“There was a written notice above him, which read: THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS. One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!” But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.” Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.” Luke 23:38-43
School was supposed to begin throughout Haiti today. Last week, the local vodou priests told parents that the evil spirits they have called upon have closed every one of the schools in Haiti that teach about Jesus; no school today. And sadly, there are parents who will still believe this lie and keep their children home. How could they possibly believe such lies?
I read a new article from NPR that announced that the Haitian government had postponed the start of the school year. In the Southwest that was hit hard by the recent earthquake, school will start October 4 and for the rest of the country the start will be delayed for two weeks; September 20. And now, the vodou priest can proudly sneer, “see, I told you so!”
Imagine what your life would be like today if your grandparents, parents and friends told you over and over that Christ is dead; you would eventually give in to their sayings and lose hope. The attached photo of a vodou priestess kneeling before the altar in her temple that has a bottle of Haitian Rhum, a bottle of animal blood and a jar of bone fragments setting on the top, and a collection bowl is down in front her services. Possibly the most dramatic part of this photo is behind the altar where the cross is buried into the floor and this is to signify that Jesus is still buried in the tomb. Jesus is dead…no school today.
When visiting schools with Trinity HOPE feeding programs throughout Haiti, your North American mind struggles to fully understand what many of the children are being confronted with at home. The story at many homes is that Jesus is dead and at school, they learn the news that He is risen from the dead. At home there is fear, emptiness and despair and at school there is hope, food and happiness that we have a Risen Savior who is Christ the Lord.
Thank you for helping to prepare the children attending Christian schools in Haiti. The message Christ gave us in Luke “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise” is such an immense comfort to hear in this world of lies. A song by the Dove’s called ‘If that isn’t love’ was playing on my Internet radio today and its lyrics are a wonderful way to close on this first Monday in September.
“He left the splendor of heaven knowing His destiny was the lonely hill of Golgotha there to lay down His life for me. And if that isn't love then the ocean is dry; there's no stars in the sky and the little sparrows can't fly. Yeah if that isn't love then heaven's a myth. There's no feeling like this if that isn't love. Even in death He remembered the thief hanging by His side then he spoke of love and compassion and He took him to paradise. And if that isn't love then the ocean is dry; there's no stars in the sky and the little sparrows can't fly. Yeah if that isn't love then heaven's a myth there's no feeling like this if that isn't love.”
Please, throughout today, say a prayer to our Triune God that schools will open soon and once again, time after time, the vodou priest and satan will be exposed for what they are; liars.
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