Art and I spent our 38th Anniversary together in Haiti -- GPS-ing some of the cement block homes built in remote places in the southern pennisula. We traveled over some VERY ROUGH "roads" and I felt like either the truck or myself--or possibly both would shake apart!! One remote place we traveled to we came to the end of the "road" at a river--the water was low and we proceeded across to the other side, but there was no "road/path" in sight. We were instructed by the pastor with us to drive down the riverbed a ways and so we did until we saw a little path that went up the mountain before us... I was skeptical that it was wide enough for the pickup truck we were in, but the Haitian pastor seemed confident that we would be fine. It was the "bare side of a rough mountain"--nothing graded--just the vegetation cut away barely enough for us to pass through. What a ride!! We traveled up and down and around 3-4 mountains. I think we saw them from all sides and all the way around as well as up and down!! We rode for about 2 hours on a "road" like this until we reached the pastor's house!! This pastor was a tiny man--about my height. He had a toothless smile from ear to ear and exuded the joy of the Lord! His house and church had been destroyed in the earthquake and he was so excited for us to see where and what he had built. The DRC had helped him rebuild a block home and he had managed to get "something" up to worship in--woven sticks. I asked him how many people worshipped there on Sunday and to my shock he said "250-300"!! I turned around in a circle and asked, "Where do the people come from? I don't see anyone else in sight ANYWHERE??!! He just smiled and said, "They come." It was a very humbling experience and I felt a bit like we must be "standing on holy ground"... I had to admire this pastor and just ask God to bless this little man's efforts to share Jesus in this remote location. What a mission field he has!!
(Left to Right) Pastor Hercule, who heads up all the pastors of the Church of God in the southern part of Haiti, Art, and the pastor I described above, standing in front of his church.
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One of the block homes |
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