i want to be a storyteller. if the heavens can declare the glory of God, then I can proclaim it too. so let me tell you a story of my favorite day in haiti.
we pull up to the village in our school bus and our haitian translator explains that we are going to do door-to-door ministry and go meet people, get to know them, and tell them about Jesus. im not that thrilled. sometimes i feel like im forcing it. like there is an agenda of how many houses we can get to and people we can pray for. i want to know them. i want them to feel known. so we walk to the first house and as we are approaching i feel a sense of lightness and think, “there’s no pressure.” what? yes, there is..these people need to know God…we are only going to be in this village for one day…i need to think of things to say and to ask them…what if they don’t like us..no. there’s no pressure. let Him lead. ok. we walk up to find an 18 year old woman sitting on her porch, holding her young daughter..one of the cutest little babes in all of haiti. we introduce ourselves and begin talking to her…
“how long have you lived here?” / “is this your daughter?” / “do you have a husband?” / “what makes you happy?” / “do you know Jesus?”
and as this conversation is happening i feel my heart begin to grow for this girl. she tells us that she knows who Jesus is but hasn’t accepted Him yet and doesn’t really know why. we explain to her that she can know Him today. that there’s no need to wait anymore…no need to try to get your life together first..that He is the essence of joy and wants her to experience every good thing. so she says “yes.” she wants to know Jesus. my eyes start to water. what? why? i don’t know her. it wasn’t even an emotional moment. but there was something in me that wanted it for her so desperately, that she just HAD to have the fullest life that only Jesus can give. Kendra starts to lead her in translated prayer. i look up and see her hands over her eyes as she is fighting tears. praise You, Lord. Your daughter is found and Your angels are rejoicing. amen. she is smiling ear to ear. Ashley asks, “can we sing for her?” why the heck not? she just became a new creation. off-key “how he loves us, oooooo how he loves us” is being belted in a tiny village in haiti and this new sister of ours has no idea what we’re saying but is smiling and loving it nonetheless. we hug and pray and bless her.
let’s go to another house. absolutely, let’s go. Jesus, You lead the way. i want no control in this, i just want to follow You where You lead. so we walk on. the translator brings us outside a small yellow house and begins to tell us the story of a woman. she is sick. the doctor’s don’t know what it is but they told her two years ago to just come home and die because they can’t fix her. people don’t go in her house because they are scared they may catch it. we can go up to the house and pray from the outside but we probably shouldn’t go in.
we want to go in. we’re going in…
before we approach the house Kendra looks at us and tells us that while we were talking she could see a darkness around the house. this is more than just a random sickness. this is from the enemy. “let’s surround the house and pray over it, let’s step in the way of any darkness that is there.” amen.
what i found as i walked to that house was a 45 year old woman who looked 70 laying on her bed under a mosquito net with legs the size of my arms. i walk up to the door and a big smile comes across her face and she waves us in. Jesus, protect us from any sickness in here. we don’t know what she has, but we don’t want it. amen. we go in. her body was crippled and weak from 7 years of sickness and 4 years of being bed-ridden. but her spirit was soaring. she loves the Lord. it was amazing. can we pray for you? of course. we pull back the mosquito net and lay hands on her and get close. we all begin to pray. i am weeping. i want healing for her so desperately. Jesus, she loves you, why is she suffering like this? please heal her. please. we sit and talk with her for a little longer and Emily looks to our translator and says, “will you tell her that Jesus loves her and is sitting here with her all the time?” i hear him say it in creole and then i hear her say “OH” followed by something else. he tells us that she said, “OH, He loves me the MOST. if i am still alive then that means He loves me more than everyone.” i can’t help but laugh and think “praise you, Jesus.” she reminds me of Job. God, i know that you work all things to the good of those who love you. and she loves you. so You’re working this for her good.
talking with her left me feeling so overjoyed. all throughout the conversation she would just point upward towards her Savior. it was beautiful. i want faith like that.
i serve a God who is wrecker of expectations. who knew that this day was going to look like this? i was just trying to get through it, but instead He gave me a heart for His people and a burden to approach His throne in prayer. i am constantly amazed at how He uses His people to show me more of Himself.
He’s good, He’s good, He’s o so good. happy saturday.
