“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Acts 1:8
Signing up to be on a mission team from North America; following the call of the above scripture to go to ends of the earth to be His witnesses sharing the love of Jesus with the lost souls that have not accepted Him as their Lord and Savior have unfortunately at times, not remembered Who they serve and to Whom they belong. It appears that according to the voices in our media, the pandemic is over. A new horror story is here…pray for Ukraine.
Back in the day when I was a missionary living in Haiti, my LCMS synodical supervisor for the Caribbean, Pastor Jim Tino, shared with me many truths while living and working there. I was a guest in Haiti, I was not to push my North American culture upon them and I was a brother in Christ with my fellow Lutheran Haitians and should try to live as they lived. Some lessons were easy and some were not because of my cultural expectations of having things now! Food, rooms, nightly LIVE animal sacrifice spunds from the neighborhood vodou priest, lack of electricity, spotty internet, clean water and did I mention patience?
Alexa brought me a song recently called “Lord keep me in your will” and the words brought back memories of my prayers while living in Haiti and my frustrations and humiliation while working with some other North American mission teams visiting Haiti while I lived there in Petionville.
“Sometimes I think I'm in control and I act so foolishly facing problems on my own. I don't know what's best for me, my mistakes at times disturb all the plans you have made. Lord, keep me in your will, so I won't be in your way.”
The attached photo is a plate of food that was served to a Trinity HOPE team that I took to Cap Haitian in October 2012. I didn’t hear any complaints from any of that team, but I have been with North Americans who would have turned up their noses and demanded something different than the rice, carrots, peppers and roast goat. I recall one LCMS Pastor with a mission team in Haiti sending back an omelet for breakfast at Hotel Kinam because it didn’t have the green peppers, onions and ham that he liked, expected and he even went into the kitchen to find those ingredients so his meal would be to his liking. Close to seventy percent of the over 52,000 children being fed rice and beans every day in their school are thrilled and thankful to have a meal.
“And, put me where you want to, not where I want to be. If I should ask, for things I want just give me what I need. When I complain from time to time, forgive me Lord I pray. Lord keep me in your will, so I won't be in your way.”
Many people have commented that they could not understand how I could live ‘there’ and I sometimes wonder how or why I am living ‘here’ in this country. Mission team members have needed an ample and endless supply of hot water in their shower, ice cold water to drink, flushing toilet and air conditioning. We ‘need’ these things and ninety percent of Haiti does not have these luxuries.
“Remind me Lord, I'm just a glove in which you place your hand. Not my will, but yours be done, though I don't understand the best laid plans I've made somehow always go astray. Lord keep me in your will, so I won't be in your way.”
Here is an interesting concept; we are the glove that is going out to share the gospel message with the lost and inside of us is our Triune God, Who is directing us to do His work. Being a North American is not a prerequisite to be a glove; being His child is what is important. Thank you for helping support the work of the children attending Christian schools in Haiti to go out into their neighborhoods and country and share the love of Jesus with 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