The 100%, all natural, purely organic alarm sounds off at 4:14 AM, sometimes earlier. Many other “alarms” follow the lead of this rooster from house to house and Haiti begins to stir. Soon the smell of charcoal smoke wafts into the room where I would still much rather be sleeping. I can hear the old yellow school buses, reconstituted from the USA as an oversized, overloaded taxi, carrying far too many passengers. They are traveling through the main street at a very high rate of speed, constantly blowing their horns while NOT slowing down. A quick prayer asking God that no one is run over, hit or killed. Dogs are barking as they begin their daily routine of scavenging food. Goats bleating and children are stirring. I crawl off my deflating air mattress and out from under my mosquito net. It was a better night of sleep due to the rain vs. the night before when it was 89 degrees in my room with no breeze and no fan. There is no electric here in Montrouis and after many years of traveling to this town, it makes life just a bit more challenging when it comes to…well, everything really.
We are here to conduct a DOVE International Regional Gathering with 27 Haitian churches. There will be many hungry leaders in attendance and we can’t wait to share God’s word with them through teaching, through a skit, through our love and acceptance of them, through handshakes and hugs and through one of their favorite things: a plate full of chicken, rice, fried green plantain, beans and pic kle’ (a local spicy, fermented cold cabbage slaw). It will be a good day and we pray that our Father speaks exactly what they are in need of as primary leaders of the many churches found within three different cities here in Haiti. And, my very favorite Haitian drink will be served almost cold – Coke in a bottle.
The training begins with an accordion and exuberant worship. They pray for our day like it’s the last day on earth. How do we follow such faith and such expectation? It’s a joy to love these men and women who live in dire need, but who love Jesus. I take time to share that Jesus knows our needs and how the DOVE family prays for their church family in Haiti. Their face speaks a nonverbal, “Really, us?” They smile and are warmed that someone(s) is praying for them.
There are far too many needs here to mention, but the greatest, in my mind, is the truth of the gospel that can lift them out of poverty, out of a hopeless condition and out of a mindset of certain thinking caused by years of poverty. What we offer is life changing, life-giving and life eternal.
Yesterday a little boy told me he was hungry and I gave him a pack of crackers. He smiled and ate them in front of me waiting for something else. He could not speak English and I could not speak Creole, but a hand to the belly means one thing and it was good to be able to share. A similar thing happened last night and we shared bread and banana with two men. I can’t imagine being hungry without any capacity to relieve that hunger. However, a far greater need exist here in Haiti and it’s what causes that poverty and loss: government corruption, crime, the lack of police reinforcement of any laws, generations of poverty thinking, the lack of an infrastructure for travel and utilities, blaming life needs and issues on others and not taking responsibility, a poor and fractured school system and so much more.
Quite honestly, without all the Christian missionaries, pastors, teachers, orphanages and poverty relief organizations, I have no idea where Haiti might be. But “relief” is only immediate and then the powerless Haitian needs more relief. We need more than relief here; we need schools, life training in business and technical training so jobs can be created. And then we need leaders who will lead with integrity, honesty and moral responsibility. Government leaders who will care more about the people who elected them than their multimillion dollar home they are building in the countryside. We are so thankful for some amazing DOVE leaders who work tirelessly and diligently to bring life to this nation. It is great to serve alongside them.
Speaking of an orphanage, we were able to visit with Dada, a friend of ours who is a nurse by profession, but who chooses to take in orphans. She has ten 18 year-old girls because those girls must leave orphanages at 18 and often find themselves on the street. She takes them in. She also has taken in 10 babies with various issues of illness and need. Some she has birth certificates for and others she does not, but one thing is for sure, they are receiving Dada’s love and care. Please pray for her as she attempts to feed and care for 21 orphans.
This is a beautiful and fertile nation that could lead in solar energy, hydropower, coffee plantations, sugar mills, tree farms and the like. Pray for Haiti.
Help us, Father, to change one life, one mindset at a time. Bless the DOVE churches who not only preach the good news, but who care for and educate the children Monday through Friday on so very little. Give us leaders in the churches, in the schools, in business and in government who will lead in integrity, caring for the people. Empower us to empower them. You have so many children here and so much is, can be and will be accomplished. Keep their faith strong in light of the many needs before them. In Jesus’ name.
Holding fast, persistence or holding firmly defines the word tenacity. It’s a good word when used in combination with faith, believing and a reluctance to let go of a promise. It’s a negative word when connected to anger, selfishness or an aversion to backing off. How tenacious are you and how do you use your tenacity? My wife has often told me that I am one of the most tenacious persons she knows. I admit, I am tenacious, she’s right and I receive those words as a compliment.
Are you a conservative or a liberal? These two words are really polarizing these days in our world of political correctness, especially in a two-party voting system like we have in the USA. These two words have created two opposing sides. It has divided our nation and the daily news loves to point out the differences, further dividing us.
I placed this question before the Lord one day: “Are You a conservative or a liberal?” The question wasn’t posed in the political sense, but more in a spiritual sense. What follows is the answer that I thought I received to the question.
It has been on my heart to address something going on particularly in America right now, but I also know there are some similarities around the world when it comes to elections.
Early on in our marriage our biggest struggle was about money. Since that time, we have learned this topic is a struggle for most couples. Not to assume that it is only a struggle when there are insufficient funds, but, as we discovered, when there are sufficient funds as well. We went on to ascertain that the differences had to do with two areas. Those two areas were financial values and trust. In other words, we did not have the same beliefs when it came to spending and saving and those differences led to not fully trusting each other. This blog entry is dedicated more to finding those roots versus practical budgeting tips. So, here are some root issues to consider when it comes to financial values and trust:
A number of decades ago in my more youthful leadership years, I had a young coworker who excelled at being a thorn in the flesh. He was in the wrong employment at the time, because in actuality the only probable employment for him was to work under no one, but himself. He simply could not be lead and neither did he have any grace for being part of a team. His team was made up of one: himself. While he didn’t realize it, he was a teacher, a great one. He taught me so much about what not to do, how not to act and who not to be. It was painful trying to work with him, but to this day I know I walk in lessons learned from this man.
I was sitting at my desk in the office of our home working on my computer when I felt some tingling on the skin of my right leg. A few seconds later the “tingling” became more pronounced and moved to the side of my right calf. Not thinking much of it, I reached down to scratch that area of my leg. Just then I realized there was something there, something foreign, something warm, something alive. I grabbed the outside of my jeans while at the same time grabbing what was clinging to my leg. It squirmed. It was soft. I squeezed tighter. It squirmed some more in an impossible effort to get away. I squeezed even ti-i-i-ighter. It gave up and became still. I then stood, stomped my right leg on the floor and “it” dropped to the carpet, laying there lifeless.
What might happen if you neglect the important things in life? What if you neglected the maintenance on your car? It just might leave you sitting somewhere unplanned. What if you neglected your health? Eventually, your body begins to break down if the mistreatment is severe enough. Or, what happens if you move into your new home and never repair or update a thing? The neglect will eventually cost you in the devaluation of your property or even costlier repairs. If you neglect your job, you will literally be working toward termination. Neglect your family and relationship issues will grow.
Jesus suffered, as did many men and women of history. It was/is our Lord’s belief that something would be built in us as we would realize…For our present troubles are quite small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us an immeasurably great glory that will last forever! (II Corinthians 4:17)
Accountability is not a popular topic these days. We love our freedom and our independence to decide for ourselves without the restriction of someone “looking over our shoulder.” We can find it intrusive and cast it off as, “my business is my business.” The problem with that line of thinking is it’s truly un-biblical. Could you imagine Jesus saying, “Listen to my teaching and watch me heal the sick, but realize that my personal life is none of your business?” Or, how about if Paul the Apostle shared with the church in Corinth, “I am going to call out your sin, but you dare not call out mine?” We simply do not live as unto ourselves.
Steve Prokopchak 