International Prayer Day First Monday each month 10 am

Joel Griffith 4/23/22 Joel Griffith 4/23/22

Three partitions.

“I rejoiced greatly in the Lord that at last you renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you were concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it. I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.” Philippians 4:10-12

A few weeks ago, Trinity HOPE posted a video on Facebook of a group of Haitian children eating their lunch of rice and beans on colorful plastic plates with three partitions. A North American culture red flag went off in my head at this sight…oh the humanities. I didn’t see anyone else post comments or questions of why there wasn’t food in the other two partitions as the rice and beans only occupied one partition.

Also last week, I happened to see a commercial for a BK ‘meal deal’ and that would certainly fit into these three partition plastic plates. For $5, you would get a double burger, 4 chicken nuggets, fries and a beverage of your choice. Each of the three partitions would be filled. A contented North American would have each of the partitions filled as they were intended to be occupied by some type of food. For the price of the five-dollar BK ‘meal deal’ for a hungry North American, Trinity HOPE could provide twenty lunches for a group of twenty really hungry Haiti school children. What are you content with at meal time? How many partitions are filled on your plate…three times each day?

Heavenly Father, you have called your servants to ventures of which we cannot see the ending, by paths as yet untrodden, through perils unknown. Give us faith to go out with good courage, not knowing where we go but only that your hand is leading us and your love supporting us through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. Amen.

May God be with you…Jay

Joel Griffith 4/22/22 Joel Griffith 4/22/22

A real life story.

“Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.” Psalm 34:8

A few years ago, I wrote an article for Trinity HOPE inviting people to imagine what the life of a cook might be like in Haiti. Several years ago, there was another ‘imagine’ story written by John Hall and this brought a glimpse into the life of a child attending the Lutheran school in Thomassique.

I am going to share that story, because I recently found it and read it again and because it was so good. John wrote as follows; “Envision with me this plausible account by a boy named Kevin who shared this story through an interpreter. It was a hot March morning and a neighborhood rooster and hunger pangs woke me. My older sister and I started getting ready for school. My little brothers were crying because they were hungry. I didn’t ask if I could have any breakfast because I knew the two slices of bread and small serving of beans my family had divided the night before was all the food we had. The walk to school was one of about four kilometers. The road was rutted and dusty and today there were a lot of people on it hurrying to the market with things they could sell or exchange for things they needed. Men led cows, women walked with huge loads on their heads, trucks loaded with people and their goods bumped by in clouds of dust. When we reached the center of town, people were already setting up their spots. There were lots of things; goats, chickens, corn, tomatoes, onions, dirt cakes, shoes, clothes and tools and all of these things could all be bought by those who had a little money or something to barter. I paused briefly beside a lady selling beans and rice and said a silent prayer to God for my Papa to find enough work today to buy some food so Mama would be cooking it when we got home. But today was a special day as well. We had been told that a Trinity HOPE mission team might be at our school (L’Univers Lutheran) School in Thomassique to talk about our getting one of its feeding programs. When we arrived a big, dusty vehicle was parked in front of the school and the mission team was in our school yard taking pictures of some of the children who were bringing wood so the food could be prepared if we truly got such a blessing. I wished I had found some wood this morning.”

This was an actual account of this small boy named Kevin and one year later God had provided and the children were getting a meal at school each day. When that year’s mission team visited the school to see how the program was working, a young boy rose and asked if he could read a letter he had written for his entire class. It was Kevin and the letter said in part: “Thank God for providing and Trinity HOPE for feeding us. The food is so good. We love to eat it. Please do not stop feeding us.”

May God be with you…Jay

Joel Griffith 4/21/22 Joel Griffith 4/21/22

Walking with Jesus.

“Then Thomas (also known as Didymus) said to the rest of the disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.” John 11:16

We sang the hymn “Let us ever walk with Jesus” recently and it brought back a memory of a group of Haitian children singing that in their native tongue. That hymn is just one of those Lutheran hymns that always puts a lump in my throat as that is what we all desire to do daily on this side of Heaven; walk closely with our Risen Savior.

As Thomas suggested to the disciples in the eleventh Chapter of John, “let’s go and walk with Jesus and be prepared to die with him.” the children in the attached photo are attending Sunday worship in the Lutheran church in Torbeck which is about six miles west of Les Cayes; they too are walking with Jesus.

The hymn was originally written by Sigismund von Birken in 1653, composed by Georg G. Boltze in 1788 and translated by J. Adam Rimbach in 1900. For my daughter Deidre, Pastor Luke Schnake or anyone else that can read German or is interested in trivia, the original title was "Lasset uns mit Jesu ziehen".

“Let us ever walk with Jesus, follow His example pure. Flee the world, which would deceive us and to sin our souls allure. Ever in His footsteps treading, body here, yet soul above, full of faith and hope and love. Let us do the Father's bidding. Faithful Lord, abide with me; Savior, lead, I follow Thee. Let us suffer here with Jesus, to His image, e'er conform; Heaven's glory soon will please us, sunshine follow on the storm. Though we sow in tears of sorrow, we shall reap with heavenly joy; and the fears that now annoy shall be laughter on the morrow. Christ, I suffer here with Thee; there, oh, share Thy joy with me! Let us also die with Jesus. His death from the second death, from our soul's destruction, frees us, quickens us with life's glad breath. Let us mortify, while living, flesh and blood and die to sin; and the grave that shuts us in shall but prove the gate to heaven. Jesus, here I die to Thee there to live eternally. Let us gladly live with Jesus; since He's risen from the dead, death and grave must soon release us. Jesus, Thou art now our Head, we are truly Thine own members; where Thou livest, there live we. Take and own us constantly, faithful Friend, as Thy dear brethren. Jesus, here I live to Thee, also there eternally.”

Thank you for your continued support of Christian education in Haiti and throughout this world, as His children go about fulfilling His Good and Perfect purpose and walk with their Savior. HE is Risen!

May God be with you…Jay

Joel Griffith 4/20/22 Joel Griffith 4/20/22

Unfinished business.

“But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.” 1 Peter 3:15

This passage from first Peter encourages each of us to always, no matter where we may be, to be prepared to share the reason for the hope that we have in Christ Jesus, and only in Him. That message holds true for us living in North American and for His people living throughout this world.

I spent a couple of hours yesterday going through CD’s of photos that I either took while living in Haiti or somebody else captured while visiting Haiti with a mission team. The three girls in the attached photo taken a couple of decades ago, attended the Lutheran school at Torbeck which is in the Les Cayes District. They are standing behind an un-finished wall, something North America began but did not complete. There are a lot of unfinished walls and buildings in Haiti; the money ran out and the construction halted. Unfinished business is all over this world.

Trinity HOPE always has some form of unfinished business going on as they continue to seek donors to help them feed girls like these. TODAY, Trinity HOPE is starting their online Auction at the website; www.trinityhope.org. I encourage you to take a look at the items listed; vacations, dinners, quilts, Haitian art and tin artwork and many opportunities to feed children.

You and I and these three girls from Torbeck are all un-finished business. He has had plans for us from the beginning of time and now the Holy Spirit is working in us to go out into this world and connect with a soul that is waiting to hear the reason for our hope. I listened to the song ‘Shout to the Lord’ this morning and the lyrics really seem to go well with the message that we are called to share in Haiti and throughout the corners of this world.

“Shout to the Lord, all the earth, let us sing power and majesty, praise to the King; mountains bow down and the seas will roar at the sound of Your name. I sing for joy at the work of Your hands, forever I'll love You, forever I'll stand, nothing compares to the promise I have in You. My Jesus, My Savior, Lord, there is none like You; all of my days I want to praise the wonders of Your mighty love. My comfort, my shelter, tower of refuge and strength; let every breath, all that I am never cease to worship You. Shout to the Lord, all the earth, let us sing power and majesty, praise to the King; mountains bow down and the seas will roar at the sound of Your name. I sing for joy at the work of Your hands, forever I'll love You, forever I'll stand, nothing compares to the promise I have in You.”

Thank you for continuing to support the ‘un-finished’ business attending Christian schools in Haiti, may their lives shout to the ears of the lost souls about their love for their Lord Jesus. HE is Risen!

May God be with you…Jay

Joel Griffith 4/19/22 Joel Griffith 4/19/22

Come back.

“In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” Luke 15:10

The word ‘Repentance’ is defined as follows; “a change of thought to correct a wrong and gain forgiveness from a person who is wronged. In religious contexts it usually refers to confession to God, ceasing sin against God, and resolving to live according to religious law. It typically includes an admission of guilt, a promise or resolve not to repeat the offense; an attempt to make restitution for the wrong, or in some way to reverse the harmful effects of the wrong where possible.” The Haitian word for repent is “Repanti”

I read a devotion recently telling of a Pastor receiving a letter that told of the sudden death of a father; a man who years before had drifted away from church and God but because of unfulfilled intentions, promises and repeated postponements had never made it back into a close relationship with Jesus. The last words of the letter from his family were “It’s so easy to get lost from God that some forget how easy it is to return.”

It is really easy to get lost if we follow the lies of this fallen world. These children who attend the Lutheran school at Bois Marchand hear the lies daily from the majority of the people who will intersect their journey each day. The lies of the vodou priest will tell them that God does not love them. Day after day family members and friends will chip away at their faith with the lies from the vodou priest.

We know how easy it is to get lost and have witnessed others sadly separate themselves from their Heavenly Father. As they become more enmeshed in the daily grind along their journey, obstacles and challenges tend to pile up. It grows harder and harder to find the way back to God and repent of their sins. Our Heavenly Father is always near; nearer than they think, yearning for them, seeking, searching and calling them back. That is the picture of God that Jesus places before us in the three stories in Luke 15; the seeking shepherd, the searching housewife and the yearning father. In each case, the seekers celebrate joyfully when the lost have returned to the fold. Thank you for continuing to pray for these children, provide for their daily meal and give thanks for their witness in Haiti as they become seekers of the lost and sharing the message of Salvation. HE is Risen!.

May God be with you…Jay

Joel Griffith 4/18/22 Joel Griffith 4/18/22

How can I help?

“But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart." 1 Samuel 16:7 (NASB)

How many times have you looked at a calamity that took place in this world and said or thought to yourself, “how can I help?” When you see video and photos from Ukraine, have you asked “what can I do to help out?” When a congregation has food bank Sunday, typically our initial response is “how can I best help?” Most often, our initial response is directed to our ‘own’ actions our ‘own’ resources and our ‘own’ directions. Don’t take your mind away from the phrase; “HE is Risen!” Don’t take Jesus out of the event you are facing.

Sadly, when we assume that it is all about us, that is satan trying to get into our actions and urging us to take God out of the picture and so we can just take care of matters on our own. Once you do it a few times, well it just gets a lot easier to use our ‘own’ means to help do things that we enjoy and others might hopefully recognize that we are doing good things. We don’t really need our Triune God to help us do wonderful things; we are quite capable on our ‘own’.

I don’t know the name of the girl in the photo; I took her picture at Bon Berger in Caredeux on a Sunday morning in 2001. The only connection that I have with this child is that she was in a Trinity HOPE feeding program there. The connection that I have with her is not about me, it is about what God is doing for her through that program.

The human side in us in this fallen world, would probably want to send her new ribbons for her hair, new shoes, money for clothes, a backpack for school, an MP3 player and a cell phone as she must be 28 years old by now. Then, her life would in my mind be about ‘my’ helping her and not about the wonderful things that our Triune God is doing in her life. It is not about us, it is ALL about Him. I don’t make any friends when I tell this to people who want to send North American stuff to children in Haiti, but before you do, please honestly search your heart and discern what is driving your motives.

Is this something Jesus would give to this child or is this something that a North American culture wants to give to a child in the Haitian culture?

I have seen two young Haitian school girls playing a game of jacks using six bottle caps and bouncing a small rock and having the time of their lives. Haiti needs Jesus, its children need food. Our brothers and sisters in Haiti and we here in North American need a Savior, a Savior who is Risen from the dead. We need to thank our Triune God for the daily blessings He pours out into our lives and we need to always remember from where it all comes from. It really is not ALL about us, it about Him and what His Son gave for us on Calvary. HE is Risen! HE is Risen indeed!

May God be with you…Jay

Joel Griffith 4/16/22 Joel Griffith 4/16/22

A tomb.

“I believe in God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord: Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into hell. On the third day He rose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty, from there He shall come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Holy Christian Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.” Apostle’s Creed

We are in the final day of Lent and the Second Article of the Apostle’s Creed reminds me of the joy of the empty tomb. Lazarus was in a tomb. Jesus was in a tomb. The tombs in the attached photo that was taken somewhere in between Roche Jabrouin and Les Cayes are filled with generations of Haitian families. You and I will in time probably end up in a tomb, a drawer or scattered somewhere on this planet that was a special place for us. The final destination of our remains will probably not be in a tomb like the one that held the body of Lazarus, Jesus Christ or the families in Haiti…but when we draw our last breath our time of service will have come to an end.

Good news for today and every day; “He is risen! He is risen indeed!” What a joyful realization those seven words hold for all believers. I heard a song recently titled ‘Shout to the Lord’ and that really sums up the thankful joy that should be filling our hearts as we consider the blessed reunion we have awaiting us.

“My Jesus, my Savior, Lord there is none like You. All of my days I want to praise the wonders of Your mighty love. My comfort, my shelter, tower of refuge and strength. Let every breath, all that I am never cease to worship You. Shout to the Lord all the Earth, let us sing. Power and majesty praise to the King. Mountains bow down and the seas will roar at the sound of Your name. I sing for joy at the work of Your hands. Forever I'll love You, forever I'll stand nothing compares to the promise I have in You.”

His resurrection has secured a place for all believers in Heaven. This road in front of these tombs in Haiti has a fork, a choice, either to go left or right. While there, I was not sure which way to turn and it made me stop and think about the tombs that were straight in front of my truck without a spare tire. Choice for many in Haiti; continue to believe the lies of the vodou priest or accept Jesus Christ. We have the same choice but the difference is we most likely have heard the news of the risen Savior and many in Haiti have only heard that Jesus died…period. Thank you for preparing His children in Haiti to take the truth to the ears that have not heard and remain lost and shut out of the eternal home in Heaven.

May God be with you…Jay

Joel Griffith 4/15/22 Joel Griffith 4/15/22

One common bond.

“When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. “He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.” 1 Peter 2:23-24

Back in the day, while living in Haiti, during Lent was one of the seasons that I missed being home the most. Being separated from the Lutheran hymns in my native tongue during Lent was truly difficult. The attached photo was taken at Bon Berger Evangelique Eglise Lutherienne in Caredeux where I attended worship while living in Petionville. The elevated wooden cross reminded me of the suffering on my Savior, the Scripture readings, the messages, the creeds also brought me closer to recalling what Christ endured for me.

I missed hearing the hymns in my own language. Stricken, smitten and afflicted in Creole was just not the same. This hymn was first written around 1850 by Geistliche Volkslieder and was sung to the German tune “O Mein Jesu, Ich Muss Sterben.”

“Stricken, smitten, and afflicted, see him dying on the tree! This is Christ, by man rejected; here, my soul, your Savior see. He’s the long expected prophet, David’s son, yet David’s Lord. Proofs I see sufficient of it: He’s the true and faithful Word. Tell me, all who hear him groaning, was there ever grief like this? Friends through fear his cause disowning, foes insulting his distress; many hands were raised to wound him, none would intervene to save; but the deepest stroke that pierced him was the stroke that justice gave. “You who think of sin but lightly nor suppose the evil great, here may view its nature rightly, here its guilt may estimate. Mark the sacrifice appointed; see who bears the awful load; it’s the Word, the Lord’s Anointed, Son of Man and son of God. Here we have a firm foundation; here the refuge of the lost; Christ, the rock of our salvation, His the name of which we boast. Lamb of God, for sinners wounded, sacrifice to cancel guilt! None shall ever be confounded who on him their hope have built.”

The common bond during Lent in Haiti was the reminder that Christ died for me and for each of the people sitting in my same pew in Bon Berger, and also sitting in the pews at Christ Lutheran in Lincoln, NE and sitting in your Church. We all need Jesus; we all were lost until He died on the cross for our sins and left us an empty tomb. Thank you Lord Jesus; for enduring the suffering, agony and cross of Calvary for such as us, and for all the people in this world.

May God be with you…Jay

Joel Griffith 4/14/22 Joel Griffith 4/14/22

Sharing the Easter message.

“Furthermore, just as they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, so God gave them over to a depraved mind, so that they do what ought not to be done.” Romans 1:28

There were a number of occasions while living in Haiti when sights, sounds and strange feelings caused my skin to crawl. There were times when my goose bumps had goose bumps. The urging to eat Goat head soup which was a special treat prepared for me, sitting in an outdoor privy at 4 AM fumbling for my flashlight and realizing that when the light beam came on there was a tarantula on the wall six inches from my right ear or the eerie things the vodou priest sent (evil spirits) to disrupt my prayer time…yes my friend, there were times.

The attached photo was taken when driving back to Port Salute which is on the Southwest claw of Haiti in the Les Cayes District. A large rock was jutting out of the Caribbean perhaps 100 yards from the shore and it appeared to have some poles sticking out from the flat top. I asked Pastor Israel Isidor what this formation was and he replied it was “tableau du satan” which translated is “devil’s table.” He went on to tell me that vodou priests made their sacrifices on this rock. He indicated that prior to 1985 they were sacrificing human on the rock and then they were pressured by the government to stop that form of sacrifice as it was bringing bad attention to Haiti. Now they sacrifice animals; goats, dogs and pigs.

For the most part, vodou was not one of the subjects that were brought up in conversations very often when I was living in Haiti and I am assuming that it was either an embarrassment or just something that people didn’t care to bring up. When I was asked to share a message at congregations it was one topic that I always tried to find a way to weave it into my message, as the vodou needs to stop; Haiti needs Jesus and the truth about vodou needs to be told again and again.

The Easter story needs to be shared in Haiti every day because the vodou priest spins a different lie about the outcome. He tells people that Christ died and was buried. He tells people that satan defeated Jesus Christ and if you don’t believe that, he will bring a host of evil spirits into your life and they are real, seen them, didn’t like them and only by the name of Jesus Christ did they leave. As Pastor Isidor proclaimed, our Holy Spirit has much more power than the spirits of the vodou priest.

Thank you for helping to prepare young children attending Christian schools to go out and share the Easter story with their families and friends in Haiti, bringing the light of this world to those still living in darkness.

May God be with you…Jay

Joel Griffith 4/13/22 Joel Griffith 4/13/22

Two thieves.

“Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” Matthew 6:34

It doesn't matter if you're asleep or wide awake; there are two thieves in this world that often try to creep into your life to rob you of your peace and joy. They are known as "yesterday" and "tomorrow." Jesus told us not to worry about tomorrow because He knew we would have more than enough worldly burdens to handle today.

The attached photo was taken at the Lutheran church in Roche Jabrouin which is to the south and west of Les Cayes. The soil there would remind you of Oklahoma, red clay, red rocks and I recall very vividly having a flat tire on the way there and was worried about getting another on my lone spare tire as the rocks were like driving on coral with sharp edges. The spare tire, by the way, is on the driver’s side rear.

The congregation here didn’t seem to be worried about when their church would be completed. They had constructed concrete pillars to support their corrugated metal roof and there were quite a few pews. This photo was taken in the summer and there was no school in session at the time. There was a Gospel song on the radio that made think about Roche Jabrouin and perhaps after you read the lyrics you too will think about this church in the country, in the middle of nowhere Haiti.

“There's a place dear to me where I'm longing to be with my friends at the old country church. There with mother we went, and our Sundays were spent with my friends at the old country church. Precious years precious years, sweet memory, oh what joy they bring to me. How I long once more to be with my friends at the old country church. As a small country boy, how my heart beat with joy as I knelt at the old country church. There with Jesus above in his wonderful love saved my soul at the old country church. How I wish that today all the people would pray as they did at the old country church. If they'd only confess, Jesus surely would bless as he did at the old country church.”

If you are complaining that it was too hot in church last Sunday, or may not go to church next week because it is supposed to rain and you don’t want to get wet, consider the congregation in Roche Jabrouin. God blesses each of us in many different ways, some with much and some with less. You probably would say that things are different here in North America and if I agreed with you, we'd both be wrong.

Don’t worry about what this world considers to be proper, correct, expected or the way it is supposed to be; consider what the Son of God did for you on Calvary. We worry about sacrificing of our comfort to answer His call to go and make disciples throughout this fallen world. We can learn much from the congregation members at the old country church in Roche Jabrouin.

May God be with you…Jay