Thanks for all the kind words and love towards this recent trip to Haiti to provide disaster relief. The trip was a dream come true.
I was honored to join 17 others from Bethel Church as we partnered with 20 or so from around the US as part of a team with TDA (Transformational Development Agency) an NGO that does work with the United Nations. We went with a strong medical contingent to provide trauma services, wound care, and post-operative care.
Having avoided media coverage before the trip, I was still preparing for the worst. Some news outlets bluntly described Haiti as a war-zone while others declared it hell on earth. As ambassadors of Jesus Christ we knew our mission was clear - to bring Heaven to earth. Partnering with the medical community, we set up clinics and took to the streets to release the Kingdom of God in hope, healing, and restoration. We made deep connections with locals who survived the quake, and God moved mightily in our midst. Here is a quick testimony to wet your appetite.
Charles is a short man with a big smile. A loving father and well educated, he takes pride in his appearance which was comfortable yet sophisticated considering the poverty of the area. I met Charles because his English was good enough to provide translation. God had great plans in us coming together. Charles used to be a teacher. Now his classroom is a pile of rubble. He lost only a few students to the quake, but that is enough to take a toll on anyone's heart. Charles's family was ok except that he is now without a home (he asked for a tent so that his family would not get wet when the rain starts to poor down in a few months) and without a place of work. The quake had robbed everyone. Perceptions were that the 7.0 that hit a few weeks ago had been an act of God.
The first day we set up a clinic and then hit the streets sharing about the goodness of God- how this quake was not God's will. The devil comes to steal, kill and destroy, but Jesus comes that we may have life and life more abundantly (John 10:10). The group of us out together saw dozens healed and dozens meet Jesus that day as people were touched by God's love and power. Day two came along and I got to link up with Charles again. First things first I asked Charles if he had ever been baptized in the Holy Spirit. He said no but that he wanted to be. We prayed for Him to be filled with the Holy Spirit. He shook under the power of God and began to speak in tongues. Then, a nurse named Don, Charles, and I teamed up went into one of the many tent cities that have sprung up in the wake of the disaster to offer medical care and prayer. Don is not only a nurse but a revivalist as well so I knew we were in for a treat. We had one hour before we had to meet back up with the larger team. One of the first people we came across was an older woman who was completely blind in her right eye and mostly blind in her left. Her eyes just drifted around as she saw only black from the one and fog from the other. Don, Charles and I proceeded to pray for the woman. As we did she began to see forms and then count the fingers on Don's hand as he held it out from her face. God did a miracle! We began to share with those watching what had happened. A group of people gathered around. We asked if anyone wanted to know Jesus as their best friend. Nobody responded. But then God showed us that a woman there had pain in her spine which He wanted to heal. We told her that whether or not she wanted to give her life to Jesus, that God would heal her. Without a hand laid on her, she felt the pain leave her back. Not only was she healed but now she wanted to know Jesus. More so, not only did she want to know the one who had just opened a blind eye and healed others, but the rest of the group gathered wanted to know him too. A number of people there received Jesus as their Lord and Savior and were healed. Charles was praying for people by himself and seeing them healed. A little boy ran over and asked to receive Jesus. As I prayed with him, a large man whose face was filled with anger stormed over to us. Charles is a small man, maybe 5 foot 6 inches and I am too handsome and too skinny to fight. This guy was big and the thoughts of being beat up did flash my mind - he looked upset. I honored him and explained that we were there to offer medical care and healing. I told him we wanted nothing in return and that he should ask the woman who was blind about what had happened. Upon talking with her, everything changed and the angry man became a happy evangelist, bringing us around the camp praying for people. We saw a number of people healed, saved, and delivered during that time. Needless to say a lot can happen in an hour. I told Charles that along with teaching he has the opportunity in a career preaching the gospel if he so desires. He told me he had never seen such things before, and he knows he can do it too! Mesi Jezi! (Creole for "Thank you Jesus!").
For you, I pray for greater encounter with the compassionate one - Christ Jesus. I pray that you would be undone with His love in you and through you this week. Father, please give more opportunities for those reading this to release your Kingdom and be encouraged in your grace this week. Let divine connections increase this week and friendships prosper. I see a picture of a rope tying people together. I feel like God is connecting you into deeper fellowship this week.
Much Love!
1 comment:
Yay God!
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