Lunch Date

Today after church, two Haitian girls from our youth group asked if they could come over for lunch after church.  Their names are Djaminta (15 years old) and Tabita (17 years old), and they are sisters.  I was thrilled because I had just been thinking about how I wanted to get to know the girls in the youth group better.  However since I am leaving the country Friday, I don't have much food at my house right now.  I suggested that I treat them to Epid'or instead.

Epid'or is kind of the Haitian equivalent of a fast food-ish restaurant.  They serve pizza, sandwiches, Haitian food, ice cream and other desserts.  So, the girls and I caught a tap-tap and headed to Epid'or.  We were there for almost two hours just eating, hanging out, and talking.  It was nice to spend some time with them outside of the youth group setting.  They are pretty shy and both speak basic English, so our conversations were a mixture of English and Creole.  It was fun getting to know them better and talking about Jesus.  They shared some of their desires for worship and outreach within the youth group.  It was very encouraging to hear that what they are learning from church and youth group is carrying over into their everyday life.

My time with them was nothing exciting or out of the ordinary, but I was really blessed.  I thank God for the opportunity to spend time with the girls, and I am excited to continue to get to know them better.

Fete Noel

Friday was the big day that both the students and teachers have been looking forward to and preparing for......THE CHRISTMAS PARTY!

The students were unaware that Friday would be the big Christmas party at the school.  That is, until they arrived and saw over 200 gifts under the Christmas tree!  Their excitement was contagious and brought back memories of all my childhood Christmases.  As you can imagine, it was very difficult for the kids to contain their excitement enough to sit down and eat breakfast.

After breakfast, the kids all gathered for flag, prayer, worship, and Christmas carols.



While the kids were still singing, I sliped away to put on the SANTA SUIT, complete with a pillow for a belly and an itchy white beard.  When the kids were finished singing, the teachers walked them back to the other side of the school where they found me, Tonton Noel, sitting beside the Christmas tree.  (Notice the fan beside me...Santa suits are NOT meant to be worn in the Caribbean!)

The kids called me Papa Noel, Pen Noel, and Tonton Noel, all Haitian names for Santa.



Starting with pre-k and working our way to 8th grade, each student came to the Christmas tree to open his or her gifts and pose for a picture.

After the students received their gifts, they returned to their classrooms to try on their new clothes and play with their toys.  Needless to say it was a little crazy here!

pre-k

kindergarten

Kindergarten and Pre-K students 

After lunch, the students all came together again for the talent show performance.  Each class has been practicing their songs and dances for the past month.  Mr. Nickson and I were the judges.  The winning class (TBA) will receive a prize on Monday.



After the performances, all the students lined up for a "fashion show" so that they could show off their new clothes!  The show was started off by Mr. Nickson and then each of the teachers followed.  The kids chanted my name until I "strutted my stuff" for them.  Thankfully it did not get photographed or filmed!

None of our students were shy while walking down the runway.  Even the pre-k showed off their moves. I have not laughed that hard in a long time.  Unfortunately, both my camera and video camera batteries died before the fashion show so I was only able to get a few seconds on film.



Despite being completely exhuasted by the end of the day, Mr. Nickson and I had a great time with the students.

Give me your eyes

Earlier this week, I was reading in Acts chapter three. One day, Peter and John were going to the temple to pray at the 3 o'clock prayer service. On their way in, they saw a crippled man. This man was carried to the temple gate called Beautiful each day so that he could beg from the people that were going inside. In verse three it says that when the man saw Peter and John about to go inside, he asked them for some money.

Now, let me just pause the story there. As I read this, I immediately thought about how similar it sounds to my life here in Haiti. How many times have I been stopped in the street by people asking for money? How many times have I seen the same women laying or sitting on the sidewalk with their hand outstretched as I pass by? How many times have street children begged for money at the car window as I am sitting in traffic? Too many times to count. It is a daily occurrence.

I am going to be honest, I've gotten used to it. It is so common that it no longer tugs at my heart strings each time I hear someone ask me for money or food. In fact, I find myself annoyed more often than I find myself feeling compassionate. Some days, I just want to be able to run my errands and get things done without being stopped for money. I hate feeling guilty when I tell someone, “No, I'm not going to give you money.” You see, after being here long enough to get some understanding of the country, I've realized that not everyone that asks for food and money actually needs it. I've realized that giving hand outs to everyone that asks, does not always help. Part of the problem in this country is that people have become too dependent on foreigner's handouts. However, realizing this also poses a problem. In the Bible is says to give to those who ask, and don't turn away from those who want to borrow. So, does that mean that I should give to every person that asks? Or, do I only give to those that truly need? And, if I only give to those that truly need, how to I judge their need? You see how this gets complicated?

I realized that I have been taking the easy way out lately. Instead of trying to figure out the answers to these questions, I have just been ignoring them and avoiding the people that cause me to think about these things. I've ignored the kids that knock on the car windows and I've passed by beggars while trying not to make eye contact. It is easier than trying to figure out how to help each person that I come in contact with. But, I so quickly forget that I did not come to Haiti so that I could have an easy life.

As I thought and reflected on all of this, I realized something. When it says to “give to those who ask...” it does not say to “give people whatever they ask for”. We are simply to give. That is exactly what Peter and John did in Acts chapter three. If you remember, it said that they were on their way into the 3 o'clock prayer service. Now unless they were there extra early, I'm sure that they did not have a lot of time to waste talking to beggars outside the temple. The service was probably about to start in a few minutes but, despite the fact that it might make them late for their meeting, they stopped for the crippled man.

When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for some money. Peter and John looked at him intently, and Peter said, “Look at us!” The lame man looked at them eagerly, expecting some money. But Peter said, “I don't have any silver or gold for you. But I'll give you what I have. In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene get up and walk!” Then, Peter took the lame man by the right hand and helped him up. And as he did, the man's feet and ankles were instantly healed and strengthened. He jumped up, stood on his feet, and began to walk! Then, walking, leaping, and praising God, he went into the temple with them.

The crippled man asked for money. Unlike me, Peter and John did not shrug him off to go into their meeting. They stopped for him, and they gave him something much better than money. They gave him healing simply by taking the time to pray for him.

How many opportunities have I missed because I did not take the time to stop? How many people are begging for money when really, deep down they are begging for an encounter with God? Because I am in too much of a hurry, because I don't want to be inconvenienced, or because people might laugh at the “blanc” praying for someone in the street, I don't stop.

It only takes a minute to pray for someone and it costs nothing, but it requires boldness, faith, and obedience.  Lord, give me boldness. Give me your eyes to see people the way that you see them. Let me love them like you do. Change this hardened heart.  I am praying the lyrics of this song by Brandon Heath.

All those people going somewhere

Why have I never cared?

Give me your eyes for just one second

Give me your eyes so I can see

Everything that I keep missing

Give me your love for humanity

Give me your arms for the brokenhearted

The ones that are far beyond my reach

Give me your heart for the ones forgotten

Give me your eyes so I can see

I been here a million times

A couple of million eyes just moving past me by

I swear I never thought that I was wrong

Well, I want a second glance

So give me a second chance

To see the way you see the people all alone

Give me your eyes for just one second

Give me your eyes so I can see

Everything that I keep missing

Give me your love for humanity

Dust City

I've decided that during dry season, Port-au-Prince should be temporarily named "Dust City".  The funny thing is that PAP is always very dusty.  But, it only gets worse during dry season.  I've especially noticed it because of the location of my classroom.

As I've mentioned before, my classroom is kind of "outdoors".  Basically, it is on a porch.  On the opposite side of the wall is a dirt road.  My lungs have been taking a beating.  Yesterday it was breezy and each time a car would drive by, a visible cloud of dust would blow into my classroom.  My students and I were coughing all day long.  Keeping things clean in my classroom is virtually impossible.  I've realized that the dust is an unstoppable force....I just hope my lungs survive!

Oh, Christmas Tree

After a little "street shopping" I bought a big palm plant.  It's not quite the same as a Christmas tree, but its better than nothing!