Paint, trash and raindrops falling on my head…

Tonight, as the rain surprisingly started pouring down, I can’t help but thinking about a vision my friend got concerning the people of Haiti. As she was looking around at the dry, parched land, God was saying that although the land is dry, people’s hearts are ready for  God to pour down His love and grace on them. We also know that rain/ water is vital in any growth process so this truly is the time for Haiti and its people to grow into what God has for them… A verse that has been highlighted here in YWAM Haiti since the start in 1986 is Zecharaiah 8:13 which says; “And as you have been a byword of cursing among the nations,( O house of Judah and house of Israel), so I will save you, and you shall be a blessing. Fear not, but let your hands be strong.” God’s blessing is coming to this nation as they are turning to God! And it is pouring down two months before the official rainy- season…

Yesterday I had quite the work- day. After assigning people their tasks and ministry opportunities for the day, we went down to the medical clinic to paint. As I started to paint, two Haitian girls that were patients, whom had lost everything and now lived in this hospital came up to me smiling and giggling, wanting to help me paint. I was trying to explain to  them, with my very limited French, that it is oil- based paint and it will not come off easily if it gets on their clothes or skin and said that they did not have to help. They did not want to listen as they practically forced the paint-bucket out of my hands ,found a brush and started to paint. We had  a lot of fun painting together as they were laughing at my broken French and we were trying to get paint off each other’s faces… We were working alongside each other with purpose and lots of joy. It was truly good to see that these people desire to do something, they want to help re-build their nation. They just need biblical discipleship in all areas of their lives, a Godly holistic transformation…

The day went on and we were driving to an elementary school  hosting refugees in the most impoverished conditions. The facilitators had asked us to come down and clean up the trash so we loaded up a truck with shovels, rakes, gloves and man-power to clean up… We started the process, it seeming tedious and slow as the sun was burning our necks. The extra pairs of gloves were accidentally left back home and as people’s gloves were breaking left and right, we figured we were just going to go for it, get “down and dirty”… The people at this place were shy, so most of them looked at us from a distance, curious about these white (“blanc”) people. Then two 10 year old boys came up to me, pointing at my gloves, asking if they could have some too… I took off my left glove and gave it to one of the boys and the other one found a glove on the ground. They started picking up every little and big thing they could find and together we sweated and worked hard for the rest of the time. These boys truly were hard workers just wanting some purpose and encouragement…

We are noticing that the people of Haiti really do want their country transformed and we know that transformation starts on the inside… From the inside out. Haitians need discipleship, they need encouragement and they need to learn that God’s word applies to all areas of life. Please pray for this as you are thinking about and praying for Haiti…