Bonsoire!
I am pretty excited because I was able to ask for the "door" and some "nuts" today! Not in proper creole, but with a mixture of Creole, English, and the universal language of speaking English louder and slower. Language is a challenge but we seem to find a way to get our point across. I felt better when our missionary friend, Les had trouble asking for ketchup tonight at supper. (Sorry les, it just ticked me.)
We finished our work on the second Haiti house today. What a joy it is to work alongside brothers and sisters from Haiti. There is a young woman we call "mama" because "when mana ain't happy, nobody's happy." She is a wonderful young woman, perhaps 20 years old. And she has obviously put a few of these houses together. I finally heard her speak English today. I instead of "non" (which means no) and showing this dumb American how to do it, she said "wait here for me." let me tell you, I did. I say this with a big smile and in Christian love because she is a very hard worker and a good leader. She will be an asset to village of Hope.
I sluffed off this afternoon. Actually refocused on visiting with Wadsone. (I think I got the spelling right this time) he is the director of the village. Remember I wrote that he is also pastor and counselor, and manager and teacher and example? Well it goes further than that. He is also mayor, landlord, and judge. His ministry load is very heavy, and it is hard to not get frustrated or discouraged sometimes. We need to keep these ministers and missionaries in prayer. You have spent so much time on prayer for us, and I am not telling you to stop, but don't forget our new friends Les & Katherine, Wadsone & Jasmine, Eddy, and Evald. (corrected spelling).
I also played with the kids today. 3-5 or more kids followed me around, sang silly songs, learned to sign
Jesus loves me (hand sign language) , played ring around the rosey, and follow the leader. These children just crave attention, especially adult male attention. There is such a large number of homes headed by single mothers, and teen mom's, <which is a cultural cultural issue the missionaries are addressing.> I feel that if we can give one or five of these children positive male interaction, we are putting the on the right road to perhaps countering the low regard of women and marriage. It is one of those... "To this one I made a difference" situations.
Tonight we went into LeCayes to eat lobster creole and barbecued lobster on the half shell at a beach restaurant. (Also chicken for non seafood folk) It was overcast which is perfect for a red head freckle faced guy who is doing his best not to build up a big sunburn this week.
Tonight's worship included a reading from Cliff about hands. We reflected on all that our hands have done this week, from meeting new friends, to spinning a thousand nuts on the end of bin bolts. From putting the hand to the plow to holding hands of 6 children while walking through " village of Hope.) let me tell you those six hands in mine (and the one kid on my Back) are the hands that will change Haiti. Not outsiders coming here for a week. Not the UN or the red cross. The hands that will change Haiti are the hands of the children who grow up in places like village of Hope believing that
1)things can be better
2) political and economic history don't have to determine the future,
3)and finally knowing that nothing... Nothing... Nothing can ever separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus. Neither poverty, nor hunger, nor nakedness, nor government corruption, nor political greed, nor anything else in all creation will ever separate us from God's love in Jesus Christ.
blessings,
terry
sent from my s3
No comments:
Post a Comment