team and things

Canaan is a buzzin’! We have a team of 32 people arriving tomorrow and lots of preparations are in the works. Rooms, food, facilities, construction, and excursions are all being prepared. The men at Canaan have spent the past 2 weeks working feverishly to get the new dorm ready for the concrete roof to be poured by Team 32.

Steve Mossburg (a missionary from Columbia City, Indiana) and Boni Roth (a missionary from Washington?) have also arrived during the past week. Steve has been a great encouragement to me since his arrival. He is really wise and I enjoy talking with him. He also helped me finally get a cell phone. To provide beds for Team 32, I have moved buildings and now live in Steve’s house. It’s been nice staying somewhere that is more “home-ie.”

Personally, the past week has been a struggle. There has been a lot of little problems and conflicts and I am wrestling with several different things at Canaan. Priorities. The Spirit of Christ. Inconveniences. Purpose. Delegation. Classroom attendance. Time. Impatience. (I hope you enjoy a little mystery.)

It’s the little things that have kept me going this past week:

A Haitian teacher that received his first appreciative note from a student. JOY

A note from a 6 year old that simply says, “Dear Mark I love you.” LOVE

A bitter girl that apologizes to me. FORGIVENESS

Reuniting with a boy that I met during a hike 3 months ago. FRIENDSHIP

A Haitian guy that treats me as a friend. COMMUNITY

Craziness in Haiti

Yikes! So I showed up to the church service 30 minutes late today (to avoid lots of singing in 90 degree temps) and slipped into the back, hoping to go unnoticed by young and old alike. Almost immediately, the song leader asked me to pray for the message. Not a problem. When I asked who is preaching, the song leader said, “you are.” Completely unprepared, I rolled my eyes and went forward to pray. As I walked to the front of the room, I thumbed my way through my Bible wondering what on earth I would say. I saw Jeremiah 17:7-8 highlighted, with the word “Rooted” written next to it. Works for me. And fortunately, my heart was ready to let the Spirit speak. I am constantly challenged with how Haitian believers rely on the Spirit to work through them. I want to be more willing. Maybe someday I won’t roll my eyes.

All is going well here at Canaan. We are remembering the school near Port-Au-Prince that collapsed killing 84 people a few days ago, but we have no immediate connections there. Thanks for those of you that are praying for that situation.

Some quotes that have challenged me this past month:

“If you have two coats, one of them belongs to the poor.” - Dorothy Day (and Luke 3:11)

“Live simply so that others may simply live.” - Old Proverb

“The best thing to do with the best things in life is to give them away.” - Unknown

grace, grace

For the past week, we’ve had 5 Grace College (master’s degree) students visiting Canaan. It was a great week for them and our community here. They served and loved the children like few teams do. On Friday, they made a significant journey to deliver hundreds of bags of food to people still suffering from the September hurricanes. They also painted dorms, bagged food, relaxed at Club Indigo, visited another orphanage, and went on a significant hike to a natural spring.

There’s just something different about Grace (college that is). Canaan welcomes lots of teams over the course of a year (probably near twenty different teams). The two Grace College teams that have come during the past 3 months have been different. The teams have interacted with the kids and lowered themselves unto service more than other teams. Coming from an office (GC Admissions) that constantly tells people Grace is different, it is exciting (and relieving) to know that it actually is! Grace students serve others naturally and quite well.

All else is going pretty well here for me. There have been a few ‘speed bumps’ during the past month, but all in all, things are progressing and I am adjusting. Many thanks to those of you that are praying for my language learning - I have definitely had an increased desire to learn during the past couple weeks.

On another note, it has been interesting being in Haiti during the election back home. I do read about it, but I am not bombarded with the news as I am sure you all are. I look forward to the election results and the possible new direction for America. Regardless of the outcome, may we all pray more justice, less debt, and no war from Washington.