Toyota

Several months ago, we sat around a small porch in Haiti, sharing with our team. We were recounting a days activities, a few centered around an old, white, dying 1986 Toyota Land Runner that in it's lifetime had served many, and served well. It had been purchased used in Haiti approximately 10 years prior to this night as a service vehicle for Robinson, and he had done incredibly well to keep it up and it had served the ministry steadfastly. But time and rough country had taken their toll and a weary sight of metal and rubber and oil drips and slow starts bore out the truth that the old white mare was about to find her final resting place. Someone said, "you are going to need a new vehicle for Robinson, what are you going to do?" Prayer and efforts to raise awareness of the need were all that came to mind. Shortly after our return to the states, that poor old truck succumbed to wear and tear, and finally quit. We prayed and scrounged, but nothing surfaced for a replacement. We were laden with raising funds for the daily operations of the orphanage and church and we were remiss to load the financial burden of a new truck on our supporters. Then a door opened unexpectedly, a customs official needed a well! We prayed and a path formed, rough and fraught with setbacks and obstacles, but a path all the same. The faint signs of a God journey marked the pathway as we walked by faith. Laborers joined with us, and a miracle was born. I wrote the other evening of a 1992 Toyota Land Cruiser that had made it to St. Marc, and how through a set of miraculous circumstances the 2 tons of goods that were on the Toyota were delivered to Robinson duty free. This afternoon, Robinson went down and that 1992 Toyota was also delivered to him duty free! We are rejoicing with joy words cannot express. God has shown once again His mighty and faithful hand, He has joined with our efforts His abundant grace and provision, and we marvel tonight at what He has brought forth. We rejoice this evening with our Haitian family, for a miracle of epic proportions has come to pass. We wish to thank all for your prayers, financial contributions, and endless hours of sorting, packing, organizing, collecting, and giving from your hearts. A bountiful blessing has been unleashed by the hand of God, for He took our frail efforts, and multiplied them 100, even 1000 fold, and countless lives will be touched by love and generosity and hope. Faith found a foothold, love turned the key, and hope poured in like rain on a desert landscape of shattered dreams and broken promises. As I listened to the Haitian voice (Pastor Robinson's) on the other end of my phone tonight, the fragrance of fresh hope was palpable, joy echoed a sweet refrain, and promise found fresh soil to cultivate. God has delivered again! Blessings and peace to all. And might I add a prayer request for my dad and brother-in-law as they head in this weekend to drill the well that will cover the efforts to get this vehicle in quickly, safely, and without fees! They will drill the well this coming week. Will update on the progress as they arrive.

Much

This little four letter word, carries a two ton meaning tonight! We used to sing a song in church; "Little is Much when God is in It!" In the worlds terms, we have a "little Toyota" carrying a "big" load. Well... maybe the Toyota is not so little when you compare it to a car, but in a world of Semi's, Ships, and Cargo planes, our little Toyota is pretty small. It weighs 4500 pounds, we packed in another 4000 pounds! It traveled from Michigan to Florida as an 8500 lb. cargo truck where it was boarded onto a ship bound for St. Marc. We asked everyone to pray over this package. Tonight, while the Toyota awaits clearance papers, due to a burglary attempt, all 4000 pounds of goods stowed in the vehicle are now residing safely at Robinson's house in St. Marc! God works in mysterious ways His wonders to perform! I know I have not penned much in a while, but our labor on the ground has continued regardless of our slack fingers and thoughts to this digital page. We are not weary in well doing, but we have been weary! The physical ebb has been weak and the strain has been long. But tonight heralds incredible news, God prevails. He takes our little loaves and fishes and blesses them once again, multiplies them, and feeds the masses. We have prayed for the delivery of these goods for months. We didn't know how God would get it there, the needs are so great and yet the path for deliverance is so broken. However, faith the size of a grain of mustard seed, (at least on my part) has seen a mountain moved, and it may seem like a little mountain to some, but for those to whom the deliverance is coming today, it is a bright and glorious hope! The picture above in some ways does not do justice to what is here. But God is in the process of delivering a 20 year old mint condition Toyota Land Cruiser, loaded with medicine, clothing, food, a three burner stove, a welder, a host of tools, gifts, toys, pipe for water wells, school supplies, shoes, sandals, and a list of other goods that would fill several pages! The talk of St. Marc tonight is how did such a vehicle hold so MUCH! It's just a little sack lunch, but then "The Master" opens the bag, blesses what is inside, and behold such a marvelous and amazing host of supplies comes forth! Marvel with me, and glorify the Father! Blessings tonight, and remember to pray for the expedient delivery of the Toyota out of customs in the next couple of days. I will update as soon as it is released! Thank you again for all the gifts, and giving, and support. Lives are being changed, children are being delivered, God's hand is being extended through your generosity!

Contrast

I have thought for a week and one day for the title for this post. An unexpected text on my phone, with a cryptic message, and with grand implications reminded me once more of a universe where miracles still happen, where good trumps evil, where God still orders the ways of men. It turns out after a year of separation, a brother and sister who were orphaned have been reunited. We learned about six months ago that one of our little orphan boys had a sister in the country who was orphaned as well. In the first picture seen here, this is the moment we discovered her. When the news broke from Robinson to myself, I was grief stricken. I knew in an instant many things about this little girl via stories that had come through the suffering of her brother. I just didn't know that with his suffering there was yet another suffering even more! Over the passed few months these eyes have haunted me, I wanted so desperately with others to reach in and snatch her from the fire of pain that burned through her very existence. We had rescued her brother, my prayer was that she could be rescued as well... enter last Thursday evening when we got word that little Diane (pronounced Dion) had been picked up and brought to the orphanage. A brother and sister united after so much tragedy and separation. My heart soared, I am still on cloud nine. Day after day you invest, you sweat, you pray, you labor, and often life's thin vapor makes you question if all isn't vanity, and then, a divine ray of hope and grandeur penetrate the ruts of our weary existence and we are reminded of the greatness and goodness that streams through our days and the divine moments flush out the searing and temporal vestiges of insanity. We see roses and diamonds all around, in the midst of the shadows of suffering the bright light of hope takes issue in stark contrast. And somewhere a shudder blinks, and the lens's eye captures the contrast, and we marvel again. Faith bears up on eagles wings, and hope catches heavens' breeze and we soar again in God's great mysteries! With great joy in my heart, blessings from the blogoshpere!

Graduate

This picture is a very proud moment for this young man and for several surrounding him, including my own parents who have supplied his educational funding since adopting his sister 12 years ago. My dad had the honor of being able to attend his graduation ceremony a few weeks ago, and while there Manius gave a speech in Creole to family and friends. The circumstances my father witnessed with people's reactions to his speech that day prompted my dad to request it translated in English. It was so stunning that I wanted to put it up on the blog for everyone to be able to read and digest. For all who are sponsoring a Haitian child for school, this serves as a tremendous impetus for continuing to aid these wonderful and deserving children. Very few Haitian children ever graduate, they cannot afford the cost and the land deprives them so badly it is difficult to even survive, let alone get a full and complete education. But for change to come, Robinson believes in the necessity of education. This year with your help we have 64 children back in school! What a privilege for us to be a part of this kind of impact. Read this speech and allow the meaning to settle, it will surely stir your heart!

My warm greetings go to everyone this morning. Today I feel really enthusiastic about completing my secondary classes which, to me is a miracle, impossible, an enigma. After a past loaded with efforts I've been successful in making the impossible happen. Suffering, hunger, lacking clothes have motivated me to reach that impossible thing. I question now whether suffering is for destruction or construction; what is its role in a man’s life?

In my opinion, suffering is there not only to fashion our character and enable us to become mature but also it is presented to us as a way of better self-knowledge like a thinker says: "Trial is the time that reveals the truth in human beings; until it comes you never know all about a man." Suffering presents itself as the essence, the salt of our life, and a movie camera which records our past. It trains us for the future. Every time we remember that we have much suffered in order to get something, we value it. Besides, suffering is there to help us understand others in their suffering, like the great philosophers and protagonists of introspection say: "Who knows himself well also knows others." Jesus Christ, when He came on earth, went through so much suffering and that's what characterized his earthly walk. That's the reason He understands and has compassion for us when we call upon Him. As a matter of fact, anyone who wants to eat the best production of the city, of the land, and even of heavens must show determination, patience and courage. That person should even drink the cup of suffering because to get any good thing requires an extra and particular effort.

That contentment that I feel is not only my fruit but also that of other people because I am like a chain, a house built with materials from other houses in the same way that God created the world out of opposites and yet from the union of opposites came the most beautiful harmony. I don't know what I have to give to those people who have helped me achieve that seemingly impossible thing. No new word, no new expression comes to my mind for me to express my gratitude towards them. Anyway, I'd like to use my poor speech to address them.

First, I particularly thank my family, my father who accepted to bear all sorts of sufferings, like lacking clothes, going thirsty and hungry, for my sake. There were times when he was even exposed to death. Those sacrifices cannot be acknowledged with just thanking words but I believe that God who, in His love can give beyond my request, is able to reward him according to his works. Thanks to Pastor Louis Robinson who accepted to love me all the way. When my mother passed away I was on my 2nd year of primary school and I found myself in a dead-end due to my family’s incapability to handle the situation then. My father was on the point of moving to the Dominican Republic by himself. As for me, I thought it was the end of my life but yet it was the beginning brought about by God’s direct intervention.

God has chosen Pastor Louis Robinson to help me. This relationship that God has established between him and me is unexplainable; I see it as an enigma. Pastor Louis Robinson is from Desdunes and I am from Terre Blanche. It is unthinkable to everybody that Pastor Louis Robinson would treat me so well while we’re from different localities. He doesn’t discriminate against me like I would be his slave and he would be the master, nor as orphans and non-orphans. At some point I have been asked whether Pastor Louis Robinson was my father. That’s how God works; whatever He does is beyond our understanding, our intellectual abilities. Although we live in a world where everybody is after their own interests he (Robinson) makes the difference, he cares about the happiness of others. He agreed to help me selflessly, he accepted to be a father to me. I don’t have enough time to speak about his works. May God, in His grace, protect and bless him with all sorts of blessings.

My thanks go to the believers of Christ Community Church in Michigan, particularly the (Doyle) Berg family who considers me as their son. This family was not afraid to give of their life to me, to make personal sacrifices for me, accepted to walk in the snow, cared about me, worked hard every day so that my dreams could come true. I know the sacrifices and tribulations they went through in helping me. They always put aside their nationality, their skin color and their culture for my sake. What a love! May God, in His mercy and boundless grace, pour down on them all sorts of blessings.

Thanks to Mrs. Louis Robinson, sister Eloude, sister Paulette, sister Anie´ce, brother Emmanuel Pierre. Special thanks to Mrs. Hermane Fleurina, brother Cluvinson Ginius. I don’t have enough time to quote all the names but they are ineffaceable. I pray for special grace of God on every one of them, may God protect them each day. I say a large thank you to all of you for spending this moment with me. Americans say; “Time is money.”, which means time is precious, but still you put aside your personal business for being here with me. May God, in His love and grace, be with you ‘til the end of the world.

Thanks!

Hope you were as moved as I was, blessings always.

Frustration

Since I have been back from Haiti, life has been moving like a freight train, or perhaps a high-speed rail would be a better term. I was sharing with someone a couple days ago how when you go into Haiti the first days there seem to drag by. You enter this time warp where a type of freeze frame rate occurs to your life. As the week moves along the approach of returning home begins to warp your time awareness again, and a blurring effect commences. When you arrive stateside, you experience a kind of congestion as you try to re-acclimate yourself to our cultural rush. It leaves you extremely weary, and there is a kind of delayed re-engagement process. Part of the delay though is a rebellion of your mindset. A realization that technology and materialism have left you bankrupt in some very critical departments of your humanity. In Haiti you are always surrounded by people, someone trying to enter your space, desiring to be with you, especially the children. At times you can actually feel smothered. But the pull, the desire for relationship is fully engaged in that culture. They thrive on it, relish it, and live it. To our detriment, we forsake it for much more trite and trivial pursuits that promise much more than they actually deliver. I am settling back into my groove now, but I must confess a sphere of frustration has lingered longer this time. A sense of revulsion laces my soul, I long for deeper connections, for richer relationships, for fuller engagement. I am thankful for my recurring ventures into Haitian poverty, for there I am finding gold mines of meaning and depth desperately missing or sadly misplaced in my culture. My mining experiences in Haiti are helping me with my 'panning' practices back here at home. There is still "real gold" in this country, and a lot of it, but we have really muddied the waters and made the screening process much more cloudy than intended or what it should be. People are golden, but we get buried beneath the rubble of media, money, and selfish motives. But don't give up, richness lies beneath the surface still; frustrations fire, patiently tended will consume impurities and give birth to the pureness potential that lies within us still. The grace of God is sufficient to restore us to former glory and to genuine ancient love! Think about it! Blessings from memories of St. Marc.

Junie

This is a picture of our amazing orphanage house mother. This is a very special young lady. In the past she has lived at Robinson's house, but moved out last year. We have been sending her to school for the last two years. Last year she failed her tests and moved away because she was so embarrassed by her failure. But we saw incredible good in her, she has a zeal for life and a warmth about her that is genuine and pure. Beth was able to reach out to her last fall when they went in to get the orphanage underway. She encouraged her to try school again this year, invited her to help at the orphanage, gave her a place to stay there, and a miracle has blossomed! She is a living flower, radiant and exquisite! She has taken such good care of our kids, it shows in their attitudes, actions, and behavior. There are many good people around the children, from the director on down, but we are attributing much of the character change in the children to this incredible young woman. She faces some really difficult circumstances in her own life, she has had typhoid fever that gives recurring symptoms. But even when she is feeling down physically, she has this marvelous loving attitude that prevails through her difficulties. She attends school during the day while the orphans are in school, and then is at the orphanage for the kids through the evening and night. Unbelievably she is pulling really good grades in school, and is still able to provide an amazing loving environment for the little ones. She doesn't have to do all the work, we have a laundry lady, and a cook, and a house director, but when it comes to the management and mothering care of the orphans, she is that one. She gets them dressed, keeps the house organized, and tends to keeping the children clean, readies them for bed, and loves the daylights out of them. We are so proud of her and what she is accomplishing in her life, and we are glad for the opportunity we have afforded her to be able to fulfill at least some portion of her life destiny by serving with us in this labor of love. It continues to awe me at how God has provided through the steadfastness of one orphan (Robinson) through the years, and now that one orphan is bringing great hope and help to so many, and Junie is another one of those lives that is being touched by the generosity of so many! God bless you all as we impact these incredible lives. Blessings again.

Word

What is in a word. Words they say are powerful tools. They can be weapons for war, contracts of peace, litigation for defense, they can stage a nation for success or doom it to failure when used by the right person at the right time the right way. They are a puzzle that fits together many ways to contrive many pictures. One picture may be worth a thousand words, but one word can also command a thousand pictures. Take for instance the word 'Hope', this word alone contrives a thousand scenes, actually millions. A word that moves us at the core of our being, at least it should. The picture in this post is one small piece of what hope holds. The eyes of this little girl draw you in, unmistakeably, the setting for this child defies hope, but the arms that hold her carry oceans of hope, and hope has found her. She has been discovered, her beauty is raw and her depth is deeper than the sea. She is hope, and 'hope' is her. One word, a mountian of meaning. As I wrote this week at times my weariness was so vast it was hard to catch the right words, to spell the occasion, to pen the pieces together with the right tapestry of words. As I press the cursor across the screen of my computer tonight, tapping away at the keys, emotions are cascading through my heart and mind and the words are not being so cunning. With this post I wanted to send out a message of thanksgiving to all who commented this week. I have written somewhere around 6500 words this week, to all who commented, you wrote almost 8000. I copied them over to a Word document and read them to the team every day. It was so encouraging. Your words contained life force, and your hope spread hope to us, who in turn spread the hope to our beautiful family of Haitians. Already I have received promising words of wonderful life change as a direct result of our visit. I am reminded again tonight that true power is not in silver and gold, although at times I wish I had more to help these people, but the true power is in the Word, and not just any words, but the Word of Life himself. Therein is the greatest power of all. At the times we grow weary in this endeavor, and we do, let us remember that we have a powerful message to carry, a message all deserve to hear. A message seated in words that change lives forever. We cannot risk this message going unheard, lives like this little one hang in the balance, we must succeed. Blessings to all!