Church Squared

Church Service #1

I went to church in Port de Paix this past Sunday because a friend of my group was preaching there.  I ended up sitting next to a side "door," which basically looked like a big open window a foot from the ground.  I was having a hard time focusing on the service because two girls were standing outside that open door watching me.  So I kept watching them.

I wanted to invite them in so badly, but I was torn.  Would the people get offended or annoyed that I let those dirty children into the church?  Would they think less of me for ignoring the sermon?  So I just waved at them from my seat and they smiled and pointed at me.

Finally, I couldn't ignore God punching me in the shoulder... so I stood up and sat on the window frame.  I motioned for them to come sit with me and one girl finally did, Tabina.  So I took out my Creole children's Bible and started to read to her.  The other girl, her cousin Nitchy, still wouldn't come near.  She would shake her head and point to her clothes.

By this time, another younger girl joined us at the window, Fondline.  I broke my communion cracker in four pieces and gave one to each of them and saved one for myself.  "Nou manje sa paske Jezi te mouri pou nou," I told them.  "We eat this because Jesus died for us."

Eventually, we graduated from the window to the narthex.  I climbed out the window/door and walked hand in hand with the girls to the front of the church.  (This was Attempt #2 of getting them in the narthex, by the way.  They weren't having it at first...)  Now Fondline's brother Lendz had joined us.  Nitchy was standing outside the door, and the other three were sitting with me inside the church, reading the children's Bible.

At the end of the service, I wanted a picture with my four new friends.  Tabina, Fondline, and Lendz jumped right in, but Nitchy kept saying no.  "Mwen sal."  I'm dirty.  I asked and asked, told her she wasn't dirty--she was beautiful.  But finally I just took a picture with the others.  Pretty bummed, I started to head for the bus to leave when Nitchy came running.  She wanted a picture.  Stay tuned for the beautiful picture of Tabina, Fondline, Lendz, and, of course, beautiful Nitchy.  :)

Church Service #2:

On Saturday, my group all went to the small two-cell jail in St. Louis to visit the prisoners and bring them some food.  The prisoners wanted us to come back, but the group was only going to be here for Sunday and Monday.  We don't usually visit on Sundays, and Monday we were planning on Tortuga.  So we asked permission to hold a church service for them.

Sure enough, God set it all up for us to come in at 2:00, not long after returning from Port de Paix, and hold service at the jail.  We sang some hymns, and they sang some for us.  We shared communion (bread leftover from lunch and red Tampico).  We prayed.  We shared a message.  Each of the nine people also got a New Testament Bible, which they started reading right away.

I have to say... it was a pretty beautiful service.  No lights.  No sound system.  No fancy lyric slideshows.  No interpretive dance.  No pews.  No air conditioning.  Just two cells, some leftover food, a Bible, and God.

Prie:
My group also went to the brothel on Saturday.  I usually like to take the kids aside and read to them while the others do a devotional with the women.  So we all went outside.  For whatever reason, the young kids weren't as interested... But two of the older girls, maybe 10 or 11, were listening.  I asked them if I could pray for them, and I found out that Matilda's parents both died in the earthquake (she's now living with her cousins) and Jennica's father has also died.  Please pray for both of these sweet girls!

Loue:
A couple of weeks ago, I met a girl named Nandy, who has special needs.  I blogged about her, asking for your prayers as we tried to get her into our outreach program.  Today I was able to take a couple of the Miriam Center workers with me to find her house.  (Sidenote: I found the house!  This is a big deal seeing as when they asked me where it was I said "Well... it's by the shore, but the road is paved... we passed a carpenter!")  Anyway, praise God that we not only re-found her, but also found out that she has a sister with special needs also: Sabrina.  The mother, who is a widow, was told to come to the mission for more information about the programs.  Yay!


Creole Lesson:
Most of the time during a Haitian service, I will know the tune to their songs, but often won't know the words to sing.  This Sunday, I was lucky enough to be sitting next to someone with a songbook who shared with me.  Here was the chorus:

Briye pou Jezi kote ou ye.
Shine for Jesus wherever you are.

Whether it's at a church window or a jail or a brothel or a house by the shore past the carpenter!  Shine for Jesus wherever you are!