I Saw Hope in Haiti

Thousands of tents lined the countryside… Millions of souls searching for clean water… devastation and despair was all around me… but there was also hope in the midst of this destruction.

…Our interpreter Ron was one of the hardest working men of God I have ever seen. Ron believes in ‘putting feet to his prayer’. He not only works for World Orphans, Haiti Customs, and Sweet Sleep, but he also devotes his free time to working with orphanages through all of Haiti-not just in Port-Au-Prince. He gives 10% to his church, 9% to an orphanage in poverty, and many other venues that have slipped my mind. This man away basically all that he receives, and finds joy in doing so! I will never forget Ron…

…Our first orphanage we visited was in the hills of Port Au Prince, and a palace compared to those we saw later. Nearly 35 children found shelter here from the leadership of another godly man. Through the eyes of a comfortable American, this would seem life threatening, but through the eyes of a little Haitian boy-this was a safe haven… this was his ‘promised land’. Ouid Va was his name, and he was 7 years old…

…During one of the days Ron was able to give us a tour of the land of Providence. Through the rain forests, mountains, and thin and muddy back roads, we discovered an extremely poverished orphanage that held nearly 30 children. As we arrived, their voices started singing praises to our Creator! Tear’s started flowing as their voices became louder!

…Pastor Emmanuel was his name, and he had been praying for God to send someone his way. Pastor Emanuel has been working in the ministry for over 35 years. He has an old three room rock hut with one light bulb powered by a battery. 15 children live with him in two of the rooms while he and his wife sleep on the rugged cobblestone dirt floor in the third. When asked what his calling was, he replied: “The LORD has commanded me to suffer for the children,” and that “in his suffering, he finds the joy of the LORD.” He works as much as he can to help feed these children and keep them healthy.

I saw HOPE in spiritual leaders… I saw HOPE in the eyes and voices of little Haitian children… I saw HOPE in the midst of poverty… I saw HOPE in Haiti.

(TSC took its first vision team to Haiti over New Year’s. Jon was on this first team. TSC also partners with Mobile Medical Disaster Relief (www.mmdr.org ) and Baptist Global Response (www.baptistglobalresponse.org) in Haiti.)