Haiti!

life guide | Beauty from the Ashes

Where: Central America |  When: SpringTime 

What to Pack: Sun Block, Smiles, & An Open Heart

Port Au Prince, Haiti

The unpaved roads.  The debris piling up.  The sewage spilling out of tent city "homes".  The crumbling walls.  The bare feet walking around in this filth.  Yet, there is something beautiful in this mess.  Amidst the rubble, tap taps (aka taxis, Haiti style) promote "God Is Good!", and street signs read, "Jesus Is Love".  The people wave, smiling back, shouting, "Bondje beni ou!" (God Bless You!)  Where does this joy come from?

Four years ago this nation was humbled, a devastating earthquake brought them to their knees, praying, crying out saying, "God, if you're really there, save us!"  He's really there.  He answered their prayers, and it is evident in the hearts of the people, grateful for what little they have and thanking their Creator for what He has restored. 

It's usually crisis in our lives that stirs a cry for help, asking God to meet us in that time of need.  It's important to follow up that desperate prayer with a prayer of thanks, becoming reliant on praying through every situation that arises in our lives, whether catastrophic or miniscule.  The people of Haiti are such a great example of what an attitude of gratitude looks like, appreciating the provision given to them, relying on daily prayer for basic needs.  It's dangerous when we get to a place of self reliance, taking credit for our successes, for our "good luck", for our blessings.

"Although they knew God, they did not glorify 

Him as God, nor were they thankful, but became

futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts 

were darkened." Romans 1:21

  

Don't let your heart darken.  Let's see every beautiful thing in our lives as a blessing from God, and learn from real life people who understand this truth...

Beauty From The Ashes Story 1:

Sofia ~ Sofia lived through the 2010 earthquake.  Her father found her buried beneath the remains of a building, where she was the lone survivor.  When the doctors told her she was paralyzed, you can imagine the sense of crippling fear she felt.  Sofia remained faithful, thanking God for sparing her life, knowing He had an even greater plan for her than she could imagine.  Her answered prayer:  marrying the pastor of Cross To Light (the Bible college our team bunked at for the week), expecting their first child together...all with working, walking limbs, her legs healed!   

Beauty From The Ashes Story 2:

Woman In The Hospital ~ Our team was sent in to a hospital to pray with the sick.  There was one woman I will never forget.  She was laying alone, in a cold, unwelcoming room.  The expression on her face was one of defeat.  She quietly told us she had lost her baby, the fire in her heart extinguished. We asked if we could pray over her.  It's amazing to me how open each one of these hospital patients were to prayer, hungry for comfort.  We all laid hands on her, praying for her health, heart, and hope to be restored.  We then asked her if she'd like Jesus Christ to come live in her heart, she nodded her head and prayed aloud in Creole, repenting of her sins asking for forgiveness.  Amen!  The room lit up.  Her face bright, beaming.  I had the privilege of watching the power of prayer in action.  Tears flowed.

"We all laid hands on her, praying for her health, heart, and hope to be restored."

Beauty From the Ashes Story 3:

Mikelson ~ The first little boy to come up to me, asking me my name.  The first little boy to grab a rock asking me to spell my name out for him on the concrete.  He knew enough English to hold a conversation, this English he had taught himself.  Each day I saw him he was wearing the same army thermal shirt, and (pink!) worn down crocs, his heels hanging off the back.  Never once did he complain.  He confided in me he had been praying for new shoes, "I pway, I pway."  I told him if he kept praying, believing, God would most definitely provide him with new shoes.  It was in my quiet time, praying, asking God to guide my steps that I looked down at my high top Converse I was wearing, and knew my steps in them were numbered.  They would get much better use amongst the soccer playing, kite flying parties the kids throw in the Haitian streets anyway.  I entrusted them with Mikelson, having the honor of God using me to answer his prayer.

     

You can choose to be clouded with ash, you can also see beauty in the smoke rising.

"To all who mourn...He will give a crown of beauty for ashes,

a joyous blessing instead of mourning, festive praise instead

of despair.  In their righteousness, they will be like great oaks

that the Lord has planted for his own glory." Isaiah 61:3

This is most definitely Haiti's verse, it can be ours too.

You just have to stop, and "pway." 

<3

-Alysha M.

Port Au Prince, Haiti