I began writing a series of columns this month about the Country of Haiti. I did so to highlight the 2 year anniversary of the earthquake that occurred on January 12, 2010. By writing this series I hope to engage a new group of people to see their role in making a difference in a country and for a people that so desperately need our help. In our world today we can find people on the street corner asking for help, people on the other end of the phone asking for help, people sitting in front of us at church asking for help, it just seems like everywhere one turns there is someone asking for help. I am not disagreeing at all with the assessment we see, feel, or have experienced. On the other hand I am agreeing with you totally that there are a lot of folks calling out for help. I believe that the bottom line truth is that because there are so many causes requesting help, pleading their case and asking for donations, we have become immune to the reality of the call. The biggest reason for the immune status is because we are also aware of the great waste and fraud of so many systems, programs and efforts. With good intentions we have set out to review and investigate people and programs before we contribute telling ourselves all along, “this is what God would have me to do”.
I appreciate reservation and investigation; it too has a proper place in the picture of things. There is also a proper place and time for immediate action and response. I think the worse excuse anyone can hear for not getting involved in the needs of people would be “let me pray about this”. Before you send off cards, letters and emails telling me you cannot believe I said it is an excuse to say “let me pray about this”, let us be very honest with the truth. Many times that expression is used to make one person feel spiritual or even better than another by giving the suggestion that after prayer we will have a decision about the question or need we see. Prayer is great if it is needed but there are many things that Christians do not need to pray about at all. To save a lot of words and character typing let me share this as the perfect example for “no prayer” required. Let us go and witness! Who was the last person you shared the Gospel with? I have heard many people request prayer in church prayer meetings on Wednesday and church services on Sunday for individuals by name that had never made a public profession of faith in Jesus Christ. We hear the prayer request but our prayers have no action other than these public words which other hear. Our prayers have no feet. Our prayers have no hands. Our prayers have no ears. Our prayers have no arms.
Haiti is a country where the people are living in shacks of plastic. Haiti is a country where its people have no safe water for bathing. Safe drinking water is not even in the Haitian vocabulary.
In the mountains of Southeastern Kentucky we all have an image of a shack. Our image is the same as those in Tennessee or anywhere that poverty has gained a strong hold. A rundown house could be one image with age having taken a toll creating a need for lots of repairs. In Haiti the affect of the earthquake left not only 300,000 plus killed by the quake, but thousands upon thousands homeless who now live in what is known the world over as “Tent Cities”. Plastic shacks are hard to explain but let me try. Image a plastic tarp that has been spread out to form a ceiling or a wall to protect those who call that location home. In “Tent City” it could be any number of individuals, from 5 to 10, all squeezing in together to call this type of living condition their home. No sanitation, no running water, no place to hang your clothing to dry, no place for a space to think, no protection from criminal activity life robbery , rape and yes murder. No way to protect any of your belongings, but lets us be very frank. In Haiti, your personal belongings most often you are wearing. There are no other possessions.
Testimonies are first person accounts of things witnessed. My testimony is very simple. Jesus Christ came into my heart and saved me from my sins. My testimony is very simple. Haiti is a country where the most basic gift of a towel or a bar of soap by us, makes a world of difference there. I want my testimony to by clear. I don’t even need to pray and ask God anything about this. It is clear. To whom much is given much is required.
Until then
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Thursday, January 19, 2012
Haiti - I am unprepared and changed forever by one single moment
The mention of the country Haiti brings what to your mind? It is easy to understand without some experience or attachment it is possible that nothing of impact comes to mind. We as American’s are a custom to not having an opinion or thought unless it affects us. This is not the recommended path I would suggest for anyone, but this is often sadly the way many live their lives. As a Minister of the Gospel since 1982, I have had the experience of many moments that I cannot shake from the memory of my mind involving people, and situations.
The most impacting moment of my life happened while I was in Haiti this past Thanksgiving 2011. Sometimes it is the unexpected that catches you so off guard and unprepared. It is for me not the lack of knowing what I was about to experience or see but rather the actual experience itself that touched my inner most being. I have been called by many families to attend to a hospital bedside or to an accident in an attempt to minister God’s love in a crisis. The biggest crisis many ministers attend to is during the hour or time of a death. The loss of a loved one, family member or friend can be challenging not just for those that loved and cared about the one deceased, but funerals are also significant challenges to ministers. Finding the right words to say is not always easy but I believe the most significant challenge for those leading such a service would be keeping their emotions in check.
While in Haiti serving our mission team had daily activities we were attempting to complete which included everything from feeding children, busting up rocks for new construction and our work as a team also included trips to different orphanages where we delivered food, conducted programs and loved on people. My moment of unpreparedness came when we visited the mass gravesite for the victims of the January 12, 2010 earthquake. I am not sure where I was or what I was doing when the announcement was made that we would be stopping at the mass gravesite but for whatever reason, I was caught off guard. I was at the front of the bus talking with our driver when he made the turn to go up a gravel road toward the mountainside. It was at that moment when I asked where we were going that I learned our destination. Here in American after the attack of 9-11 there has been millions of dollars spent building memorials to honor those that were killed. Not only millions of dollars but the projects have taken over 10 years to complete. All the dollars and time to honor 3,000 lives and what I was about to see was to honor over 300,000 lives. What I saw was what left me unprepared, and speechless.
In Haiti over 300,000 lost their lives in a single earthquake on that January afternoon and our bus made its way up a dusty gravel road that had no road markers, no road signs, and no monuments. There was no parking lot to get out of the bus and walk over to a viewing area that allowed for the hallowed ground to remain in a memorial state with honor and dignity. There was no historical marker describing what had happened, how the Government of Haiti had to dig a mass grave and that they placed the dead bodies of her citizens here as a final earthly resting place. No mention how the men, women, and children buried here had been removed from their homes, buildings and the streets and brought to this place as the government’s only solution to the staggering death toll from the quake. Yes, I was totally speechless to see only black wooden crosses that once stood lying on the ground. I was unprepared to know that cattle walked and grazed over this mass cemetery. There was no fence, there was no official marker to say anything….not a single word written to honor those that once lived and died because of the earthquake. Without thinking I took my camera out of my pocket and I began to take pictures, and honestly I found myself wanting to take 300,000 pictures, but I knew it wasn’t possible. I wanted to somehow honor the lives of those I was now standing over, looking at, and with my mind racing with the thoughts of a hundred cemeteries I had preached at and conducted services at, I knew this one was different and I would never be the same.
You may never have been to Haiti. You may not know or have ever met a single Haitian. You may think that what has happened over there is of no concern to you. You might have never thought for a second is there something you can do, but there is.
Until then
The most impacting moment of my life happened while I was in Haiti this past Thanksgiving 2011. Sometimes it is the unexpected that catches you so off guard and unprepared. It is for me not the lack of knowing what I was about to experience or see but rather the actual experience itself that touched my inner most being. I have been called by many families to attend to a hospital bedside or to an accident in an attempt to minister God’s love in a crisis. The biggest crisis many ministers attend to is during the hour or time of a death. The loss of a loved one, family member or friend can be challenging not just for those that loved and cared about the one deceased, but funerals are also significant challenges to ministers. Finding the right words to say is not always easy but I believe the most significant challenge for those leading such a service would be keeping their emotions in check.
While in Haiti serving our mission team had daily activities we were attempting to complete which included everything from feeding children, busting up rocks for new construction and our work as a team also included trips to different orphanages where we delivered food, conducted programs and loved on people. My moment of unpreparedness came when we visited the mass gravesite for the victims of the January 12, 2010 earthquake. I am not sure where I was or what I was doing when the announcement was made that we would be stopping at the mass gravesite but for whatever reason, I was caught off guard. I was at the front of the bus talking with our driver when he made the turn to go up a gravel road toward the mountainside. It was at that moment when I asked where we were going that I learned our destination. Here in American after the attack of 9-11 there has been millions of dollars spent building memorials to honor those that were killed. Not only millions of dollars but the projects have taken over 10 years to complete. All the dollars and time to honor 3,000 lives and what I was about to see was to honor over 300,000 lives. What I saw was what left me unprepared, and speechless.
In Haiti over 300,000 lost their lives in a single earthquake on that January afternoon and our bus made its way up a dusty gravel road that had no road markers, no road signs, and no monuments. There was no parking lot to get out of the bus and walk over to a viewing area that allowed for the hallowed ground to remain in a memorial state with honor and dignity. There was no historical marker describing what had happened, how the Government of Haiti had to dig a mass grave and that they placed the dead bodies of her citizens here as a final earthly resting place. No mention how the men, women, and children buried here had been removed from their homes, buildings and the streets and brought to this place as the government’s only solution to the staggering death toll from the quake. Yes, I was totally speechless to see only black wooden crosses that once stood lying on the ground. I was unprepared to know that cattle walked and grazed over this mass cemetery. There was no fence, there was no official marker to say anything….not a single word written to honor those that once lived and died because of the earthquake. Without thinking I took my camera out of my pocket and I began to take pictures, and honestly I found myself wanting to take 300,000 pictures, but I knew it wasn’t possible. I wanted to somehow honor the lives of those I was now standing over, looking at, and with my mind racing with the thoughts of a hundred cemeteries I had preached at and conducted services at, I knew this one was different and I would never be the same.
You may never have been to Haiti. You may not know or have ever met a single Haitian. You may think that what has happened over there is of no concern to you. You might have never thought for a second is there something you can do, but there is.
Until then
Friday, January 13, 2012
Haiti - Remember Jan 12, 2010 to make a difference in 2012 (Article 1)
November 2011 marked my return to the Country of Haiti. This was my third visit and my first visit since the catastrophic earthquake that occurred on Tuesday, January 12, 2010. I have had the privilege to serve as a visiting missionary to several different countries in the world. There is no greater experience to participate on a mission team or to lead a group with the focused purpose of going to serve people in the name of Jesus Christ. My first two visits to Haiti were eye opening experiences. Yes, I saw poverty, yes I saw great need. The worse experience was to see with my eyes a country whose political leadership served not the people but themselves. Those first two visits revealed the citizens of Haiti struggling for the most basic of human needs.
My visit the week of Thanksgiving 2011 placed me personally at a loss for words, and even now I struggle with this series of columns I am compelled to write regarding Haiti. It was at 4:53pm 2 years ago this month that a 7.0 magnitude earthquake devastated the Capital City of Port-Au-Prince and the surrounding area that extended over 18 miles. I want you to understand that I thought Haiti was in dire straights before the earthquake of January 12th. It is very difficult to describe in words what happen to the people of Haiti, their homes, and their families much less describe for you what it did to the infrastructure of their Country. One thing that you must know is that Country of Haiti needs the help of the Government of the United States and the Citizens of Haiti we as individuals must help without any delay! I am beginning with this column a series regarding my experience in Haiti, what you can do to help, and by highlight the needs of Haitians I pray we as individuals, churches, families, and companies of the “world of citizens” will be called to into action.
We must understand the basics of the history of Haiti and we must look at the facts surrounding this devastating event of 2010 as we begin this journey. You maybe surprised to know that Haiti is the world’s oldest black republic and the oldest republics in the Western Hemisphere. Christopher Columbus visited the island in December of 1492. The slaves of Haiti rose up and fought for their freedom and the people won their independence from slavery and gave birth to a Nation in 1792. That year should ring a bell for Kentuckians because it was also the year that the Commonwealth of Kentucky was born and joined the Union of the United States of America. It is hard to look at Haiti today and realize they were once the leader of black independence as a Nation and once they were also the wealthiest black Nation on the earth. Today, Haiti is one of the poorest and least developed countries in the world. The down fall of Haiti from her historically rich history comes at the hand of wicked leaders who served themselves and who even pledged and dedicated Haiti to the devil and the country is surrounded with the practice of Voodoo even today.
The earthquake on the 12th day of January 2010 continued with over 50 aftershocks for several days. The quake left over 300,000 who laid dead on the streets, sidewalks, in their homes, and yes, even in the Capital Building of Haiti. 300,000 more were injured with absolutely no medical help and over 1,000,000 (1 Million) people found themselves immediately homeless. It is estimated over 30,000 businesses, commercial buildings, including the Capital Building housing Haiti’s Government, not to mention the Embassy of the United States of America. Today Haiti is the home to over 500,000 orphans. On my mission experience I saw many orphans first hand. There were in villages, and in schools. These were considered lucky, even if that meant one or two adults attempting to care for 15 or even 30 kids who had literally no one else.
It was these things that I witnessed and these facts which cause me today to invite you to journey with me to Haiti through this column. Come walk with me through this series of columns in January. I am confident you will see at least one way you can help make a real difference right from where you are, while some of you will make the real journey with me to there.
Until then
My visit the week of Thanksgiving 2011 placed me personally at a loss for words, and even now I struggle with this series of columns I am compelled to write regarding Haiti. It was at 4:53pm 2 years ago this month that a 7.0 magnitude earthquake devastated the Capital City of Port-Au-Prince and the surrounding area that extended over 18 miles. I want you to understand that I thought Haiti was in dire straights before the earthquake of January 12th. It is very difficult to describe in words what happen to the people of Haiti, their homes, and their families much less describe for you what it did to the infrastructure of their Country. One thing that you must know is that Country of Haiti needs the help of the Government of the United States and the Citizens of Haiti we as individuals must help without any delay! I am beginning with this column a series regarding my experience in Haiti, what you can do to help, and by highlight the needs of Haitians I pray we as individuals, churches, families, and companies of the “world of citizens” will be called to into action.
We must understand the basics of the history of Haiti and we must look at the facts surrounding this devastating event of 2010 as we begin this journey. You maybe surprised to know that Haiti is the world’s oldest black republic and the oldest republics in the Western Hemisphere. Christopher Columbus visited the island in December of 1492. The slaves of Haiti rose up and fought for their freedom and the people won their independence from slavery and gave birth to a Nation in 1792. That year should ring a bell for Kentuckians because it was also the year that the Commonwealth of Kentucky was born and joined the Union of the United States of America. It is hard to look at Haiti today and realize they were once the leader of black independence as a Nation and once they were also the wealthiest black Nation on the earth. Today, Haiti is one of the poorest and least developed countries in the world. The down fall of Haiti from her historically rich history comes at the hand of wicked leaders who served themselves and who even pledged and dedicated Haiti to the devil and the country is surrounded with the practice of Voodoo even today.
The earthquake on the 12th day of January 2010 continued with over 50 aftershocks for several days. The quake left over 300,000 who laid dead on the streets, sidewalks, in their homes, and yes, even in the Capital Building of Haiti. 300,000 more were injured with absolutely no medical help and over 1,000,000 (1 Million) people found themselves immediately homeless. It is estimated over 30,000 businesses, commercial buildings, including the Capital Building housing Haiti’s Government, not to mention the Embassy of the United States of America. Today Haiti is the home to over 500,000 orphans. On my mission experience I saw many orphans first hand. There were in villages, and in schools. These were considered lucky, even if that meant one or two adults attempting to care for 15 or even 30 kids who had literally no one else.
It was these things that I witnessed and these facts which cause me today to invite you to journey with me to Haiti through this column. Come walk with me through this series of columns in January. I am confident you will see at least one way you can help make a real difference right from where you are, while some of you will make the real journey with me to there.
Until then
Friday, January 6, 2012
Scripture Selection 2012 - 2 Peter 1:3
With the arrival if each New Year all the talk is about resolutions, goals and plans. As a minister I have experience many great moments that have changed my life. Serving the Kentucky Baptist Convention as the Collegiate Campus Minister at Union College in Barbourville provided for one of those lives changing moments. I led a group of students one year to a conference where we heard David Nasser speak. He challenge was in the area of memorization of God’s word. He question to us as participates was how much to we have memorized and his assumption was that most Christians have very little of God’s word memorized. I focused on his challenge and thought about all the folks I know that study God’s word. In conversation sometimes you will hear people say, “This is my life verse”, and it refers to a verse of scripture that is their go to verse for motivation and vision. My life verse is Acts 4:12. It sums up for me all the courage I need to keep pressing forward and to believe.
Accepting David’s challenge for me involved a yearly focus on a particular scripture. One verse to think about every day, to memorize, to learn about and from this focus be able to apply it to my personal life and the situations I see others facing. Deciding to select a yearly verse of scripture to focus on each year has made a huge difference in my life. I’ve always had a sermon ready to go at the drop of a hat, but from this intense focus and study I have learned how to have a more direct conversation and application of God’s word. Learning the situation of the scripture, what the motivations were and how it relates to other scriptures, has allowed me many opportunities.
The first opportunity is one that affords me knowledge to help others. Now I certainly don’t know all the answers, but I’ve learned in life that if you start with the right foundation, you success rate will be higher than just guessing in the dark. I have learned that life is very short and we really don’t have a lot of time to figure things out the hard way. I accept the experiences from others as my learning tools too. Helping others has always been a number one focus in my life. Personally I accept the experiences of my life, including the hard knocks and easy runs as long as that experience is one I can use to help others. Being able to identify is important in some circumstances, but having a clear direction to turn to is an important step.
The second opportunity is all about me. Yes, I just wrote that I want to help others, but the most difficult lesson in life is that in order to help others, you must first examine yourself. Removing the “mote” from our eye, or correcting the mistakes allows us a clean slate to work from, and that is the most important step. Studying scripture allows me the opportunity to let God’s word change me. It gives me the opportunity to learn more about Him. His ways and His methods. I experienced tremendous growth in my Christian walk when I first realized that something’s I thought were in the Bible were not! Discovering what Jesus really said and did opened up the flood gates of learning compared to the often practiced method by many to just listen to what the preacher said and do what everyone else is doing.
I have been participating in a small church group study of God’s word for the past 4 years. We meet on Wednesday and are hosted in a different home. Our focus is on the previous Sunday sermon with questions designed to challenge and get the thinking block going. Every two weeks a friend of mine leads a Bible study on Tuesday and the practice of that meeting is a verse by verse scripture study. Two months ago I joined a study group that meets the first Monday of every month. This small group has committed to complete the P2A (Passion to Action) study. It is all about discovering God’s heart, your purpose and how to best serve others. It has been quite a challenge I must tell you. It requires 45 minutes per lesson and that is an intense 45 minutes too. In one of our studies I ran across a verse of scripture that after reading it I immediately knew it should be my 2012 Scripture of the Year.
2 Peter 1:3 “According to His divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him that hath called us to glory and virtue”.
Until then
Accepting David’s challenge for me involved a yearly focus on a particular scripture. One verse to think about every day, to memorize, to learn about and from this focus be able to apply it to my personal life and the situations I see others facing. Deciding to select a yearly verse of scripture to focus on each year has made a huge difference in my life. I’ve always had a sermon ready to go at the drop of a hat, but from this intense focus and study I have learned how to have a more direct conversation and application of God’s word. Learning the situation of the scripture, what the motivations were and how it relates to other scriptures, has allowed me many opportunities.
The first opportunity is one that affords me knowledge to help others. Now I certainly don’t know all the answers, but I’ve learned in life that if you start with the right foundation, you success rate will be higher than just guessing in the dark. I have learned that life is very short and we really don’t have a lot of time to figure things out the hard way. I accept the experiences from others as my learning tools too. Helping others has always been a number one focus in my life. Personally I accept the experiences of my life, including the hard knocks and easy runs as long as that experience is one I can use to help others. Being able to identify is important in some circumstances, but having a clear direction to turn to is an important step.
The second opportunity is all about me. Yes, I just wrote that I want to help others, but the most difficult lesson in life is that in order to help others, you must first examine yourself. Removing the “mote” from our eye, or correcting the mistakes allows us a clean slate to work from, and that is the most important step. Studying scripture allows me the opportunity to let God’s word change me. It gives me the opportunity to learn more about Him. His ways and His methods. I experienced tremendous growth in my Christian walk when I first realized that something’s I thought were in the Bible were not! Discovering what Jesus really said and did opened up the flood gates of learning compared to the often practiced method by many to just listen to what the preacher said and do what everyone else is doing.
I have been participating in a small church group study of God’s word for the past 4 years. We meet on Wednesday and are hosted in a different home. Our focus is on the previous Sunday sermon with questions designed to challenge and get the thinking block going. Every two weeks a friend of mine leads a Bible study on Tuesday and the practice of that meeting is a verse by verse scripture study. Two months ago I joined a study group that meets the first Monday of every month. This small group has committed to complete the P2A (Passion to Action) study. It is all about discovering God’s heart, your purpose and how to best serve others. It has been quite a challenge I must tell you. It requires 45 minutes per lesson and that is an intense 45 minutes too. In one of our studies I ran across a verse of scripture that after reading it I immediately knew it should be my 2012 Scripture of the Year.
2 Peter 1:3 “According to His divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him that hath called us to glory and virtue”.
Until then
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