Upon arriving in Port-au-Prince at the beginning of the month, I was surprised to discover my main ministry in Haiti would be one-on-one teaching in the ministry’s K-12 school, Morning Star Christian Academy. The school is an English school. I have had to remember much that I have forgotten like long division, fractions, what in the world an adverb or a predicate nominative is and so on! The kids we are working with are behind. We are helping them get caught up to their grade level.
It has been amazing to see confidence slowly entering into the kids as I have worked with them the past month. Two boys I work with the most live at an orphanage. They are both in process of being adopted by American families. No doubt, we are helping to prepare them for their transition to the American school system.
The past two days, we have been in the final leg of several years of their work to get the school accredited. Praise the Lord! We passed accreditation! This will allow many of our Haitian children to easily get into American universities.
Morning Prayer
My favorite part of the day, by far, is the 6am prayer meetings! Around 1,000 people gather every morning to pray. I have learned so much from these people about prayer. The people come with so much desire for God. Most of them are very poor. Their only hope is God. Almost every person stands the entire time. They all sing. They all lift their voices in prayer. They all lift their hands together. Everything they do is together. They pray with one voice. In America, we are very individualistic. In Haiti, they come with desperation seeking to encounter Jesus together. I want to learn to pray like that!
Pastor Jay asked me to share with these intercessors. Obviously, I felt so inadequate sharing anything with these passionate, wholehearted intercessors! However, I asked that God would speak to them through me. I shared about Mary of Bethany’s extravagant offering to Jesus (Matthew 26:6-13/Mark 14:1-9/John 12:1-8). I called them to live lives poured out to Jesus and to sit at His feet listening to His Words (Luke 10:38-42) like she did.
Singing “Father Hold Me”
Every week, I have been going to the church’s worship team practice learning new Haitian songs and just observing what they do. Last Saturday, Pastor Gary (the church’s worship pastor) told me, “Your leading your song ‘Hold Me’ at church Sunday.” With the difficulty I had last time with them understanding my really bad Haitian Creole, I told him no. However, he would not take no for an answer. He said I was being like Moses saying that I could not speak. I finally reluctantly agreed if they would sing strongly with me to help the church understand.
I sang my song and, all over the tent, I could see God touching people with His love. Suddenly, I felt a tap on my back. I thought it was the other keyboard player wanting to take over, but, when I turned around, I looked down and saw a little Haitian boy that lives with us at the ministry. His dad died in the earthquake. I gave him a hug and finished the song. He didn’t leave my side through the rest of the service. I finally just held him. I can’t imagine the pain this little boy must be going through. I know the Father desires to hold an entire fatherless generation in Haiti. Please keep that little boy and the many others like him in your prayers! Since that time, I have sung that song at the morning prayer meeting and at our school chapel.
