Hey...look at me.

“Whoever listens to you listens to me; whoever rejects you rejects me; but whoever rejects me rejects him who sent me.”  The seventy-two returned with joy and said, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.”  He replied, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.  I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you.  However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”  At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do.”  Luke 10:16-21

Dear North American, reality check today.  How often are you tempted to exclaim “Look at what I did” when something went really well.  Following the devastating earthquake that struck Haiti in 2010 there were many groups and individuals from North America saying “Look at what we did!” when returning from a mission trip.  North Americans spending incredible amounts of money to build a plywood house for a Haitian family with North American hands and tools; the funds that were used for airfare, food and lodging, transportation and translators probably could have been donated to build MANY homes, for many Haitian families and constructed by Haitian hands.  It is not about us, what we did but it is about Him and what He did for us and them and accomplished “THROUGH” us. 

Jesus sent the 72 out into the world to spread the news of the Gospel throughout the land.  They came back rejoicing at what the Holy Spirit had accomplished.  Then Jesus gave them and us a very important lesson.  Don’t rejoice that the Spirits submit to YOU, but rejoice that your names will be written in Heaven.  It is not about us, it is about Him.

The attached photo is of a preaching station in the Northwestern part of the Plateau Central, west of Saltedere.  It is a small stick structure with boards attached to branches for seats.  It would not surprise me to see a North American mission team view this as an opportunity to build a new church, a surfaced parking lot, a driveway up the side of the steep hill and also provide a gasoline powered generator so there would be electricity for lights and fans.  There are well meaning minds within our synod that would do that, I have seen them in action and cringed when I listened to their plans; plans about them and their North American ministry and not about Him and the ministry plan for this Haitian Lutheran congregation that worships on a hill that is closer to the Triune God than we can imagine or begin to understand.  Feed my sheep, tend to my lambs said the Good Shepherd.  Feeding children through Trinity HOPE programs preparing them, like the 72, to go out into their world and share the Gospel is about Him, not about those of us supporting their education and preparation for the task of their lives; it is about Him.

Dear 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

God is love.

“Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.  He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.” 1 John 4:7-8 (KJV)

The words “God is love” that John wrote are very special to me because as a child I was given a small plastic sign from the AAL, Aid Association for Lutherans, that glowed in the dark after it had been held up to the light on my nightstand for just a minute and the message that glowed a greenish hue in the darkness was “God is love.”

The children in the attached photo are orphans from the Lutheran orphanage in Ouanaminthe and they are ambassadors for those words as they joyfully will tell you that “God is love.”  Have you ever had somebody tell you that you look like a parent or maybe your children looked a lot like you?  Maybe they had the same nose, the same color hair or eyes, or perhaps their smile reminded them of you when you were their age.

These children have been adopted by Pastor Daniel Paul and his wife Clynie and although they may not have any physical qualities of their new parents, they share in the joy of knowing that ‘God is love.’  For the Christian, we have a Heavenly Father and I doubt that all of us resemble Him physically but spiritually we do, in some way.  His Holy Spirit lives within us and thus we resemble His Son Jesus Christ.

When you look into the morning mirror and see an image, does it reflect His image?  Are your life’s activities about His work?  We are all similar to a vessel that is filled with living water and at times we doubt our direction or use; where should we be and are we doing His work; how do we fit into His plan for our life?  Your fit will happen when God has you where you need to be to flow.  God is at work in your life and in the lives of these orphans.  Thank you for helping to prepare their lives with physical nourishment from a Trinity HOPE program.  I close with the words to the hymn ‘Children of the Heavenly Father’ which was written by Karolina Sandell-Berg in 1658.

“Children of the heav’nly Father safely in His bosom gather; nestling bird nor star in Heaven such a refuge e’er was given.  God His own doth tend and nourish; in His holy courts they flourish; from all evil things He spares them; in His mighty arms He bears them.  Neither life nor death shall ever from the Lord His children sever; unto them His grace He showeth, and their sorrows all He knoweth.  Though He giveth or He taketh, God His children ne’er forsaketh; His the loving purpose solely to preserve them pure and holy.  Lo, their very hairs He numbers, and no daily care encumbers them that share His ev’ry blessing and His help in woes distressing.  Praise the Lord in joyful numbers: your Protector never slumbers.  At the will of your Defender ev’ry foeman must surrender.”

Dear 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

HIS ways are higher than our ways.

“As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”  Isaiah 55:9

Yesterday I shared some ‘hope-filled’ news about Trinity HOPE and their latest evaluation from Charity Navigator.  Trinity HOPE feeds Haitian school kids who bring a message of HOPE to Haiti.  Twenty years ago, when I was living in Haiti, I would see North American mission teams coming to Haiti with plans to “improve” life; ministry, medical, transportation and housing in a third world country.  We North Americans are a well-educated, well-meaning culture that sadly often imposes our “improvements” on other cultures without considering the affects that our “improvement” will have in the lives of our brothers and sisters in Christ. 

The attached photo is of a first-class school kitchen by Haitian standards and this is modern by many that I have seen in the countryside homes.  This kitchen doesn’t need any “improvements” from North America.  It doesn’t need a generator to power a can opener and a microwave.

Haiti needs a message of HOPE.  Haiti needs Jesus!!!  Too often our ways are not His ways, our thoughts are not His thoughts and our support is not what our Triune God desires for Haiti.  Feeding children attending Christian schools in Haiti is way too simple for many or our mission minds in North America to wrap their ‘experienced’ knowledge around.  They would prefer to construct houses for a few, purchase vehicles for the select and ship North American supplies to people who have no way of receiving and safely storing them and dispensing them.  Haiti needs Jesus Christ!!!  Feed a child for a quarter and send them into the mission field of Haiti with a simple message of HOPE, life-saving hope.

Dear 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

Hard to find hope...

“What, then, shall we say in response to these things?  If God is for us, who can be against us?” Romans 8:31

I read an article in the Miami Herald last week about the difficult challenges taking place in Haiti at the present time.  The article had a quote from Jacquelene Charles with NPR and she said “it’s rather hard to find any hope in Haiti these days.”  I wanted to send her a message of hope from just a few of the 52,000 Haitian school children who are bringing the words of ‘Hope’ to Haiti each day.  “If God is for us, who can be against us?”

A few days later after reading that article, Keith Logan, Trinity HOPE CEO, sent a message to the Board of Directors with some really incredible news…filled with ‘Hope’.  I want to share some of his message with you today.  “Just today we received our newest Charity Navigator rating.  For the 4th consecutive year, we received a 4-Star rating.  Only 21% of ALL non-profits in the country have accomplished this.  As great as that is, that is NOT the fantastic news.  Here it is...Our score this year was a PERFECT 100%!!!  Praise be to God!  That is a very elite club for us to be a part of.  In fact, there are only 17 non-profits in the entire US that are in the International category which earned a score of 100%.  Charity Navigator's website claims that they rate over 195,000 charities, with far less than 1% of them ever earning a perfect score.  Special KUDOS and thanks go to Denise Gudlin and Candi Cook for working so diligently and hard to make this happen.”  Again, “If God is for us, who can be against us?”  Trinity HOPE helps Haitian school children bring ‘hope’ to Haiti, one bowl of rice and beans at a time.

Dear 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

PTO

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”  Matthew 11:28

Back in the day, when I was a freshman in high school, my uncle gave me summer work on his farm south of Seward, NE.  It was then that I learned the acronym ‘PTO’ stood for Power Take Off and it was a shaft on the tractor that powered various pieces of equipment.  And I needed to stay away from it as he told me of many farmers who had received serious injuries being entangled in the shaft.

Throughout high school, college and my job with the State of Nebraska, there were literally hundreds of other acronyms that clogged my memory bank.  Even while living in Haiti, acronyms from the LCMS World Missions would find their way into my daily life.  And now, my daughters frequently text me an acronym that I have never heard or used.  Once in a while, I stump them with one of my own…made up.

Today, PTO is for you.  I need to take some Personal Time Off.  I just need to get away for a few weeks and rest.  With the price of gasoline, I can’t afford to go anywhere.  I just want to turn off the television, stay off the Internet and read a few books, water my tomatoes and cucumbers, and sit on the deck, soak up His creation and catch a few of my grandson’s baseball games with his mom Deidre by my side.  Have a blessed week.  I will be back in a few.

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

Needing more prayers.

“Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.  But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.”  1 Peter 4:12-13

The attached photo was taken from Google Earth, it is a section of National Highway Rte. 1 about one and a half miles east of Gonaives.  This location will forever be a reminder to me of the above scripture.  I have been through this location on many occasions, driving alone and driving with others but always with Him.

Back in the day, probably in 2002, there were three of us riding back to PAP from Cap Haitian in the early afternoon; Pastors Daniel Paul, Eliona Bernard and my driver Joey.  We had stopped in Gonaives to get fuel for the pickup and had learned that a Haitian Senator had been assassinated in PAP and there were some problems brewing in Gonaives.  We decided to leave immediately and not stop to visit Pastor Revenel Benoit before leaving.

We reached the location in the photo and the road was “broken”; a term used by Haitians to describe the road being blockaded by something.  On this day two semi-trucks were parked in such a manner to straddle the highway from ditch to ditch making the road impassable.  We stopped and a group of armed men wearing plaid shirts motioned for us to get out of the truck.

Ir was a quick prayer time for me; followed by words from a George Jones song.  “Why me Lord, what have I ever done to deserve even one of the pleasures I've known.  Tell me Lord, what did I ever do that was worth love from you or the kindness you've shown.”

The four of us got out of the truck and placed our hands into the air as their weapons were pointed at us.  The man who approached me was carrying an old 410 shotgun that he was obviously very proud of as he placed just a few inches from my face.  I uttered the words ‘mwen pa gen lanjan’ (I don’t have any money) and ‘missionary’ and pointed to the cross on my Christ Lutheran Church ball cap on my head.  I asked if he was a Christian and knew Jesus Christ; he nodded that he knew Jesus.  “Lord help me Jesus, I've wasted it so help me Jesus I know what I am.  Now that I know that I've needed you so help me Jesus, my soul's in your hand.”

They wanted money (lanjan), or drugs or weapons and sadly we didn’t have any of these items.  We had Jesus and that was a problem for them, as they were sure that we had the treasures of their world hidden in my truck.  We walked away from the truck as they searched the interior and in the bed and finding nothing, they gave up as another vehicle came down the road and they went through the same routine with them.

Our journey was delayed by an hour, waiting as they marched back and forth, shouting and pointing their guns.  “Tell me Lord, if you think there's a way I can try to repay all I've taken from you.  Maybe Lord, I can show someone else what I've been through myself on my way back to you.”

I have shared this story with a number of people but never did with my mother.  Many asked what was going through my mind while staring down the barrel of the shotgun.  I recall being calm and at peace, seems odd but at the time that is what was occupying my thoughts; wondering if any of these people knew Jesus.  “Lord help me Jesus, I've wasted it so help me Jesus I know what I am.  Now that I know that I've need you so help me Jesus, my soul's in your hands.”

When mission teams travel to Haiti to visit Trinity HOPE feeding programs, please keep them in your daily prayers as one never knows what will be around the next bend or down the road.  It is always comforting to know that people like you are praying for each of us.

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

Our prayer life.

“Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because whoever suffers in the body is done with sin.  As a result, they do not live the rest of their earthly lives for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God.”  1 Peter 4:1-2

I was looking through photos of schools that I had visited in Haiti over the years and came across a few with memories that were not pleasant, but rather brought back images of dark long corridors in a labyrinth of uneven steps and uncertainty of what was around the next corner and who might be waiting there.

Before going to live in Haiti, my prayer life was not always what it should have been and perhaps that is why God nudged me to go there and live with my fellow brothers and sisters whose daily lives were filled with prayer.  Before entering a corridor such as the one in the attached photo taken while making my way to a school in PAP, prayers for protection for me and those with me would be offered.  Before turning the key in the truck, prayers were offered for safe travel.  Safety was always an issue, looking at who was walking alongside the truck in PAP, who was following me for more than a couple of blocks when driving home, who was watching my transaction at the bank, who followed me while walking in the market.  HE was with me, always with me.  I recently heard a group sing ‘Majesty’ and those words reflect the comfort that was felt by me, and those living in Haiti as we walked with our Savior.

“Majesty worship His Majesty unto Jesus, be all glory, power and praise.  Majesty, Kingdom authority flow from His throne, unto his own, His anthem raise.  So exalt, lift up on high the Name of Jesus.  Magnify, come glorify, Christ Jesus the King.  Majesty, worship His Majesty.  Jesus who died, now glorified, King of all Kings.”

My prayers are with the children in our Christian schools, with their teachers, principals, pastors and parents now, every day.  Thank you for also keeping them in your daily prayers as they do His work in the midst of unforeseen dangers

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

Remember me.

“And he said, "Jesus, remember me when You come into Your Kingdom."  And He said to him, "Truly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in paradise."  Luke 23:42-43

There were many times while living in Haiti that these verses from Luke came to mind; recalling the words of the thief that was hanging on the cross next to the Son of God, asking Christ Jesus to remember him when He gets into Heaven.

The attached photo was one of those times.  This is a back in the day story; this photo was taken on the roof of the Lutheran school at Village de la Paix which is next door to the Cite Solei slum in Port-au-Prince.  Just beyond the range of this photo was a barricade placed that had been placed by a group of vodou people charging a fee to anyone who needed to drive through ‘their’ territory, as they would say “you are obliged to give me $10 to drive through this street.”  This fee would be used for road repairs, as form of local taxation; common in Haiti.

There are more vodou people in Haiti than Christians and quite often I would wonder what their remark would have been to the Savior had they been hanging next to him on Calvary.  Many of the children in our schools come from homes with vodou and they must be questioned by those who have not heard the truth about Jesus.  Their journey on this earth has to be difficult as they give an answer for the truth that they have been taught.

Our Savior has assured them that they will be with Him in Paradise along with all who accept Him as their Lord and Savior.  Thank you for continuing to support these young children who carry that message to the lost souls in Haiti.

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

Nation Anthem.

“Who is this that obscures my plans with words without knowledge?  Brace yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer me.  Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation?  Tell me, if you understand.  Who marked off its dimensions?  Surely you know!  Who stretched a measuring line across it?  On what were its footings set, or who laid its cornerstone while the morning stars sang together and all the angels shouted for joy?” Job 38:2-7

“The morning stars sang” casts a vision of a very immense God moment.  You probably know by now that I enjoy most music.  I am not a rapper and my daughters will attest that their father did not like that ‘rap crap’ while occasionally driving them and their friends to school.  My mother sang in an ‘octet’ and was very proud of the work she and seven other females did in high school at the talent show.  When my mom, sister and I would drive to Lincoln we periodically sang along with a song on the radio and mom always encouraged us to sing in parts; I realize that may sound corny, but that was sixty odd years ago and we listened to KFAB. 

Words to songs have always interested me and I enjoy investigating the composer’s message.  While living in Haiti I heard the children at the school at Merrotte sing the Haitian national anthem one morning as the Haitian flag was being raised in their schoolyard.    The national anthem of Haiti is the ‘Dessalines Song’ and it honored the patriot Jean-Jacques Dessalines who was a founding father and hero of the war of independence from the French in 1804 and could certainly be compared to George Washington as he was the first leader of the Republic of Haiti.  The song was written by Justin Lherisson and composed by Nicholas Geffrard and adopted in 1904 and the words in English are as follows.

“For our country, for our forefathers, united let us march; united let us march.  Let there be no traitors in our ranks!  Let there be no masters of our soil.  United let us march, united let us march.  For our country, for our forefathers.  March, march, united let us march.  For our country, for our forefathers.  For our forebears, for our country let us toil joyfully.  May the fields be fertile and our souls take courage.  Let us toil joyfully for our forebears, for our country.  For our country and for our forefathers, let us train our sons.  Free, strong and prosperous, we shall always be as brothers.  Let us train our sons for our country and for our forefathers.”

While our national anthem reflects on the battle of 1812 the Haitian national anthem provides more of a theme of unity, working the land and remembering their ancestors; neither anthem offers thanks to God for their victories over oppression and it seems like a missed opportunity.

Take another look at the children from Merrotte and consider how blessed these children are to live in a country that is free from foreign oppression but still lives under the dark cloud of vodou; devil worship and gang warfare.  Please don’t miss the opportunity to help to provide them with a Christian education and a meal each day they are in school.  I close today with another ‘anthem’ called ‘Songs of praise the Angels sang’ that was written by James Montgomery in 1819.

“Songs of praise the angels sang, Heaven with alleluias rang, when creation was begun, when God spake and it was done.  Songs of praise awoke the morn when the Prince of Peace was born; songs of praise arose when He captive led captivity.  Heaven and earth must pass away; songs of praise shall crown that day.  God will make new heavens and earth; songs of praise shall hail their birth.  And shall man alone be dumb till that glorious kingdom come?  No; the Church delights to raise Psalms and hymns and songs of praise.  Saints below, with heart and voice, still in songs of praise rejoice; learning here, by faith and love, songs of praise to sing above.  Borne upon their latest breath, songs of praise shall conquer death; then, amidst eternal joy, songs of praise their powers employ.”

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

Haitian rice and beans.

“Is tasteless food eaten without salt, or is there flavor in the sap of the mallow?  I refuse to touch it; such food makes me ill.”  Job 6:6-7

One of the tasks that a Trinity HOPE team member undertakes when going to Haiti is to check the status of where the food is stored and to check on the supplies that are used for the food that is prepared.  Storage areas might be anything from a small building about the size of an outdoor privy with a chain and padlock on the door to a small storage room in a school also with a locked door.  We check for any traces of rodent droppings or bugs or mildew; ensure the food is in a safe place.

Supplies are generally a can of vegetable oil, a couple of bags of red beans, a large bag of rice, sometimes there are some vegetables supplied by parents, a can of tomato paste, a box of Maggi which is a seasoning and usually there will be a container of smoked herring, or as is in the attached photo a box with some of the smelly fish.  You may be thinking “ew!” but the fish is used sparingly and gives the rice and beans a delicious hint of smoke. 

My taste buds crave Haitian food from time to time and plantain, goat and rice and beans find their way into my kitchen quite often.  My personal favorite recipe for Diri ak sòs pwa is as follows; 1 cup dried pinto beans, soaked overnight in 5 cups of water, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 1/3 cup tomato paste, I medium white onion, diced, 4 cups white rice, 2 bay leaves,

1 smoked kipper snack (smoked herring), ¼ teaspoon ground cloves, 3 large sprigs fresh parsley, 3 sprigs fresh thyme and salt and pepper to taste

In a large pot, bring the beans and their soaking water to a boil.  Lower the heat, cover the pan, and simmer about 45 minutes, or until they are tender.  Drain the beans, reserving liquid.  In the same large pot, heat the oil.  Add the onion and herring, cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or until the mixture browns lightly.  Next, stir in the beans and tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes, stirring.  Next measure the reserved cooking liquid, and add enough water to make 8 cups.  Pour it into the beans and bring to a boil.  Stir in the rice.  Lower the heat and simmer, stirring often, for 20 minutes or until only a little liquid remains.  Turn the heat to the lowest setting.  Stir in the bay leaves, salt, pepper, and cloves.  Place the parsley sprigs and thyme sprigs on top.  Press a large piece of foil directly onto the rice; many Haitian cooks use a large piece of plastic.  Cover the pot and continue cooking for 18 to 20 minutes or until the rice is very tender.  Remove parsley and thyme before serving.

Next get a metal pie pan or plastic cereal bowl and a spoon and place two and a half cups of rice and beans into your serving bowl and set it at your table.  Wash your hands under running water, wipe them dry on a cloth towel, say your mealtime prayer and imagine that you are dining with a child attending a Christian school somewhere in Haiti savoring each spoonful of your only meal of the day.  Your helping of food cost a quarter to a Trinity HOPE donor.

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