8 Pampered Women
Once again, my group got together to “pamper the workers.” On Monday, they focused on the cooking and cleaning ladies: foot washing, nail painting, and back massages. If anyone deserves treatment like that, it’s these women. They work so hard, and they’re awesome. It was great. As they walked back into the kitchen, they were smiling and strutting their stuff like they were walking down the red carpet. Cute! (I think they gave us bigger portions for dinner that night…)
5 Prisoners
My group visited the local jail Tuesday afternoon. There were five prisoners there, and we brought them water, peanut butter sandwiches, and cookies—they don’t get fed unless someone brings them food. One of my group members Jackie started talking to them and asked them if they knew Jesus. They did, but they didn’t really understand the whole story. So she told them the story of Jesus from beginning to end. And there they were, five full-grown men behind bars, listening intently as if they were kids at storytime at the library. I gave them each a little book—they call it a “Ti Bib” or “Little Bible”—that answers a bunch of questions about Jesus in Creole. The men decided that they wanted to accept Jesus into their lives, so Jackie led a salvation prayer with them. Then she led to give them real Bibles, so half the team ran back to the mission and got some. When we came back, we stayed and talked with them for awhile about their lives and families until the guards told us we had to leave.
Haiti has a pretty messed up justice system. Most of the men put in this jail are there for stupid reasons like owing money or getting in a fight. Sometimes, if the police can't find the person they want to arrest, they will take a member of the family instead. The men in that cell are all different. They are not five carbon copies of the "Prisoner Stereotype." Some had families, some didn't. Some wanted to change their lives around, some didn't care. Some may have been guilty, some innocent. In the end, they need what we all need: love. Please be praying for them. We are planning on seeing them again today, if they are still there.
1 Beautiful Girl
Last year when I came here, I met a girl at Tortuga. She remembered me when I came back this year, and every time I would go to Tortuga, she would come and find me. Well, yesterday was my last Tortuga trip of the summer. I brought her a picture of us with a note on the back and told her that I was leaving for America soon, but I would come back someday. When we were about to leave, I wanted to say goodbye, but I couldn’t find her. Her mother told me she was at the house, so as the rest of the team started walking toward the boat, I stalled. Finally Wencha came running down and handed me two beautiful shells. Her mother had gone to get her for me. I told her I would miss her and gave her a huge hug. I’m going to be homesick when I get home...
Creole Lesson:
"Mwen te grangou, nou te ban m' manje. Mwen te swaf, nou te ban m' bwe. Mwen te etranje, nou te resevwa mwen byen lakay nou. Mwen te tourni, nou te ban m' rad. Mwen te malad, nou te pran swen m'. Mwen te nan prizon, nou te visite m'.... Sa m'ap di nou la a, se vre wi: chak fwa nou te fe sa pou yonnnan pi piti pami fre m yo, se pou mwen nou te fe li." -Matye 25:35-36, 40
"I was hungry, you gave me food. I was thirsty, you gave me drink. I was a stranger, you let me into your home. I was naked, you gave me clothes. I was sick, you took care of me. I was in prison, you visited me.... What I'm saying to you is true: every time you did that for the least of my brothers, it was for me you did it." -Matthew 25:35-36, 40
Matthew 25:35-36, 40
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