What was most exciting to me about yesterday? Well, it wasn't that we saw 175 patients or that Rob Hemmer did an awesome job repairing the girls' beds at New Jerusalem or that Paula Baker's team ran a great VBS for 200 kids, despite having brought materials for only 50. Don't get me wrong... those are all awesome things. Seeing Daphnika's temp drop from 105 to 99 is a great thing and we are all excited to see her again.
But here are the greatest things about yesterday in my estimation:
1) Pastor Kanole's (Pastor K runs New Jerusalem) young son was taught how to re-wire the beds. Carla Pisel-Nixon made sure that he shadowed Rob Hemmer as the Hemlock (my term of affection for Rob) fixed the beds. So assuming he has wires and a wrench, this young Haitian man can now fix the beds himself!
2) The students from PaP (pictured with Frank Maiorana yesterday) were all there on time yesterday morning, all looking very professional and they were a great help with VBS and also working as translators for our medical teams. As my wife Tanya put it, these young men were so sweet and tender with the kids. They are the future of this country and to see them so eagerly serving their own people was awesome.
Bottomline: missions' work is not about the Americans coming in and being the hero-rescuers. I try to hold back the frustration when I get on that plane to PaP in Miami and inevitably I see a group of Americans with team t-shirts that say something along the lines of "Rescue Haiti". No. No. No. There is only ONE true hero-rescuer and His name is Jesus Christ. Jesus is among His people in Haiti and He is doing a good work here. So often when you come to Haiti, you realize YOU are the one who needs to be rescued, rescued from your pride, self-righteousness, greed, love of material things, safety and comfort ... and the list goes on and on.
The Haitians have tremendous gifts and resources from within themselves, not because they are "self-actualized people," but because the Spirit of God is upon these people and because these people bear the likeness of their Creator who endowed them with beauty, honor and dignity. Seeing the young man help out Rob Hemmer and the PaP university students love on the little kids of New Jerusalem, alongside our docs and nurses was AWESOME. Thank you for your prayers today. We are returning to NJ.
By the way, if you are looking for a good read, check out "When Helping Hurts," by Fikkert and Corbett. It was required reading for our team members. Blessings to all of you back home! We love you!
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