Mission to Haiti – October 3, 2010

We are writing this note while still in Florida. Tomorrow, Thursday, September 30^th we fly into Cap Haitien. We had a lovely drive down. God’s handiwork could be seen from the beautiful harvest moon as we were leaving to the mist rising over the fields as the sun rose higher in the sky. Our views of the mountains of West Virginia as we drove through them were spectacular. Florida has been hot and humid. Tuesday the temp was 94 degrees with no humidex factor included. It must be God’s way of preparing us for Haiti weather.

Tropical Storm Nicole blew through southern Florida on Wednesday dumping all kinds of rain of differing amounts dependent upon where you were. We were driving today from Orlando (almost across the road from Disney World; did we go there? no.) where we have been staying, to Fort Pierce to catch our flight with MFI (Missionary Flights International), a distance of approximately 100 miles, and experienced little difficulty along our route.

We only wish we knew what the customs and immigration people have in store for us when we land in Cap Haitien because we understand that they are getting tougher on those entering Haiti wanting to know not only how long you will be staying but why, and whether what you are doing might be better done by a Haitian. We would love to work ourselves out of a job by training Haitians to take over once we leave. We are taking in with us over seven hundred pounds (We’re not sure how many kilograms that is.) of ”stuff” to make our job a little easier and our house more of a home. You may ask what kind of stuff, and we can only say that when all you have been told is that you have in your home are five single beds, one chest of drawers, a sofa and chair, one lamp, and a dining table with six chairs it leaves a lot of room to add your own personal touches. We have also been told we have a stove & fridge, one pot and one pan, but aren’t too sure that we have a microwave. (We did buy 1 package of chocolate chips.) All of it will not make the flight tomorrow so the rest will come in next Tuesday.

It is our plan in the coming weeks to add some furniture and lamps. The tables can be ordered from a local cabinetmaker, but the lamps will need to be ordered in from the USA and flown in, again by MFI. The cabinetmaker does good work with the limited equipment that is available. We were quite impressed with the quality of the tables we had made the last time we were in Haiti for an extended period. I am sure there will be many other things that we will need before we feel really settled, but the one thing we know will not need to be brought in or ordered in are the many old friends that are still here both Haitian and other missionaries.

Our devotion this morning touched our hearts with its emphasis on mission and prayer. It was taken from Jeremiah 1:7-10. We cannot précis so here it is in its entirety.

A Vision for Prayer

“But the Lord said to me,’ do not say, “I am only a child.” You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you,’ declares the Lord. Then the Lord reached out his hand and touched my mouth and said to me, ‘ Now, I have put my words in your mouth. See, today I appoint you over nations and kingdoms to uproot and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and the plant.’”

What a grand-scale vision is today’s reading! Uprooting nations and kingdoms? Destroying and overturning realms? Building and planting in remote corners of the earth? Little wonder we quiver and whine, “That’s not for me. I am only a child.”

But God is with you as you grab hold of this magnificent vision. That’s right, God has appointed you over nations and kingdoms. He has appointed you to uproot and tear down … through prayer! God will touch your mouth and give you the words to intercede for the nations of the world. If you can’t actually serve on the foreign mission field, you can travel there through prayer.

The world is starving for your prayers. And the Devil is terrified of them. So don’t let Satan shrivel and shrink your vision down to a size that he finds more manageable. If your heart needs to get pumped up, read Jeremiah 1:7-10 one more time and rejoice over God’s vision for you to reach the world through prayer!

Dig out an old National Geographic map and thumbtack it opposite your desk to remind you of God’s grand-scale vision to reach the world with His love. Ask Him to fill your mouth with intercessions and then start building and planting through your prayers.