Work Team February 2014

It's been awhile since I updated this blog. For that I apologize. Lots going on to mention, but as our family grows bigger with additional grandchildren, the responsibilities of being a grandparent have become more pressing to my wife and I. The input for teaching the truths of God's Word alongside their parents is paramount to us, so with that said, here goes on last winters trip to Haiti to build and install a septic tank for the Ebenezer Glenn Orphanage in Marchand Dessalines, Haiti.

February 7th, 2014  Beth McCormick, Dave Soper, and Steve Scheib left Cedar Rapids early Thursday morning for their work team trip to the Ebenezer Glenn Orphanage in Dessalines, Haiti.  We arrived at the airport at 5:30 am to make sure we had enough time for the transportation officials to go through our 6 check-through bags of supplies, tools, medicine, and more without them removing something or questioning us as to why we would be taking a 2 dog shock collar with a receiver, to Haiti. (Several of the dogs are starting to chase visitors to the orphanage during the day & the missionaries asked me to train the dogs not to do so). OK! All the bags made it through and after going through screening ourselves, we settled into our seats wondering what the day’s events would bring. The day before, the weather was so bad that most early morning flights were canceled. Not today. The sun started to peak out and for some reason, we just knew that God had all this under control.

We landed in Chicago without incident. We scurried to our next flight and once we were at our gate, we almost immediately boarded. Half way to Miami, we started removing our winter clothing that had kept us so warm in the frigid -10 degree weather in Iowa. Upon landing in Florida, the temp was definitely warmer, somewhere in the 80’s. After a short hour flight to Haiti, we arrived to 95 degree temps and bright sunshine. Claiming our bags, we hurried to the Digicel phone booth to update our sim cards on our Haitian phones with minutes and exited the airport to see missionary Russ Cole’s smiling face and warm handshake ready to be stuck into our mitts. Up the mountain we went to Russ & Sherries home in Peitionville and as we climbed the winding and very dusty roads, all the memories of past visits start to roll through our minds just as if a movie preview is playing in our heads. The smells here are unmistakable and only peculiar to Haiti. The sounds are similar in scope and pleasantly remind us that we are definitely not in Iowa anymore!

We had a great time that evening around the dinner table catching up with the Coles. They spend 10 months per year in this country, acting as the guest house managers for the Friends of Haiti Mission compound, and both have a multitude of other duties as they coordinate work teams, building projects, and so much more that I cannot even think of. Russ is a very talented person in that he is a carpenter, a welder, an electrician, a plumber, a mechanic and so much more. In all my years of construction, I have never met anyone that is so well rounded in all these skill sets. He is the go to guy for some many of the different missions here in Haiti. They all depend on him for his thoughtful and expert advice that he so easily lends to anyone who asks for help. They are truly a special couple placed here by God for service!

FRIDAY: February 7^th We woke to the smell of something burning. I think it was the neighbor next door to the Coles making charcoal. They take the refuge of the many wild trees and bushes that grow here and through a process unknown to me, cook it or burn it into a charcoal like substance that is then sold on the streets by many vendors all over Haiti. The sad part of this tale is that over the years, most of the forests and mountain-sides have been stripped of the trees that provide erosion control and the much needed shade protection from the hot sun. This is why the landscapes here are always lacking the greenery that usually dominates the many photos one takes in other countries.

Russ & Steve welded some door frames together for the local Christian University that Russ would later install that day. We left their home to start our descent down the mountain to buy building supplies and groceries. While at the grocery store, Ken & Marla Drowley, missionaries at EGO arrived to shuttle us the 90 miles to EGO and our destination for the next 2 weeks. We arrived around 6 pm and spent the next hour just hugging the many children, workers, and friends that we have come to know as family. Over to the guest house we went to unload all the bags and boxes. There we met Randy & Linda from Michigan who are here helping out with the 10 newborn babies that have come to live at EGO in the past few weeks. What a nice couple who are friends of Chris & Beth Cooley, board members of EGO and leaders of work teams that annually run vacation Bible School camps here at the orphanage. In addition to that, Chris & Beth are in the process of adopting 2 girls that now live here at EGO.

The day ended as it had started. Abruptly, we collapsed into our beds for a deep sleep and a reflection on the sensories that overload your emotions that flood your thoughts once realizing that you are in Haiti and definitely not back in Iowa!

SATURDAY: February 8^thThe days start early in Haiti. The chickens started crowing at 2:30 am yesterday morning. And once they start, the dogs start barking. And then it’s the 3:00 am top-top taxi honking for the 1^st run to Port au Prince. He drives up & down the street with his air horn a honking, hoping to alert those who might have slept in. Sleep! Did I say sleep? Not so here. Oh, maybe some who before going to bed, stuff their ears with plugs or their iPod, but for the most part, you are subject to the night & early morning sounds that prevail over this countries customs and so many strange and varied customs, which characterizes the special and unique memories that are always associated with your mission trip to this Caribbean country. Our goal on Saturday was to finish digging the hole for the 1500 gallon septic tank servicing the boy’s dormitory bathroom that was just built this past July by a work team from Faith Bible. Notice: the dirt here is hard, almost like volcanic lava pulverized into hard, cement like steel that does not allow a shovel to disrupt it. Only a pick will do the trick. And to dig a 6 foot wide by 12 foot hole here is a major deal. Trust me. Dave Soper is a working dog back home, and yesterday’s work popped him out. He told me last night that the work we did yesterday just about killed him. Well, it just about did me in too!

We started the day at 7:00 am. We finished at 6:00 pm. After cleaning up the tools, we hauled everything back to the shop and unloaded the extra bags of cement. Wow! Those bags just about had their way with our ole tired backs and legs, but thanks be to the God who sustains us – He sustained us!

The cold showers really felt good as we cleaned up before supper prepared by Beth. She is a special, special girl. Beth not only mothers Dave & me, but the kids here at EGO follow her around like a mother

taking such special care of the lambs entrusted to her care. When God designed this one, He took special care to give her all those loving qualities that His disciples would use to minister and serve!

Last night ended with a birthday bash for all those born in the month of February here at the orphanage. Cup cakes were served along with kool-aid and water. Songs were sung, hugs given out, and by 8 o’clock, everyone was ready for bed. I called my wife on the way back to the guest house, asking for advice on my aches & pains; catching up with weather news back in Iowa; and wishing my family my love, before crashing into bed and immediately out, toasted, fried, and well-done from the days work!

SUNDAY MORNING: February 9^thWell, I woke up at my normal 3 bells this morning. Put the coffee pot on and settled into writing this letter. Wanted to share some thoughts with you before I close this letter down and get ready for the new week in front of us all. Here are my thoughts:

While at the Port au Prince airport baggage claim, I noticed 2 older nuns waiting for their bags. Not to be one to avoid interaction with anyone, I approached the older of the two and asked her where they were headed? She mentioned a mission here known as the Sisters of Charity. As we dialogued, I asked her this question: How do feel the church is doing in the USA? Her answer surprised me somewhat. Let me explain what she said in a passage from a book written by Senior Pastor Kevin DeYoung, from the University Reformed Church in East Lansing, Michigan in his book, “The Hole in Our Holiness.” Here is what the nun said, written by Kevin – When Christians talk about ‘sanctification’ we usually mean something like the ‘process of growing in godliness.’ For centuries, theologians have distinguished between justification – the one time declaration that we are righteous – and sanctification – the ongoing process of becoming righteous. According to Hebrews 10:10, we were sanctified once for all through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ. In Acts 20:32 and 26:18 the ‘sanctified’ ones appears to be a synonm for true Christians. When we are joined to Christ by faith, he becomes to us our wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption.

In this way of thinking, every Christian is sanctified. We are already set apart, no longer common or profane. Some theologians call this gift of holiness through union with Christ our ‘DEFINITIVE SANCTIFICATION.’ But this does not eliminate the need for continuing ‘PROGRESSIVE SANCTIFICATION.’ In Christ every believer has a once-for-all positional holiness, and from this new identity every Christian is commanded to grow in the ongoing-for-your-whole-life process of holiness. (Phil.2:12-13). As someone said, sanctified is what we are and what we must become!

HOLINESS IS NOT MERE RULE KEEPING

The word ‘mere’ is critical. Holiness is not less than obeying commands. After all, Jesus didn’t say, ‘If you love me, you will give up on rules and religion and do whatever makes you feel good.’ He said, ‘If you love me, you will keep my commandments (John 14:15). So holy people obey, but this is not the same as mere rule keeping. Godliness is more than basic morality and niceness. The Pharisees were externally moral, but their hearts were often far from God (Mark 7:7). It’s all too easy to turn the fight of faith into sanctification-by-checklist. Take care of a few bad habits, develop a couple of good ones, and you’re set. But a moral checklist doesn’t take into consideration the idols of the hearts. It may not even have the gospel as part of the equation. And inevitably, the checklist spiritually is highly selective. So you end up feeling successful at sanctification because you stayed away from drugs, lost weight, served at the soup kitchen, take mission trips to Haiti, and renounced Styrofoam. But you’ve ignored gentleness, humility, joy, and sexual purity. God has not really gotten to your heart. I could probably sell a lot of books if I demanded that Christians read their Bibles two hours a day, throw away their TV’s, sell their possessions, adopt 3 orphans, and move into a commune. We like getting lists. Some of us like getting beat up and being told exactly what needs to be done to become a true spiritual giant. This sort of exhortation seems promising at first, but it proves ineffective in the long run. Mere rule keeping is not the answer because holiness cannot be reduced to a little ethical refurbishment!

The nun said to me, ‘the church won’t change until the people’s hearts become pure. They are living a lie because so many are being misled by false teachers and those who proclaim the name of Jesus, but do not really know Him. They tell you to do one thing, but they do not do as they say. They are like sheep in wolves clothing.’ Prophetic? No, I’d say not. Just an old lady whose heart is pure! Your thought for today!