Where are they now?

“As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God.   My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.  When can I go and meet with God?”  Psalm 42:1-2

I’ve one, really interesting, thought-provoking question asked throughout the years when speaking about feeding kids in Haiti, “what are some of those thousands of kids who have graduated doing now?”  Wish I knew, but keeping track of my own daily activities with Job here in the Assisted Living facility is enough of a task for me these days; can’t begin to imagine where those children in Haiti are today.

The children in the attached photo are from Caredeux which is a suburb in Port-au-Prince; the photo was taken in 2000; ten years before the earthquake.  Where are they today?  Was their smile crushed in a building?  How many lives have their message touched?  God shaped each one especially to accomplish His work, each was fashioned in a special way to touch another life…a life that was lost and needed to be found.  We cannot spend time wondering about where they are, we only need to trust that the Holy Spirit has taken them to places where the Gospel message needed to be heard or their smile needed to be seen by one without hope.

Back in the day, there were numerous times when visiting schools in the rural areas in the Jeremie, Les Cayes and Central Plateau Districts, there have been school teachers who graduated from the schools in which they are now teachers.  In the church at Caredeux, Bon Berger Lutheran, in my ten years of having worshipped there on and off I have seen faces that were ushers, choir members and lay Pastors who resembled children that I had seen in the school.

God is preparing the eyes of currently over 65,000 children in Haiti to see and share His glory.  Our Heavenly Father continues to direct each of us to continue to walk side by side with His children in Haiti, teaching us, directing us and continually unfolding His immeasurable loving arms and wrapping them around us along our journey.  Be at peace, knowing that He who has begun this good work in us, will one day bring it to completion.  Thank you for your continued support for these children through Trinity HOPE. 

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

Feed MY lambs.

“When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?”  “Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.”  Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.”  Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”  He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”  Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.”  The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”  Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.”  Jesus said, “Feed my sheep.”  John 21:15-17

Back in the day, when I would give Trinity HOPE presentations and one of the pictures that I would usually include is the “LWML kitchen”.  The attached photo is at the Messif School in Ouanaminthe.  I can tell you that there are at least 250 other Trinity HOPE kitchens at schools throughout Haiti that closely resemble this cooking station.  Nothing fancy, a big pot of rice and beans setting on top of some burning embers just waiting for a horde of hungry children to come running and excited for their lunch.

Reading the exchange between Jesus and Peter draws me back to that photo, back to that pot at that school.  Jesus basically tells Peter again and again “if you love me, take care of my sheep.”  Not a lot of direction, pretty simple, take care of my children, feed them…take care of them if you love me.  There is one element about Trinity HOPE that I have always admired, they are focused on feeding His sheep, all of the over 65,000 of them at the present time.  Trinity HOPE doesn’t build schools, dig latrines or wells, purchase school supplies or buy land with any funds from the support that is donated from people like you…they feed children.

While living in Haiti, I witnessed too many well-meaning organizations try to do too much, go in too many directions, trying to please everybody in Haiti and in North America and they ended up being similar to the Platte River in Nebraska with their accomplishments…a mile wide and six inches deep.  Getting so spread out in different directions, doing so much but not doing it very well…using God’s resources in ways that were not the best use of the support that had been donated.  Christ told Peter quite simply to feed and take care of His sheep. 
Trinity HOPE has continued to do one thing very, very well…feeding children attending Christian schools in Haiti.  Thank you for continuing to keep the kettles at our schools in Haiti full of beans and rice every day.  Thank you for answering the call of our Savior in John 21.
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

Hope is Real.

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”  John 10:10

After posting a devotion on Facebook yesterday I scrolled on for a few minutes and happened to see a photo of a sign next to a Church that read “Hope is real.”  I’ve been thinking about that message off and on as I have been going through these photos of Haitian school children.  For way too many people in this fallen world today, hope is not real.  There have been quite a few difficult challenges facing Haiti the past decade, there currently are quite a few challenges in our fallen world that would cause an unbeliever to doubt about ‘hope’.  Earthquake, floods, cholera, wars, gangs, political unrest and on and on.  Hopelessness; someone who is hopeless is usually alone and cannot help themselves out of their dire situations.  They have a great sense of loss and helplessness.  Christians must come alongside and bring the good news of Jesus Christ to the lost and hopeless, and share all that our Savior has to offer them.

The young girl in the attached photo is from Cap Haitian and she has hope.  She is baptized, attends the Lutheran school, and eats a Trinity HOPE lunch every day.  She wears a bracelet on her wrist that tells the story of our Triune God.  She is and will always be a messenger for our risen Savior in a land where hopelessness abounds.  Please keep our children in your prayers, along with their parents, teachers, pastors and Trinity HOPE supporters like yourself who continue to prepare His children to accomplish the Great Commission.

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

Dorcas.

“In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (in Greek her name is Dorcas); she was always doing good and helping the poor. Acts 9:36

The seaport of Joppa will long be remembered because 2,000 years ago a faithful church worker lived there; her name was Dorcas.  She is legendary because of her work for charity.  She was rich both in giving and in personal service, honoring God and helping her neighbor for Jesus’ sake.

During the midpoint of her lifetime, she became ill and died.  The grieving was hard by her fellow believers and we read on in Acts, “Peter went with them, and when he arrived, he was taken upstairs to the room.  All the widows stood around him, crying and showing him the robes and other clothing that Dorcas had made while she was still with them.  Peter sent them all out of the room; then he got down on his knees and prayed. Turning toward the dead woman, he said, “Tabitha, get up.”  She opened her eyes, and seeing Peter she sat up.  He took her by the hand and helped her to her feet. Then he called for the believers, especially the widows, and presented her to them alive.  This became known all over Joppa, and many people believed in the Lord.”

Along my journey, there have been many who are like Dorcas in their service to their Lord.  Most recently, Job and me have had so much help from my daughters and there are Jeff, Danny and Mike who are members at my Church and they give me rides to and from and load my heavy, awkward wheelchair into their car.  There are many children like the two girls from the Lutheran school in Pont Quenepe in the attached photograph who may have never met their “Dorcas” face to face, but will when they receive their heavenly home.  There are many in the ranks of the Trinity HOPE supporters who could wear a “Dorcas” nametag when they get up and begin the next day of their journey, serving Him.  On behalf of these two children at Pont Quenepe in the Artibonite District, and the over 65,000 other children in 301 Christian schools in Haiti, we say “Beni Soit L’Eternal!” (Praise the Lord!) for your continued support.

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

Same boy, same shirt.

“Jesus said "... And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." Matthew 28:20b
From the mouths of children come some of the greatest inspirations and insights that you can ever fathom.  Priceless pearls of wisdom or darts of brilliant light that help you to understand them and this world through their minds, words and actions.

I don’t recall the name of the boy in the attached photo; he wore the same shirt on the three consecutive days I happened to see him during one week in October a few decades ago.  He was one of the children chosen for our Trinity HOPE interview as we try to get an idea of how many of these children were eating at home.

This young boy was happy to be in Ouanaminthe, in school and being fed.  He hadn’t eaten before he went to bed the night before school and his parents had given him a cup of coffee for his morning nourishment…no food.  When I asked what his favorite food was, he said Trinity HOPE rice and beans.  What a great advertisement, “next time your mom goes to the store, tell her to pick up a box of the Trinity HOPE rice & beans”.

The boy was captured in another photo during the week, it was sent a few times before and he was shown with two other children with a bracelet on his wrist.  He goes to school, perspiration popping up on his forehead, learning about geography, math…and Jesus.  His life will touch others in the coming years and decades with the message of hope for those who have not heard of Jesus.  Jesus tells us, “and surely I am with you always…”

You will meet many people in your life and do His work in many different ways along your journey.  You will make a difference in the lives of many through your words, encouragement and love.  It is really important to concentrate on those times where we can truly make a difference in another life.  Thank you for making that difference in over 65,000 lives, preparing His children to go share His message of salvation with the lost 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

Two girls.

“But God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8

The morning Portals of Prayer had the above scripture reading recently, a message that revolved around love and the attached photo of two girls living in Ouanaminthe, Haiti and their smiles tell you they have a Savior and are eating Trinity HOPE food.  How can you help but not love this photo?

“Have you ever loved someone?  Love causes us to reach out to another.  It causes us to make sacrifices.  We sacrifice our time, our money and sometimes our own desires.  Love binds a person to the thing that they love.  Loving is a risky business, because sometimes the one that we love does not and will not love us back.”  That was the opening message from one of my five morning devotions yesterday; loving someone, reaching out and making various sacrifices.  Trinity HOPE supporters love their Savior, their Creator and their Comforter…and His children.  We make sacrifices sometimes and other times we just give.  I am guilty of that, giving without really considering how special the life is that my gift is touching…reaching out to a life that doesn’t know I exist.  At those times, the Holy Spirit uses my gift, my ‘sacrifice’ to touch that life with a blessing that will prayerfully place an ear-to-ear smile upon their face.  Not often we get to see such happiness, as in the two smiles in this photo.  They are genuine, they are real, they are thankful and they truly believe that you are a Godsend to them.  I pray that your financial sacrifice, your prayers and your love will continue to touch girls in white ribbons and boys in plaid shirts living in Ouanaminthe.

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

Four children.

“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

Back in the day, while living in Haiti, these words of the Apostle Paul brought me comfort, understanding, peace and patience.  If you know me, that last word may not be a word that you would count as one of my strong attributes or high points.  Imagine what Paul must have endured on his mission trips.  Imagine the people that he met and the lives that he shared the message of salvation with along his many travels; probably saw faces similar to these four children.

Some comments from people who have seen this photo are these four kids look so happy, so clean and friendly.  Look closer at these children who attend a school in Ouanaminthe that is called Messif.  Their school was very, very dark and the flash from the camera poured volumes of light into their dark classroom; no electricity or windows.  The temperature in their classroom at 11 AM was probably in the low 90’s in October and there was no breeze.

The photo shows two really important facets; the children are in school and very happy to be in school because they just finished eating a lunch that filled their bellies.  Also notice the bracelet of the girl on the right side.  She has the message of salvation wrapped around her wrist that may provide a lifeline to another lost child in Haiti on her walk home this day, or tomorrow. 

Trinity HOPE is so very simple; we feed children attending Christian schools in Haiti and they in turn share the Gospel message with Haiti.  It cost one dollar to feed these four children on this hot day in Ouanaminthe.  The Apostle Paul would be so very happy to have these young missionaries joining in his call, the same call that you and I have from our Lord Jesus; go and seek and save the lost.

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

Three young kids.

“First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is being reported all over the world.  God, whom I serve in my spirit in preaching the gospel of his Son, is my witness how constantly I remember you in my prayers at all times; and I pray that now at last by God’s will the way may be opened for me to come to you.  I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong; that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith.  I do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, that I planned many times to come to you (but have been prevented from doing so until now) in order that I might have a harvest among you, just as I have had among the other Gentiles.”  Romans 1:8-13  

Have you ever met a missionary?  The apostle Paul was a missionary.  The dictionary states that a ‘missionary’ is someone who leaves their home and goes to live, work and witness in another location.  It doesn’t mention anything about them sharing the Holy Gospel or healing a disease, helping a congregation to build a school or putting a meal on their table at lunch time.
I hope that you have had an opportunity to meet a missionary and that they have been a blessing to you and your earthly journey.  The “three young kids” in the attached photo are missionaries from the Lutheran School in Ouanaminthe, Haiti.  They are young, but with your help, they will be very wonderful missionaries to their neighbors who have not yet heard the saving message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Their colorful wrist bands tell the story of creation, Jesus’ baptism, death, resurrection and salvation; the saving message is easy to understand in ways that can only be told by a child to another child or their parents or grandparents.  These three would probably have been favorites of the Apostle Paul; they are favorites of mine because they will be spreading the Gospel message to the lost throughout Haiti in the coming decades.

Thank you for supporting missionary preparation through Trinity HOPE; it only takes a small amount of change to provide a hot lunch for one of these Kingdom builders.  Consider for a moment that forty cents could be all that it takes to keep one precious life out of satan’s grips.  A few small coins in the right place could win a soul for Christ; that is a God thing and we just can’t begin to fully understand or appreciate the slogan, “ain’t God good?”
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

Running out of time.

“And do this, understanding the present time: The hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed.  The night is nearly over; the day is almost here.  So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.  Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy.  Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh.” Romans 13:11-14

How many more grains of sand are remaining in the hour glass of your life?  Are you running out of time?  Have you put your will in a place where your family will find it?  Have you selected scriptures and hymns for your celebration of life service?  Have you shared your faith story with the angry next-door neighbor?  “Our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed” is another way of saying that the end of your journey is a lot closer now than when you were Baptized.  What kind of legacy are you leaving for your family, what kind of footprint will you leave?

What is your greatest desire for your children and grandchildren?  What is your hope for the coming generations; have you taken steps to finish well?  Has your time been spent sharing the Gospel within your family, within your city, within your State or been focusing on one of the ends of this earth?

Has it been your hope and desire that your children and grandchildren will grow up and become men and women of compassion, honesty, morality, responsibility, selflessness, loyalty, discipline and sacrifice?  Your hope should be that they will become men and women of faith, trusting in Jesus Christ as their Savior seeking to follow Him as the Master of their lives each and every day.  While we cannot make this decision for others, we can show them the way by being an example of Christ’s love and of His power to transform every life that is submitted to Him.  Have a blessed day considering the time left in your journey.

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

Follow me.

“The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee.  Finding Philip, he said to him, “Follow me.” John 1:43

This passage from the Gospel of John has always fascinated me and again drew me deeper into these words when my morning devotion discussed these words of our Savior.  A couple of things grab at my question button; Jesus finding, Jesus saying ‘follow me’ and then our own free will.  Jesus found Philip, found you, found me and found this child in Haiti.  Our Savior who later called himself the ‘Good Shepherd’ came to earth to look for the lost sheep; came to seek and save the lost.  It should make each of us feel really special that the Son of God came to earth and looked for us and after a period of time found us.

We didn’t go looking for Him; we cannot on our own do that as too often we don’t know where to look and we don’t have enough time. Too often our ‘free will’ points us into directions away from Him and into places that are deeper and darker where we can hide from Him. 
Why do you suppose Philip dropped what he was doing and went with Jesus when told to ‘follow me’?  Perhaps he had nothing to do but probably because he realized Who this was who had found him, at that point in history.  Philip had heard about the coming of the Messiah and was waiting and what a ‘God moment’ in his life to have the Savior find him.
Jesus found you and is calling to you to ‘follow’.  You, I and this child from Haiti have been found and told to ‘follow Christ’ and become shepherds and seek and save the lost.  Don’t let your free will tell you that your life is not capable of seeking lost souls or bring them to Christ.  He is with you and the Holy Spirit is nudging you where you happen to be today.
And finally, there is that point in your journey when Jesus will call you home.  Your free will card will do you no good on that day.  He found you, He called you and He will take you home one day and you and this child from Haiti will sit at the feet of the Good Shepherd and bask in His glory.

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