Saturday

I apologize for the redundancy of this post if you received this via email from Ethan, but for the rest of our followers i thought it provided different eyesight on the ground. Enjoy this post from Ethan simply titled Saturday. Good afternoon, my loved ones. Clearly the days are blurring a bit. Yes, yesterday was Friday despite the title to my email ;) What a beautiful ending to yesterday as we showed the movie "Courageous" at the church to close to 200 people using a computer and digital projector. I highly recommend this film for everyone including families. In it, real fatherhood is celebrated. Especially beautiful because Pastor Robinson, who shepherds this Haiti church, is a double orphan--abandoned by his parents, then again by his uncle. Now he is spiritually and practically a father to dozens of children, including our orphans, and to a couple hundred adults. This morning, I led devotions, reading from Colossians 2&3. I reinforced my previous comments on freedom (end Chapter 2). I encouraged the team to look for a common pattern in the New Testament letters: soaring passages of theology and doctrine, followed by the "so, therefore" of encouragement and admonitions. Faith coupled with deeds. Freedom with responsibility. Truth always translated through love. I encouraged them not to try to do (obey, reach out) to become, but to be who they are declared to be (orphans adopted through Christ) and go do. As always, we read the blog. "Ordinary" in the USA is indeed unimaginable here. After devotions, we hiked up the mountain through filthy alleys filled with trash and excrement, past the shacks that are homes here--dust flying everywhere. At the top, a pretty view and a breeze allowed us to dream a pleasant dream for a few moments. When I awoke, I thought: "Why is Haiti so barren and poor?" The answer is corruption and evil, especially in those who have led in this country. Untold money and supplies and more have poured into this country. Evil has wrecked it. Why are our hearts so barren and poor without Christ, even in the rich USA? Sin and evil. Pastor Robinson is the opposite: noble and true. He has carefully, diligently, and courageously used all of the help, money, and resources entrusted to him. He has used them well. He is bringing riches and life to this place. Today he told me about how is is training up the next generation of leadership for the future and "in case I die." He is a man of vision. I am privileged to count myself his brother and his ally. His picture is attached to this email. When we got back down, I inventoried my medical supplies and reviewed final tasks. Almost done. Tomorrow, church begins at 8am and runs 3 hours under the tent. These people are serious about their worship. What you are doing at home is essential--keep the emails, blog comments, and, above all, prayers coming. With tasks winding down, its easier to see the spiritual progress. My thoughts are beginning to turn to the future: to finishing , to saying goodbye, to regaining my luxuries, to reuniting with you all....but then....what? How will things change? How will I change? So many questions. My heart rests today in my Savior, my answer.