Haiti September 9, 2014

Report by Pastor Jeremy

Last night I had an amazing experience! Bro. Chuck took our team to a local voodoo village where Daniel, a voodoo priest, and his family lives. We showed the Jesus film and it drew a crowd of children and young people. Here’s the best part: we hung a sheet for a screen on Daniel’s house to project the movie on! Did you catch that?! We showed the Jesus film literally on the house of a voodoo priest…and with his permission!

During the movie there was hardly a sound or movement from the children. They were mesmerized by the film. Their eyes were fixed on Jesus! Right before the movie started, Daniel took the time to tell all of us (a crowd of 50 or more) that he loved us and that we had permission to use his house anytime, even if he wasn’t there! Imagine that! A voodoo priest responding to the love and respect Bro. Chuck and TEM has shown him for over 14 years.

Two quick observations about last night: 1) Love wins! 2) People are hungry for the gospel of Jesus. These precious children have hardly a thing to call their own. There’s hardly anything to distract them. Without much the world has to offer, they fixed their eyes on Jesus. There’s a lesson in there for all of us!

Jesus said for us to seek Him and His kingdom first, and all of our other needs will be met. Sometimes we forget that a relationship with Jesus means we don’t have to worry about trivial things. In our flesh we sometimes spend more time thinking, obsessing, and worrying over matters that really have no eternal significance while at the same time we tend to ignore the things that are important to Jesus. This trip to Haiti has been yet another reminder to me of what really matters. What’s important to God should be important to us.

This morning began for me getting up early and leaving the mission house around 6 a.m. with Bro. Chuck and Pastor Mike. We had a series of stops to make, with a visit to Love A Child Ministries being the first. There I witnessed an incredible work for the Kingdom taking place. Americans and Haitians, from various Christian ministries and denominations, working hand-in-hand to organize, assemble, and load trucks with food for Haitian children. TEM receives food each month from Love A Child Ministries, which receives their supplies from Feed My Starving Children ministry based in the USA. Because of the efforts of hundreds of people, TEM is able to provide thousands of meals for children in our school and people in our Haitian churches. Over a period of several years, we’ve seen a drastic improvement in our children. They look healthier and are able to learn better because of having access to nutritional food. I had the privilege of meeting several in leadership of these ministries, and I was so blessed to talk with them and hear how God is blessing all over the globe! I saw the heart of fellow laborers for the Lord and I was reminded that what really matters to God is people, and what really blesses us is ministering to people!

I John tells us that God is love. John goes on to say that love is NOT us loving God, but loving ONE ANOTHER! Think about that for a minute. Saying, “I love God,” is easy. Of course we love Him. He’s easy to love. But if we really want to love the way Jesus designed for us to love, we will love one another. That includes loving people we’ve never met. Loving people who are different from us. Loving people who some would even say are unlovable.

This morning, I saw love in action. I saw Kingdom business being taken care of. I saw first hand what Jesus meant when he said, “Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness.” I’m humbled to serve Him. I’m humbled to serve alongside some of the most phenomenal people I’ve ever met. I’m humbled to serve God’s people in Haiti.

I encourage you to seek Jesus today! Then you’ll have an easier time letting go and letting God have all the other things that you could waste time worrying about.