“If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways so I may know you and continue to find favor with you. Remember that this nation is your people.” Exodus 33:13

Steve and William (Boto's Brother)

Well, as a final entry in the sometimes

chaotic, sometimes inspiring, but always entertaining adventures of our little band of disciples, I though I would let you know that we arrived safely to our homes today at 3:15 pm, a day later than anticipated. From the

very start, we knew the day was primed for more adventures and the creation of new challenges yet to unfold. Saying good-bye is never easy and especially hard for the team who not only learned the names of

prayer Partners

the boys, but knew their character and loved them for themselves and not as an expression of pity or remorse. These boys are creative, inventive, full of life and laughter. To say that there were not a lot of tears would be untrue and I will not try and describe for you what was said, prayed for and promised. I will leave that to others. We got up early on

Prayer Partners for the Boys

Tuesday, because we knew there would be a lot to clean, pack and organize. The boys went about their preparations for school, but there seemed to be a sluggishness about the morning. There was little of the normal laughter and energy that characterized a normal day

Erin with the hanging VBS Banner

and when it came time, there were big, but brief hugs. I think the old addage “big boys don’t cry” is a saying that fell apart that morning. As a final surprise for the boys, Erin and Esther posted the pictures of their prayer partners on the newly painted wall for them to see when they returned home from school, hung on the wall of the second floor where their bedrooms are as well as the banner prepared during VBS. Surprisingly there are 18 design squares on the banner and 17 boys. The day before we shared with the boys

Matt with the photo album from the FUMC Youth Group

the photo album prepared by the FUMC Youth group and completed with interest forms which we will share with the youth at a later date. We all received many notes, cards and letters from the boys expressing

Matt Young at the Haiti Airport

their gratitude and prayer that we return one day soon. It broke our hearts to say good bye, but we felt encouraged that it was only “see you again soon.” I pray God allows us to be true to our word and keep our promise. We got our stuff packed and loaded on our final TapTap for the drive to the airport. It was the same TapTap we've used before. If you have been following these adventures, then you know that our experience with

Erin and Esther waiting in the Haiti Airport

transportation has been, well shall we say, challenging. So we decided to leave for the airport by 10:45 for what was scheduled to be our 1:50pm flight. Plenty of time, right. The good news is that we arrived at the airport without incident.

Tony and Erin after a long wait in the Haiti Airport

As we waited in the airport, our departure time kept getting pushed back farther and farther until it was listed as departing at 5:20 pm. The spectre of staying another night in Haiti seemed all too real and we were getting desperate. We changed flights to catch another American Airlines flight out at 5:30 pm on the advice of a well seasoned American traveller for reasons too complicated to discribe here. If you do the math you realize we spent around 6 hours in the Haiti airport. Despite what you may have heard, the accomdations in the Haiti airport are not all that great. Just ask Erin about the fine dish of fruit she was able to purchase while we waited. If you’ve ever seen the commerical where they guy buys a dish of sushi at a gas station, then you’ll get some idea of what the food is like at the Haiti airport.

Frustration in Miami after we missed the shuttle for the second time.

I will say, however, we did have some good conversation, we share our joys, sorrows, dreams and shared sense of calling. God know why were in the Haitian airport that long, but I think He knew what He was doing! Good news we all got on the 5:30 flight and got back into the US at 7:30 pm. Unless you’ve been out of the United

Barb Richter

States for an extended period of time you can’t appreciate what we’ve got here. I know there is a growing frustration with Washington politics, with high taxes and overall financial mismanagement, but let me go on the record as saying I would take the chaos of the United States over any system or culture I’ve encountered thus far. I know that sounds like a bit of flag waving patriotism, but that’s how I’m feeling right now. Unfortunately, by the time we made it through Immigrations (where strangely they called Matt by his first name), got our bags and went through Customs (where strangely they searched Matt’s stuff individually), we had missed our flight to Columbus. So we went and got a voucher for a room and a meal from the AA counter. This whole ordeal took almost 3 hours to accomplish, but did I mention we were in Miami! We were tired, hunger and just plane wilted, but we were in Miami and that was terrific. The next part of our journey was the misery of trying to catch the shuttle to the Miami Doubletree Hotel. It comes by every 30 minutes and passed by us twice because it was full each time. Finally an entrepreneurial bus drive from another hotel said he would take us to the DoubleTree for $20. We jumped at the chance and arrived at the DoubleTree by 11:30pm. We had a brief dinner at the restaurant and the crashed in our rooms. Today started at 5:45 am and proceeded without problems. (Did I mention we were back in the United States.) Fortunately Nicholas Parks was able to use the 15 passenger van we reserved for Tuesday, today as well and was waiting for us to arrive. He drove us home and we chatted, slept and shared our favorite stories. We’re home, but the stories, the relationships, the vision and the passion will continue to direct our future.

To you the Reader: I want to thank you for joining on us on this adventure. I hope these posts have helped you imagine what life is like in a distant country that is nothing like what you’re senses and expectations are ready for. I also hoped it help you imagine what Jesus’ Great Commission requires when He said, “Go make disciples of all nations.” Matthew 28:19 The mission of this Travel-blog is to engage the reader in a dialog of what it means to be a disciple of Jesus, to share stories of hope, challenge and courage to help us find our true country and the place their hearts longs for the most.

“I must keep alive in myself the desire for my true country, which I shall not find till after death; I must never let it get snowed under or turned aside; I must make it the main object of life to press on to that other country and to help others to do the same.” ~ C. S. Lewis, Mere Christianity

What have you learned from these adventures that touched your heart the most? or the least? Do you think the church should be involved in Haiti? What kind of prayer would you ask on their behalf?

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“Do you think the church should be involved in Haiti?”

Yes, I do!

Why?

How can a church, any church, ignore the Great Commission?

…four Gospels and in two — half — of those Gospels, Christ commands His disciples — and we who are also and now His disciples — to “GO!”

Matthew 28:19 — “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”

Mark 16: 15 — “He said to them, ‘Go into all the world and preach the Gospel to all creation.'”

Does God through His Holy Word demand and expect His Church to “Go!”?

Does He stipulate Haiti or Africa or Russia?

“…all the world,” He says.

“Should the church be involved in Haiti?”

If not Haiti, then where?

If not Haiti, then the church, this church, MUST be involved somewhere in “…all the world.”

“Should the church be involved in Haiti?”

Yes.

Why?

God chose Haiti for this church…God, through His Spirit touched and moved hearts, especially the heart of its pastor, to share Him and to serve Him in Haiti…God through His Spirit has guided and continues to guide hearts and hands, especially those of the pastor, in this church to “make disciples and make a difference” in Haiti…so for now and until He leads and inspires differently, this church, as did Christ “set His face to go to Jerusalem” MUST, in accordance with God’s Most Holy Word and Great Commission, “set its face to go to Haiti.”

2 Comments

Craig Yancey
March 1, 2013 at 1:55 pm

Welcome back to the States, Steve and Team!
I enjoyed reading your blog, or whatever it’s called. I wasn’t able to read it each day, but I did manage to catch up eventually. It was NOT my turn to go to Haiti this trip, but I still hold out that God will provide me that opportunity in the near future. Jane’s father passed away on Feb. 13th, so our days have been filled with the business of caring for family.
So for the Team members, it’s a time to rest, relax, and reflect on what God has revealed to each of you during your Faith Walk.
Because you were faithful, I know that your eyes, and your hearts have been opened to many new revelations and relationships that He has directly placed in your lives, for you to cherish.
The lives that you touch, and those that touched you, will change the future. Most of the changes to a young boy’s life, or to a stranger you met in the jungle, you’ll never know. But rest assured that you HAVE made an impact and a difference in many lives, and in the Kingdom.
That’s something that He must get GREAT delight in doing! Watching as His children learn something new and important, just like WE delight in watching our children learn something new; like how soft a kitten’s fur is, or easy a tire will pop…

Thank you for being faithful and for following Him into the world!

Peace in Him,

Craig & Jane Yancey
St. James UMC – Tampa
Cyndy
March 12, 2013 at 3:54 pm

“Do you think the church should be involved in Haiti?”

Yes, I do!

Why?

How can a church, any church, ignore the Great Commission?

…four Gospels and in two — half — of those Gospels, Christ commands His disciples — and we who are also and now His disciples — to “GO!”

Matthew 28:19 — “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”

Mark 16: 15 — “He said to them, ‘Go into all the world and preach the Gospel to all creation.'”

Does God through His Holy Word demand and expect His Church to “Go!”?

Does He stipulate Haiti or Africa or Russia?

“…all the world,” He says.

“Should the church be involved in Haiti?”

If not Haiti, then where?

If not Haiti, then the church, this church, MUST be involved somewhere in “…all the world.”

“Should the church be involved in Haiti?”

Yes.

Why?

God chose Haiti for this church…God, through His Spirit touched and moved hearts, especially the heart of its pastor, to share Him and to serve Him in Haiti…God through His Spirit has guided and continues to guide hearts and hands, especially those of the pastor, in this church to “make disciples and make a difference” in Haiti…so for now and until He leads and inspires differently, this church, as did Christ “set His face to go to Jerusalem” MUST, in accordance with God’s Most Holy Word and Great Commission, “set its face to go to Haiti.”

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