The Journey Home

Continued from “From School Play to Broadway”

Photos by Matt Parks and Shannon Madara

As the sun rose on our last morning in Haiti, the pleasantly overcast skies we enjoyed for most of the trip vanished and made way for searing heat and humidity.  We roasted like corn in a popper as the “tap-tap” inched it’s way through the congested streets of Port-au-Prince.  

Our guides took us on a tour of the earthquake zone before delivering us to the airport.  Talk about exhausting!  It was stop and go for almost two hours on roads riddled with pot holes.  People yelled at us as we passed by and banged on the truck when we stopped.  We couldn’t look anywhere and not see the aftermath of this terrible disaster.  It was a lot to bare, especially after a tough week of serving.  

People had made homes on any piece of real estate they could find.  Beautiful public parks were converted to shabby tent cities.  

Highways were lined with shacks and other make-shift shelters.  

Their once magnificent National Cathedral was reduced to ruins.  

The Presidential Palace shared a similar fate.  Most of Haiti’s government officials died in the quake that day, leaving most of the country leaderless.  

UN peacekeepers patrolled the streets in an effort to maintain order.  

We took in as many sights as we could then headed toward the airport.   I was standing in the back holding onto an overhead railing when the truck came to a sudden and violent stop.  I felt an intense strain in my arm and shoulder muscles as my feet kicked out from under me and nearly hit the ceiling.  Most everyone else flew forward and landed in a pile on the floor.  

“What was that?” I yelled.

It felt like we smashed into the side of a building.  

“Is everyone all right?” 

I could see that people were bruised and scraped as they began to untangle themselves from the pile.  One of our students, Summer, smacked her head on the ground and suffered a concussion.  Everyone else was a bit shaken up, but OK.  Apparently a vehicle pulled out in front of us and nearly caused a collision.  If slamming on the breaks caused that big of a mess, I couldn’t imagine the mayhem of an actual accident.  

I was thankful everyone was alright, and amazed I was able to hang on!  It’s a good thing too.  Had I let go, I would have landed on the pile of people and probably caused greater injury.  One kid saw me fly up in the air and said I looked like Superman!  I’m definitely not superman and not even that strong.  It was God who allowed me to hold on.   

We pulled to the curb at the airport and began unloading.  I remembered my airport incident from the beginning of the week and had a plan ready in case of harassment.  As expected, the porters were there ready to snatch our luggage.  A couple other leaders and myself boxed out a space and handed the bags to our students individually.  The porters tried to take our luggage like before, but we were much more assertive in our refusals.  With all passengers and bags accounted for, we waived goodbye to our friends and headed back into insanity airport.  

I once again led the charge, having no idea of where to go or what to do.  It was chaos.  A blob of people pushed their way down a ramp and toward a metal detector.  Some of us made it through while others were got stuck on the ramp.  Despite being clueless, I must have looked like I was in charge.  An American military dude came up to me and asked me about our flight, how many travelers we had, and what group I was with.  I gave him all the info I could and he helped us get through the line.  We got our tickets and then negotiated about five more security check points.  

***

Earlier in the week, Dylan found this random prosthetic leg in a trash pile and brought it back to the compound.  

Oddly enough, the leg became like our mascot and all who were part of the mission signed it.  This thing had to come back with us.  Seriously, how many people return from a mission trip with a souvenir prosthetic leg?  We decided that this unique weirdness was worth saving, so we stashed it in an empty suitcase and brought it along. 

Now, I usually think of God as always being serious and having no tolerance for nonsense.  There are times in the Bible when He is definitely all business, but don’t forget that God created joking and laughter and fun.  Turns out, God wanted to reveal His humorous side to Dylan and myself at the airport.  

We entered a security check point and Dylan threw the case containing the leg on the inspection table.  When opened, the look on the guys face was priceless!  I’m sure he sees all kinds of strange things at his job, but I’d bet he never opened a suitcase containing nothing other then an fake old leg!  His look went from shocked to concern to confusion.  As he slowly inspected it, he eyed Dylan as if to ask, “Why in the world do you have this?”  Dylan’s cheese eating grin let the guy know it was gag, to which he smiled, shook his head, and moved us along.  It was a hysterical moment, just what we needed after our difficult tour.     

***

All of us made it to the terminal and aboard the flight home.    

Its crazy to think that a ticket and passport allowed us access to the wealthiest, freest country in the world.  We were riding in style back to our world of abundance.  I felt grateful to have been blessed with so much, even more so since we had witnessed such poverty.  We lived with minor inconveniences for a week, but most of these people will have to fight for survival everyday for the rest of their lives.  

I never knew how clean New York City was until I visited Port-au-Prince!  That was the first thing I noticed.  Seeing the city was like opening a present on Christmas morning.  It looked so fresh and new, as if it was built that very day.  

We enjoyed an evening view of the NYC skyline as our bus cruised back to Lancaster.  I felt like I was on another planet.  “Did all that really happen?” I asked myself.  It was hard for me to imagine that such suffering and poverty existed only 3 short hours away, but it did.  Now that I have seen I will never forget.  Never forget the people in the camps or the children who craved our attention.  Never forget that I have been given so much even when I complain that I have so little.  Never forget that “God (even in the midst of unexplainable tragedy) works for the good of those who love Him...” - Romans 8:28 

***

Haiti is a beautiful country and a land of opportunity.   Opportunity to be shaped into a great nation.  Yes, a lot of Haitians still need aid and the basic necessities for life.  The problem is they are stuck in a temporary, hand to mouth society.  If they are continuously getting by on handouts, what is their incentive to change?  Haiti needs infrastructure and education.  It needs vision and investment.  It needs leadership.  The right leaders could transform Haiti into one of the greatest nations on earth.  The potential is there, but who is willing to help make this a reality?

We did what we could, for our part.  We loved some kids, gave people the gift of sight, and introduced them to the love of Christ.  Those who supported us prayerfully and financially were part of that.  They helped fulfill our mission and made a way for many lives to be changed, including mine.  For this I thank you.  

I hope you have enjoyed “The Haiti Experience.”  I’ve given my best and most accurate account of what we have seen and done on this mission.  I pray that this isn’t the end of the story, but the beginning.  The beginning of new stories and new adventures.  The beginning of a mission focused life that didn’t just exist in Haiti, but anywhere I go.  Thank you for reading and please look forward to the telling of new adventures, coming soon... 

In Christ,

Adam Reed

Follow me on Twitter @MissionAnywhere to receive blog post notifications and snapshots of my everyday mission experience.

From School Play to Broadway

Continued from “Wielding My Strengths”

Photos by Matt Parks

Day two of VBS went way better then the first.  The loosening of the plan allowed it to flow freely, and helped position the children to be more receptive to our message.  This was partly due to our relaxed approach, but mostly God providing an environment for us to succeed.  Here are some of the things He did. 

He gave us music. 

 I originally wanted to include recored music in the program, but wrote it off because I didn’t think we’d have electricity.  One of our students, Justin, had offered to bring his acoustic guitar at a pre-trip meeting.  That idea was squashed because of airline bag restrictions.  I don’t know how, but he and our trip leader John made it to Haiti with their guitars.  I didn’t even know John played guitar!  

With help from the missionaries, these two put together a list of children's songs that would be familiar to us and Haitians.  Among them were “Father Abraham” and “This is the Day that the Lord has Made.”  They struggled to sing in English, but when we switched to their native Creole, the belted with confidence.  It was very cool to hear them sing in their own language.  

After that, students who lead groups in our children's ministry at church got on stage and performed some of their songs. 

Opening the show with singing was more effective then with a translated lecture.  The kids liked the music and were having fun.  We were off to a great start.  

I mentioned that Kyla and myself were the MC’s for day one and had to communicate through translators.  We kept these roles for teaching the Bible lesson, but God provided a new MC for the rest of the program.


He gave us Jonathan. 

Jonathan is a Haitian-American who was serving at NVM the same time we were.  Not only is he fluent in English and Creole, but he is great with kids.  We asked him to lead and he did like a champ! 

He was great to work with.  He bought into our program and added some elements of his own.  VBS would not have been the same without him.

 He gave us more translators.

Small group time went a lot better the second day because we actually had a translator for each group.  The kids were still rowdy, but we were better able to handle them.  We felt much more successful and knew that the next day would be the best yet!

The last day of VBS was incredible!  I spent less time on stage and more time running the show from behind the scenes.

I finally felt like I was in the role I was designed to play.  

We kept the changes from day two and added a lot more skits.  The first was an improv scene with a character we created called "Captain Peffley."

Caleb played this part beautifully.  The theme of the day was Jesus’ heart, and the Captain was there to show us love.  The kids didn’t know what to make of him at first, but Jonathan’s impromptu dialogue made for a hilarious show.  


After their scene we ran a series of drama's that portrayed Christ's love.  

The first was "King of Hearts."

With an explanation by Hannah.

This was followed by an encore of the "Everything Drama."

And an explanation by Jes.

These drama's were amazing, but the children’s favorite was the Doctor skit.  This is an old camp skit that they went absolutely crazy over.  

Sick patients come in to see the doctor.  The first comes in with a broken leg,

the second comes in itching,

and the third sneezing.

As the doctor sees each patient he contracts whatever ailment they had.  The last patient is a pregnant women, 

to which the doctor jumps up and runs out of the room.

When that happened, the kids went absolutely hysterical!

“Do it again!  Do it again!” They shouted.  So, we did it again!  

By this point the kids were very open and having a great time.  Some of them even joined us on stage.

 After that, Kyla got up front and told her story of how she was orphaned and God gave her a new home.  I can imagine her story resonated with a lot of these children.

One of the missionaries, Jim, ended the set by telling the Gospel story through magic tricks.  He explained to them several times that it wasn’t real magic and was only a trick.  The voodoo religion practices magic, and he didn’t want them to think his tricks came from some mystical power.  

The end of VBS was bittersweet.  I was glad that it was over, but was sad to say goodbye to the children.  After the final small group time, we walked them back to their village.  Everyone was holding the hand of at least one child.  Some of us were holding several.  No much was said, but we were still communicating.  We were communicating the hope and love that Jesus came to provide.  We hung out outside the orphanage and played with the kids until sunset.  

As we walked back to the compound, I reflected on the transformation of VBS.  It felt as if God had turned our “school play” into a broadway production.  It was so much better then I had envisioned, and give God credit for it.  He provided the music, the cast, and the script.  He was the director.  All I did was try to be obedient and allow Him to work His plan.  


I prayed that the kids got more then few a afternoons of entertainment and some free candy.  I prayed that that we somehow communicated that they were loved and significant and important.  I prayed that they would receive Christ and begin to live a new life.  I prayed for their freedom, both spiritually and from poverty.  

“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.  Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by the yolk of slavery.” Galatians 5:1

Just as VBS was transformed into something amazing, I prayed the same for their lives as well.  

Our mission was complete, but we still had a long road to travel.  I remembered how much of a struggle it was to get to Haiti, and the ordeal I faced at the airport.  Would that be repeated the next day?  I hoped not but knew it was possible.  The only thing to do now was pray and put one foot in front of the other.  

Coming soon...

“The Journey Home”

Follow me on Twitter @MissionAnywhere to receive blog post notifications and snapshots of my everyday mission experience.

Wielding My Strengths

Continued from "Sight to the Blind"


Photos by Matt Parks

A few yeas ago my employer started an initiative to build stronger store management teams.  The first step was for us to take a “Strength Finders” test.  These tests don’t necessarily reveal specific skill sets, but rather show what personality traits we possess that make us feel strong.  At first I thought this was a corporate attempt to pigeon hole us into roles deemed “suitable” by the test.  But after taking it, my entire perspective on management had changed.  

I used to focus on my staff’s weak areas and train them to improve those weaknesses.  Now that I understand strengths, I try to avoid assigning tasks in areas where they are weak, and instead look to make their strengths stronger.  This test also helped me understand the various lenses through which people think and view situations.  If I know someone’s strengths, I can better understand why they are responding in a particular way and adjust my approach accordingly.  

The results of my test were surprisingly accurate!  My top 5 are:

Responsibility

Strategic

Adaptability

Learner 

Belief

As I studied this list, I realized that strategic and adaptability are actually opposites.  At first I though, “Wow!  I have the best of both worlds!  I am so well rounded!  I can make a plan and if it doesn’t work, I can easily change!”  I laugh now because the more I look at how I am wired, the more I understand that these strengths often don’t work with each other, but against.  

The strategic part of me loves to analyze factors in an equation and develop an efficient plan to maximize results.  This strength expresses itself in my science background and operational positions at work.  The strategist in me hates when things don’t go as planned, but adapter loves it.  The adapter loves to think creatively in order to solve problems.  My artistic tendencies and love of surprises lend themselves to adaptability.  I’ve actually spent hours making a plan, then out of frustration for its ridged structure, trashed it and went ahead relying completely on improvisation.  In short, I AM CRAZY!  

Turns out, I would need both of these strengths to successfully lead the Vacation Bible School (VBS) program in Haiti.  

My Challenge:  To create a VBS program based on the children’s song “Be Careful Little Eyes,” and coordinate the production in Haiti.

The Factors:

-Produce three, two hour lessons to be taught over the corse of three days

-Teach lessons based on what Jesus did with His Feet, Hands, and Heart

-Accommodate 200-300 non-english speaking children, who ages we do not know

-Assume no electricity is available

-Size of the teaching area is unknown 

-Must divide kids into small groups to better facilitate activities

-Small group activities include a craft, game, and snack

-I’ve never coordinated VBS and haven’t been to one since I was about 12 years old

I took these factors, plugged them into my strategic brain, and developed a program I thought would be fun, entertaining, and inspirational.  The adaptive side of me knew it lacked some artistic creativity, but I figured the strategist would get me through.  The only thing to do now was set it to motion and pray that it would work out. 

VBS Day 1

We though it would be cool to decorate the school house to give it more of a festive feel.  

Pretty tacky I know, but hey, TIH!

We didn’t consider that even duct tape was no match for the high humidity, and our decorations fell almost as fast as we put them up.  After two hours of work, only these balloons were left.

We cleaned up the fallen party supplies and prepared for the children’s arrival.  

The program was to start at 2:00 PM, but by 2:15, there were only about 20 kids milling about.  “UMMM, where are the 200,” I muttered?  Apparently in Haitian culture, activities don’t necessarily begin at a specific time, but more so when everyone gets there.  The rush came around 2:30, and it took another several minutes to get them calmed down.  Finally, by 2:38 we were ready to begin.

Our team was nervous and I sensed that the kids were guarded.  They didn’t know what we were going to do and we didn’t know how they would react.  One of our students, Kyla, and myself were the MC’s for the show.  All of our words were spoke through translators.  Earlier that day I pictured use being smooth and savvy, delivering an exciting performance for the children who would hang on our every word.  It didn’t quite happen that way!  If speaking through the translator was repetitious and boring for me, I can’t imagine how it was for the kids.  

   

Despite the late start, we went through our lesson quicker then anticipated and had to scramble to keep their attention.  We couldn’t come up with much on the fly so we transitioned right into small groups.  Each child had a colored wrist band that corresponded to a group.  

There were suppose to be five groups, each accompanied by translator.  The problem was we only had two translators and a whole lot of rowdy kids.  Our trip leader John knows French, which is similar to Creole, so he translated the best he could.  Unfortunately, two groups were left without a translator and had to fend for themselves. 

  

The translators tried going back and forth between groups, but it was mostly chaos.  Our students lead the small groups, and despite the difficult situation made the best of it.

Most kids were manageable, that is until we started handing stuff out.  We were approved to give away craft supplies and candy because it was in a structured setting (laugh) and we had enough for everyone.  Treats are hard to come by in Haiti, and we didn’t expect the kids to be so aggressive.  The adult leaders had to patrol the groups and take away the treats if the kids got too out of hand.  

Everyone was pretty exhausted by the end of the session.  Our students were beat and we were all a little frustrated by the lack of communication and discipline.  It wasn’t a total loss, but I knew we could do better.  The strategist had put together a good framework, but didn’t quite have the depth.  We needed to bridge some gaps in order to connect with these children.  It was time to adapt.  

The leadership team got together that night and debriefed.  We prayed for direction and clarity on how to proceed with the next session.  I knew I needed to release control of my plan and allow Him to establish His plan.  As I looked around the room, I remembered what I had learned in Strength Finders.  There were seven other people there who possessed strengths, talents, and experience that far exceeded my weaknesses.  I felt God leading me to seek them for help.  “What do you guys think," I asked?

I grabbed a pen and paper and wrote as fast as the ideas flowed.  God brought His plan to us in a huge way.  By the end of the meeting, I felt our new strategy was 10 times stronger then the one we used a few hours earlier.  I let people cover my weaknesses and I covered theirs.  God was our leader and we were His team.   

 With renewed excitement, we went to bed eager to see what He would do with tomorrow’s VBS.  

 
Coming Soon...

"From School Play to Broadway"

Follow me on Twitter @MissionAnywhere to receive blog post notifications and snapshots of my everyday mission experience.