What a change?

Well this will probably be the last post from this blog for a while. As most have heard I have resigned my position at FBCS and will be waiting on God's calling for the next step. I am so unsure of what is next so I wanted just to update some missional areas that have been visited.

This past weekend I participated in a Homeless Village Experiment. It was quite an experience. Nine of us went through the procedures that one without a residence would as they received help from Brunswick Family Assistance. When I arrived I had only the clothes on my back and a picture ID. I went through the paper work and then I received a box of food, which consisted of 7-8 cans of food such as fruit, ravioli, beans, and chili, also some bread and crackers. Honestly, I did not even finish it all. Then I was handed a $25 voucher to go into the thrift store and purchase whatever I would need from clothes to utensils or whatever the store had. Then we were shipped in the Building Hope Ministries van to the ministry's locale in Supply. Here we unloaded and were given the layout of the land and were briefed on rules that we had to abide by. We were shown a stack of cardboard and blankets, first come first served. My son Ryan and I decided to team up and grab a healthy stack of cardboard and two blankets. We went right to work building a modest cardboard dwelling.

 We started to build community among the others that had joined us in this endeavor. We noticed right off on how sharing was instinctive. Pastor John from Shallotte Presbyterian Church opened a can of Spam and instantly was cutting chunks off for each person. Rachel from the Brunswick Beacon shared the massive loaves of bread that she had acquired. It seemed that once placed in a situation that was outside the comfort of a person, people realized that God and each other was all we really had. Over the afternoon and evening we talked about how this event could be used in to raising awareness and educating the public on the problem of homelessness in Brunswick County.  

It became increasingly aware that one thing was sure, night was coming and it would be cold. So we built a fire and hovered around it most of the evening sharing stories and singing praises to God. We sat quite and soaked in the experience of being cut-off from the world with no phone, computer, electronic entertainment device it was just us and the outside. We were thankful for each other and it showed. I went to bed and a couple of hours later to wake before anyone else. I saw the fire dying and decided that is was smart to make sure that it stayed lit. I stoked the fire put some more wood on and got it nice and warm again. Not much time passed when Mike Pease poked out of his collapsing abode and sat by the fire with me. Slowly but surely throughout the morning one by one people made their way to the fire. We eventually broke down our homes and tossed them on the fire. We watched with new vigor as the chill of the morning air burnt off. We debriefed with some worship and reflection. I learned a great deal about some ministries in our area that help different areas of people in poverty from the homeless to prisoner's kids.

I also learned that it doesn't take much to get involved and help. There are so many things that a person can do. However, the most important is just saying I will do something. I think that is what the love of Jesus brings out of us. It pulls the compassion out of us and causes us to move. It is not so that He will accept us but that we serve because we are accepted.

Video Update

The video being posted is the video we used Sunday to give a quick update.

Holy Spirit falling on Haiti

    I must apologize for not updating for the past two days, it has bee very busy. I will start withe Wednesday which was a great day. Our teammate Alex went with the medical clinic and 19 were saved. Glory to God. I also took a step with the Haitian workers by gathering them up to pray with them at the end of the work day. It was great. However, there was one Haitian that asked about my gages in my ears. I told him why I wear them and he understood. Then he told me only bad men in Haiti has them. It was kind of shocking to hear that and then he said he didn't know if I was Christian. It was hard for me to hear at first. Then he pointed out that he knew I was a Christian when I was praying. I see how quickly one can judge from mere appearances without knowing a person. The same way I believe people judge these Haitians. They see the poverty and wonder why don't they do something about it. Well, those people should come down and see how hard they work to make there homes presentable. They work hard to build a home that is 12 feet by 16 feet that will house eight people. My bedroom is almost that big. I see them work in heat that most Americans would refuse to even come out in and they do it without even having a cooler of water.

     The other note from Wednesday was when I dumped a whole cooler of ice water over in the  van. Yeah I am a big clumsy goof. Not the point. After I spilled the cooler and all the ice was floating on the dirty rubber floor of the van the children came up and started to investigate the ice. They picked it up and realized what it was and started to grab handfuls of ice. They were eating the ice of the floor of the van. At first I wanted to tell them to stop that was not good. However, they would have not stopped matter of fact, I believe that was cleaner than some of the water they were drinking. I also realized that most of these kids that were scooping ice probably never see ice and if they do it is a special occasion. It really makes you think about how much we have and what little things we take for granted such as ice.

    Now yesterday I got to get a change of environment. Instead of heading out to the construction site I went with the Alpha Medical team to Germain. I went to help in the pharmacy but my main function was  to be the site pastor and deliver the message of the Gospel. When we pulled up to the site and got out of the van and I felt God there waiting on us. There was about 250 people there by the end of the day the doctors saw 209 people. Well I was introduced and then I started to give my testimony and then share Scripture from 1 John 4:7-10, talking about the greatest love all. I was overcome by the Spirit and God took control. I was speaking and my translator Stanley was repeating everything in Haitian Creole. It was so amazing - -

I spoke and Stanley translated. Then the time to invite people to accept Jesus was upon us. I knew God was working I could hear it in the crowd. And then one came and we started preaching harder then three came. Stanley got energized because it was his first time to translate the message and he started lifting up the name of Jesus and more started to come. Then a lady in the crowd (who I will talk about in a minute) started to praise God and talk to the people. It was a Holy Orchestra. When it was all said and done there was 29 who accepted Christ.

I have never experienced such a sight. What a glorious day for Jesus!! 29 people will be in Heaven with us and I know heaven rejoiced.

The highlight of my day after the salvations was Imomene. This is the lady I had mentioned earlier. She was shouting when I was speaking and I asked Stanley what she was saying.  He told me that she was encouraging people to accept Christ and praising God for my testimony and how through that the Spirit was moving in her. I was so humbled at that point. I could only cry. She came up and Stanley said that she wanted me to pray with her. So after everything had cooled off from getting all the names of the people who got saved we got together and started to pray. I was praying in English and Stanley was translating and she was praying in Creole as well and it was a joyous noise. We lifted our voices in one accord to pray for her healing. She had not been sleeping and couldn't eat and she said she felt really sick. I knew why she was there that day; to help in leading the lost to Christ. We started all to pray so hard and then we knew she was healed. She stood up and gave glory to God as Stanley and I did as well. She said that God gave her healing and I know last night she slept like she never has before and ate a great big meal. I know God provided it.

After she had went through the clinic she came back to see me before she left to tell me how thankful she was and we praised God again. I told her that she was my encourager and that without God sending her I might have been lost that day. I will always remember Imomene Aristomene as one of my closest sisters in Christ.

Remember us today as we work our last day and visit the orphanage. I really love this place. Praise God.

Day two in Haiti

Wow, what can I say? It has been jammed pack here. We have been sifting dirt to have sand to mix mortar, having block parties which entail moving crude cinder blocks that are about twice as heavy as what we have home. We have put on tin roofs which is a joy since you only have a 2x4 to stand on. The work has been tough, especially in this 100-110 degree heat index. It has been a blast though, working along side other brothers that have a common goal is awesome. I have had some time to bond with a couple of the Haitian workers and I hope the Jorce will bring his guitar by so we can play a little. Friggins is the coolest loves to worship just like me. However, my day has bee made by the kids which is the reason I really post tonight. I just wanted to share some pics from the time with the kids.

I

A snippet of the drive in.

This is a small part of the drive from Port au Prince to Titatyen. The song is Open Me by Shawn McDonald.

The Arrival

Well as I lay back on my bunk on the back screened in porch of our host house with all the lights out and the bugs are swarming so this will be quick. Today was long but amazing. I didn't get the chance to upload the video but I will work on that tomorrow. Haiti will be an interesting trip. Looking forward to see what God is going to do.

About time to go....

Well as I sit and think over all the stuff I need to take and the things that are not necessary; one thing that has been of extreme importance is prayer. In this last week before we as Team 93 make our way to Haiti there has not been a lack of prayer. In my own life I have had numerous people lay hands on me and pray for God’s will to work in me as I go to serve the Lord. I know by this time tomorrow God will be in full swing and doing mighty things through our team and I hope that the prayer does not stop. Those of us who will be there will have to have an attitude of prayer and we will need everyone here as well, to have that same attitude. If anything in life that is coveted, it is the prayers of brothers and sisters. Look forward to more posts this week and I will speak to you again from Haiti.