To have an opportunity to preach the word anywhere is a humbling occasion. I have nothing to say to any gathered body of believers that is of any value unless it comes from the word of God.
Last week, I was invited to preach (with an interpreter) to the Lord’s people in a faithful church in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. The occasion was encouraging to me as I witnessed the meeting house fill with worshipers. The gathering was filled from wall to wall, front to back. The worshipers were engaged in the singing without the aid of song books or overhead projection. Attention to the bible was given by the pastor who preached for about 45 min before he introduced me to preach.
At the end of the day, no one will ever remember the visitor from America, but oh that they may forever be influenced by the Lord as the Holy Spirit instructs them in the word.
It was a pleasure to meet pastor Bernito Dorsainvil. It was a pleasure to sit in his home and hear him speak of his desire to see the Lord work through his life and that the church he pastors be a display of the glory of God. His brother Viles Dorsainvil was kind to translate our conversations and the preaching. I hope the Lord will allow other opportunities with these brothers in the Lord.
“When we were on the outside without hope and home, Jesus brought us into his family (Ephesians 2:12-13, 19). What Jesus did for us is the Gospel.
Today there are millions of orphans in the world without hope and home. When we give orphans hope, when we bring orphans into our families, we reenact the Gospel.
When a church provides hope and homes to children lost in the foster care system, it reenacts the Gospel.
When churches create partnerships with other churches around the world in order to care for orphans, the Gospel is reenacted many times over before a watching world.
12 remember that you were at that time separate from Christ, excluded from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. (Eph 2:11-13 NASB)
What Happens to a follower of Christ on the far side of the wilderness? It’s hard to say what happens individually to everyone, but it is certain to be life changing.
This afternoon Silas posted a generous offer to visitors of his website and his art work. From now until April 11, 2013, 100% of all painting sales will be donated to New Horizon Home in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Silas and Bianca are tender toward the gospel mandate to the nations and especially to those tender to the heart of God, orphans.
New Horizon Home is more than a simple orphanage, not that an orphanage is simple. New Horizon Home International is a global gospel outreach. Alex Viellard, director of New Horizon Home International desires to see bible centered, gospel preaching churches and pastors in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. It’s about the Gospel.
May the Glory of the LORD fall down on his people.
1 The wilderness and the desert will be glad,
And the [desert] will rejoice and blossom;
Like the crocus 2 It will blossom profusely
And rejoice with rejoicing and shout of joy.
Moses met with the Lord on the far side of the desert (Exodus 3:1). There the LORD spoke to Moses from a burning bush.
It was not in some favored vacation spot, where a cool breeze and soft pillow are sought after. It was no weekend retreat that promised comfort and plenty to eat. Rather, it was on the far side of the desert that Moses was forever changed.
It was out of a pit, and into slavery that Joseph found favor with God.
It was in desperate loneliness that Jacob met the Lord.
It was the year that King Uzziah died when Isaiah saw the Lord.
Abandoned on Patmos, John wrote Revelation.
It was from a Haitian jail that God showed me things about his Glory I had never seen. In great physical discomfort I found comfort. In what felt like hopelessness I found hope.
Many things crossed my mind during those God breathed days. Two things I thought would never happen; one, I thought I would never see Alex, Junior and Florence again, and second, I thought I would never be able to engage in orphan ministry in Haiti again. Two years ago, the Lord allowed Renee and I to attend Alex’s wedding and next week Steve McMullin and I return to Port-au-Prince to consider a life long partnership with New Horizon Home.
Followers of the Lord don’t get to set the stage and arrange the scenery and then work up an experience. The Spirit does not work that way. It may well be in the unlikeliest place or on the darkest day, thought to have been abandoned by God that God may likely summon you to the far side of the desert.
Eastside Baptist Church, in Twin Falls, Idaho will courageously be sending Steve and me to investigate what the Lord wants from us now. New Horizon Home is an orphanage home for 20 children who have been orphaned, abandoned, or rescued from a life of slavery. Our assignment is to consider the work and bring a report back to the Lord’s people at Eastside to act on what we hear from the Lord. I will have a prayer guide for praying saints ready by the end of the week. Contact me for information on the prayer guide. The Lord invited Jeremiah to ‘Call to Me and I will answer you, and I will tell you great and mighty things, which you do not know.’ (Jeremiah 33:3)
It is our intent to consult with God on this matter. Pray that we listen and obey.
From my Haiti Journal, dated Wednesday, February 17, 2010
This morning I decided to put on my new clothes. I’m guarding my heart and mind against disappointment, yet I believe we will go home today.
Alex came by today with a note saying he is sure we will go home this week. He seems to think even today for most of us, maybe. We hear that the prosecutor has recommended that we not be released until further investigation can be done on Laura and Charisa. The day unfolds very slowly. Much like every day, only much slower. Even lunch came later than usual. Usually it comes in no later than 2PM, but today it came around 3PM. The fact that it came at all begins to establish that disappointment I am at war with.
Around 1:30PM the US Embassy showed up to begin talking to us about our return home in the event we are released. Silas and I visited with Cathy and about five other people about possible travel plans. They want to know what our plans are to get home. As encouraging as this visit was, I have no idea what kind of travel plans I have to get home. We no longer have texting ability with our families, so I don’t know what to do here but to do what God has clearly been teaching me to do, trust in Him. The visit was encouraging in that it seems more likely we are to be released soon.
Close to 4:15PM, the lawyers begin to show up and gather in the hallway. Then I noticed Alex. I don’t know how he does it? Then I saw Junior in the hallway.
Alex looked to me and gives me his patented smile and hard blinks of his eyes, then gives me a thumbs up. I know that this is good. I praise God for this breakthrough and then Alex just walked into the jailer’s office and up to the barred window we have spoken through many times and says “Today, your freedom has come!”
He is then immediately ushered out by the police as they grab him by the arms. But not without several glances back to make sure that we heard him. Then in the hallway; Junior, with a grin from ear to ear, points to heaven and mouths the words “Praise to God.”
AP photo
From this point we are cleared to go, all charges dropped on eight to be released today. We are then told that the people from the Oprah show want us to seek refuge at their place. We quickly say we would rather go the the US Embassy. Aviol has wanted us to go with Oprah from the first day we met him, adding to my unrest with him.
The US Embassy met with us at the jail about the possibility of getting on a military flight tonight to Miami. We are all in agreement that this is best. The military is still flying emergency flights and they have eight empty seats, a provision from God.
We are to leave Haiti tonight at 8PM on a US Air Force cargo flight. I can’t shake the faces of the men in the cell we have just spent three weeks with. They all make eye contact and give firm hand shakes. Even though we have had our things stolen from time to time when we go to court, we have become very close. God please bring freedom to these men soon.
We make several attempts to allow Charisa to be released so she can get medical assistance in the States by letting one of us stay in her place. This was very hard to be refused to do so. Any one of the eight being released were willing to stay in her place.
AP photo
The walk through the media zoo was as if it were in slow motion. Alex, true to form comes from the midst of the crowd, then Junior and Florance with a hug and a kiss on my cheek.
What has caused this kind of brotherly and sisterly affection? We are virtually strangers. It can only be the blood of the Lamb. We make our way into the US Embassy van and are escourted to the entrance to the Port-au-Prince airport, just less than 1/2 mile from where we have been for the past 19 days. We have heard these planes coming and going every day for the past three weeks. This time we are to be on one.
The media gets nothing from us and Oprah gets even less.
While at the airport we all get phones to call family. We put the battery back into the phone that NBC gave us to use as well.
This is unexplainable at the moment. How at all did I speak to my love without being in shock of hearing that voice? I will see her face and touch her embrace soon, if God will so allow.
I was able to speak to David for a moment and Renee’s dad. I will look forward to my call to my parents when I arrive in Miami.
The flight was packed with brave men and women of the US military causing me to think a lot about David. There are many civilians with the look of despair and joy. The flight was uncomfortable, but most pleasant! I will strive for the remainder of my life to never complain of this flight, ever!
For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son (Col 1:13 NASB)
The LORD is my portion (Psalms 119:57 NASB)
January 30, 2010
I recently read a sermon by Vance Havner (1976). As he was expressing the nature of a true convert he made a statement that has me in sober consideration of how I want to live my out my days… Shipwrecked on God, stranded on omnipotence.There is much about this metaphor that I want to explore, but the significance of it for me at the moment is that in my “shipwreck” of a life, I would not want to be shipwrecked anywhere but on God. A survivor of a shipwreck is desperately dependent upon what the land has to offer him… What a good place to be stranded! I will embrace my heritage and walk with joy in portion. My need of being rescued is always present.
Today, marks a significant moment in my life. It was January 30, 2010 that my life looked ‘shipwrecked’. And the next several weeks would look to be so. What a good thing to be ‘shipwrecked’ on God. (READ MORE HERE)
I have just walked away from a waiting room at the Baptist hospital in Amarillo, TX where my dad just finished two surgeries. As I was walking out, I thought; “isn’t it good to be shipwrecked on God.” I walked out of the hospital and loaded my luggage into the back seat of Jim Allen’s pickup. Jim dropped me off at the Amarillo airport as I begin my journey home. Jim and I had a few moments to speak of the kindness of God in our lives. In a few hours I’ll land in Kansas City where my brother-in-law, Drew, will pick me up. I will anticipate a few God ordained moments to bless the Lord with him and his family. Then, I’ll look forward to being re-united with Silas in Idaho and a moment soon with Steve McMullin. I bless the Lord for a day when my life looked like a shipwreck to many people. I’m thankful to the Lord to have been ‘shipwrecked’ with these men.
May the Lord help me to live out my days as a shipwrecked sojourner.
My prayer on January 30, 2010: “God, protect us tonight. We are without everything but You. You and you alone do we have. Praise be to God.”
I think often about how I pray. Many of my prayers from the past were more about me telling God what I want to accomplish or how I want him to behave. How foolish of me. How patient must the LORD be?
While I don’t record or journal every prayer I pray, I’m thankful that I have many to reflect upon. They help me to see how the Lord is maturing me. And they expose my need to continue to grow.
The following is a quick observation of two things I asked God for the day before I left for Haiti in 2010.
“The Lord hears when I call to Him.” (Psalms 4:3 NASB)
Prayer for Silas: “…God capture his attention and place Your glory in front of his eyes.” Silas was able to travel with me to Haiti. I had no pretenses of how I wanted God to place His glory in front of Silas. But I know I wanted Silas to see the hand of God as never before. I was not, nor do I want to suggest that I prayed that God would do this in a way that would be easy or pleasant. This was a request with complete trust in the Lord to let us see His glory in what He would do in our midst. I would never, in my flesh, have thought that a short time in a Haitian jail would be the place I had in mind for God to display His glory. I wanted God to arrest our attention and place His glory in front of us. He did, and did He!
Prayer for Renee: “…Help Renee. Provide for her like you did Elijah; supernaturally and refreshingly. Let her rest in You.” I had no idea that my bride would need to rest in the Lord like this… When we returned home and Renee began to tell me how difficult it was to here during those days, I realized that the Lord was prompting me even before we left for hardship. We look back at these days with joy in the Lord. Joy in the Lord does not mean happy in the flesh. Renee can tell this better than I can; the Lord provided protection, shelter, friendship, family, financially, emotionally, and with rest (rest in the Lord.) We were not perfect in all of our trusting in the Lord, but a lot of sanctifying work in the Lord was accomplished.
Don’t let your prayers be unsaid. It has been helpful to have them written down so serious self-reflection and examination can be done. Of all the things I wrote down during that season, it is the prayers that were the most helpful. Writing them down caused me to be more careful and bold in what I spoke to the Lord about. And they cause worship of God when I consider what, how, when, where, who God would use to put His glory in front of us and give confidence to Trust Him. Examine your consciences with respect to what you have done in the day; particularly what you have done amiss, that you may repent of it. When you ask God a question or plead a desire, be serious, be silent, wait for an answer. Rest.
Haiti Journal Audio:
Part One: Leading up to the arrest
I just finished re-reading my journal entries from January 14 – February 17 of 2010. To read those entries from the vantage point of three years later has me with much gratitude that I recorded my thoughts during those days. There was no way on January 16, 2010 to know what the unfolding days would disclose as the Lord directed each step.
My recorded prayer on January 16, 2010 was short but exposed my sinful attraction to comfort. Not that comfort is a sin, but rather an ungrateful heart for any blessing of comfort.
On January 17, 2010 I called the faithful of Eastside to be prepared as we wait to hear from the Lord on what we should do. I asked them to pray together as one about what our response should be to the need in Haiti. We prayed, several responded to the need to apply for a passport. Many committed to pray.
First thing in the morning on January 18, 2010 I received an invitation to consider helping a sister church respond. They were looking for people ready to go help prepare a structure to begin receiving orphans. Before the day was up, four men committed to go with me. Four men I hold with humble respect; Silas Thompson, Steve McMullin, Drew Culberth, and Jim Allen. (it would be a few more days before we would meet the women and I hold them with the same level of humble respect as the men.)
We began to make plans to go into an unknown situation… found it a difficult situation … and learned to walk with joy in the Lord.
I tell you this truth… “The mind of man plans his way, But the LORD directs his steps.” (Prov 16:9 NASB)
What Happens to a follower of Christ on the far side of the wilderness? It’s hard to say what happens individually to everyone, but it is certain to be life changing.
