Report by Zach Battles
Kids are kids anywhere. I’ve learned the truth of this saying while here in Haiti. We put together a quick Vacation Bible School in two places today. We told the story of creation and of the fall, and let the kids wear masks to be the animals as Adam named them. They loved being able to participate in the storytime. They then got their own little cardboard masks that they colored, and we gave out bubbles–which were pure joy to the kids. Many just want to be held.
The call to go into all the world to make disciples of all nations requires PRESENCE in the nations. We often worry that we’re not doing enough or that our mission isn’t significant enough. Yet, we have no idea how much simply being there as a source of kindness and comfort can mean in a person’s life. In America, we’re suffering from deep depression in our youth and children. We blame social media and our ‘instant gratification’ society, but the importance of time and presence in our kids’ lives is universal. While the children of Haiti don’t suffer from the isolation of social media, they still suffer from isolation because of busy parents, single parents, and the daily struggle endemic to life in the remote areas of this island.
So keep in mind that just as our children rarely remember the money spent on them but do remember the quality time spent with them, a key, vital element to our call is to be PRESENT in the nations, living testimonies of God’s grace.
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Team praying over Daniel, the voodoo priest
