Barnabas Task

Churches across Haiti rallied yesterday to pray and fast for their country and mourn the death of loved ones.  To date, more than 200,000 people have lost their lives.  I was in the capital city of Port Au Prince yesterday and observed literally thousands of people not only at the front gate of the National Palace but also in their churches.  I observed weeping, singing, praying.

It is my understanding that the large gathering of thousands of people at the Palace gate was only part of the story.  They will pray and fast today (February 13) and Sunday (February 14) as well.  It will be a united effort to say, ”Let’s start again.”  This is Haiti’s hope.  To start again.

While in the city I went with new friends from World Vision (they actually live in Santo Domingo) to a church in downtown Port Au Prince.   Their purpose was to  investigate where a major  water station could be placed.  We passed through some of the hardest hit areas of the earthquake.   We heard the singing and prayers coming from a fairly large church.  We had to walk through the throng of praying, desperate people to get to where the water station would be placed.   We side-stepped our way through, people literally elbow to elbow joined together to plead with God for a divine alternative.

For me, I sensed a moment of God’s grace and wonder.  Why was I here, right at this moment?  I had a lot on my mind.

The man traveling with me was the vice-president of a large association of churches that represents every denomination that I know of.  At that moment, he turned to me and asked if I would speak.  Without doubt, there was a large crowd including those under a tent next to their church that had been condemned, those who were in the street, in median areas, parking lots etc.

Dripping with sweat I declared your message that was God’s message.  ‘This is Haiti’s greatest day because we move from here to better days.  This is our opportunity to start over, forgetting the past and press forward.  Haiti’s history will turn a page now.  It is up to you.  I invoke the name of God and His power and come against every power of sin and Satanic influence, every spirit and stronghold that God’s name be glorified, in the matchless name of Jesus.”  I think I shared a few more words.

I had just prayed in the center of Port Au Prince.  I was amazed by it all.

My dad told me before he died, “Talk about God and missions.”  I talked about God today.  His name was lifted up.

Note: I will post more pictures next week and write more in coming days. My hats off to every medical person that has contributed so heroically in Haiti.  You rock! I saw many people that have been taken care of, attended.  Still I saw others that needed attention. The Haiti Disaster Relief is moving into a different stage.  There is still a need for medical teams but the initial “first responder stage” is ending.