The Name on Everyone's Lips (and it's not Trump)

Propped against the wall of our dining room is a large picture frame. Though we moved in months ago, we still have things we need to find the right spot for. (Can you relate?)

At the centre of this collection of photos - taken in Senegal, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Haiti, Mali, Ethiopia, Liberia, Chad - is a photo of Christ the Redeemer statue, which I took 23 years ago, on a trip that would change my life.

There's a reason why this photo in the centre of this collection, which Storly and I wanted to place in a central spot in our home to help us remember the world - not our little world, but God's big world - and with that, for me to remember the people in these photos, to remember hearing their stories, connecting with them in the middle of the bigger stories of war, hardship, poverty, violence, loss, survival, help, provision, hope, and redemption.

I took this photo of Christ The Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro on July 24th, 1993, during my first mission trip, with fellow students from Aston University. It was a month-long, God-directed, life-transforming, eye-opening, faith-stretching trip to Brazil, to work alongside local missionaries with World Horizons, a ministry working then with street kids and developing a missionary sending centre to train and send missionaries from Latin America to places and people unreached with the Gospel.

By the time I finish writing my memoir, this trip to Brazil and its impact on my life will take up a few chapters, for sure.

Obrigado, Brasil (Thank you, Brazil)

But for now, I've loved watching coverage of the Olympics from Rio this summer. There were plenty of controversies before and during the games: raw sewage in the outdoor swimming area; forced evictions of residents of the poorest slums, the favelas; the Zika virus; security concerns; doping; and then, Lochtegate, and more. And plenty of stories of athletes who have triumphed over great adversity, injury, poverty, discrimination to succeed in their chosen sports. Inspiring!

I've loved seeing reporters from our local TV station, Indy's Channel 13 and their stories from around Brazil. Loved telling our girls as we all marveled at the gorgeous views of Rio and of reports from the favelas, "did you know I've been there?" and then sharing with them some of the stories, the good, bad and the ugly, from that trip. The energy, the diversity, the rich culture, the struggles of life in Brazil, particularly for the poorest, for the kids living on the streets. I've loved being reminded of the place Brazil and its people have played in my own story. And of the lessons God taught me there.

The Name on Everyone's Lips

And I've loved hearing the words "Christ the Redeemer" coming out of the mouths of news reporters and sports commentators. Seeing the images, the inspiring photography and panoramic views of Rio that include the Cristo Redentor statue as the icon of Brazil, the central image used in TV segment intros, online banners and other media elements that branded Rio 2016.

From a distance, and up close, the statue is mind-blowing. But nothing compared to the One who is the Christ, the Redeemer. Our Redeemer.

The International Olympic Committee has predicted that half the world's population, more than 3 billion people, watched some part of this summer's Olympics, with growing numbers of people around the world now watching online and on mobile devices.

As the media has moved on to the drama (groan...) of the US Presidential elections, I wonder how many people around the world heard the words "Christ the Redeemer" for the very first time as they watched the Rio Olympics. I wonder how many people asked themselves, asked a friend, or typed into a google search "who is this Christ, the redeemer?"  The Rescuer.

If that's you, take a few minutes to watch this video below.

Now that the Rio 2016 Olympics and Paralympics are in the history books, I pray that many people who have seen the statue and heard the words Christ the Redeemer as they've watched the coverage will seek and truly find this Christ who is our Redeemer, our rescuer.

We're Back

After eight weeks at 4VEH in Cap-Haitien, Haiti, we are back to home base in Indiana. Back from the front-lines of daily broadcast ministry life and outreach in communities in need, to the front-lines of sharing the ministry with communities of supporters for me, and back to strategic leadership from a distance, networking with other like-minded ministries, and to translating and recording programs for Storly.

With more than a week under our belts, we've emerged from the fog of switching back to life in another foreign-but-familiar place. The girls are into their second week of school (I know for all you fellow Brits out there especially, that sounds so wrong, right? Your kids have probably just started their summer hols...so enjoy!).

Among the things we brought back are more than 7,000 photos that I took, and am in the process of culling, editing, cataloging (they're not all good or usable) - and many of these will show up in future communications for 4VEH, Resounding Hope and our own ministry letters, and yes, on this blog.

Here's just a few photos for now:

Last ride in the cattle truck, heading to Cap-Haitien airport for our flight out. 

The highlight of the trip for me, worshiping with new believers at a church planted
earlier this year at what felt like the top of the world (and the 2 1/2 hour hike it took to
get there was so worth it). More on that big adventure coming. 

The view over Port-au-Prince, Haiti's capital city and home to about 2.5 million
people - from the antenna site where 4VEH is now broadcasting, in partnership with
Radio Sentinelle 93.9 FM and the Haiti Baptist Convention. We were there to get
the station set up and on the air. 

And while our team from Community Church of Columbus was sharing the Gospel
with this sweet one's family, she was busy doing laundry. I pray she'll grow up in better
surroundings, both physically and spiritually, through what she and her family hear
as they listen to the solar radio we left with them. 

That's all for now! Thank you for praying for us, encouraging us, coming and working alongside us, and for financially supporting us in ministry. Blessings to you today!

Not My (Travel) Plans

Be Flexible!

One of the things we stress when we're working with people preparing to go to Haiti on a short-term mission trip is this: plans will change, so be flexible.

Everything we outline is"draft". We won't know exactly our daily schedule, the locations of our planned outreach or how the days will go until it happens.

Lots of people, especially those with Type-A personalities, aren't comfortable hearing that.

But the fact is, there is so much out of our control, and we can be delayed, redirected, refocused by many things. By bad weather. Road blocks. By a stolen truck battery. By sensing a bigger need somewhere other than where we had planned.

November trip to Haiti: Delays! :(

So when I was delayed getting to Haiti first week of November, first by one late flight meaning I missed my connection into Cap-Haitien, and then for two days by heavy rains in Cap-Haitien, it was another opportunity to live out the "Be Flexible" motto. And I haven't got some deep insight into the purpose for me spending three days in Miami, between airport and hotel, hotel and airport, airport and hotel (you get the picture).

When I eventually arrived in Cap-Haitien, on Tuesday (instead of Saturday), it was with great relief to finally be there. During the flight from Miami, the pilot announced at some point that the Cap-Haitien airport was actually still closed (because of bad weather, heavy rains, flooding the last three days) and if it didn't open by the time we needed to land there, we would be rerouting to Port-au-Prince. So when we did land, it was a great relief.

Met up with fellow OMS missionary Gwen at the departure gate, and another mission team
going to northern Haiti. When flights were cancelled, we spent some time together.   

 

Glad to be safely on the ground in Cap-Haitien.

Gwen and me, soaking wet from the walk/run from the airplane steps
to the now-fabulously renovated terminal building in Cap. 

So, there were drips of water coming through the ceiling...we were just glad to be there.

Of course, whatever I'd planned for my team's visit was, well, shot to pieces. But not to worry. They degaje'd. (NB: Degaje - essential word to learn in Creole. Means 'make do with what you've got, make the best of it'.)

--

P. S. More on what we actually did do coming soon. Right now, the girls and neighbour friend are clomping around the house in my high-heels. Storly's in Haiti with a team for the official dedication of the new AM radio towers at Petite Anse - they were out today doing outreach in Phaeton in north east Haiti, working with the local church to share the Gospel and give out solar radios. Looking forward to hearing how it went.

P.P.S. It's actually above freezing here - and sunny. The frigid cold hasn't stopped me going out running though. I'll tell you that story soon too. Blessings to you for a lovely weekend wherever you are!

Mini Catch-Up

On my, what a lot of stuff to catch you up on! Here's a start:

Firstly, if the last thing you heard about us was from our last post (The Joys of International Travel) where I was stuck for three days in Miami on my way to Haiti, then rest assured, I did make it to Haiti eventually. The trip did not go as we had planned, but God was present and active - it was a good trip. More on that later.

Our team had some good conversations with people
as we went door-to-door in Kayemit and Kraze Zo. 

My team! These guys from Findlay E-Free Church in northern Ohio
were fantastic. Flexible, humble, willing to serve, honest, enthusiastic
 and God worked through them. It was a joy to serve alongside them. 

Secondly, with all our travels and times apart recently, our family is now enjoying being together, even on 8+ hour car trips to places like Iowa (for a weekend Missions conference where we were speakers). Last week was (American) Thanksgiving, a holiday we've come to appreciate. It's really not all about the food, unlike our first impressions, but at its heart is all about giving thanks (who'd have thought). Giving thanks to God. Which of course is a God-ordained ongoing attitude, not just a once-a-year thing. Still, it's good to get a day off to give thanks (and eat Roasted Ham with Pears & Cranberries, à la Martha Stewart).

Now, our Christmas tree is up. The Radio 4VEH fundraising appeal (with a Matching Gift Challenge) is written, mailed and launched online. At the moment, Storly's reading and recording through the Old Testament in Haitian Creole (to complete the whole Bible in audio format, in partnership with the Bible Society). He's currently in the book of Isaiah, fitting for this time of year considering what Isaiah says about the coming of the Messiah. Pray for Storly, would you, it's a huge job to record the Old Testament, but what a resource it's going to be when it's done, making the whole Bible available to people who can't read or have no Bible of their own.

He's also working on a new system (to replace the now outdated satellite system) to send the 4VEH signal from the radio station to other partner stations in Haiti, and to the US where our friends at WFRN in Elkhart, Indiana, put it online so Haitians can listen around the world via the streaming on our 4VEH website, via Apps like Tune-In and in a few countries by phone. He'll be traveling north early tomorrow to meet up with one of the WFRN guys, and then getting the new equipment sent into Haiti for a quick install. So many listeners in the States have been asking why can't they hear 4VEH online. With special programming coming up next week for Bible Week, and then the Christmas programs, we want listeners to be able to find 4VEH online again.

So for the rest of the month, we'll be home (in theory). Celebrating Esther's 7th birthday next weekend. Celebrating Advent and the birth of Jesus at Christmas.

Oh yeh!

"So, How was Haiti?" Part 4 (Last One!)

We're cranking up on final preparations for our UK trip, then our Haiti trip this summer, so this has to be the last post from my April trip.

One thing I learned long ago during my years with World Vision in West Africa, and it applies equally in Haiti, is this: when people are expecting you to take a photo of them, they go from all relaxed, happy and smiley, to assuming the "Victorian England" position. That's just the way it is. The culturally-accepted 'great family portrait' shot in Haiti is one where no-one is smiling.

So, the challenge of getting people to smile when I take photos is one that I thoroughly enjoyed on this trip. Because I have learned a secret.

There are usually 3 stages. First, I demonstrate to the person or people that I'm going to take a picture of them. They immediately assume the Victorian position.

Semi-formal expressions from this mother and daughter, who had both just
made decisions to follow Jesus. 

Next, I ask for them to smile. "Eske ou ka fe yon ti souri?" This usually gets a forced kind of smile. Then comes the secret weapon.

I ask "Eske ou ka grinyen dan?" which literally means "Show me your teeth." It's a very Haitian expression that people don't expect a blan (foreigner) like me to know. It usually gets a laugh. And people oblige by, well, showing me their teeth.  

 A few other photos to finish:

I'm so glad I got this shot of these great ministry leaders. (l to r), Pastor Job, Medson (Emmanuel Félix), Pastor Janiel and Pastor Lucce. Medson serves as Radio 4VEH's Extension Ministries Director (using Resounding Hope radios, along with his assistant Pastor Hérode), and pastors Job, Janiel & Lucce serve with OMS's catalyst for church-planting and multiplication, Every Community for Christ. 

They were with us for the evangelism & solar radio distribution outreach in Adam village near Dondon. As Matt Ayars (Rector of OMS-related Emmaus Biblical Seminary) commented on this photo: " Four. Great. Men." Amen to that!

Kids crowd at the door of the church (in Adam village, in preparation of
evangelism & radio distribution) to see why this group of blan is here. 

I'm taking pictures of them. He's taking pictures of me (on a cellphone)!

Steve Gross had this crazy white holier-than-thou glow over him as he talked  to
this lady, a fellow believer. With the midday sun reflecting off the iron sheeting roof,
I just couldn't get another angle without the glow. I think it adds a little something, no?

Someone's tired. 

I asked this boy what he had, thinking he'd give some local name
 for this particular kind of fish. He replied: Pwason.
Yep, fish. 

Our awesome team from Findlay, OH and Columbus, IN:
back, l to r: Michael, Larry
front, l to r: Amy, Karen, Keri, Kate, Kelly, Debbie

Yes, I was there! Thanks to Steve for getting a photo with me in it. 

Thanks for reading, sharing these posts and giving us feedback. Hopefully there's something of value to you! 

"So, How was Haiti?" Part 3

I've been reading through the book of Acts the last couple of weeks, and I came across this: after a mission trip (called a 'missionary journey' in the Bible), Paul & Barnabas went back to Antioch, 

"where they had been committed to the grace of God for the work they had now completed. On arriving there, they gathered the church together and reported all that God had done through them and how he had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles."   Acts 14 v 26-27

Yesterday, Keri, Karen and I gave a short update at our church (Community Church of Columbus) on our recent Haiti trip, just a glimpse really of all that God had done through those of us on the team, those we worked with, and those who sent us, and how he had opened a door of faith to the Haitians we met with.

Me, Karen, Keri and Melissa on our way to the village of Leroux Cachiman.

Though I wasn't taking notes yesterday, here's what Keri shared recently when we were on The Bridge FM, our local Christian radio station.

"I've known Kate & Storly for a while, and I've heard about these radios, and it's easy to hear about it, but then to go there and see the impact these radios have in the lives of people all over Haiti was just overwhelming to me. Going out to the villages and sharing Christ, seeing so many people come to truly know the Lord and break that bondage from voodoo and other sins in their lives, it was just really overwhelming.

"There was one particular lady that, when we got there, she couldn't even look us in the eye. She was holding this beautiful, beautiful baby and we tried to share with her, and she kept saying no. She wasn't interested.

"Wherever you went, it seemed like there were crowds of people because the radios are really sought after. Everybody wants a radio, so you have these crowds following you through the villages. And this lady's mother was sitting across from her, and her mother ended up making that commitment [to Jesus].

Orinel, our translator, helps share the message of hope in Jesus.
Notice the children listening in. 

The mother prayed a simple sinner's prayer, asking Jesus to forgive her
and be her Savior.

The radio will help this lady and her whole family to learn and grow. What great
encouragement for a new believer to have Christian radio and her own New Testament
that she can listen to.

Keri said: "I happened to look up as they were praying with the mom and I saw the girl sitting there, and she had big tears running from her eyes and I knew we needed to ask her again. And we did. It was amazing to feel God's presence and to know that he's changed her life for ever.

What an honor to help lead this young mother to the Lord.

Orinel shows her how to listen to the radio, and to the New Testament read by Storly.

She's just heard that no-one is beyond God's grace, and nothing's too bad
that it can't be forgiven, if we ask God. And she did ask God for forgiveness
and received his grace. A different woman from the one who wouldn't even look
us in the eye. 

Keri said: "And each radio reaches about 6 people for about 20 years, and they have access to the complete Gospel right there on the radio. It just made my heart race - what a responsibility we have to get these radios out to the people of Haiti."

Impact

It's been four years since we started taking teams from our church here to Haiti. When we first moved to Columbus, we had no clue that God would open doors for us to accompany so many people on these life-changing journeys. Yesterday, I gave a report of the impact that CCC is having across northern Haiti through Radio 4VEH, at least the impact that we know about and can measure.

• The good people of CCC have funded 104 radios, helped with airtime on Radio 4VEH and now support us, the Michel family, as leaders at Radio 4VEH
• They have sent 8 short-term mission teams
• Who have shared the Gospel with 935 people in a face-to-face conversation
• Helped lead 216 people to the Lord
• Delivered 528 solar radios to homes, hospital beds and prison cells. 

If you, your church or group are interested in being part of this work that God has given us, please do get in touch. There's a lot of work to be done!

"So, How was Haiti?" (Part 2)

The trouble with writing a Part 1 is that it implies there'll be a Part 2. Well, here it is, glimpses in answer to the question: How was your (recent April) trip to Haiti?

Haiti was...CONNECTED

Inside the new concrete New Life church at Vye Tè near Grison Garde, as the morning worship service was just beginning, something spoke to me, deep inside. Big, bulging tears overflowed my eyes as I felt the words 'I love this place' bubble up from somewhere deep in my soul.  

The journey there was beautiful. The eight of us on the visiting team, along with the Bundy family and Gross family.

The youngest Bundy, Kristina, isn't enjoying getting windswept in the back of the truck as much as the rest of us.

The road becomes the river.

"That way!" she points out for us.

Realizing we need to go down a slope into the river bed, we're wondering if Director Brett is going to go for this one. Of course, he will! So, after some picture-taking, we all decide it's time to sit down and hold on.

Driving through the riverbed isn't the end of the challenge of arriving at the church.

By this point, several people are realizing why I was telling them to wear walking shoes and change into 'church' dress shoes once we get there. So, it's down the hill, across a stream and up the other side. In sticky red mud.

And this is the church, a brand new concrete building since last time I was here (in Dec 2011). (It was finished about a month earlier, I think).

Prayer to begin.

And great worship. When Pastor Enick invites me to the front to introduce the group of visitors, the visitors (who are supposed to be on best behavior) start laughing. I find out later that Brett (who is translating for the group using headsets) has told the team that I'm going to the front to sing. Never trust a translator!

So, why CONNECTED?

I first met the leaders of this church, Pastor Job and Pastor Enick, when they both worked at Radio 4VEH. At 5pm, most evenings, Job would come in after most other staff had already left for the day. Job was the cleaner. Enick worked as a guard.

It was years later when I was visiting Haiti in 2010, with Marilyn Shaferly and others for the 60th Anniversary (we are just starting celebrations for the 64th Anniversary now - special live broadcasts start any minute) that I said we needed to go and visit Grison Garde, a church that I'd heard so much about.

You see, years earlier, in the early days of evangelism and distribution of solar-powered radios tuned to 4VEH in a campaign called Operation Saturation, Emmanuel Félix and a team had visited this area of Grison Garde called Vye Tè. It was an area heavily under the influence of the witch doctors. People lived in fear, afraid to go out in the dark.

But as the short-term mission team went door-to-door and, with the help of translators, told people of the hope available to them in Jesus, four people gave their lives to the Lord. The team left behind solar radios to minister to families every day through the radio programs.

Some time later, Pastor Job graduated from the OMS seminary, and was challenged to go into the rural areas rather than taking the easier route of staying close to town. Seeking to follow the Lord, Job and Enick found themselves in Grison Garde. And the people there began sharing their stories.

They asked Job to be their pastor, but said "You're not our first pastor, our first pastor was Radio 4VEH."

After the Gospel message and solar radios were shared with this community, people began to listen every day to Christian radio, and heard Bible studies, preaching and community programs. By my first visit here, New Life church was well established with 120 members.

2011 visit

A year later, when I returned with a team including ministry partners Tim Whitehead (head of Galcom, who make the solar radios) and Ron Harris (serving international Christian broadcasters, then through NRB, now through MEDIAlliance), we worshiped with the believers at New Life and heard some of their stories.

This was the church in 2011, corrugated iron. Used as a school during the week.

This lady was one of many who suffered at the hands of the witch doctors. She told how she had lost several children to the witch doctors, who were known to sacrifice children to appease the spirits.

Richard is a leader at New Life church. When I interviewed him in 2010, he said: 

"I can tell you, the person I am today, it's because of what I have heard on Radio 4VEH." Fantastic!

It was great to see him again last month. 

On our way to church that morning, Pastor Job had asked if I could translate. I said yes, assuming he meant I would translate from Creole into English for our visitors. My Creole is not perfect, but my English is pretty good :) so no problem. 

When we were getting out of the truck to start walking down that hill to the church, I realized that our visitor Tim had been asked to preach, so I was in fact going to be translating from English into Creole. Not so easy. With God's help, Tim's clear message and a few words of help from others, we got through it. 

A couple of days later, we returned to New Life church, to work alongside this congregation in sharing the Gospel with their neighbors, and leaving solar radios to help them every day. Even found this elderly man with one of the original solar radios.

(Thanks to Ron Harris for some of these photos).

Connected

So after talking to Pastor Enick when we arrived at New Life church last month, and sharing news from family and ministry, including him telling me about several new churches or 'stations' that they have planted in neighboring areas (exciting!), I sat down for the service. And I knew that I love this place. This church. These people. This ministry. This country. This particular place and time that God has me and my family in.

Haiti is connected to me, to us, and we're forever connected to Haiti. Connected to the body of Christ, His church here in Grison Garde, and across this country.

"Remember me?"

On our final day, Melissa invited the ladies on the team to go to town and have pizza for lunch. While we
enjoyed pizza and some good conversation, I spotted someone across the restaurant, realizing I knew him. Turns out, it was Evans, who worked for a while as part of my communications team at World Vision in Port-au-Prince. He asked how was my baby (meaning Hannah, who's now 8) and we figured it had been a long time since we worked together. Another connection.