Haiti: The Work.

“In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive. (Acts 20:35).”

Haiti: The Children.

Haiti- School Board

This was on one of the blackboards in the school classroom. The students haven't been in school since January 12, the day of the earthquake. The government is afraid to send them back because of the damage. However, this is the verse of the day on the 12th. The verse in English reads, "So we say with confidence, 'The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?" -Hebrews 13:6

HOPE.

Hope for Haiti

The past few days have been incredible. I love Haiti. I love the people. I love the language. I love the food (except for the goat served two nights ago which I couldn't believe I tried but fortunately didn't like.. don't be mad Billy and Almon). I love the spirit. I love the culture.

Yesterday we painted all morning and then headed to another town for the afternoon. Repatriote is the city that we went to. The people there were greatly impacted by the earthquake. A church that branches off the church that we stay at was just demolished. I was shocked. I have pictures I will post later. The people there said since they are a town out of the middle of no where, they feel like everyone has just forgotten about them. We took about fifty jugs of water that we had used and passed it out the to people there who are living in tents. The huge smiles of gratitude blessed my spirit as I gave something as simple as water. People came from all over to receive. It was really cool because when we ran out of water, the people weren't greedy or anything. We just hung out for a bit and loved on them and prayed with them.

Matthew 10:42, "And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is my disciple, I tell you the truth, he will certainly not lose his reward." This reward is here. It is the fulfillment I find in Jesus. It is the hope that one day I will be singing "Holy Holy Holy" in Heaven with these people.

The rest of the afternoon consisted of a tap tap ride through the city. I wish there were a way to explain the destruction to you. I feel like Cooper Anderson didn't give you justice by video and I certainly can't by blog. Buildings are just pancaked to the ground. Six or seven stories worth just came straight down flat. It is crazy. No one has even gone into these buildings since because it's so dangerous. Every corner you turn and there's mass destruction. Pray for these people. One thing is this, these people have hope. Haiti is not dark. I thought this place would be dark full of witch craft and weird things. Yet, this place is beautiful. I had such a misconception. Even in the midst of horror, these people are back to life. That's incredible.

Today, the Lord has really answered our team prayer for the Holy Spirit to move. We went to the clinic today and prayed over anyone who came forward. So many hurting people here. Many came forward for prayer due to the fear they have and anxiety they face since the earthquake. One young man came forward and told us he had been hearing voices telling him to do such horrible things. We told him that when Jesus lives in your heart, he silences these voices. He asked to receive Jesus and we prayed over him. It was so powerful to be a part of it. Yall, he was really and truly receiving salvation for the first time. (All these prayers via translator). Another woman came forward with her precious 7 year old child who the Lord just broke me for. We prayed and prayed. ALL morning long. One thing I read this morning before the day began was, Acts 316: "It is Jesus' name and the faith that comes thru him that has given this complete healing to him, as you can all see." We prayed for healing in Jesus' name. He is moving and is so powerful. Later in this chapter in verse 26 it says, "When God raised up his servant, he sent him first to you to bless you by turning each of you from your wicked ways."

May that be an encouragement to all of us believers. He first and foremost came to heal our spiritual sickness. He came to turn us from an eternity of damnation and Hell. He came to not only wipe our sins away so we can enjoy Heaven and his promises, but JESUS CHRIST rose from the dead so that we can have an open means of communication with our Father in Heaven. So that we can even pray to Him for anything. The great divide is now fulfilled that we can ask and receive, praise and glory, and hear and see. Praise and Glory to Jesus for all these things.

Quick Story...

Hey again. I just wanted to write this real fast. Today, I heard of some earthquake stories. One hit me pretty hard because earlier today I watched some of the kids sing in the church here at Blanchard. During the earthquake, a church collapsed in another city nearby killing an estimated 23 children who were in there for choir practice. Another story was a man who is in graduate school and he and his professor got caught under the rubble and couldn't get out. Some other professors came and got the professor out but told the man they would come right back for him. they didn't. He spent the whole night passing the time by singing and praying out to God. The next day he saw a little girl and got her attention. She crawled down and helped in start getting out. When she got him to the point of visibility, some other people began to help as well. When he finally got out of the rubble, he asked the people where the little girl went so he could thank her. The people turned to him and said, umm there was never a little girl here sir. He said that is when He knew God was completely in control. Just two stories that impacted me today and I thought you may want to read. More to come... Keep Haiti in your prayers, there is definitely a need.

We Are Here!!!

Hello all who are following my Spring Break 2010.

We are here in Blanchard, a compound about 10 minutes away from the airport. Yes, Blair- we rode a "tap tap." In fact, we stopped at a gas station and were sitting outside and I tapped the top as I was telling my team what you told me about the origin of it's name. The driver heard me and came back there and said, "Yeah?" And I told him I was telling them why you called it a tap tap. Because, you "Tap Tap" and he started dying out laughing. The fly-in was good, a bit rushed. We didn't sleep at all the night before we arrived at the airport at 6. SO we went about 36 hours without sleeping. Anyways, we arrived... two guys right out of college from Georgia are the ones leading us this week so they picked us up excited that it was 5 college kids to hang with all week. They showed us around and then settled us in. The compound we are staying at is awesome. It's really nice from what I have seen and we even have indoor showers/pottys! The compound serves as a school and a church. School hasn't been in session since the earthquake (government decree). In fact, in one of the classrooms the date is the exact date of the earthquake on the chalk board which was a strange thing. We had a great dinner last night by our Haitian cook. Today we went to church at 6AM which was all in french and I could actually understand a good bit of it. I really really enjoy speaking to people because I pretty much understand them, especially when they slow it down for me. There is internet access but it is limited. I think we will start working today. I know we are doing alot of work on the schools trying to get them ready for when school resumes. Keep us in your prayers. We are asking for more and more opportunities to meet the people and hear their stories and try to encourage them. The culture here is very very poor. It is similar to rural Mexico and Nicaragua. I feel like with the opportunity to see many different nations, that now poverty is poverty. However, people are also people. And that my friends, is what I LOVE! So I am excited to report some stories and miracles as they come. Expectant. Tired. but Encouraged. Woooooo Hooooo Spring Break... gettin KRUNK~! Loves!!

p.s. over the doors of the church is painted, "Sortons pour Servir" which means, Leave in order to (or to) Serve or Go out Serving. I liked that.

HAITI: en route...

I cannot begin to tell you how excited I am for this opportunity. I am sitting here writing at 3 AM ATL time with one hour before we depart for the air port. This night has consisted of an amazing time of prayer, visioning, dreams, worship, encouragement, and stirring. This is the most unique group of people that the Lord predestined to go together to Haiti. 3 girls. 2 guys. 5 hungry, thirsty, and expectant young adults being consumed by the Holy Spirit. The Lord has revealed to us that this trip is nothing ordinary. He is preparing our hearts for miracles, healing, oppression, and an awakening bigger than we can comprehend. I have never been with a group of people so in-tuned to the Lord's voice. We are stepping in confidence that with the power of the Holy Spirit we will see the power of the Lord in miraculous ways in Haiti. We will see this nation rise up in faith. We will witness miracles. We will be stretched beyond our comfort and have to rely on the Spirit, the Comforter. We have not played one game or any activity other than worship and pray over one another since we arrived. I am really beyond words at this point. I am already blown away and humbled to the Lord's guidance and will for each one of the people around me. Acts 2 has become the key chapter in the bible that we are focusing on. We are praying, seeking, and recognizing the Holy Spirit and the power He has in our lives. We depend and rely on Him. I am praying that this week especially, the five of us are known by the Acts 2:42-47 fellowship of believers:

"They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of break and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved."

Isaiah 26:8 "Yes Lord, walking in the way of your truth, we eagerly wait for name and renown are the desires of our hearts."

Please also pray for my teammates: Katy, Nathan, Wilson, and Tori.

Katy's blog- www.kwcrane.blogspot.com

Spring Break in HAITI

I wish I had more energy to write about the exciting trip to Haiti but for now I must keep it simple. You see, I was handed the stomach flu for the second time this semester. If you don't know what that is, I will politely tell you it is an overflow in every direction of your body. It's miserable. And somehow, I have gotten it twice in the same semester, the semester to which I am taking 19 hours of classes. In the midst of stress, I have a peace that in two days I will be on an airplane with some of my greatest friends to completely surrender myself to the work of His hands in Haiti. I am so thankful for those of you who gave a financial contribute. I still haven't reached the $600 mark, but I am confident that what I received was exactly His plan for me. Every amount that I opened, I want you to know that I did not pray for it to bless my trip, I did not pray for Him to bless you for giving, but I prayed something that isn't prayed enough. I prayed and asked HIM to be BLESSED. I asked HIM to be blessed by your obedience to give. I asked HIM to allow me to continue to bless Him as I prepare by heart and mind for Haiti. Obedience and giving isn't about us. It's all about HIM! Take some time today and remind yourself of that. As much as we ask Him on our normal day to bless us (bless this food, bless this day, bless this conversation, bless this trip, bless this opportunity, bless this business deal, bless this tithe) how many times do we ask for HIM to be BLESSED? If the word is true in 2 Peter 1:3, "His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness," then what more should we really ask for Him to Bless. Take today and offer it to Bless HIM! Thanks so much for all of you who gave and will continue in prayer... I'll keep ya posted!