Prayers for Haiti

In the prolonged space of chaos and uncertainty, it's hard to get regular updates about much else than the state of the Haitian nation.  

And news is not good.  

And it seems to go on and on.

So for today's posting, all I'm hoping for is to give us a few reminders and incentives to never give up praying.

Some Scriptures to Reflect On

"Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves,

for the rights of all who are destitute.

Speak up and judge fairly;

defend the rights of the poor and the needy."

Proverbs 31:8-9

"Answer me, LORD, out of the goodness of your love;

in your great mercy turn to me.

Do not hide your face from your servant;

answer me quickly, for I am in trouble.

Come near and rescue me;

deliver me because of my foes."

Psalm 69:16-18

"Do not be afraid.

Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the LORD will bring you today.

Then [enemies] you see today you will never see again.

The LORD will fight for you;

you need only to be sill."

Exodus 14:13-14

Articles and Information

Here are a few links if you want to stay up to date with what's going on.

Disclaimer:  I have not had the chance to review every article below, nor do I even have the expertise to be able to filter what's most reliable.  I will leave that up to your own discernment.

These are for overview purposes only.

The Haitian Times

Haiti News Today

Reuters

An Inspirational Video

A video for the song "How Great is Our God" by healinghaiti.org.

This does not include images of our connection with Auberge des Vieillards but it does include a short and simple solo in Creole from a young boy that I found truly moving.

Our Residents By Name

We always want to honour the dignity of each of our Residents at Auberge des Vieillard.

So, even though I've done this before, here are their names.

Our brothers:

Esler (pictured above)

Alphonse

Carius

Jean-Richard

Ones

Jean-Clautte

Marcelus

Our sisters:

Ariana

Zina

Odilia

Thank you so much for your faithfulness to keep on praying!

Piercing the Darkness with Resurrection Power

 

It was about noon, 

and darkness came over the whole land 

until three in the afternoon, 

for the sun stopped shining.  

And the curtain of the temple was torn in two.  

Jesus called out with a loud voice, 

"Father, into your hands I commend my spirit."  

When he had said this, he breathed his last.

Luke 23:44-46

Two things are happening at once.

The darkest night,

and the most outrageous access to the Divine.

The sun stops shining.

The temple curtain is ripped in half.

In the darkest moment of Jesus' agony,

the brightest hope of reconciliation with God comes to be.

It was dark for three hours.

No normal eclipse.

And no one knew how long it would be.

The end of the world, it must have seemed.

But the most incredible of things was also true.

The curse of sin was now reversed.

What separated us from God was now paid in full.

And Jesus breathed his last breath,

and hope is breathed out --

Pneuma, Spirit, breath --

in the midst of the darkest hours.

No one can fathom the darkness that covers Haiti.

Just when you think it can't get any worse, it does.

So all the more the wonder,

the triumph,

the hope,

when people step up to be Jesus

in the darkest hours.

Bringing light and love and hope.

For God, who said, 

"Let light shine out of darkness," 

made his light shine in our hearts 

to give us the light of the knowledge of God's glory 

displayed in the face of Christ.

But we have this treasure in jars of clay 

to show that this all-surpassing power 

is from God and not from us.  

We are hard pressed on every side, 

but not crushed; 

perplexed, but not in despair; 

persecuted, but not abandoned; 

struck down, but not destroyed.  

We always carry around in our body 

the death of Jesus, 

so that the life of Jesus 

may also be revealed in our body.

2 Corinthians 4:6-10

To our dear friends at Auberge des Vieillards,

all those who live there and love each other in Christ,

we pray peace and safety and resurrection power over you,

this Easter season,

and always.

A Place Where Hope Grows

 

"If you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry

and satisfy the needs of the oppressed,

then your light will rise in the darkness,

and your night will become like the noonday.

"The LORD will guide you always;

He will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land

and will strengthen your frame.

"You will be like a well-watered garden,

like a spring whose waters never fail."

Isaiah 58:10-11

Just had to share some of these pictures sent to us from the garden at A des V.

Some good news out of Haiti!

A garden grows to nurture the needs of our seniors.

In the midst of all the wretchedness,

hope springs up.

Reminds me of God's words through the prophet Isaiah, reminding us that, to Him, this is true worship.

I think I get it.

The light splashing over the rows of vegetables is making me catch my breath a little.

Knowing what these dear people are contending with every day.

Seeing a defiant hope in the midst of it.

Few things speak hope like a garden.

And oh, by the way.

Our grand total from the Haiti Dinner and Auction keeps creeping up, with donations trickling in even after the event.

We're now up to over $14,500.00 raised.

Again.....thank you to everyone, every single one of you, who made it happen!!

What's a Bigger Word for "Thank You?"

It's Monday morning after our big event and the final numbers are still coming in.

In a day or two I will be able to report the final amounts and give more details.

What I can say, at this point, is that we have certainly exceeded our goal of $10,000.00 towards Auberge des Vieillards and the care of the ten vulnerable Seniors there.

And what I want to say, right here and right now, is how in awe I am of our stellar volunteers.  

We're not a big church, so when I say that 37 individuals came together to pull this off, that's a huge buy-in. 

Haiti Volunteers - Thank you, thank you, thank you.  I honestly wish there was a 'bigger' word for it, because that's what I hope you can hear.

And at the risk of minimizing some contributions (which I in no way want to do ever), I still feel it's worth mentioning the over-and-above from certain individuals.

Colin - you really outdid yourself this year in going in for 'the ask', gathering corporate donations towards the meal and the event itself!  That was a lot of footwork!!!!  Not to mention how much you were on your feet on the day of!!  (Enjoy your auction item bid win.)

Lillian - you can 'stand the heat' in the kitchen like nobody else we know!  You and your whole kitchen team were giving it your all.  And that you stay to the very, very end, washing up and putting away AND getting back at in first thing on Sunday morning for our Haiti Leftovers Lunch....those are 'last push' efforts that are nothing less than heroic!

Brian - it's your heart and passion and positivity that leads the whole thing in the first place.  You are the one gathering the auction items and also going in for the ask at the corporate level.  Thank you for keeping Haiti on our radar in ways that are a perfect blend of love and tenacity.

I've just got to say, as Highview's Missionary in Residence, it is such a humbling thing to be part of a family of people who love like you do.  Over the years, no matter what role I've held, a common question when meeting other church leaders is, "How big is your church?"  I've learned to answer with a question.  "By what measurement?"  Because, if I take in what happens when it comes to weekends like this, regardless of Sunday morning attendance or any other metric...we are ENORMOUS! 

So, yes, every single one who came together in any way, 

THANK YOU!!!

I just wish there was a bigger way to say it!

Except, you just are the bigger way.

Still Time to Be Part of Something Important - Caring for Vulnerable Seniors in Haiti

HIGHVIEW COMMUNITY CHURCH presents

the annual

HAITI DINNER AND SILENT AUCTION

Saturday, February 24, 2024

Details in the yellow box below.

Hand Carved Soapstone, Artist: Amber Barrett

I just gotta say, our line up of Auction Items is pretty impressive this year.

Here are just two of some pretty awesome prizes to be bid on this coming Saturday, February 24.  

Interlocking Set of Live Edge Black Walnut Charcuterie Boards, Woodcrafter: Roger Bowman

And that's just a taste.

But speaking of taste - you won't want to miss our signature turkey dinner complete with dessert.

All for the very worthy cause of caring for our ten Seniors at Auberge des Vieillards in Pignon, Haiti.

Tickets still available.

Brian Ogilvie - brian.ogilvie@obfinancial.ca

Ken Breithaupt - kdb@ptsoft.com

 

Ridiculous Hope, Right Now

Marilyn McIlroy stops to care for a homeless senior.

 

"I will make peace your governor

and well-being your ruler.

No longer will violence be heard in your land,

nor ruin or destruction within your borders.

but you will call your walls Salvation

 and your gates Praise."

Isaiah 60:17-18

This spectacular vision painted by the prophet describes a future full of the redeeming glory of a God who has set all things right.

It stands in stark contrast to the harsh realities being lived out by Haitians right now.  Particularly vulnerable are the seniors who have no place to go.

It could leave us all feeling hopeless.

But here's the astonishing thing.  We even might call it 'good news.'

You and I can participate in bringing that kind of hope, 

where God's grace is unleashed and light shines in dark places.

 

Right now.

We can help bring God's vision to bear. 

Right now.

That's what our Haiti Dinner and Silent Auction is really all about.

Bringing hope and health and belonging to vulnerable seniors in Haiti who would otherwise be homeless.  

Auberge des Vieillards (Inn for the Elderly) is the object of our love, as we come alongside some true heroes of hope, Pastor Abdon and his wife Madame Lumide, and the Committee and Staff that care for eleven of our brothers and sisters.

Right now.

Fundraising Goal:

$10,000.00

Thanks to everyone who has already signed up to be part of the action on Saturday, February 24.

Still want to help?

Desserts are still needed.  Please contact Lillian at lweatherall110@gmail.com

Dishwashers are still needed.  Please contact Ruth Anne a rabreithaupt@hcckw.ca.

Want tickets?

Contact Brian at brian.ogilvie@obfinancial.ca

Contact Ken at kdb@ptsoft.com

Spectacular Gatherings of Superheroes

 

The mobility scooters at Auberge des Vieillards make for some good fun.

At least that's what Hadassah and Mike think.  They are the two youngest children of Pastor Abdon and Madame Lumide, and they are with all their Grammas and Grampas a lot.  Their parents are part of the spectacular gathering of superheroes who care for our senior friends, along with the Leadership and Staff Teams, all labouring together to make the world a brighter place.

I call them spectacular for good reason.  They are caring for the vulnerable midst their own vulnerability.  Haiti, as we all know, is a chaotic and often dangerous place to live.  Yet these amazing people have welcomed an even grater level of complexity into their lives by choosing to embrace these seniors who would otherwise be homeless, protecting them from all manner of harm and indignity.

I also think they're kind of spectacular because they took this picture, and then even sent it along for us, even after admitting that they have repeatedly dissuaded their children from playing with the scooters.  To me that gives us a peek into real-time parenting, children being children, and an ability to find the fun and humour in the midst of demanding ministry.   Also, maybe it's just me, but I'm thinking our seniors find it somewhat entertaining.  So there's that.  

On Sunday, February 11 at Highview (10:30 a.m.) we'll be highlighting these spectacular folks, their incredible work and the inspiration they can bring to our own light-shining here in Canada.  We'll touch on Isaiah chapter 60 with the proposition that every believer can participate in Isaiah's vision of ridiculous hope by releasing the grace of God to bring light to dark places, right now.

Then later this month we'll really ramp it up with our Haiti Dinner and Silent Auction, Saturday, February 24.  We've been doing this since 2008, and it's always a pretty big deal.  

Our fundraising goal is $10,000.00, and we've got a lot of dedicated volunteers lined up to help make it happen.

Hope you can join us.

Questions?  Contact me at rabreithaupt@hcckw.ca.

Ruth Anne Breithaupt

Missionary in Residence

Highview Community Church