Mission Anywhere: September 2011

Sunday, September 18, 2011

Chasing Chickens

(Continued from “YEAH!!! WE MADE IT!!! WE’RE ON A MISSION TRIP!!! OK...Now What Do We Do?”)

We woke up the first morning feeling somewhat recovered from the previous days travel. Fortunately, we were in for a treat: The best breakfast we had all week!

Don't Laugh! These eggs were fresh and delicious, collected from these chickens...

...that morning. The meal was prepared by our amazing gourmet chef

and some awesome Haitian ladies.

With full bellies, we began the day with some devotion time

and band practice.

Our work for the day was to help improve operations within the compound. This would benefit our hosts plus give us time to get acclimated. We would need it before leaving the safety of NVM and venturing out to the surrounding villages.

Three work teams were formed and assigned to various areas:

Team Jungle

Team Wear House Attack

Team Green Thumb

TEAM JUNGLE

The Jungle is what the NVM staff affectionately called their scrap pile.

Organizing this mess was an important job. To me it just looked like a pile of junk, but a lot of these materials were used for construction around the compound. There aren't too many big box hardware stores in Haiti (none in fact) so just about everything has a use.

Our task was to tame the Jungle by:

1. Cutting back the overgrown acacia thorns
2. Organize the junk into usable piles

3. Make them skid loader accessible

*Bonus - Build boxes to store smaller, lose pieces

As the sun rose and sweat begin to bead, we set upon our task with vigor.

Marching Orders

The Vision

Jared is All Business!

Joel Steele - Showing off the Guns!

Seems like fairly routine manual labor, doesn't it? To some extent maybe, but lets not forget the "Haiti Factor."

There were wasps; very large wasps that had made their homes among the pallets. As soon as we stared flipping them over an ariel battle ensued. Fortunately, we had an industrial strength, mega bug fogger that downed those wasps quicker then rain from heaven.

One kid (I think it was Drake) got sliced by a sharp piece of metal and had to go to the med clinic.

I and few others had acacia thorns pierce the souls of our shoes and draw blood from our feet. Chris, one of our leaders, got it the worst. He tramped down on a nail that penetrated deep into his heel.

Oh, how I wish these were the worst of our foes, but there was one much more sinister. One that would bring even the mightiest warrior to their knees: Rotten Eggs!

I can't even begin to tell you how horribly these things stank! Most of the chickens were contained in the pen, but there were some free rangers pecking about. Their eggs stood no chance against the punishing Caribbean sun...and they were everywhere! They were so bloated with putrid methane that they would pop when we stepped on them. The smell induced gagging which definitely impeded our work.

These were tough conditions but we pressed on, determined to complete our mission. Most of us worked on tasks 1-3, but John and his crew had a special place in their hearts for the bonus.

Those guys probably built 5 or 6 really nice storage boxes out of scrap wood most people would discard here in the States.

Don't think the Jungle was tamed by men alone. Courtney and Ashley lugged around as much junk as anyone, plus made sure we all stayed hydrated!

Nice Job Ladies!

Seeing an opportunity for redemption, Dylan Musser chased down one of the rotten eggs perpetrators and brought her to justice (well, maybe not bring to justice, but it was still pretty cool that he caught it)!

Rocky Who?!

We didn't get everything accomplished that first day, but we made good progress. I don't think I've ever seen a group of high schoolers work so hard under such adverse conditions. No one complained and everyone pitched in to help. Even those who were injured got bandaged up and came right back into the game. Their efforts were an inspiration to us leaders, and the NVM staff as well.

We laughed and joked as we headed back to the inner compound. We knew we had a crazy day and couldn't wait to hear how the other teams made out.

(Photos provided courtesy of Dylan Musser & Matt Parks)

Coming Soon...
Dead Mice and Mud Fights

??? Haiti Trivia ???
What nation is located on the same island as Haiti?

*Post your answer in the comment section below*

Sunday, September 11, 2011

YEAH!!! WE MADE IT!!! WE’RE ON A MISSION TRIP!!! OK...Now What Do We Do?

(Continued from “One for the Bucket List”)

The other day my friend Sohail asked me, “What was your mission in Haiti?” I had several thoughts but chose to answer, “Well, it was sort of multilevel. For the leaders, I believe our mission was to create an environment where our students could serve the Haitians to the best of their ability. We mostly took care of them as they took care of the people. The leaders set the example, but our focus was the student experience.”

He looked at me with puzzled expression and said, “It seems like your mission was to provide your students with the best opportunity for them. If thats the case, what was in it for the Haitians?” I was on my heels. “Thats a really good question,” I though. “I mean, we conducted vision clinics, showed people they are loved, and shared how Christ has changed our lives.” These were certainly key elements of the mission, but I could tell my answer didn’t sit well with him...or me. I needed to go deeper. “Seriously”, I thought “what’s in it for them?”

At our first meeting, John (our youth pastor), told us that some youth missions are in fact fluff. Students basically embark on a “missions vacation” where they travel to an exotic local, are immersed in the culture, and work on a busy project like building onto a random wall. The participants want to make a difference, and appreciate the life change, but locals really don’t receive much of anything. They just get another few feet of wall.

This was a huge shock to me. I thought all mission work achieved the ultimate good. What’s the harm in people sacrificing time and money traveling to impoverished areas to help people in need? Or experiencing a spiritual, emotional, and physical stretching that leads to greater humility? What about the renewed sense of gratitude they take back to their community which inspires them to make a difference? These are all awesome things! Workers of good will are always saying they received more then they gave. But what about those who were supposedly helped? How did they benefit?

John assured us that our missions work would amount to more then a tub of marshmallow. We would be meeting real needs for real people which would open opportunities to share the Gospel. Our partner organizations on the ground are well established and have strong relationships with the indigenous communities. They didn’t need to “make” work for us. We would have plenty to keep us busy.

As I stated earlier, our partner was Nehemiah Vision Ministries (NVM), a Haitian organization founded by a man named Pastor Pierre. In order to understand our mission, you need to understand their mission, and the mission of Nehemiah.

Nehemiah was an Israelite living in the Persian Empire sometime around 450 BC. He was the kings cupbearer, a honorable position in the royal administration. One day, Nehemiah’s brother came to visit him and told him of Jerusalem’s condition,

“Those who survived the exile and are back in the province are in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and it’s gates have been burned with fire.” (Nehemiah 1:3 NIV)

Jerusalem was the cultural, historic, and religious center of the Jewish world. It’s wall served as a vault that safeguarded the nations identity and heritage. Without this barrier, it was susceptible to attack or worse, cultural dilution. The fate of the Jews as a sovereign people depended on the preservation of Jerusalem. In order for this to happen, the wall had to be rebuilt.

Upon hearing the news that his nation was in jeopardy, Nehemiah did what any great leader should do when facing a crisis, he prayed:

“LORD, the God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and keep his commandments, let your ear be attentive and your eyes open to hear the prayer your servant is praying before you day and night for your servants, the people of Israel. I confess the sins we Israelites, including myself and my father’s family, have committed against you. We have acted very wickedly toward you. We have not obeyed the commands, decrees and laws you gave your servant Moses.”

“Remember the instruction you gave your servant Moses, saying, ‘If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the nations, but if you return to me and obey my commands, then even if your exiled people are at the farthest horizon, I will gather them from there and bring them to the place I have chosen as a dwelling for my Name.’”

They are your servants and your people, whom you redeemed by your great strength and your mighty hand. Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of this your servant and to the prayer of your servants who delight in revering your name. Give your servant success today by granting him favor in the presence of this man.” (Nehemiah 1:5-11 NIV)

It is this prayer that Pastor Pierre would pray for his people and for Haiti. It is what would lead him to start NVM.

Nehemiah went to the king, told him the news of Jerusalem, and asked for his blessing to rebuild. He was so well respected that the king granted him leave of his position, and gave him the resources he would need. Using his tenacious leadership ability, Nehemiah rallied his people to move forward with the project.

Although approved by the ruler of the empire, Israel still faced opposition. The nations surrounding Jerusalem did not want to see the city restored, so they fiercely attacked the builders. With unwavering resolve, Nehemiah gave the charge to continue building, to the point of “doing their work with one hand and holding a weapon in the other.” (Nehemiah 4:17 NIV). With God’s help and through tremendous faith and determination, the Jews completed the wall in a mere 52 days.

One can see the parallel between this story and Pastor Pierre’s vision for Haiti. A country destroyed. It’s people scattered. Their spirits broken. They need help, not only rebuilding their country but their lives as well. Their identity, in Christ and as Haitians must be restored. That is the purpose of NVM, and our mission to support.

That (we hoped) is what was in it for them.

With the vision cast, we were ready. Ready to do the work needed to bring about true life change, both for us, and for those we would meet.

To learn more about NVM, check out there website at:

http://www.nehemiahvisionministries.org/

Countryside
Photo by Matt Parks

Friendly Skies
Photo by Matt Parks

Hitchin' a Ride
Photo by Matt Parks

Morning Stroll
Photo by Matt Parks

Road to Chambrun
Photo by Matt Parks

Coming Soon...

Chasing Chickens

???Take Time To Think???

Have you ever been on a mission trip?

**Add your name and where you’ve been to the comment section below**

Sunday, September 4, 2011

One for the Bucket List

(Continued from “Please Tell Me We are Riding in that Crazy Truck!”)

The stresses of Part-au-Prince left me as we passed its limits and entered the peaceful countryside. I’ve always felt comfortable in rural areas, even if unfamiliar. Rural Haiti was no exception. It reminded me of Arizona with it’s dry soil, mountainous terrain, and abundant cacti. Farm animals wallowed in drainage ditches while mouse sized lizards scurried about. People traveling to and from the capital playfully honked at us as they passed by.

Our destination was Nehemiah Vision Ministries (NVM), the organization we partnered with for this mission. Their property is referred to as “The Compound” and I could see why. There were two entrances, both guarded by men with shot guns. The outer perimeter was lined with cattle fencing and boarded by a deep drainage ditch. These security measures are precautionary, as the have yet to be victims of assault or robbery. Most of the people in surrounding villages are protective of NVM and respect the rules laid down by it’s founder, Pastor Pierre. Anything can happen though, and they don’t want to take any chances.

Inside the gate is a space called the outer perimeter. This is where the majority of the ministries’ operations take place. There is a church, school, health clinic, warehouse, maintenance yard, office, and various new construction projects. Local children are freely allowed to use the playground and dirt soccer field at the school. Adults, other then those employed by NVM, are only permitted inside for church, public gatherings, or to the clinic by escort.

Proceed through the outer space and to the inner perimeter. This is the living area for NVM’s staff, missionaries, and volunteers. It was a lot nicer then I expected. All of the buildings inside the inner fence were air conditioned and had filtered water.

The men’s and women’s dorms could probably house about 50 people each. There were about 30 in the men’s dorm that week, so we had plenty of space to spread out. The bath houses were insulated and the best refuge from the blazing heat. The showers were a bit cold, but clean, a rarity in the third world. It felt a little cushy, but I was not complaining. The accommodations were excellent for a first timers mission trip.

The food, well, it was amazing! It’s a miracle really. I would never have guessed that a professional chef from Florida would be serving in their kitchen the same week as us! He took their limited resources and used them to prepare exceptional meals. We ate well, and I was thankful. Eating good meals after many physically and emotionally exhausting days really helped to keep us motivated.

After unloading the tap-tap and settling in, we broke into teams and went on a photo scavenger hunt. We explored, took pictures of staff members, and got better acquainted with the property. Communicating was difficult, but we did the best we could to interact with local workers and children.

We finished the hunt around 6 PM and I was exhausted. I had been up since 1 AM and was soon ready to crash. As my group walked back to the dining hall, we met three Haitian boys running around on the dirt field. They came over to us and started asking us for stuff. We were instructed not to give them anything but they persisted. Most of us kept walking by, but a few of our boys and myself stayed behind to talk to them.

Somehow a soccer ball got thrown into the mix and their attention immediately diverted to kicking it around. Once our boys joined them I knew what would happen next. I was hungary, tired, in flip-flops, and the last thing I wanted to do was start a soccer game. “Seriously Adam, how many times are you going to get a chance to play soccer with Haitians kids in Haiti, I though?”

So there I was, in flip flops playing soccer with American high schoolers and barefoot Haitian kids on a rocky, dirt field. As the sun began to set, I stopped playing for a moment to take it all in. The laughter of the kids, the desert like terrain, and the gritty dirt under my feet brought me to a reality I’ve never experienced before. “I am a missionary, I though. This is a good day. One for the bucket list.”

With the cool breeze in my face and clear light giving way to ambient blue, I stopped my muse and returned to the game for one last play.