First Sunday in Haiti

Chris woke me up abruptly before 8:30 and told me if I wanted a warm shower, I better take it now. The electric had stayed on longer than normal. (The power goes off and on according to the powers that be.) I figured he was right and I'd like to start my day with a warm shower. Anything warmer than ice cold would be a treat. Little did I know that The Lord had lots and lots of great treats in store for us today!

When we rented this furnished apartment, we didn't really know if there were any pots and pans in the kitchen. (So, I brought the bare minimum because it also could have potentially been luggage pounds we needed to spend on more needed things.) I brought a pot with a lid, but no handle. I brought measuring cups, spoons, 4 plates, 4 bowls, a silverware set, a can opener, and several tupperware container to store cereal and such in to keep bugs out. I mean, what else do you need, really?

When I got out of the shower, Chris informed us we needed to put a move on it in order to make it to church on time. A knock at the door came and it was our landlord's wife - Marie Carmel. She brought us a treat from the only bakery in Pettionville (people pronounce this at least 12 different ways, but to me it's just like it looks). The breakfast dessert was something like a Trifle (Heather DiEnno!) with pudding and cake and loads of fresh fruits on it - kiwi, peaches, pears, strawberries, cherries, mangoes, etc)! Mmmmm!!!!! It was heavenly! She brought it to us "for all our troubles" with the busted up tiles in the floor. (I promise you, we are not bothered by the tiles that are busted up.)

So, we scarf down some delicious trifle and then head out to church at the Baptist Haiti Mission (from now on called "BHM" here) not knowing exactly what time it started, but thinking it'd be around 10:00 and it's about a 5 minute walk. They were singing when we slipped in the back. It was nice and cool (for Haiti). They sang a couple songs. Everything was in Creole or French. Then they had a prayer by an enthusiastic man.... Man! I wish I could pray like that! Pastor Samuel was going to teach me how in Nashville. I tried to make a deal with him that I'd teach him how to shake hands like a man if he taught me to pray like a Haitian. But, I learned that he is correct in saying that respectable Haitian men will shake a ladies hand very gently using no pressure at all. And maybe I learned that I can never really pray like a Haitian. Because I'm not one.

I digress, yet again... so, after the prayer, I heard this in the row behind me, "that was quite a prayer." In ENGLISH!!! (Well... it wasn't as long as we've heard our Haitian congregation pray in Nashville, but it was very enthusiastic.) I wish I knew what he had prayed! The english behind us was the voice of Pastor Mark Dearing. After church was over he said something like, "Hey Chris Ward! How are you?" And we were like - wait... do we know you? He laughed and said that he read it on his Bible. Immediately, I recognized the three children that were with him. Two of them beautiful red heads, the other a stunning blond with big, bold, beautiful eyes. I remembered back in July we had stopped by the BHM to touch base with Trey and Chelsea who were here and are friends of BGM - a door to hope and these three children were running along this ledge like little airplanes getting out some energy. Chelsea said that they had just returned from a two week trek into the mountains for more culture and language training.

We chit chatted and exchanged numbers with Mark & Melanie and their three gorgeous children: Clay, Lydia and Blake. But, as we were telling them that we had just moved here and were trying to settle in and didn't have any food besides peanut butter, tuna, cereal, dry milk and cereal bars, they insisted we come over for lunch. They could easily set three more spots. It was hard to say no. We felt like we were among family. They took us right in and loved us to pieces. I don't think I'll ever be able to look back at our big move to Haiti and not think of them and how they loved us and didn't even know us with a big gulp in my throat. What a treat they are!

We had a hot lunch (spaghetti) after they almost set the house on fire with a grease fire. And to get that big gulp out of my throat - I'll just picture the flames shooting out so bright that I literally thought the whole kitchen was on fire! I can just remember hearing Mark saying, "it's my fault. It's my fault." What a humble couple and a delightful family.

After lunch, we visited a bit, ate freshly baked break apart cookies and they literally opened up their cabinets and said, "here - pick - what do you need?" And gave us pots and pans and cookie sheets and spatulas! Oh, my! It was like Christmas!! They even threw in potatoes and little Haitian bananas and one onion which became the first meal we prepared in our new apartment.

Mark & Melanie invited us back over to watch the NFL game later that night, but it's Haiti... the internet was down. We played Mexican Trains instead. What fun! The children are amazing and I'm sure I'll brag about them in the near future.

Monday is market day and they had us put together a list of items we needed and they'd have their "shoppers" pick them up. More on this tomorrow.

We had a most blessed First Sunday in Haiti as every where we turned we saw God's incredible provisions! Never in our wildest dreams did we think that we could go to church and The Lord would provide for us ALL that He did. It was unbelievable. AND we have FRIENDS! Brothers and sisters in Christ to share this JOURNEY with. I'm sure there'll be a day we are able to babysit for them so they can go out on a date and maybe I can take some family portraits for them? I don't exactly know how, but I pray we can bless them even as half as much as they've ALREADY blessed us. The Lord loves and provides in such exhuberant, unexpected ways!

Please share how you see Him loving you with us! 

"Being strengthened with all power according to His glorious might, so that you may have great endurance and patience." Colossians 1:11