We had a wonderful Sunday. It started out with a light breakfast and then a truck ride to Z’Orange. It was nice to take the team somewhere else so they could see a little of Haiti. We arrived in Z’Orange about 10:30 and unloaded some materials from the truck for the mission house (tile, doors, lumber, etc.), and then went into the church. This Sunday was Harvest Day, where they bring in their first fruits. There was corn, melons, okra, chickens and other items on the stage that had been given as their first fruits.
There were churches from all around the area, including Port-au-Prince. Every church has several singing groups that come up on the stage and perform. They sang till 11:30 and the pastor told the other groups that they could sing after the message. I (Bro. Chuck) gave the message on sowing your seed. Are you doing it sparingly or bountifully? As usual, Simon interpreted; I had a great time.
Afterward, Madame Do cooked a delicious Haitian meal (fried chicken, rice, beans, red sauce, and fried plantain). We ate the first meal in the mission house with the first mission team.
When we finished eating, we saw a little boy with a really bad cut on his toe; I bandaged it with the help of Annette, Bruce and Tom. He was about three years old and he was a tough little guy. I poured hand sanitation on it, which is 62% alcohol, and he didn’t even cry. He wanted to, but he didn’t. Annette held his foot while Bruce and Tom cut the bandages I needed. We sent some supplies home so his mom can change the bandage (I hope).
We then loaded up and left for Jerusalem IV, which has a thatch roof and thatch sides. We purchased the land last year, and now we are just waiting on the Lord to send us the people who want to purchase the materials. We will have the people build this church just like we had the Haitians build their own church in Jerusalem II.
After leaving Jerusalem II, we went to Daniel’s voodoo village, where we found Daniel a little intoxicated, but he was in a great mood. He had just done some of his art work and he wanted me to see it. He also wanted his picture taken with the Americans. As always, I told him I was still praying for him and hoped to see white crosses on all his huts one day. He showed everyone parts of his temple and then asked us to pray for him, but not in his temple. We went outside and prayed for his salvation. Only God knows if he will ever accept Christ, but if he doesn’t it will not be because he doesn’t know about him.
It is about a fifteen minute walk back to the truck from Daniel’s, and what a beautiful walk. It is so quiet out in the country. There were people around watering their livestock in the creek, waving at us, telling us ‘bonswa’, which is good evening. I love it up here.
We then headed back to Pastor Harry’s church, and along the way the truck’s front right wheel started making a sound like metal on metal, so I stopped immediately. I checked the differential fluid and it was almost empty, and then I noticed the front left wheel leaking gear oil in a stream. It looks like I have a really bad seal problem. We are going to check that out tomorrow. I filled it up with gear oil and made it in–just another day in Haiti.
Pastor Brad, Annette, Michelle, Terry and Jackie went to Pastor Harry’s church late in the evening where Pastor Brad preached. The rest of the team came in and rested from the long day up in Z’Orange. Karl ordered everybody Domino’s Pizza (that’s right, they have one in Haiti that delivers) and that was a real treat with a cold coke.
Tomorrow we will be testing the van to see if Dino got it fixed today, and Karl and Bruce will be working on Gabriel, while the team will be putting tin on the roof. It will be exciting to see what God will do.
