Wow I can't even begin to express the gratitude to you all for your prayers while our team was in Haiti! We saw God show up in amazing ways and a team bond and work so well together as we returned to the states as a family! I got to journal each day of the trip, and I will blog each day with photos in the following posts. But first I wanted to copy our amazing team leader's letter to our team in returning to San Jose! It is long but it gives a beautiful overview of all that God did in Haiti in just 10 days!
Hey Team 2!
It is with mixed emotions that I’m sitting here typing this… I felt ready to come home, but I’m sitting here with a cup of Haitian coffee in hand missing all of you. Although last night was the best night of sleep I’ve had in the last ten days (and with no mosquito bites!), I greatly miss being in Haiti. If I were still in Haiti, I would be sitting out on the patio with you enjoying a cup of Haitian coffee, breakfast and great fellowship and sharing. Haiti is a special place you are most definitely a special team.
God showed up in amazing ways on this trip! He turned a group of people into a ‘team;’ no, a ‘family.’ He stretched us all and used us to do awesome things, many of which were outside of our comfort-zones. And the Haitian people were blessed because we allowed God to work through us. I was thoroughly impressed with you Awakening folks and the community you have, your passion for Christ, your willingness to serve Him, and that you weren’t cliquish at all, but embraced everyone on the team equally. And our devotional time was amazing too. We shared our stories, God showed up, and we saw release from bondage to the enemy’s lies. You guys are truly a gift – thank you for your authenticity and honesty.
Now that we’re home and missing Haiti and our experience there, do not let the enemy of your soul rob you of your joy and victory. Following are some thoughts I had planned to share during our last devotional on Thursday night, which was shortened because the Young Men’s Choir performed for us (weren’t they amazing?!)…
You met the challenge
We all surrendered to Christ on this trip and allowed Him to use each of us. In doing so, we were each challenged – some with giving up the comforts of home, some with getting on an airplane, others with walking by faith, or leading, or giving, etc.
We had our priorities challenged – Some sacrificed financially; not only the cost of the trip but also any earnings while in Haiti.
Mt 19:21 – Jesus answered, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."
I was humbled and inspired by Zourel’s faith and obedience. He gave up everything to follow Christ – the only livelihood he’s ever known, his home, and the threat of death. Would we be so faithful? I hope so!
We had our faith challenged – God has asked us to do the impossible.
Mt 14:16 – Jesus replied, "They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat."
I found myself overwhelmed with just how great the need in Haiti is when we were doing the food distribution and praying for people. But we made a difference! And, I was overwhelmed by the joy the people had, and how thankful they were for what we were doing for them. We made a difference!
We had our small thinking challenged – I think God has given each of us a greater vision
Mt 28:19-20 – Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."
Some of us did things or endured things we thought we couldn’t do. We overcame fears – weather, flying, spiders (ok, maybe Dave didn’t overcome his J ); we did warfare against the presence of evil and voodoo in Haiti; we took captive the lies some of us have been in bondage to for years; we showed love to people who looked and smelled very different from ourselves; and we shared our faith and laughter with these precious people. Expect to become more than you ever thought possible
Mk 1:17 – "Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men."
As you settle back into our comfortable California culture, what do you need to let go of to follow and serve Christ more effectively? In which areas is Jesus challenging you? And how are you going to respond?
Be on guard for discouragement
We heard testimonies about discouragement and how the enemy has been attacking many on our team, some recently and some for years. Discouragement is the anesthetic Satan uses before he carves out your heart. Discouragement is universal, repeating, contagious, circumstantial, and deadly. I found myself battling discouragement on Thursday. Satan wants to rob us of our joy and the testimonies of what the Lord did in and through each of us over the past 10 days. Do not let him do it. Cling to the promises of God. Galatians 6:9 says “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we WILL reap a harvest if we do not give up.” That’s a promise!
God deals with people in the Bible on their future, not their past. Jesus has paid our debt in full. Satan will try to dredge up your past and tell you that you’re not worthy, capable, or good enough. He’ll try to strip you of your faith in the future in order to rob you of your power in the present. Don’t let him do it! Fight! Claim the promises of God. Call on our Haiti team for support – I’m willing to go to battle for any one of you, and I have confidence that you will do the same for me.
Anticipate obstacles
Refuse to give in to fear, anxiety, resentment, discouragement. When Jesus entered Capernaum, the friends of a paralytic man found the crowd so great that they couldn’t get their friend to Jesus through the door, but they didn’t turn around and go home. They looked for a way around the obstacle.
Mk 2:4 – Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus and, after digging through it, lowered the mat the paralyzed man was lying on.
Start serving
Step out in faith. Allow God to continue to use you here at home the way he used you in Haiti. You don’t need to be overseas to be used mightily by God.
Raise your expectations
The friends of the paralytic man were so convinced that Christ could and would heal their friend that they dug through a rooftop to get their friend to Jesus. They did this with great expectation of what God would do for their friend.
Mk 2:12 – He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all. This amazed everyone and they praised God, saying, "We have never seen anything like this!"
Don’t let Satan tell you that you can’t do something for God. Don’t let him tell you that you’re not able, worthy, talented, valuable, brave, strong, or smart enough.
Phil 4:13 – I can do everything through him who gives me strength.
God is working in your life, but continue to allow Him to work through your life.
Become the answer to someone else’s prayer. We as a team were the answer to someone’s prayer when we delivered rice and beans to the oldest widow in the region, and she praised God because she had no food for that day (or any to come for that matter). We were the answer to the prayers of many when we provided shoes for every child in each nutrition center that Kristie had identified as in critical need of shoes so they could attend school. Praise God!
Keep praying
Continue to pray for Andre, and all in Haiti who are in bondage to voodoo and the fear it breeds. May our Haitian brothers and sisters experience the joy and certainty that is hope in Jesus Christ.
I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know each and every one of you and appreciate all your unique gifts and talents, and all you brought to our team. I miss you and our time together in Haiti, but I anxiously look forward to serving with you both here at home and on future trips (possibly to Haiti again). Thank you for being an awesome team.
Blessings!
Garth
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