrate, but today was a special day in Haiti as well. I hope you had an absolutely amazing time, can't wait to hear all about it! 
I fed a sick baby from the tent city who I never once saw crack a smile, but after I fed her and gave her plenty of water, she felt so much better I finally saw her light up with a smile for the first time in weeks as we gave her a toothbrush! (exciting, I know!)
It was also Willie's 16th birthday. He lost both of his parents at a young age and his birthday is often a reminder he doesn't have any parents to celebrate with, so we did our best to cheer him up and throw him a cupcake party. I hope you had lots of delicious treats as well! I love you so much and miss you tons!!! 

 

 

 

Whisper: Ray

We have officially been here over a week and I can’t even fathom how I was only here for that long on my last two trips!  One team has gone and another has arrived. It already has been such a fun time getting to know the different people that come. Everyone has their own story and their own perfectly orchestrated plan by God on how and why they are in Haiti. God knit Christa’s heart and my heart together in Haiti on our last trip, and I am so very blessed by her and what a gift she is. Knowing her heart for children, and for the Lord, and watching her serve Him by loving them is incredible. We have been going through Beth Moore’s James bible study in the morning and it has been a wonderful time of prayer and fellowship together. We are able to pray for our kids, for our day, our relationship, and that God’s will be done before the day even starts. 

Wednesday afternoon was yet another feeding program. I look into the sea of dark faces and am in awe of how beautiful they are.  This week had the amazing blessing of feeding and rocking Vatchna to sleep. Vatchna is one of the little girls who hang in my hallway back in LA. I have seen her face day after day, but seeing her again looking bigger and happier is an answer to prayer. 

Like Gibs said below, Wednesday night is worship with the kids. I am holding Daphne, 7, in my arms while worshipping. As she falls asleep in my arms while singing ‘How Great is Our God’, I was able to pray aloud over her, her life, and her heart. Daphne lost both of her parents when she was just years old, and was brought to the orphanage by an aunt how couldn't afford to take care of her along with her own children. Although she was very small and malnourished, she is now one of the most energetic, funny, and outgoing girls here. During the message being taught, I was sitting against the wall with sleeping Daphne on me, staring up at the stars in a clear sky, with the most perfect gentle breeze. It reminded me of I Kings 19 when the Lord reveals Himself to Elijah. 

“The Lord said, ‘Go out and stand in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.’ Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper.”  

 Elijah knew that it was God and then went and stood in the mouth of the cave. With my arms full in a place that he has called me, I feel so blessed to serve a God that is willing to reveal Himself to me and show up like He promises.