We had been planning for months. I knew I wanted to return as soon as I returned to the states from my first trip (Feb. 2009). At each turn in the planning process, this time, something threw a wrench into the plan. Conflicting schedules seemed to be the BIG issue (and we eventually left our son at college whom we wanted to take with us), then there were passport issues, finance issues, more delays...
But we made it! We left the house Oct. 5th to drive to Atlanta (about 5 hours away) because it was the only way we could get a "single day" flight into Haiti (even though we did elect to spend the night in Atlanta on Friday). We got up at 4:30 AM (now you know why we elected to spend the night!) to get to the airport to get our 6:30 AM flight out. It was still dark when the plane taxied towards the runway--but the darkness gave way to dawn just was we were climbing to altitude. The flight to Miami was about 11/2 hours long and it passed quickly. Once in Miami found our terminal, grabbed a snack, and by then it was time to board the flight to Port-au-Prince. The flight across the ocean is only about and hour and forty-five minutes so by the time we had a snack and a drink, and filled out the customs forms it was time to get ready to land.
The horrendous earthquake that struck Haiti occurred about 1 year AFTER my first trip there. The airport was the first sign that things had changed. Though some things were still the same it was obvious that the airport had suffered MAJOR damage and that repairs were still under way. Once we deplaned we were taken by bus to what appeared to be a hanger where we went through customs and found our luggage. Once outside we managed to make the long trek back to the parking area (all the ground that we covered by BUS about 45 minutes earlier) and we were able to easily make contact with our friend Choubert Remy.
I first met Choubert when I was an associate at 17th St. Christian Church. A couple from the church had sort of "adopted" Choubert (several years ago) and his family allowing them to live in an apartment upstairs from their house while they were in the states. Choubert has two daughters that were born, and live, in the US and they were part of the 17th St youth group along with my two kids. Just this past summer one of Choubert's daughter was able to spend a week at church camp with us and be our missions representative...BOY were we glad to have her (we needed a little youth on our side!!).
When I was in Haiti in 2009 we poured the cement slab that eventually became the floor for the church building they are erecting. Their house was outside Port-au-Prince proper and, at that time, seemed almost in a pastoral setting with fruit trees, and nearby open fields...it was quiet and seemed a long way from the "urban sprawl" of downtown Port-au-Prince or Petionville. While we were their Choubert mentioned that one of the major needs was for a school to train young Haitian men to preach the New Testament gospel. It must have seemed like a dream. After all, he had his hands full with a growing church, and an elementary school--all under the umbrella of the US organization The Haiti Christian Mission (which purposefully never appears in their buildings or in Haitian literature about the ministry).
A few months later, while he was in the states, Choubert approached me about teaching at an institute to train preachers...he knew I had the right credentials and some experience teaching at the college level...but there were many questions be answered and we obviously had no way to pay for it, nor did we know exactly how to go about such a task. Choubert took the "bull by the horns" and began contacting schools here in the US for any aid they were willing to lend. I know he contacted Kentucky Christian University (his Alma mater) and Lincoln Christian Seminary (where we both attended at different times)--but they didn't seem to be of much help. Undaunted he talked the idea up to those who were already supporting his ministry...he called again stating that someone had given money to start the institute...his idea was to use Skype technology and do most of the teaching "online." In January of 2012 classes began at the Tabarre Bible Institute with two teachers (myself and one other) teaching 3 hour courses online using Skype, and four students. The students meet in the back porch of Choubert's house and he projects the Skype signal onto the wall of his house AND serves as translator. The first semester TBI offered Introduction to the Bible--Old Testament; and English I. You would be amazed at the progress being made by these students who do whatever they have to do (work, school, family, etc...) all day, and then come 5 days per week for 3 hours a day for "online" classes!
So this trip...I went to Haiti for an intensive week of study with my first year students. WHAT A BLESSING!!
 |
| My first year students. |
I was also fortunate enough to get to preach on Sunday morning at the Gallette Gareau church---fitting my message into an already existing series about "Growing in..."--I got to preach on "Growing in Grace"--what do you say to a congregation that, because of their life situation, probably has a better grasp on grace than I do!?!? Regardless, it was a wonderful time.
 |
| Preaching on Sunday Morning. |
The Gallete Gareau Church started by Choubert--in Feb. 2009 our team poured the cement slab that became the floor of this building. It has been 10 years in coming but the original vision is now nearly complete...and all done by HAND...they even make cinder blocks!! It only needs a few more courses of block, the roof, and the finish work...but as always...money is short and it will have to wait a little longer.
While I was busy preparing for class, my wife and daughter were at the Russell Christian School helping the teachers out for a week.
There is still a LOT of work to do in SO many areas in Haiti. Those who were affected by the earthquake are being relocated north of Port-au-Prince but they were promised so much and received so little that it is only marginally better than the "tent cities" that they were living in.
 |
| Area of relocation 2 years AFTER the earthquake--there are STILL a lot of tents! |
Sadly, as I type this tropical storm "Sandy" is slowly moving away from Haiti after pummeling the island with rain and winds for the past four days...once again...they will be left to clean up yet another mess.
PRAY FOR HAITI!!
No comments:
Post a Comment