Beauty for Ashes

This is an article written by Heather last year reflecting on all God did following the earthquake.  We hope you find it a helpful insight into our ministry in Haiti and be a help as you pray.

Greetings in the name of our glorious and risen Savior, Jesus Christ! We cannot believe that it has been four years since our family arrived in Haiti back in 2007. How our time here has flown! Many exciting and memorable things have happened. We are thankful to the Lord for his ongoing care and grace to our family. We have all grown so much! We thank you, too, for your many, many prayers for the people and work here in Haiti. As we reflect on all that has occurred, we are humbled, grateful and encouraged. We praise the Lord for his many acts of kindness to the Haitian people, his church and our family. As Isaiah 61:3 puts it, He has given beauty for ashes:

“to grant to those who mourn in Zion—to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes,

the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit;

that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he may be glorified.” (ESV)

As we leave the field for eight months starting June 2011, we would like to share a few stories that you will not hear in the media about post quake life in Haiti. They recount the promise of our Lord to grant gladness for mourning, praise for the faint hearted, beauty for ashes.

Gladness for Mourning

On January 13th, 2010, the morning after the quake, the kids and I (Heather) were at home in Kaliko when we heard a great wailing rise up from the neighbor's yard. It was a gut-wrenching, heart-breaking sound that penetrated us to the core. When I asked Wilson, our live-in yardman, who was crying, he said it was our neighbor, Dadi. She was crying over the loss of her oldest daughter, Nunsia, whose school had collapsed in the quake. Her pain rung in our ears. It was the cry of a mother's love being torn away by the death of her child. The agony was evident. I asked Wilson if they had found Nunsia's body. He said that they hadn't. “There is still hope, then,” I answered. The children and I prayed.

The waiting continued for several hours.

Then suddenly around 1 PM children's voices were heard in the distance. “She's coming!” they yelled. I looked out my window and saw Nunsia walking down the path to her house. Shouts of joy and relief overshadowed the gloom. “Mèsi Jezi!” now resounded from our neighbor's yard! We joined them in thanking the Lord for this tender mercy. Dadi's daughter, like Jairus' daughter, was not dead. She was alive! The Lord poured out oil of gladness on the hearts of our mourning neighbors.

One year later, on January 13^th, 2011, Heather visited with Dadi. She brought a yummy snack along for all to share and celebrate again the goodness of our God in sparing her daughter. Dadi acknowledged God's work in bringing Nunsia home safely. There has been a change in Dadi's heart and she is attending a local church. Nunsia's heart is still hard. Pray for ongoing opportunities for us to minister to this family and for their salvation.

Praise for the Faint-hearted

Some of you will recognize, Pierre, our language helper. In an earlier letter we shared about Pierre's father beating him severely when he refused to become a voodoo intern. Pierre's dad, Joseph, was very ill last year and Pierre graciously shared the Gospel with him. His father recovered but much to Pierre's dismay, his father continued serving voodoo idols. Pierre's spirit was faint but he persevered in prayer for his dad. In March 2011, a jubilant Pierre called to tell me that his dad had just confessed faith in Christ, had been baptized and was attending a new church. We praised the Lord together for Joseph's conversion, all in the Lord's timing. Pierre recently returned from visiting his dad. What a joy for both of them to worship their Savior together for the first time!

A Planting of the Lord

Since its inception back in October 2008, the Port-au-Prince church plant has suffered many setbacks. Our church building nearly collapsed in the quake and was condemned, so the congregation moved to a new location. After the unfortunate split with Mission presbytérienne d'Haiti, the remnant moved again to a new location. It was here in September 2011, l'Eglise presbytérienne réformée de Delmas, held its first service. Three locations in three years. But the Lord is the one who builds His church. From the initial 15 people last fall the church has blossomed to nearly 75 in regular attendance at weekly worship services. Also 16 new members joined the church in March, some of whom were also baptized. This is a great encouragement to us as we see the fruit of the Lord's planting seeds of life in Haitian hearts.

An Oak of Righteousness on Lagonav

We praise the Lord for Marcel, an 89-year-old saint at our Doglas church on Lagonav. He has been a founding member of this church which started over 12 years ago and has slowly come to the reformed faith. It is exciting to hear Marcel's conviction in seeing the church grow. It was his desire to see the several miles of road built to the church so a vehicle could pass. It is now his desire to see the roof finally be built on the church. He loves to read the Word and he loves his Savior. He is a solid rock in the foundation of this group of believers. We praise the Lord for such an oak of righteousness who models Christian life to the those in his church and community. Pray for Pastor Lexene as he faithfully guides this church and for all the saints on Lagonav.

Beauty for Ashes

Despite all the ashes (or rather rubble, destruction and dust) in post-quake Haiti, we rejoice in the beauty the Lord is bringing about. Granted not much has physically changed in Port-au-Prince and environs since the quake. Tents cities are still full. Temporary shelters dot the country-side on the mainland and on Lagonav but the Lord is bringing beauty for ashes. Many VBS teams have shared the truth of the risen Savior with hundreds of children at the seven churches on Lagonav. While memorizing the Children's Catechism in Haitian Creole, these children see the hope and love found in Christ as it is displayed in the lives of the team members. Thanks to each of you who has come to help build the church of Christ in this special way. Our thanks to those of you who pray for this beauty to expand in the lives of Haitians both on Lagonav and the mainland.

Additionally, since our arrival in 2007, the guest house has been transformed from an empty shell into a functional home to host teams. A returning team member recently mentioned how nice it was to have fans, lights and a painted room at the guest house. Much different from their visit back in 2008! Our sincere thanks to the many, many construction teams that have helped in this endeavor.

That He May Be Glorified

As we spend several months back in the United States on furlough, we look forward to visiting OP churches across the country in order to share what the Lord has been doing so that He may be glorified for the work he has done so far. Haiti is an exciting field. We are grateful to be used of the Lord in this part of his vineyard. We are thankful for you prayers, notes of encouragement and emails that spur us on to do the good work the Lord has prepared for us to do in Christ. May many in Haiti come to know and love our precious Savior.