January 1 - Post from Mike and Daphne Nash

Be still and know that I am God. [Psalm 14:10] has always been one of our favorite verses. Never has this been more evident than in our experiences immersing ourselves in the Hatian culture. This environment has allowed us to slow down and focus on God’s work.  Simplicity rules the day. Today, thoughts and ideas were shared without Texting and Facebooking  Instead, we gathered around the dining table and on the front porch, to exchange thoughts, feelings, and experiences —- all done-face-to face.

We saw children playing and running in the streets—-again simplicity. We watched as these children tirelessly pulled homemade toy cars, (fashioned from empty motor oil bottles with bottle caps for wheels.) Here everyone knows their neighbors. We saw women walking with buckets to and from the well in the center of town and livestock roaming freely. In the evenings, we heard voices floating on the breeze, from porch gatherings all over town, and above, the starriest sky we’ve ever seen.

Today we delivered food packages. In addition to deliveries in and around Terrier Rough, we ventured to the the very isolated communities of Phaeton and Paulette. We thought we were coming to Haiti to shine the light of Christ’s love (reinforced by Father Bruno’s sermon last Sunday).  What we found was that light shining back at us from the faces of the grateful elderly and the children of those village. The food packages seem so little to us, but so very much to those in need. As we drove through Terrier Rouge, one of the food packages fell from the truck and partially spilled on the dirt road. All was recovered except a cup-full of rice. When we returned to town a little later and passed over that spot, not a grain of rice remained   a stark reminder that here, there is never enough.

We ended the year and ushered in the new year in Pere Bruno’s church. The service began about 11:00 pm with carols, (in English and Creole) and ended at 1:00 am. We now know there is no better way to celebrate “New Years”, than in worship and prayer. As we begin this new year, we pray for wisdom to recognize our gifts and seek opportunities to use them in God’s service. We See God’s presence in our life. We will treasure these memories and ponder these experiences in our hearts forever.