Hait, Christmas, and Doing the Father's Will

Two weeks ago today my wife Marla and I were on a flight headed back to the U.S. from our first visit to Haiti--the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere. We were privileged to join a team of folks for a one week ministry trip where our church has been investing time, money, and human capital for almost three years now. It was an opportunity for me to see first hand what is happening at the Consolation Center (a ministry that includes an orphanage for about 35 young girls that has expanded into a school for 250 students, and a medical clinic with plans for the opening of a community center) and the Village of Hope (a neighborhood development providing housing for displaced victims of the 2010 earthquake, clean water, a store, agricultural activities, and a church for the village and neighboring residents). It was great to see the girls at the orphanage, to spend time playing with them, showing interest in their lives, and encouraging them. It was wonderful to experience a different culture where we were welcomed warmly and treated graciously. It was wonderful to spend time with dear Christian folks on our team, to labor together installing solar panels, cleaning up for a dedication, burying electric lines, repairing a tractor, getting a tour of all the ministry activity, and to expand our understanding of the needs in the world. When I say "wonderful", I do NOT mean that everything was comfortable,easy,or without difficulty. Life in a third world country has it's challenges. As I have told the congregation here, "I saw what I expected, but I did not expect what I saw." It is one thing to hear stories about people unclean tap water, intermittent electrical supplies, open dumping of garbage, people living in extreme poverty, filth, and despair and actually witnessing it first hand. Pictures can never communicate the smell of what is burning in open fires, or the sounds of traveling down crowded and chaotic streets. Our senses were on visual overload. But the value our time in Haiti was much more than the sights, sounds, and stuff we accomplished. For me it was connecting with those who are knee deep in ministry--the director of the Consolation Center (Eddie and his wife Djoune--pronounced June), the Pastor at the Village of Hope (Wadsene and his wife Jasmine), and the missionary couple our church supports there (Les and Catherine DeRoos). What a joy it was for me to sit around and hear their hearts for ministry, to listen to their stories of what God is doing in Haiti and to their vision for what the future holds. The sacrifice of these saints brought both conviction and inspiration to my heart as I saw in them what our Lord modeled in the Garden of Gethesemane--a willingness for the Father's will to be done (Mt.26:39,42). These precious saints are sacrificing what they could potentially have in this world to serve the Lord by caring for the physical and spiritual needs of the needy. Each of these couples could be living here in the U.S. making a comfortable living, without the physical hardships of daily life in Haiti. But because of Christ, they are their seeking to reach out in love with the Good News of forgiveness and eternal life only through faith in Jesus. They are investing their lives on eternal things, living on little, in a place that is uncomfortable, where spiritual darkness is palpable because their faith in Christ is real. They have each surrendered their will to that of the Father and said, "yet not as I will, but as You will" (Mt.26:39). That sort of sacrifice for the sake of the Kingdom is contagious. God is blessing their efforts. We took part in the first baptism at the church in the Village of Hope. Thirty four people gave bold testimony to their recent decision to trust Christ as Savior and what a blessed time it was to see them baptized in the river as about 200 people looked on. We enjoyed the meaningful worship of this local body of believers and I had the humbling privilege of sharing from God's Word during the service. Gathered around me in that Gazebo and well beyond it's reach were dozens of young and old alike riveted to the Word of God and the message about Jesus. At this Christmas season I think about Haiti, about the real meaning of Christmas--"God Sent His Son, born under the Law that He might redeem those who were under that Law that we might receive adoption as Sons" (Gal.4:5-6). The end game of Christ's birth was not the cradle, but the Cross. And what Christ sacrificed for us at Calvary saying, "Yet not as I will, but as You will" made possible our salvation and serves as our model. So that those who are God's children are challenged to follow Jesus in saying to the Father, "Yet not as I will, but as You will" which translates into our willingness to sacrifice so that others will Know Christ. It means willingness to give our money to sponsor orphans, to give clothes for the orphan girls at Christmas, to pray for our dear friends in Haiti and other parts of the world, to think about what I may be willing to do without at Christmas so that someone may have something, to clean off the counter out of love for my wife, to take the time to pray with my children at night, to lead our families into service and sacrifice for the sake of Christ. What sacrifice is too great to make for the sake of the One who gave His life as a ransom for many?