What We Really Do In Haiti
We have a secret. We don’t really build houses in Haiti. Lots of people think we do. But actually we are here to evangelize—with a focus on teenagers. Evangelize as in preach the Gospel, share Christ’s love and joy with people, encourage people living lives of sin to make a change and truly follow Christ, to let him be their reason for living, to know His peace and joy, to realize their dignity and worth and their reason for living—those are some of the many ways to define it.
The main reason we are in Haiti isn’t due to a need unique to Haiti. It exists in the U.S. too. Americans need to be evangelized just as much as Haiti but for some reason God called Paul & I to Haiti, at least for this season of our lives. The specific spiritual needs sometimes differ but Americans still need to know their dignity and worth, better understand God’s love for them, be catechized, evangelized, etc. and there are plenty of people in the U.S. who can do this. But it’s just reality that God asks some to leave home behind and to go to the nations, at least for while, sometimes forever.
It’s hard to portray what we do through photos or even to put into words what the average day looks like here, so I think that’s part of the reason people are unsure of what we do. What it looks like is walking to someone’s home to read the Bible to them, followed by a conversation about it. Having a fellowship group for teenage girls where we dance and make friendship bracelets while talking about what it means to be a daughter of the King.
What we've been doing in Haiti looks like...
...the Corporal Works of Mercy:
Feeding the hungry
We often include meals in our big events that we host, knowing that many only get 1 or 2 meals per day. We give out rice and beans on home visits and have helped mother’s without means provide formula for the baby’s when breastfeeding doesn’t work out. People come almost daily humbly asking for food to help feed their children.
Giving drink to the thirsty
People walk to our base daily to fill their jugs with water for cooking, bathing, drinking. We have one of the only spigots in the area to get water. Otherwise people walk to the river to bath and wash clothes.
Clothing the naked
We are often asked for clothing by those who feel they don’t have nice enough clothes to go to church in, or helping paying for school uniforms for students who get kicked out for not having proper attire. We give often but are also aware that we can’t provide for all needs and that God will take care of His people.
Sheltering the homeless
We have helped single poor mothers with many kids find housing to help them get on their feet and given people a place to stay while traveling.
Visiting the sick
We’ve visited the elderly and sick so that they can receive communion. We’ve had to rush to other’s homes who with serious health issues to give them medicine or help them get to the hospital. It means so much to the people we serve when we visit them while sick. In fact, they sometimes get offended when we don’t.
Visiting the imprisoned
We’ve had the opportunity to regularly visit prisoners living in deplorable conditions in cells the size of a small bedroom, up to 30-something men per room, some who are innocent or in jail for years for stealing something small like a chicken. The way their eyes light up when you tell them in Creole that I’m praying for them and to keep the faith, is priceless.
Burying the dead
Our mission vehicle has served as transportation of the deceased to the morgue when the family has no means to do so. The mission has helped many of those we serve give their families a proper burial and supported in ways like lending chairs so they can seat the many guests who come to mourn with them.
...the Spiritual Works of Mercy:
Counseling the doubtful
Many come seeking wisdom and counsel and we guide them as best as can to making good decisions and helping them figure out God’s will for them.
Instructing the ignorant
We’ve lead sacrament preparation for Confirmation, Baptism, First Communion, and Marriage, other catechesis, Bible studies, and help people understand church teachings on a regular basis.
Admonishing the sinner
Lovingly challenging those we have relationships with to change their sinful ways and to share with them that we’re in solidarity with them in the path to holiness, even though we stumble ourselves.
Comforting the sorrowful
We’re often a sounding board for people’s problems of which sometimes we can do nothing about but lend a sympathetic ear. Sometimes just someone to sit with and hold their baby while they eat their first full meal in a while.
Forgiving injuries
We’ve had to forgive those who’ve wronged us in various ways and we offer opportunities for people to go to confession.
Bearing wrongs patiently
Despite the ways that people have wronged us we’ve shown mercy time and time again and given people second chances to show them that mercy is a real thing and that we have hope that they can change and do better.
Praying for the living and the dead
We pray for and with those we minister to, and we support them spiritually and emotionally when their loved ones die. We go to funerals for people we don’t even know in order to support those we minister to. This has led to us becoming the spiritual parents of a young women whose mom died of AIDS and now is a poor single teenager mother of a preemie.
...the Acts of the Apostle’s:
Living in community and welcoming others into it, whether it be on a daily basis or for a summer to serve as a summer missionary; devoting ourselves to a rhythm of prayer for a few hours every morning, which locals are invited to; sharing what we have; praying for others and expecting miracles.
It is not us who makes all of this happen but rather the Lord who does all of these things with us serving as his hands and feet. And also by the help of the many donors and prayer warriors the mission has.
So we’re not rebuilding Haiti because there was an earthquake 8 years ago. We’re trying to build people up, so that they know their worth and turn to the Lord and give their lives over to Him. So that they can walk with dignity and know how much they are loved by God and by their brothers and sisters.
-Anna
PC: zachfiedler.com
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