On this particular day I was trying to wrap up some unfinished business for the groups we have coming in at the end of Jan. I went to go find Jocelyn to relay a few messages and ask him a few questions. I knocked on his door to see if he was home…no answer. Then I heard a young boy yelling my name down the street for my help. I wasn’t sure what he was doing, but as I approached closer I recognized an elderly woman, in her 70’s, she had a torn, dirty, gown with dust and dirt caked on her from head to toe. I could tell by her weight and size that she was malnourished and in need of food. I probably could have picked her up myself and carried her home. She was throwing rocks at this boy. Yelling at him to get away with tears in her eyes and anger on her face. I recognized her…I had stopped one day to chat and get to know a group of elderly woman that were sitting outside under a tree and she was one of them. That particular day I asked if I could pray for them and they gave me a resounding YES, PLEASE. I gave them each kisses and told them that Jesus loved them and that I would continue to pray for them. 

I asked the young boy what he was doing. I was afraid he was picking on her or giving her a hard time,(which is common) but he told me he was trying to help her. He wasn’t family, so I wasn’t quite so sure he was actually helping. I calmed her down and asked if she needed help. She told me no and then I asked why she was sitting by the side of the road. She told me she was left there that no one would take care of her, that she was hungry and that no one would help her clean up. I asked her where she lived and she pointed down to where I had just come from. Before I arrived at this point I witnessed many people sitting outside their homes, but none were helping this sweet woman who I began to call Mama. I sat down with her and asked her if she could walk. She told me she could. I asked why she was sitting there again. She told me the same things and told me no one cares. At this moment there were people coming around and standing. I asked them if they knew her. They told me yes and told me she was crazy. I asked why they say this and they told me because she goes off walking on her own and doesn’t know how to get back. That she calls them names and uses bad language with them…that she has no idea where she is. I asked them where she lived and they pointed to the same place she told me. I told them…for someone who doesn’t know where she is, she knows where she lives. I asked “why is it that you are all gathering around this woman now that I am here? You all were alle sitting outside your homes and you could see what this young boy was doing…why did you not help her? She is worthy of respect, no matter if she is sick or not. She is your elder and you are to be looking out for her not allowing her to sit by the side of the road.”  At this point I was speaking with tears in my eyes and her grandson…who was actually translating for me (I didn’t know he was her grandson until I began speaking with the emotion I had). I asked again with even more emotion “Why are you now concerned about helping when I am here? You weren’t helping before!!!” They all just looked at me, probably thinking I was just as foolish, but I didn’t care. I was upset in the way they treated her and how they saw her. I was angered and frustrated that I couldn’t do more and that she was being treated like that bag of garbage I saw on the side of the road.

I asked Mama if I could help her walk home and she said yes. Her grandson took one side and took the other and we walked her home and sat her outside her home with her daughter and her sister. She told them I was her friend and that I cared for her. I had a long conversation with her grandson in how to treat his grandmother and with the respect that she deserves. I walked back home with such a heaviness in my heart. I wanted to give her food and clothing, but I knew that wasn’t what she needed or what this whole opportunity was about. I believe this day was meant for this corner of the community to see the importance of taking care of those left by the side of the road. Whether that is an elderly person, special needs child/adult, or baby(orphaned or not). In Haiti you will witness the disregard of all of these, any human life is not to be treated like garbage…we are all precious and worthy in God’s eyes. We are to defend the helpless not leave them by the side of the road!!!

The following day I ran into Mama again and she called out to me with such a joy and love in her voice. She looked a little cleaner than the day before and her countenance was more beautiful. I asked her if I could pray with her and she said yes, oh, yes.

Please join with me to pray for those that are left on the roadside. The elderly, special needs and children that are in need of love. Pray for their lives to be changed by the One who loves them unconditionally. Pray that Jesus will be revealed to them in ways that will hold strong in their hearts. Pray that the strongholds that have been passed down from generation to generation would be broken and that a revival would sweep across this land. Pray for the hearts of this community to be softened and for God’s truth to take root.

(the garbage bag that was dropped by the side of the road…the man stopped and turned back to pick up what he dropped, Oh how I pray for the people in this little corner to remember to do the same…to look out for Mama!!)

“Sing to God, sing praise to his name, extol him who rides on the clouds- his name is the Lord- and rejoice before him. A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling.” Psalm 67:4-5

Living Forward, Understanding Backward

TGIF Today God Is First Volume 1 by Os Hillman
Thursday, December 01 2011

“The one who calls you is faithful and He will do it.” - 1 Thessalonians 5:24

When I was in my 20′s, I participated in a wilderness-training course in a desert and mountain area. For our “final exam,” we were blindfolded, placed in the back of a pickup truck, and taken to a remote area. We were dropped off and told to meet back at the camp in three days. We did not know where we were. We had to determine our location with our compasses. It was a frightening experience for four young people who had learned to navigate through the use of a compass only a few days earlier. With our food and water on our backs, we began our trek. It had just snowed that morning, so the way was difficult. We walked through valleys, canyons, snow-covered hills, and forests. In all, we walked more than 60 miles in three days. There were times when we did not think we could go another foot. Exhaustion and frostbitten feet were taking their toll. However, we finally made it to our base camp successfully, and to our surprise, we were the first ones among the other patrols to make it back.

At the conclusion of our journey, we were able to stand on top of a ridge, look behind us and see the beautiful terrain that we had just scaled. The pain of what we had just endured seemed to subside. We could not believe we had actually walked through those valleys and snowcapped hills. There was a sense of accomplishment.

Life is very much like this. It is often lived forward, but understood backward. It is not until we are down the road a bit that we can appreciate the terrain God has allowed us to scale and the spiritual deposits He has made in our life as a result. When you begin to realize some of this, you sit back and breathe a sigh of relief because you know that God was in control all along. It didn’t seem like it at the time, but He was.

Are you in the midst of a difficult journey that seems almost impossible to continue? Be assured that God is providing grace even now to equip you for that journey. There will be a time when you can say, “Wow, look at what God has done because of what I gained through that valley.” Trust Him with the outcome of where you find yourself today.

The story that the Lord gave was a parable. A parable is a simple story illustrating a moral or religious lesson. Was this parable about an actual house? No…it is about what we build our foundation on. Do we build it on things that will wash out to sea or do we build it on principles that are solid, strong and will not waver. For Haiti I see this Rock as their security, their fortress, their shelter, their umbrella and when they place their trust in JESUS ALONE…their answer.

The Life Application Study Bible notes say this about what the “house “represents.  “Your house (which represents your life) will withstand the storms of life only if you do what is right instead of just talking about it. What you do cannot be separated from what you believe. Jesus is more concerned with our walk than our talk. He wants us to do right, not just say the right words. To build “on the rock” means to be a hearing, responding disciple, not a phony, superficial one. Practicing obedience becomes the solid foundation to weather the storms of life.”  (Mathew 7:21,24)

This past Thurs. was the 2^nd Anniversary to the tragic earthquake that shook this nation. Hundreds of thousands of people were killed by this horrific enemy. An enemy we have no control over and we cannot see. So I ask again…what can you say to those who build their homes under a rock or holding the home down? I ask this because I see in many of the fishing villages here they hold their very homes down by rocks. They build their homes next to the water where they can go out into the sea to find food for their villages. The storms come and boats and livestock have been taken by the sea and homes have been crumbled, but what remains…..the ROCK. Just as I remember Jan. 12…where I was, what I was doing, who I was with, how I responded, and the many days afterward this is the photo I have in my mind then and today. I see this not for just this day, but the days that follow. I picture the Lord with His outstretched arms holding this country tightly as it is being shaken by the enemy…He is their Fortress. I picture the Lord as an umbrella sheltering them from the storms that will follow and continues to follow…from hurricanes to cholera…from lack of healthy drinking water to no food…from political deception to unspoken slavery and abuse. He is their Shelter. I picture those who turn to the evils of voodoo to find solace and comfort only to find no answers or their words falling to deaf ears…Jesus is their Answer. He is the Rock that they can find their security in. Just as they see the rock on their home as security in holding their home together. They can sit under this Rock to learn the hope they can have by trusting in Him and Him alone. This is why I do what I do. To share the hope and security that I have found in Jesus Christ. He is the one I build my house upon and who I sit “under.”.

Who is your house built upon or “under”?

Thank again for your faithful prayers and support. May the Lord bless you and draw you closer to Him in the days ahead. I love you all.

Walking by Faith,

~miss beth

Well I woke up Wed. morning at 2 am to get ready to take off by 3am. I would have slept longer, but the rain, yes, the rain woke me up. I had to laugh. Really? Rain? It hasn’t hardly rained in the time I have been in since Sept. and today it is going to rain? I went out onto the porch with my flashlight in hand and I did what was needed…PRAYED. I was more concerned for Jocelyn as he would be riding in the back. I didn’t want him riding and getting soak and wet. Well this is what just blows me away. We ended up not leaving until 5am and the rain blew over. The truck didn’t sound like it was going to make it as he had to have a rolling start each time and we stopped periodically for water in the radiator. Now…remember these cliffs? We drove clear up the river bed and sidetracked these cliffs. This is a river bed that when it rains it floods and it becomes hard to cross. The river was virtually dry. Talk about a parting of the Red Sea moment!!!! We pulled into Port de Paix in 5 hours and had no problems with the truck. Mesi Jezi. This was the best trip I have had to or from the Mole. We jumped on motto’s to get to Jody’s mom and dad’s place and as soon as we got into the door…It began to rain. God really does have the steering wheel. He has the route and His way is always best. I laughed when we walked into the door. I said Jocelyn…do you know how many prayers have been answered today? So I went down the litany of things I asked God and things that I didn’t. I was so thankful he didn’t have to ride in the rain. Having the driver show up late kept him from being miserable the whole trip. The driver was as nice as could be and was always asking me if I was doing alright. I think because me and another lady was riding in the front and she was basically squishing me like a bug:>) Granted I had no feeling in my hips down, a bruised elbow on the door and well bruised chest from where the womans elbow would hit me everytime we hit a bump…which was the whole way,:>)  lol!!! It was a peaceful drive and a safe one at that!!

This morning, just to be comical…I am sure. We went down the stairs and Jocelyn locked everything up and then we didn’t have a key to the lock at the bottom of the stairs. So here we are dark outside again and we are jailed in. I laughed again!!! No way satan you are keeping me from my flight….get out of here!!! Jocelyn finally got hold of who he needed and we were set free. Arrived at the airport and Voila….ticket in hand and trip…I boarded the plane and was met instantly by staff in Port au Prince and then went get on my flight into the states and ran into a friend that I met at our campus in St. Louise. What a wonderful surprise and an added blessing. I was able to catch up with him and find out how the Lord is using him and his wife drilling wells. I love hearing how the Lord uses us and places us where we need to be “for such a time as this.”

Have I said how much I love doing what I am doing!!! Thank you Jesus for the work you are doing and how you are moving . You are the God of Peace and you have shown me the past couple of days how I can walk in this Peace. I have to let go and give it all…ALL…to you. When circumstances and struggles happen…rest in your peace. When the evil one tries to play with the mind…rest in your peace. When I could turn to frustration or anxiousness…Laugh and rest in your peace. You bless me Lord…my cup overflows!!! Amen.

Thank you to all who have been and continue to pray for me. I just wanted you to know that your prayers are being answered and you are vitally important to the work that I do. You are a blessing to me. Thank you for holding my arms up…High!!!

Devotion:

I am your Sunrise from on high! While you were still sitting in darkness and the shadow of death, My Light shone upon you–giving you a reason to live, a reason to hope. Now you are Mine, and you can approach Me confidently because of My tender mercy. My heart is full of unfailing Love for you; it overflows from My heart into yours. As you receive good things from Me with thanksgiving, you experience rich soul-satisfaction. I want you to sing for Joy and be glad in response to all that I give you. You can relax and enjoy My Presence since you know I am taking care of you. In your time of need, I will provide mercy and grace to help you.

I want you to enjoy not only My Presence but also My Peace. I came into your world to guide your feet into the way of Peace. When you are anxious or fearful, it is as if you are doubting My promises to supply all you need. My followers tend to think of worry as natural, even inevitable. At worst, they consider it their personal problem or quirk–harming no one but themselves. But the truth is, your tendency to be anxious grieves Me. Awareness of My pain can help motivate you to break free from this hurtful habit. Seek to bring Me Joy by walking trustingly with Me along the path of Peace.

(From Jesus Lives by Sarah Young)

My heart is slowly calming down and the PEACE of God is pouring over me like a heavy rain. The weight. stress and pain on my shoulders and back are slowly diminishing.” Lord, you have heard my cry and you are in control of not just one, but all of those things that I have allowed to get to me. Forgive me for my lack of faith. Forgive me for trying to take the wheel. Forgive me for my anger. Lord I lay these at your feet and ask that you give me the help to not pick them back up. To release everything into your hands. I want you to steer this vessel, Lord, for you are the one that knows where this vessel needs to go and what it needs to do and who it needs to speak with. Father provide what is needed in every circumstance. Thank you Lord for your PEACE and for your LOVE that overwhelms me. You are all that I need. I love you Jesus and it is in this name that I pray. Amen.”

What to pray for:

• Pray for those that are hungry…that they will hunger for the BREAD OF LIFE.
• Pray for those that are thirsty…that they will thirst for LIVING WATER.
• Pray for plans…that the MASTER BUILDER will lay them all out.
• Pray for my travel …that I will be hemmed in by my PROTECTOR and PILOT.
• Pray for all arrrangements… that the PRINCE of PEACE will keep me in perfect peace.
• Pray that the JOY of the LORD will be my strength.

Thank you for your faithful prayers.

So back to the water. I stood in the kitchen thinking I really don’t want to use a mop, because it will take forever and a day to sop up all this water. Then it hit me. SQUEEGY…I can make one. I took my hand held squeegy, duck tape (or as I like to call it MacGyver Tape:>) and I taped that puppy to my instrument of protection. I rolled up my sleeves…no wait I am in Haiti…I took a deep breath and dove in. Not literally, mind you, but figuratively. I wish I had video of this, because I laughed so much. Why? You may ask. Well Diddle the dog, loves to play in the water and as I was splashing the water out the door with my new Haiti Modern Invention, Diddle was jumping at the drops and trying to catch them. It was the funniest thing. He can be quite irritating, but today he was a Hoot. With my HMI , the amount of time it would have taken me to use a mop and major sweat only took a mere 30min. instead of the hour and a half. How do I know the time? Well this has happened before and being one who likes to time, I began my stop watch. Instead of timing swimmers… now I time how long it takes to clean up a flood in the kitchen. This was truely a God inspired afternoon, for after the cleaning I went back to finish the letter I had started and I was no longer in a hunt for words. I think I needed a laugh and  God does have a sense of humor. Thank you Lord for the entertainment and the new HMI!!!

**************************************************************************************

John 3:16 is often referred to as “the gospel in a nutshell.” Through the years, many thirsty souls have found the satisfaction of new life in Jesus Christ as presented in this one short verse.

“God”- the greatest Lover

“So loved”-the greatest degree

“The world”-the greatest crowd

“That whosoever”-the greatest opportunity

“Believes”-the greatest simplicity

“In Him”-the greatest attraction

“Should not perish”-the greatest promise

“But”- the greatest difference

“Have”- the greatest certainty

“Everlasting life”- the greatest possession

Expressed in a similar way, we see:

The richest mercy-“God so loved”

The darkest object-“the world”

The costliest price-”He gave His Son”

The widest reach-“whosoever”

The easiest terms-“believes in Him”

The most marvelous escape-“should not perish”

The wealthiest gift-“have everlasting life.”

Again…No Worries. God is with me and He will not leave me. I am in the Shelter of His Wing. A great place to be. Amen!!!