greater things are still to be done in this city

Our speaker this week was from France, American man, perfect French, perfect English.  He had a lot of wisdom, stories and teachings, but the thing that captured us most, was how much he relied on God to speak through him. It was so apparent that he has a personal relationship with God, and that is how he lives his life. Throughout the week there were times when we would just be led by God, not paying attention to the time or schedule. So many people were set free of things that had bonded them in the past, and allowed God to minister to them and change them. I witnessed the power in declaring freedom in lives and hearts, though His love.  One of the days we went out into the community to talk with people and pray for them. Before we left we prayed for God to lead us to places or people. Someone in my group felt we were to pray for children, specifically disabled or sick children. So we went out on our way walking down the street with no real direction, and stopped to talk with a few people. After about 45 minutes we were praying with a lady and another lady brought us to her house where she had a son who was paralyzed from the neck down and mute. We prayed for him and his family, and after that were brought 2 more children all sick, who we prayed for. What was different about this day was that we had 3 different languages between the people in our group. So every time we prayed, it would need to be translated twice. For example if I prayed, it was English, to French, to Creole. It was a mix of cultures, and I felt that there was so much more significance in that than just praying in one language. I really felt God through these different people, all together for one purpose. Each group that went out that day had similar stories, and it was so encouraging. We don’t go out to preach to people, we aren’t telling them they are wrong, or that they are living in sin condemned to darkness. We simple ask to talk to people. We want to know them, and their story, their life. It’s funny because most people do want hope; they do want to know they are loved, that they are a child of God.  It’s not about convincing people, it’s about showing people. Because everyone has questions, everyone wants to believe that they are living for a purpose, that there is a God that made them, who loves them.

Personally for me this week, I’ve been learning a lot about hearing God’s voice. I’m getting outside of religion and closer to God in a new way. I’m figuring out that my life is not a boring text book full of rules to follow in order to be a Christian. God is so much more than we can ever know or define. The church is more than a building, and love is more than an emotion. I’ve seen so many people from different back rounds and cultures in one place serving one God that it’s impossible to pretend that He doesn’t have redeeming power and love, or a place in my life.

This Saturday our speaker left, and students went out to do different things. A couple of girls and I went for a short walk to buy pâté from the street. These are basically deep fried pastries with meat, vegetables, spicy sauce and eggs in them. Very delicious, very unhealthy. We walked back home, and used a French press to make Starbucks coffee and sat in the gazebo to have breakfast. By this time it was about 9:30, and our little adventure had started at 8. We realized that at home that would have taken about 5 minutes in a drive through at Tim Horton’s. Simple things here take forever, and yet they are only more appreciated. In Canada simple things take a short time, and are equally appreciated with the right mindset. I don’t think everyone needs to experience having nothing in order to not take life for granted. We need to know that we are blessed no matter where we live. For me, I feel blessed that I can live in two very different places, and love them both. In nine days I’m going home for a wedding, where I am a bridesmaid for one of my best friends. To me, nothing sounds better than leaving Haiti, when I know I already have a ticket back.

monday morning starts a new week, new speaker. and I can not wait to see what happens next.

my life could not be more crazy.

I'd like to start by saying my month here in Haiti has been nothing less than insane, so I do apologize for not updating everyone sooner, it's just staff training, students arriving, starting a school, and hardly having electricity all make it quite difficult to sit down and write.
But at last here we are, update #1

Let’s just clear up some YWAM lingo:

DTS – discipleship training school, 3 months of lectures from various speakers that will be talking about missions, life as a follower of Jesus, character of God, and many others, followed by 2-3 months of Outreach in a country such as Benin, Jamaica, Brazil & Cuba.

Just to clear up exactly what I am doing…

I’m currently staffing this DTS, with 24 others, and we spent 3 weeks preparing for the students to arrive. We will have around 50 students, 30 Haitian, 20 International. We are all living in one big house with triple high bunk beds, and limited shower resources. The school is starting, and most of the students have arrived.  We are one house and 80 people, all sharing everything.  I’m extremely excited for the work God will be doing in each of us.

Where this year has brought me

The day I got back to Haiti, I was filled with a joy I can’t explain. I was so happy to be back in a familiar place, with familiar people; maybe a little dysfunctional, and messy, but comforting. I saw everything completely differently than I had before and from that day on I knew God had started a work in me way before this DTS. God has truly given me His eyes for this country, and so much more. The fight that took place to get me here was worth it. The struggles, the meltdowns, and the disbelief, could not stop God from giving me His heart for Haiti. I can’t help but be humbled by remembering every time I thought I knew better than God.

And now that we are starting, and the students are here I’m beginning to grasp a small bit of God’s love for them.  I know He has really put me in a place to grow, and help others grow as well. Our community in this house is much different that any that I’ve experienced.  With the language barriers and cultural differences in a house of so many people, we have no choice but to rely on God to get through each day. After one week we all have become one big family. There really is no way to explain how 80 people living in one house without running water, aren't killing each other. We are learning a lot about respect and value. And personal space. It's really refreshing to be reminded what is really important in life. I've never seen so many people hungry for what God has for them.

This week is the first speaker who has come to teach, and we are expecting big things. He is teaching on walking in the Spirit, and in this nation, that is exactly what we need to be learning about. Darkness just falls away when the presence is as thick as it is here. I feel so privileged to be here, and be walking with all this students in this season. This really will be the most exciting 6 months of my life. A time of growth i'm never going to forget.

But oh, lets not forget all the fun we are having here..

beach days, greasy american food, tap tap rides, praying for water.. praying for rain..praying for coffee in the morning.. taking buckets to the well to shower with..half the DTS sleeping upstairs in the classroom because its just to hot to be in the rooms..wondering about mysterious bug bites..laughing off the things we really can't understand.. walking to the shops, buying snacks, having big barbeques..eating rice and beans, and hotdogs..sharing just about everything.. and did I mention 15 girls to each bathroom?

And the great part is that this is just a choice.

We choose to live in Haiti.

We choose to live in uncomfortable conditions.

We choose to give up our personal space.

We let people speak into our lives and coach us, and run alongside us.

We let ourselves become vulnerable to each other.

We choose not to let the little things bother us.

We choose to fight for what we believe in.

And through those choices, we are also deciding to become close to God. We are an open book to Him, we are laying down our lives, and we are following Him. We are living to learn, and learning to grow. This just happens to be the best way I can think of.