Haiti Journal Readings: Day Five

Haiti Mission Trip: Day Five (4-13-2011)

From my reading in Radical:

The way we use our money is an indication of our eternal destination. the mark of a Christ follower is that their hearts are in heaven and their treasures are spent there.

-We can stand with the starving or with the overfed

-We can identify with Lazarus on his way to heaven or with the rich man on his way to hell

-Or we can embrace Jesus while we give away our wealth, or walk away from Jesus while we hoard our wealth.

From my bible reading:

Phillipians 2:1-4

If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also the interest of others.

(Lord, I pray that you make me in this manner. That I no longer look to myself as better than others. that I always take the welfare of others over my own. That I can love the way Christ loved, and continue to love.)

Today was a productive day. Me, Kris and Bruce helped build a roof over at Mano's church. We had a great time working together. Wish we had more time here to do more together as a team. We have created some awesome relationships with each other. Ed has been needing a few things done around his house. Mainly stuff made. Tonight me and Kris built a big kitchen table for him. He really like it alot!

Its amazing how we can take so many things for granted. Such as a kitchen table, beds or bookcases. We always complain about what we don't have, but usually never take the time to thank God for what we do.

(Lord, I pray that you fill my heart with joy for the many blessings I have in my life. I pray that I never lose sight of this, and that I am never afraid Lord of not having what I know you will provide.)

Haiti Journal Readings: Day Four

Haiti Mission Trip: Day Three (4-12-11)

From my bible reading this morning:

Phillipians 1:9-11

And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ-to the glory and praise of God.

(Lord, I pray this prayer for myself. I pray for your knowledge and for my purity so that I can remain blameless in your sight and to others so that I can become a blameless instrument for you and for your glory.)

Today was another awesome day with spending time with kids. They are just so receptive to the love we show them. We gave out school supplies to a small school in LaCul. It is crazy to think that just a notebook and pens and pencils could impact a child in the way that it will. The money it would have cost for the parents to buy these supplies can now go to food or another item that the family needs.

I made two new friends today while we were out! Their names are Pierline and Sherli. I don't know if they look to me as a brother or father figure, but I can feel their love when they are around me. It is the greatest feeling in the ever. I will truly miss these two amazing little girls.

It breaks my heart though because when we left them today, I found out they live in a tent city. Made we want to cry. All I know is if I have some sort of roof over my head, I will be forever happy. The Lord will provide. It boggles me to no extent how these people live their lives, so happy and not distraught by their circumstances. I pray to have that kind of peace. The kids don't have XBOX's, Wii's or smart phones. Give them a soccer ball and a hug, and they feel like the luckiest kid in the world. I pray for that kind of peace. Thank You Lord for what you have shown me today!

Also, on a awesome side note:

Ed Lockett, the missionary we are partnered with down here, knew my mom just before she married my dad! They were like best friends. Lord, you are miraculous to bring me and Ed together in this manner. He was so excited to see that my mom was in church now and finally happy.

Haiti Journal: Day Three

Haiti Mission Trip: Day Three (4/11/11)

From my reading this morning out of the book Radical:

God has created us to accomplish a radically global, supremely God exalting purpose with our lives. The formal definition of impact is "a forcible contact between two things," and God has designed our lives for a collision course with the world!

(Lord, make me an instrument for your glory, honor and praise!)

We went and visited Yellow School today. The schools have names, but since the quake, the schools are designated by the color shirts the students are suppose to wear. Visiting the kids was amazing! It was a private school, so they

literally just let the kids visit with us while we are there. The kids accept and give love in ways I have never seen. The love of a child is amazing. They are just looking for love and affection they usually do not get from home. I just love and admire these kids!

Another thing got to me at Yellow school today. A little girl was not feeling well. She was running a fever, throwing up and had diarrhea. They thought she might have malaria. But they couldn't get her clinical health for a good 24 hours. The hospital here in Petit Goave is not real great either. All we could do was pray over her, and for God to come down and heal her frail little body. It literally brought me to tears.

The landscape is crazy as well. Beautiful mountains, beautiful ocean water and ocean views, but the poverty is so unreal. It just puzzles me to the core how such a beautiful island can be in such turmoil. I just pray for the Haitian people that they open their eyes to what God has blessed them with, and in the end, praise Him for it, and use it for His glory.

(Lord, please use the people of Haiti to be a sign of hope in a sinful world. And let me be an instrument for you, so that you can use me to make this a reality.)

Haiti Journal: Day Two

Haiti Mission Trip: Day Two (4-10-11)

From my reading this morning out of the book Radical:

Our great need is to fall before an almighty Father day and night and to plead for him to show his radical power in and through us, enabling us to accomplish for his glory what we could never imagine in our own strength. And when we do this, we will discover that we were created for a purpose much greater than ourselves, the kind of purpose that can only be accomplished in the power of his Spirit.

Church this morning was amazing! We sometime, well pretty much all the time, take for granted what we have in America. The church I went to this morning was in a tent. A stick framed hut, with tarps over it. And they still praised and worshipped God. Unlike us, when we can sometimes not go to church just because of typical nonsense stuff. Did I mention it was super hot in there.

Then we went to church tonight at Mano's church. That was an amazing expierence. His church was actually in a building. But the power in Haiti only comes on at a certain time. So it was very hot and dark in the church. All the light we had was two oil lamps. Even with those conditions, people still praised and worshipped God. It really makes you realize what it truly takes to praise God. Not a building, not stained glass windows, or even electiricity! Just a group of believers gathering for one sole purpose, to praise God! Thank you Lord for showing me this today.

Haiti Journal

No picture or words can describe what I experienced while I was in Haiti. Never before have I seen such poverty and such a way of living. As I was preparing to go on this mission trip, I started to think of journaling while I was there. I wanted to do this so when I got back I could be able to share my experiences there so maybe people could get a glimpse of what I saw and experienced while I was there. That is what the next seven blogs are going to be about. These blogs will be about my seven days in Haiti. It will talk about what I experienced and also about what God has showed me and some excerpts from my bible reading and the reading of the book Radical. My prayer is that this will give you insight.

I also want to ask that you pray for me and continue to pray for the people of Haiti. For me, that I never forget what I saw and experienced, and that God will open my heart and mind up to things that he has in store for me. The people of Haiti, that God will show them that they can make a better lives for themselves and that they can truly lean on God for guidance and strentgh to do so. That no matter what they feel, they are not second class to anyone. That they realize we are all the same in the eyes of God.

I have changed my blog title to 3verse8. Later on in my week there I came across Phillipians 3:8, which says;

What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ.

Think about it, we can have all the most amazing items, the nicest car, the nicest house and even the most money. But aside from knowing Christ, this stuff is all garbage. The people of Haiti don't have all these things. Some of them live in tents and have nothing! But, one thing they do have is Jesus! And, THEY. ARE. HAPPY!! What have they gained from losing everything, Christ.

After my time in Haiti, this is my prayer. I pray that God would take the things in my life that I put before him, and just take them away. That I lose all things, that in knowing that, I may gain Christ.

My first blog post is short, but trust me, they get longer.......here is day one.

Hait Missions Trip: Day 1 (4-9-11)

What an eye opener today was. I thought I had and idea of poverty, but I was so wrong. I guess I am still blinded by the way we live in America. Even poverty stricken people in the states have it 100X better the the Haitian people.

Just an idea of how nasty it is down here: take all the trash from the landfill in Dalton, fly over with a plane, and then just drop it from the sky. Then just leave it there. That is how I could best describe it.

The kids are going to make this whole trip for me. They are so loving, friendly and definetly clingy. All they want to do is be around you, and pretty much have your undivided attention. I LOVE THIS!! I am already thinking of how much I will miss them.

They are just so curious about you, just as much as you are about them. The love of a child is truly extraordinary. And these children prove that, 110%. If I could only love a stranger (even a person I know) as much as these kids love us, then I will see myself as OK.

Thank You Lord for this opportunity!