I love doing ministry there. I love pushing through the hard, frustrating moments to find those moments of divine perfection, pushing through language barriers to finally understand one another, and pushing through the ugly circumstance to find the redemption underneath.
I met Jeddavie when praying for a small shop, where a couple was trying to support themselves and build a family. When we were done, she grabbed my hand and led me to her home. She, too, was seeking prayer.
This is not an uncommon occurrence in Haiti. Almost everyone there will tell you they are Christian, and everyone always wants prayer, especially from "the white missionaries". We did a lot of praying, and nearly every person we encountered wanted something from us. After all, the only reason white people are ever in Haiti is to give something away. We only hope that it was received with humble hearts, with brothers and sisters in Christ, and that the Gospel went out unhindered.
Jeddavie is a woman raising 3 kids by herself. I do not know what happened to her husband, or if she even had one. Her entire home is about the size of my bedroom. When I stepped in, the smell of bodies, dust, and urine was strong, despite her clearly valiant attempts to keep her home clean and presentable. She stood probably about 5'3", but had a strong presence and so seemed much taller. Her hair was pulled back under a scarf, which she was using as a head covering. She was well muscled, and her hands were calloused and worn, although I would guess she was only around 30, in some ways she seemed much older. She had a beauty and dignity about her, a sort of maturity and leadership that was immediately present. We discussed the Gospel with her, and it became apparent, despite the language barrier, that she adores Jesus.
We prayed with her, and left.
The next day, at our Bible study, she appeared again. She had clearly stopped in the middle of some laborious work that resulted in her being covered in dust and sweat (somewhat of a rarity for women in Haiti), and came with her worn, and clearly well used Bible.
As we interacted with these women, and we began to teach them, it became clear that she was not only a hard worker, but well-educated (at least by Haitian standards), and well-respected within the community. She was the one who immediately jumped up to read scripture, she was the one who shush-ed the other women when they were being too noisy, she was the one who handed out extra pens to the women who had forgotten.
This woman loves her Saviour.
In the midst of the frustrating interactions with Jaqueline (here is her story, for those interested), in the heat of Haiti, feeling thwarted by languages and defeated by the cultural expectations of us, Jeddavie provided a glimpse of hope. She provided a moment of redemption, and a person (a woman, no less!) to train up and encourage who is already ingrained in that community in a way I never could be.
She is one that I have continued to pray for relentlessly, hoping that she can be a light for that darkened community.
And she is one I will be going to see again, to check on and encourage, to teach and to love.
Yes, Ladies and Gentlemen, with that I have an announcement to make:
In less than one month, I will be returning to Haiti!
Yes, that's correct. This was in fact as fast a decision as it may seem to you. The opportunity arose, the Lord stirred in my heart, and less than 3 weeks later I found myself committing to going again. The plane tickets are bought, the passport is ready, and my heart is full.
It was not as easy a decision as you might think, however. Partly due to my own folly, my own foolish heart and partly due to the Lord's perfect timing, and the work of the Spirit, it was a slightly tormented 3 weeks. Indeed, it took more prayer, thought, fasting, discussion, sleepless nights, and prayer (yes, I know I mentioned it twice - it took that much) to make this decision than it took to make the decision to go in March.
I did not want to allow myself to get to excited, to be hurt or let down by a gracious God's good "no", if that was His will (how foolish my heart is, that the pain of a "no" would cripple the good and perfect plans God has for me!), and I did not want to fall into a trap of going (or not going) for the wrong reasons. I lost sleep over this decision. I prayed and fasted and prayed, knowing and making known the desires of my heart and seeking the will of the Lord. I talked to a lot of people, most of them more than once. And in the end, I heard a passionate and jubilant "yes"!
And so, I will be returning to Haiti. With abundant joy and overwhelming gratitude for a God who indeed grants me the desires of my heart, in one month, I will be standing at Jeddavie's doorstep, hoping to see her smiling face. I cannot wait to greet a sister with a hug and word of encouragement, and to continue to build up and be built by my family in Haiti.
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