Like I mentioned in my previous blog… WORSHIP HERE IS AMAZING! As a result to its AMAZINGNESS I quickly began to investigate if I could somehow someway get my hands on any Haitian worship music. Everything was leading to a dead end. That was until I met Patrick in the Prosthetic lab. It was basically a divine encounter:)
Here at MOH we have been given the opportunity to shadow certain areas of ministry if we so desire. One morning, two of my friends went to shadow the prosthetic intern Peter in the Prosthetic Lab. I had been interested in going to shadow also but I had never expressed interest. Although I was not scheduled to go I jumped on board anyway.
The prosthetic lab was super interesting! We were able to see Dr. NoNo plaster a leg, melt the plastic over it as well as see someone attempt to walk for the first time with a mechanical leg. But my favorite part my encounter with the translator Patrick whom I had been quickly introduced to when I first entered the lab.
Quick background information before I continue: There had been a song on Sunday that I had loved. Although I did not want to disturb the moment, I chose to stop and write down some of the lyrics to the song in Creole. I wrote it down in the hopes that I could learn this song. But I will be honest & admit that I was very doubtful that this could actually happen. Nonetheless, all of Sunday I kept singing and singing what little I knew of the song.
That Monday in the prosthetic lab, I sat down and began to pray for my knee (because we think I may have broken my knee cap from my bed bunk fall. Please join me in praying for me knee) when all of a sudden I hear the question,
“Are you an angel?”
Thence commenced my conversation with Patrick. I asked him if he and
Dr. Nono were believers; they were. The conversation quickly led to how much I loved worship in Haiti. And I had the great idea to ask Patrick if he knew the song I had heard on Sunday, but there was a problem: I could not remember the lyrics for the life of me. All I remembered were the words “La Vim” which did not help a soul. I asked my two friends, they had no idea what song I was talking about. Just as I was losing hope, Patrick all of a sudden starts playing his favorite song on his phone. And guess what, IT WAS THE SAME SONG I HAD HEARD ON SUNDAY! He was playing MY SONG!! I could have screamed, actually I probably did! I was so excited! I just kept saying THIS IS THE SONG. THIS IS THE SONG. THIS IS THE SONG! With the biggest smile on my face! Turns out MY SONG was Patrick’s favorite song! He listens to it EVERYDAY before he reads his Bible in the mornings! He knew the song by heart!
It gets better y’all! It just so happened that in that given moment, Patrick had no work to do so for the next hour and a half Patrick taught me the song. We sang it over & over together. He wrote down the words in Creole on a board and taught me word for word how to say it, the melody, and what the words meant in English. We filled the entire Prosthetic lab with our voices! It was AMAZING!
Our excitement was so contagious that we began to sing with a woman who was a patient there! It was so wonderful to see her face brighten up as we sang worship songs. When I had to leave for lunch, my friends and I prayed for the two patients and the woman I had sang with looked at me and said (in Creole) that she really wished she could see me again. I didn’t see her again, but how awesome that we could connect through praise even though we didn’t speak the same language! I was told later that we had brightened up the lab; we were sunshine!
My time with Patrick was not over yet. Him and I walked together to lunch, singing all the while of course! When we sat down, God just continued to bless our time together! Turns out that Patrick had lost his mother just like me & as we shared I was so blessed by his ability to truly understand me. Talking to Patrick was such a gift. He LOVES the Lord. It was so evident. Everything that came out of his mouth was directly or indirectly praising God.
As we were getting ready to go our separate ways we got on the subject of music and guess what… Patrick told me he could find a way to get me Haitian worship music!!! AHHHH!! He called a village champion over, named Erlo, and connected us. I now have Haitian worship music! What I thought was impossible, was made possible. Isn’t that amazing?
Seriously, do not limit God. Just ask. I could not have planned a better way for all of that to happen. Want to know what is even more crazy.
I was not “supposed” to go to the prosthetic lab that day. I asked about Patrick everyday after that, but everyday for some reason or another he was not there. He was preaching in other cities or sick. I have not seen him again, sometimes I wonder if he even did exist. Maybe he was the true angel.
I know it’s blurry. But this is the only photo I have of that encounter. This y’all is Patrick from the prosthetics lab.
