Lessons from Haiti {Part 2}
Acts 15:4
Big Idea: This is a 4 part motivational report I gave to the congregation after a Sabbatical trip to Haiti; it includes 7 transferable insights.
When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and the apostles and elders, to whom they reported everything God had done through them. (Acts 15:4)
Intro:
On January 12, 2010 Haiti was rocked by a catastrophic 7.0 earthquake. Within the next few days least 52 aftershocks measuring 4.5 or greater had been recorded.
An estimated three million people were affected by the quake; the Haitian government reported
• 316,000 people had died,
• 300,000 had been injured
• 1,000,000 made homeless
• 250,000 homes were destroyed
• 30,000 commercial buildings were destroyed
The damage is beyond our imagination. Things we take for granted were lost.
• The communication system was in ruins – no one could call in or out
• Electricity was unavailable
• The airport was destroyed
• The ports were rendered inoperable.
• The underground infrastructure was obliterated
* The sewage system was destroyed
* The water system was destroyed
The world immediately began to offer aid.
• The U.N. and the west immediately repaired the airport so help could get in.
• They also repaired the ports so ships could dock and bring aid, etc.
• They set up a patchwork of electricity.
Some things have yet to be repaired.
• The sewage system
• Running water
• Electricity is shut off in Port-au-Prince every evening at 8:00 p.m.
But there was an even greater problem. It involved the 316,000 dead buried under tons of rubble coupled with the heat and humidity of Haiti posed a serious health problem to the living. Something had to be done with the dead bodies ASAP!
The solution seems grim and inhumane but urgent & necessary.
• The U.N. dug huge mass graves about 3 miles outside of town. The dead were loaded in dump trucks and buried without identification in these graves. You can find pictures of this on the internet.
• This led to another problem … children … orphaned children … soon began showing up at the gravesite.
• It was at this point that Jesus’ church probably provided its greatest assistance to the Haitian people. The churches established orphanages for the children. There were already orphanages by the churches so they knew how to do this but not to the degree there is now. For example, the Baptist Church that we worshipped at while in Haiti already had some but now runs 32 orphanages. We stayed and served at one in Port-au-Prince, in fact, one of its walls is shared by the airport.
• These orphanages are, to this day overwhelmed. The need is enormous!
Each day while in Haiti I kept a journal. I succinctly added a one sentence summary of each to capsulate the daily experience.
This “sermon” is based upon those one sentence summaries.
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MONDAY:
I LEARNED TO SPEAK A NEW LANGUAGE TODAY - NOT CREOLE OR FRENCH - LAUGHTER. Orphaned children taught it to me.
TUESDAY:
I THOUGHT I WAS BRINGING GOD WITH ME TO HAITI; I DISCOVERED HE WAS ALREADY HERE. Orphaned children taught it to me.
WEDNESDAY:
I LEARNED THAT WORSHIP ONLY REQUIRES A WHOLE HEART SEEKING GOD. Orphaned children taught it to me.
THURSDAY:
I LEARNED THAT SERVICE COSTS SOMETHING.
• Wesley (the orphanage director) took his family to Miami after the earthquake but he spends more weeks per year with the orphans than with his wife and children.
• There is a deep ache in his heart for his family but a calling (and a love) for the children as well.
• It is a mistake to think that following God will not require sacrifice.
• I assure you that following Jesus will demand that you restructure your priorities, habits, and lifestyles. It is inevitable.
• If one thinks that following God means things will go smoothly and that being blessed by God means you will always be happy and satisfied in this life then one will soon become disillusioned and quit. Emotional happiness, a smooth life, and material possessions are not a sign of God’s blessing or calling. In fact, God’s calling may very well be the precise reason things are not smooth.
• Remember:
• We all have a calling on our lives.
• We are called to faithfulness not comfort.
• Hebrews 13:16 “And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.”
• 1 Peter 4:10, says “Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms.”
FRIDAY:
I LEARNED THAT SMALL SIMPLE THINGS CAN BRING GREAT JOY.
• Orphaned children taught it to me.
• They found joy in:
* Fresh air! (as opposed to the toxic burning trash they often lived with).
* An almond
* Empty soda bottles which became soccer balls
* A hug
* A dance
* A soda pop
* A new pair of flip-flops
• I think we have become so accustomed to sensory overload that it takes more and more to get our attention & spawn gratefulness.
* It takes more to make us smile.
* It takes more to “wow” us – to bring us to a place of praise, admiration and amazement at God’s gifts and handiwork.
• I think we have become so spoiled materially that we take God’s gifts and provisions for granted.
• Spending time with children who know, first hand that God is their provider, protector and deliverer reminded me that I, too, have what I have because of the goodness of God.
• Empire, American culture etc, wants to take credit for our prosperity. It wants to replace God as protector and provider; but the truth is, we have what we have only because of God. If God chose to remove His hand we would be desolate!
• May I encourage you to:
• Learn again to enjoy the present – the moment you are living in.
• Learn again to appreciate the gifts God gives.
• Pause frequently to be amazed – to say thank you – to live in a state of gratefulness!
SATURDAY:
I LEARNED THAT WORK GIVES PLAY MEANING.
• When we finished the project that we were assigned at the orphanage (which was no small feat due to all the hindrances, heat, etc), there was a sense of satisfaction and celebration.
• Play (Sabbath rest, re-creation, etc.) can only be enjoyed when one values work. It is a reward of work.
• Play only has meaning when it is placed beside work.
• Sadly, this is something that an entitlement mentality misses.
• It is only my opinion but I sometimes think the reason many in our culture are bored is because they are not working hard enough. If they were – the rest would have a greater meaning and be appreciated more.
• By “work” I am not talking about employment. I am talking about industriousness. I am talking about making one’s self useful.
• Mother’s tell their kids “go outside and play” when the kids are bored. Well, maybe as adults we should take similar advice. Maybe we should tell ourselves “Go outside and do something useful.”
* It may be as simple as tending to a flower bed that has been neglected, or cleaning out a basement, or mowing a neighbor’s lawn.
* Maybe it’s doing a little volunteer work somewhere.
* The opportunities for industriousness are immeasurable!
* How many times do you look back over a day and say “I just wasted ‘x’ hours in front of a television – or even reading a book.” I could have …
• We all know that once you get up and start doing something you feel better about life in general. And it is only then that Sabbath rest and Sabbath re-creation makes sense.
• We were made in God’s image and if the creation story teaches us anything it teaches us that, as human beings, we were designed to work hard and then enjoy the fruit of the labor with … rest and re-creation.
• Ben Witherington III has written some excellent material on the theology of work. In one place he writes:
Work is something most of us share in common, and unfortunately too often even Christians succumb to the notion that work itself is a curse, even God’s curse on fallen persons. This is a most unfortunate reading of Genesis. Work is something God assigned Adam to do before there ever was a Fall. He was to fill the earth and subdue it. He was to be fruitful and multiply. He was called upon to name the animals and to recognize none of them would be a suitable companion or life partner. Apparently there was much work to do before the Fall.
Wrap-Up
Well, I have two more insights from my Haiti journal. I will share those next week.
What do you say we take a few moments to express our gratitude this morning?
I want to pause from our regularly scheduled programming for a moment and allow you to give thanks. I know this is hard but it will be worshipful if you will participate. I want to invite you to stand, one at a time and in one or two simple words just shout out ONE thing you are grateful for.
Afterwards, we will close with a song asking God to continue His deeper work within us.
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This sermon is provided by Dr. Kenneth Pell
Potsdam Church of the Nazarene
Potsdam, New York
www.potsdam-naz.org
