Previous Post – The Poor Among You

As I lie here in the tent with two of my fellow travelers, the sound of vodou drums can be heard in the distance.  Otherwise we are surrounded by the constant chorus of insects here in the leafy sanctuary of the mountain.  Below the lights of Port au Prince make for a beautiful view, belying the devastation that fills its streets.  On the long journey through the city, I was stunned into silence by the sheer magnitude of the destruction, contrasted only by the resilient bustle of the Haitian people.

Lord have mercy.

On our way to the Haiti Partners guest home, we stopped in the city at the site of a former university building.  Once 6 stories tall, now there is a dusty lot litters with rubble and re-bar.  One of our Haitian friends, Enel, was studying on the buildings third floor when the earthquake leveled it.  His survival story is nothing short of miraculous, though the reality that most of his fellow students did not survive.

This very reality is driven home to us on the spot.  As he recalls the horrors he witnessed in the buildings collapse, a few feet away a crew carries a new discovered body from the rubble, shrouded in plastic, to a nearby truck.  I feel myself staggering at the fact that bodies are still being found months after the earthquake.  The story becomes reality & I am broken.

Christ have mercy.

Now, sitting the relative cool, calm & beauty of the mountain top, I cannot help but think of Psalm 48:1-2, which says:

Great is the LORD, and most worthy of praise,
in the city of our God, his holy mountain.

It is beautiful in its loftiness,
the joy of the whole earth.
Like the utmost heights of Zaphon is Mount Zion,
the city of the Great King.

Unlike us, the Haitian people cannot all escape to this mountain top.  Neither do they have plane tickets to fly them away from it all in a few days time.  Do I believe that there is a greater mountain to which they can ascend?  And if I proclaim that hope, will my words ring with the emptiness of my own privilege- cheaply “earned” at a costly price from others?  Never has my unworthiness been more apparent to me.

And it is in this state where my unworthiness to receive such mercy demonstrates the staggering and stunning grace of God, for He indeed has mercy on me, a sinner.  His mercy, however, is by way of the Cross and on it my life is no longer my own, but His.  Will I live accordingly?

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner.

Previous Post – Sermon on the Mount – Benediction

Kent Annan, author & co-diretor of Haiti Partners

Several months ago I had the chance to interview Kent Annan about his new book “Following Jesus Through The Eye Of The Needle: Living Fully, Loving Dangerously” and his work with Haiti Partners.  I was inspired by the Annan’s devotion to follow Jesus into a very costly life of service and mutuality.  As part of the promotion for the book, IVPress and Haiti Partners held a writing contest, offering a 5 day trip to visit the ministry in Haiti as a prize for 6 winners.  I eagerly threw my hit in the ring.

It was not long after I submitted my entry that the earthquake devastated the island nation.  Needless to say, the contest was the last thing on my mind.  In the last few months, people like Kent (and other champions of mercy and justice I greatly respect) have done their best to help all of those devastated by the quake.  After the initial emergency aide was in place, Haiti Partners and IVPress decided that, while they would continue with the contest, the visit to the country would obviously have a different focus.

Yesterday afternoon my cell phone rang and, on the other end, was Kent Annan.  Having expected the announcement a day earlier, his call took me off guard.  However, I was thrilled to hear that I was one of six people selected to join Kent for 5 days in Haiti.  I did not anticipate winning the writing contest, especially since my entry was submitted before the earthquake.  Here is an excerpt:

Two days after the events of September 11th, 2001, I joined a group of fellow missionaries in Vancouver to pray for all those impacted by the acts of terror. When we arrived at our office, we were met by police and the coroner. In the night, beneath the under hang of our parking spot a young man over-dosed on heroin. His body lay cold and alone until someone spotted his body.

While in no way diminishing the importance of why we had gathered to pray, that moment disrupted the rest of my day and eventually my very life. The death of this nameless man- hungry, thirsty, lonely, naked, sick and in the prison of addiction- forced me to realize that, while I had come to the city to “bring Jesus”, He had died under my nose without my ever knowing His name…

Click here to read the rest of the entry, as well as those by the other participants.

I would ask that you keep me in prayer as a prepare for this journey.  Our hosts have made it clear that this is no tourist vacation, but a welcome into the very beautiful, yet struggling life of the every-day Haitian.  While all expenses are paid for, I do have to cover the cost of flying to Florida.  Please prayer that I can raise the $500 or so to secure a ticket.

Not everyone gets a chance like this and I am humbled and honoured.  Even without going, you can make an impact on these peoples lives, just as they will undoubtedly make an impact on mine.  Check out Haiti Partners for more information (and Haiti Partners Canada).