I will start this off with noting these are just my observations and experiences. Exhaustion and nausea has set in. I would imagine I was little dehydrated too, but we gotta keep moving. I went ahead and started taking my medicine for an upset stomach. After breakfast I drank more water and laid down until it was time to head out. Today, I would be helping with the women's ministry in the morning and VBS in the afternoon.
We are in Jubilee this morning. This is a very poor community not far from where we were staying in Goniaves. Housing is poor. Most of them look like shacks. The size of the church was about the average McDonald's dining area. The walls were made of palm leaves woven together and torn tarps. It had a wooden frame and tarps were semi layered to form a ceiling. The floor was a dirt floor and inside was a wooden table, some wooden benches for pews and small wooden chairs. Chairs the size of what I sit on at the school. The people had little clothing. The adults were clothed and some of the children. The younger children seemed to have less clothing. Some did not have clothes at all! Babies did not have diapers. If they came to the church they had clothes. They will not attend church if they don't have clothes and in some communities nicer clothes. This community was blessed if they had an outfit. There wasn't a difference in their spirits. Most of the children dressed or not were eager for attention and happy, to be smiled at, touched, and hugged. Several times we all were holding hands with 5-6 children at a time. I noticed some homemade toys. A kite was made of plastic and sticks and string, a tennis ball for soccer, and most shocking- a balloon made from a condom. Yes. Gross. Where do you start? How can we make any difference? Sharing the love of Jesus is the most important thing we could do for now. Once we entered the church there was a sense of order. The pastors of this church definitely knew how to keep order in this space. And we would later find out, we needed it!
Ann and Janice had done an introduction yesterday. Today, they would be sharing the gospel using bracelets with colors. Each color represented a different part of the gospel. They had cards in English and our translators explained it in Creole. The colors would be helpful so they can remember it and share it with their friends and family. Many of these women cannot read but they have an exceptional memory. Ann and Janice did a fantastic job! The women really liked the bracelets and learning about sin, the need for a savior, the death of Jesus, and even more important- His VICTORY over Death!!! This is super important. The Voodoo religion uses the crucifix also but they claim it is Satan's victory over the death of Jesus. Jesus conquered death. That was His VICTORY over Satan. These women needed to know they were loved and they didn't need to fear! Voodoo keeps them in fear. We concluded with prayer over the group of women and their community. Afterwards, we invited them to come forward for individual prayer. Ann, Janice, Candice, Helen, and I sat with translators ( a couple of us doubled up to share the translators) and prayed for the needs of these women. I asked each of the women if they were already believers. Most were but I had a few that wanted to be. I told them they already were. If you want to follow Christ you obviously believe in him. I do not believe I or a special prayer saves them. That is the work of the Holy Spirit. I am simply sharing this moment with a new believer praising and lifting them up in prayer. Praying that they will grow in their faith, praying for their families, and their needs. They prayed for healing, their pregnancies, families, for fathers to return home to be a family, and so on. One lady managed to have an x-ray of her daughter(who was with her). A little girl, had somehow gotten a tiny circle battery stuck up her nose. (it appears that all children stick things up their noses) This was no laughing matter. She had an x-ray but no doctor to help. I was praying for a miracle! Women that became new believers were sent to the pastor to help her begin her walk in the faith. This was repeated the last day of the women's ministry. Ann and Janice did a wonderful job sharing God's Word and what it meant to them. We are all sisters of the faith. A bond that can't be broken
Just like all the ministry activities we were involved in, when its time to go, it's time to go. Now. They are desperate for anything you have. If it is removable they ask if they can have it. We had already asked to leave our jewelry at the guest house before we got to Jubilee. It's hard to believe we live in a big world that is soo different. I had a lot to think about, pray about, and try to learn what God wanted me to take away from this. I don't think it will be only one answer. I believe it will be a process. Over time God will show me more and more. This was an example of how to depend on Him for every need. They will be in my heart forever for a reason.
As Always, In Christ,
Amy
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