After our first day in Haiti, I described it as an emotional roller coaster, riding up high on hope and going so fast and so low into despair that my stomach was often left in my throat. The ups and downs screwed with the wiring of my fairly stable American brain.
With each day, it seems like the peaks have gotten higher and the valleys lower.
Yesterday was Sunday, and as we drove to a church service, we saw people dancing and singing in the streets, holding signs that said in Creole, “Haiti for Christ, Christ for Haiti.” ?My friend Lars compared the people pouring into the streets in the same way I mentioned the rubble pouring into the streets. Both come crashing around every corner and every turn.
We joined a celebration where the Haitians were literally going crazy with praise. I pulled out my trust Flip camera and like any American blogger would do, captured the experience to share. Having no rhythm whatsoever, when I was encouraged to dance by a large man in a bright orange shirt, I laughed and shook my head. I began clapping my hands a little bit.
I did grow up Baptist, so I thought this was a fair enough compromise.
As two boys came up next to me, they didn’t dance. Only stared. Two older women began dancing around me, trying to get me to engage. I took one look at the boys and made a motion that essentially said, “If you do it, I’ll do it.” and we all started jumping up and down and spinning around in circles.
Five minutes later, sweat was forming a river down the middle of my back and I had a heart rate watch on. 158.
That should make my trainer proud.
I was blown away by how quickly their hope moved me from a spectator in to a celebrator.
These people were alive!
These people were free!
These people have a hope and purpose!
I’m alive!
I’m free!
I have a hope and a purpose!
Our gratitude and faith united us.
We continued on to a church service. ?At the church, Rhett, Lars, Jeremy and I were quickly escorted to the front and asked to individually share. “You come to my church, so you will preach,” the pastor told Rhett. Gathered under tarps and sheets, we each spoke about what we have been learning in Haiti. I told them,
“I do not have the words to express how deep my sorrow is for your loss. I also do not have the words to express how grateful I am for the gift of your hope that you have shared with us.”
Their eyes shined with hope and it was apparent they were so thankful to be alive.
The sun became more intense as we drove to a desolate part of Port-au-Prince. As we walked down to a massive tent city, my eyes watered from the dust being blown around and the brightness of the sun beating down on my face. Jeremy and I broke off from the group with our translator and went tent to tent, hearing about what had happened to each family, and what their needs were.
Our first family was hopeful, even though they were completely lost and without any possessions — even a tent. As we went farther in, we found two women and two children. We learned there has not been any food or medical aid that has assisted the community, as the woman showed us where her leg had been trapped under debris. She had an infection and fever. ?We asked how old her children were. One was six, and one was three.
The six year old looked to be only two years old, so our translator asked her several times, “are you sure he’s six?” and she said yes, over and over again. He had contracted malaria at an early age, had finally received treatment, but because of the damage it had caused, he can’t eat. He can only drink water. He was so malnourished, his body had stopped developing.
This city is in a flood zone, and March is the rainy season for Haiti. There is no proper drainage and as soon as the rain comes, because of the location of this community, what little the do have will be washed away. The diseases will spread quickly, and another tragedy will strike.
Supply trucks and relief organizations drive by this city every day and don’t stop. We’re about to return and are praying for a miracle. We’ve been in touch with almost every organization we could contact with the exact location and needs, and we can only hope someone shows up with food. We’ve been in touch with media, and we can only hope someone shows up and is able to tell the world of this desperate need of 5,000 displaced Haitians.
We’ve also been in long, loud, united prayer — in touch with our Saviour — who loves the people of this city deeply. We don’t hope he will show up. We know he is already there.
In just a couple of hours we don’t know what we will encounter when we return. I am praying for a miracle for these people, whether it is while we are there or after we return to the states.
And I hope you will join with me on this prayer.
Comments
20 responses to “Mourning into Dancing – Prayer Needed”
Ah, that’s the adventure! You don’t know what will happen, but we know that Christ was there before you arrived, and he’ll stay behind after you leave.
.-= Matt @ The Church of No People?s last blog ..Love Month: How Much Does a Christian Cost? =-.
I love you are highlighting the hope in the midst of despair. Haitians are by far the most resilient people. Thank you, Anne. I’m in the middle of a meeting but am on my proverbial knees for you right now as you are ministering to the tentcity.
” …from a spectator in to a celebrator …”
Thanks for that wisdom … aren’t we all longing to get off our butts and do something, celebrate something, be something.
You’ll be glad to hear that even our local paper reported that inroads are being made by Christian organizations and that many are giving up their voodoo practices and turning to Christ.
I am praying for protection around your body and soul and mind.
.-= Linda Stoll?s last blog ..Got Margins? =-.
Keep soaking it up Anne…watching your journey – praying for you and them. You can’t possibly know how far the arms of Christ can reach until you’ve been to those places. He didn’t come for the healthy, He came for the sick, and He partied with them.
.-= Ryan Detzel?s last blog ..Readying for the rollercoaster? =-.
praying praying praying.
.-= Crystal Renaud?s last blog ..?No, I am Single.? =-.
What a beautiful example of mourning into dancing. They are an example to us all. Praying, praying.
Praying God will turn the heart of the kings…
.-= The Velvet Trunk?s last blog ..I Want To Make Noise: One Person’s Take on The Digital Book Revolution… =-.
Hi Anne…love love love reading your posts!!! Been praying non stop for you all…and especially for the people of Haiti.
It is thrilling to hear about what God is doing there, and knowing what He will continue to do there…so grateful you all are there being His hands and feet!
Say hello to Lars for me…I go with him. ;)
Thank you Anne for sharing your experience with the world. It is heart-wrenching and raw, yet full of hope. We all need to hear these stories to be moved to action and to prayer. Thank you for your honesty and for sharing the lessons you are learning with the world. I have been glued to your updates as we are trying plan a trip to Haiti for this summer.
Praying…
.-= Karen Barnes?s last blog ..Prayers for Haiti =-.
Praying!
I’ve heard it said that there is no story of redemption that doesn’t include depravity, and that statement is proving itself over and over with Haiti. As a matter of fact, that’s true for all of us.
Praying…
.-= Josh?s last blog ..What?s Your Story? =-.
Thank you for sharing. Beautiful post. Inspires us to do more and pray harder.
That made me bawl! Not cry, bawl! Thank you for being there, thank you for keeping it in the faces of us all. We can do more, thank you for reminding us of that. Praying for you and the team and all the people of Haiti.
I’m loving seeing the tragedy and hope of Haiti as told through your eyes. Well done.
I’m praying for Haiti. And for you.
.-= Jamie, the Very Worst Missionary?s last blog ..Fighting Dirty. =-.
Amen Sister. I’m praying with you. It is the most amazing experience when you see that kind of worship in the midst of great need.
.-= Kristine McGuire?s last blog ..A Time for Everything =-.
I’m so glad you persevered and went in spite of the nay-sayers who told you “Don’t go, you’ll just be in the way.” That’s not how it’s turned out, is it?
We’ll keep praying. Sometimes we feel very helpless that in our case, at this time, that’s ALL we can do. But we’ve seen some wonderful things happen through our family prayers. We’ll do all we can, and trust that you’ll see answers there too.
Will also pray for Haiti’s officials to have a heart to keep getting that red tape cut. My Living Bible translates part of Eccl 5:8-9 “And so the matter is lost in red tape and bureaucracy … Oh, for a king who is devoted to his country! Only he can bring order from this chaos.”
God keep blessing you.
My son Bill also wants to tell you about something he saw last night – so I’ll let him have his turn.
I was looking for videos on YouTube about the quake, trying to get a view inside Haiti (this was actually 4 days after the quake, not yesterday), and found one video that had some comments that both broke my heart and angered me. One said, “Haiti never helped us, why should we help them?” All I can say is, when someone needs help, you don’t ask how it will benefit you. Jesus said that a man who ignores a plea for help is worse than the heathen.
Love seeing this told through your eyes. Praying for you guys and gals.
So proud of your obedience in spite of obstacles, Anne, so that you can be the huge blessing to the Haitians as you are the world over to so many. Thank-you for representing Christians well by loving on the helpless (not hopeless, but helpless!) Praying for you, sister, and cannot wait to see how else God is going to use you.
Be blessed, and consider yourself hugged!
Love,
Lisa
.-= Lisa Syler?s last blog ..Bragging Rights…and…Always Remember =-.
Thank you for living out Christ so evidently and for sharing with us the things the media has overlooked.
praying