Two Fathers and Learning to Be a Son

The Father's Day That Was

God in His holy dwelling is
a father of the fatherless
and a champion of widows.
Psalm 68:5 (HCSB)

Father's Day.  Two days ago.  A day when fathers were celebrated.  A day many pastors and orphan care advocates used to point to God as our Heavenly Father.  

It was also a day when bitterness welled up in many who resent their fathers, many of whom really were not in their lives at all.  It was a day -- along with its reminders -- that couldn't pass quickly enough.

Not Me

Many people who advocate for a particular cause do so because of some type of negative experience or suffering that they don't want others to go through.  It's the principle of 2 Corinthians 1:3-4: "Praise the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort.  He comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any kind of affliction, through the comfort we ourselves receive from God." 

Not me, though.  I advocate for the orphan because of what I do have in my life.  I do have a strong father who taught me right from wrong, taught me the value of simply being there, taught me how to walk on my own two feet.  Our view of God as our Heavenly Father begins with our view of our own fathers.  I can see why so many people that I talk to about God have such a hard time believing He is who He claims to be.  I, on the other hand, had a terrific head start.

Just hanging out on the back porch with with dad.

 Not a day goes by that I don't think of my dad.  Oftentimes, it's one of those sayings that is unique to him (or his father before him), including my all-time favorite, "You thought like Parker's dog."  (Ask me sometime; I'll explain it to you.)  

Sometimes, it's something he did or is in the process of doing, like when I'm working in my really small garden and thinking of his working in his much bigger garden.  

My favorite photo: 3 generations & a mess of fish!

Every once and a while, not nearly as often as I would like, I will just sit down on the couch and peacefully doze off, like my dad can do like a champ.  I think of him then, too.

Transferring What I've Learned

Not a day goes by that I don't think of my Heavenly Father, either.  Oftentimes, it's one of those sayings that is unique to Him, something in His Word or in a Scripture that I have heard so often that I know it by heart.  Something like James 1:17: "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change."  Or Psalm 67:7: "God shall bless us; let all the ends of the earth fear him!" 

Welcome to one of my conversations with God -- always better when He does most of the speaking.

Sometimes, it's what He's doing or in the process of doing.  Like conforming me into the image of His Son.  Like allowing me to come alongside others while they do the same.  Like causing my heart to melt over 13 Haitian children and the ones who are spending their lives caring for them.

Sometimes, it's just in the quiet, peaceful moments that I get to spend with my Heavenly Father.  Moments when He doesn't have to say or do anything, just be there.

I'd say I got quite a head start knowing and loving God, my Heavenly Father, because of the example of my earthly father.  Thanks, Dad.  You have not only prepared me to be a father but a son to my Heavenly Father, as well.  As far as I'm concerned, every day is Father's Day.

Thanks for reading.

4theVoiceless,
Al

Exciting Photos from Haiti

This first-time Saturday post is the result of some exciting new photos from Haiti, courtesy of Dusty Cooper. The new House of Abraham needs about $2,000 more to complete this first phase. Enjoy the photos. 

I will post more updates as I get them. Thanks for reading. 

4theVoiceless,

Al

Friday Little Bits: Around the World in 3 Minutes

4theVoiceless is spanning the globe today in four quick updates:

Orphan Sunday

Orphan Sunday is the first Sunday in November each year, November 3 this year.  This is a time for churches worldwide to focus on some aspect of orphan care in response to the consistent commands of God in His Word to care for orphans.  Orphan Sunday originated in a small church in Zambia, Africa,  and has grown exponentially in the years afterward.

I am one of a couple of the Christian Alliance for Orphans' (CAFO) Orphan Sunday coordinators in Mississippi.  The coordinators were introduced to some of the resources that we have available for this year at the Summit conference in Nashville last month, and more resources are being made available as we move closer to November.  If you would like any information about Orphan Sunday for your church (no matter the denomination), please contact me; you do not have to have a full-fledged orphan care ministry to do something for Orphan Sunday.

Click here to read how I spent an unforgettable Orphan Sunday in 2012.

House of Abraham

One of the new HoA bedrooms as I last saw it in March.

I communicated back and forth with Fenel last week, and they are about a week now from moving out of the current home of House of Abraham.  The new house is not completely ready, but he is trying to get a couple of the rooms completed and the security wall finished so that move-in can begin.  Please make it a matter of prayer over the coming days that the new house will be prepared (enough) and that the transition from the old house would go smoothly.

And speaking of Haiti . . .

These kids would love to meet you or see you again!

Haiti 2014

Colonial Hills Church will be headed back to Jacmel, Haiti, to serve the House of Abraham and various other discipleship programs in early 2014.  The dates are either February 7-14 or 8-15, depending on the cost of airline tickets.  This team will be limited to a maximum of 24 people.  We will be planning a meeting on both CHC campuses in the next couple of months to give you more information on this mission trip, but if you are interested in being part of this team, contact me and I will get your name on the list of those who have already let me know they wanted to go.   If you do not attend CHC but would like to go on the trip with us, you can contact me, as well.

And finally . . .

Jamaica 2013

 

 

 

A past "little blue house" dedication.

The CHC Jamaica team leaves tomorrow morning.  There are 33 from our church who will meet up with 16 more from Fairview Baptist Church in Sherman, Texas, to build four houses as a continuing part of our "Little Blue House Project" and to also serve at the deaf school there.  This is where two of our teams built a playground last year.  Pray for our team as they build houses and relationships in Jamaica this week.

Jeff Witt & a child from the deaf school.

Check out the CHC Missions Facebook page to know how to pray for the team and also for updates throughout the trip.

 There you have it: Africa, Nashville, Haiti, Mississippi, Texas, and Jamaica -- around at least a considerable part of the world in three minutes or so.  Thanks for reading.

4theVoiceless,

Al

Making the Most of Moore and Newtown

The News You Never Want to Hear

The meetings for this past Monday at our Colonial Hills Church staff advance were drawing to close when we first learned of the deadly tornadoes in Oklahoma that had happened earlier in the day.  After making sure my sister and her family, -- who live in Broken Arrow -- were okay, I began to watch the news about the devastation of this storm.  News that included injuries to one of our church member's parents, injuries that they would survive.  News of damage that resembled a war zone.  And news of the numbers of children in the Oklahoma City suburb of Moore among the casualties.

Normally, the focus of the 4theVoiceless blog is children who have lost or been separated from their parents, but as the funerals have now begun for the children killed in the Oklahoma tornado, I felt compelled to write as a parent today.  A parent grieving with those who will bury their children over the next few days.  A parent who grieved with the parents in Newtown, Connecticut, late last year as they buried their children.

I have walked through the steps of grief with some good friends who lost their 10-year-old son almost a decade ago in an automobile accident.  The Lord was so gracious to them as they steadfastly placed their hope and trust in Him, even amidst their enormous grief.  I know that in Newtown, Connecticut, and in Moore, Oklahoma, you can multiply my friends' grief many times over, and that is an overwhelming thought to me.  I pray for their ability to trust in the Lord, even as the world as they know it has changed forever. 

Newtown and Moore have caused me to reflect on my own children and how grateful I am to still have them with us.  Having dedicated them to the Lord when they were all very young, I am aware that they belong to Him and that Loretta and I are caretakers of His children.  God will take them on His timing, just as He will us.  I hope that that time comes long after we are gone, but, as we have seen with the tragedies in Connecticut and Oklahoma, we have no such guarantees.

Celebrating My Children

I can't imagine life without any of my own children.  I'm so proud of them, for who they are and what they are doing to make a difference in this world. 

Ashton is in Russia right now, loving on orphans alongside Russian college students.  You can read more about that trip in "To Russia With . . . Hesitation?" 

In the photo to the right, she is holding a mouse (or rat, depending on whom you ask) that one of the kids in one of the orphanages had as a pet.  The girl then took the mouse back and put it on Ashton's head.  Ugghhhh!

I am very grateful for the young woman of integrity (amidst the goofiness) that she is and for how she is making a difference in the world . . . right now.


Garrett is finishing up his first year at Lewisburg High School after homeschooling for his first 9 years of school.  I think it was a courageous move on his part.  He has made good grades and found his place on the baseball team.  Though his freshman team's season ended several weeks ago, he gets to be a part of the varsity team that plays for a state championship tomorrow.  He knows the value of simply being a part of the team.  From all accounts he has made a positive impact on his school, and I am very proud of who he is.  He heads to FCA camp next week, and I eagerly anticipate how the Lord will use that in his life and in the lives of others.

Drew is having a blast during Garrett's baseball season, running around and playing with his friends Robinson and Tate (other little brothers of guys on the team).  I have thoroughly enjoyed all the trips to games and the father-son time that he and I have enjoyed over the last few months. 

Drew has recently committed to go on our church's mission trip to Haiti next February, trusting God more than his bank account to provide the necessary funds.  (For those of you who don't know Drew, he's 10 and without a viable job to pay for such a trip; God has already given him a glimpse of His provision for this trip!)  The kids at the House of Abraham are going to love him, and they have the most potential of actually wearing him out -- though I will believe that when I see it!  I love Drew's relentless energy (though, admittedly, it drives me crazy sometimes) and look forward to seeing it used for God's glory in Haiti and other places.

Celebrating Your Children

If you are reading this post today and you have children, I beg you to take time to celebrate them for who they are (not so much for what they have done) and make the most of every moment you have with them.  Use the disaster in Oklahoma and the tragedy in Connecticut to break the ice and say the things that you need to say to your kids.  We are not promised tomorrow with them.  Simply, make the most of today.

Thanks for reading. 

4theVoiceless,
Al

Remembering Kickball and Picking Teams

Remembering Kickball

I remember kickball from my elementary school days.  The boys from my school would spend the entirety of recess playing kickball.  The best I can recall, home plate was a tree stump, first base was a utility pole, second base was a circle drawn in the dirt, and third base was a fencepost.  We played every day, we argued like elementary-age boys do, and we never got tired of playing.

I also remember the process of picking sides.  Name after name would be called and kids would move toward their respective teams while the pool of players that I was sometimes a part of would dwindle down to just a few.  Even then, everyone eventually was chosen.  And even when I wasn't one of the first kids chosen, I was always eventually chosen. 

I remember that feeling of inclusion after the mounting tension of the team captains choosing their respective teams.  I vividly remember having my name called, whether early or late in the process of picking sides.  It didn't really matter when I was chosen; I was on a team!

"I was never picked."

These were the words of Stephen Ucembe, a pastor from Kenya who shared his tragic story at the Summit 9 orphan care conference in early May.  Pastor Ucembe was orphaned at age five and placed in a state-run orphanage.  The orphans there were not allowed to cry.  They weren't given opportunities to step outside the fenced-in confines of the institution, though sometimes they would climb the fences to get a peek at the world outside:  "Some thought that was the rest of the world."

Pastor Ucembe remembered that visitors from the outside, usually from the United States or Europe, would come to visit his orphanage in Kenya:  "Visitors picked the ones that were cute.  I was never picked."  Cast aside again.

Can you imagine what that felt like?  Perhaps you can.  Perhaps you grew up in a home where you were neglected.  Perhaps you attended school with kids who were so mean to you that you couldn't stand the thought of going back the next day.  Perhaps you can relate. 

I can't.  My last post about Mother's Day (updated earlier this morning) indicates that my childhood was nothing like Pastor Ucembe's.  Oh, I remember the kickball games and sometimes having to wait a looonnng time to hear my name called.  But it was always called.  I can't relate to Pastor Ucembe from my own personal experience.

Chosen

I know that from Psalm 139 that God knows every fiber of my being, that He knew me before I was even conceived.  I know that He knows my name, the number of hairs on my head, my every thought, my joys and my sorrows.  I know that He loves me.  But what does He want me to do with that?  How do I use my relationship with Abba Father ("Papa" / "Daddy") to reach others who may not know Him like that because no one has ever picked them?

Here's one simple way that you may have the opportunity to use:  Notice the children on the edges.  Whether in an orphanage or a classroom or a children's ministry or even within a family, look for the ones that tend to get left out or marginalized.  Maybe they're not as cute as some of the others.  Or as well-dressed or as athletic or as smart or as witty or as outspoken -- the list goes on and on.  Do a craft that makes much of their names (like this one that our team that recently went to Haiti did with the kids there).

You can choose to notice them.  You can make them feel special with high fives and fist bumps and hugs.  And by calling them by name.  Something glows on the inside of neglected children who are lovingly called by name.  In calling their names, you reflect a heavenly Father who values the marginalized children just as much as all the rest . . . and He knows their names.

See what changed Pastor Ucembe's life in Nugget #1 of "5 Nuggets and 5 Questions from Summit 9."

Thanks for reading and for making a difference on behalf of the Father to His children on the edges.

4theVoiceless,
Al

God Stories: 4theVoiceless at One Year

I can hardly believe it, but this month the 4theVoiceless blog hits the one-year mark.  In a year, I have gone from writing once a week to twice a week and occasionally a little more.  I have written about adoption, foster care, children's homes in the U.S. and other countries, the value of the family, and many other topics -- almost a hundred posts in all.  I have had the privilege of hearing some pretty amazing God stories and passing them on to you.  The challenge to begin writing was daunting, but there are so many stories to tell and so many who need to be awakened to this world's orphan crisis.

A few of you have been with the blog from the beginning, and others have just begun to read this week.  I am grateful for you all.  Last month, we had over 1,100 page views, a new record that may be broken this month, if the start of the month is any indication.  We have also gone over 8,600 page views in a little less than a year.  Awareness continues to be one of the major challenges of the call to care for the voiceless, so thank you for your continued readership. 

Take a look back at the most popular posts month-by-month over the last year, according to you, the readers.  If you have recently found the 4theVoiceless blog, I invite you to read through posts that seem to define the last year on the blog and for the ministry.  If you have been around for a while, I invite you to click on the links and reminisce as I did while preparing this compilation.

May 2012:  "My Taco Bell Moment"

 

June 2012: "So Check My Man Card Already"

July 2012: "Our Missions Pastor Is an Enzyme (Now I Am, Too)"

August 2012: "Hope for Haiti: You Move, God Moves" 

 

September 2012: "My Lowest Point As a Pastor"

October 2012: "Do You Have a Personal Mission Statement?"

 

November 2012: "Haiti Mission Trip, Day 3: Build Us Back With Precious Stones"

December 2012: "4theVoiceless Photos: Top 12 in 12 (#1-4)"

 

January 2013: "And Suddenly . . . Orphan Run MS"

February 2013: "Stuck on a Cruise Ship: First and Third World Problems"

March 2013: "Ain't Nobody Got Time for That"

April 2013: "Coach Hammond: Man of Many Hats (and One Very Special One"

"Speak up for those who have no voice, for the justice of those who have been dispossessed."  (Proverbs 31:8, HCSB)

Thanks for reading.

4theVoiceless,
Al

Orphan Run Mississippi: The Essentials

The purpose of the Orphan Run Mississippi 5K race is to build houses for orphans in Mabaale, Uganda.  Each runner's bib will have the name of one of orphans on whose behalf he/she will be running.

Saturday, April 20, 2013

2 DAYS AWAY!!!

Predicted Weather at Race Time:
46 degrees and sunny
(After running the course on Tuesday in heat and humidity, I much prefer a little chilly!)

Packet pickup and registration begins at 7:00.  You can still sign up before the race here.

Runners who registered online by the deadline will be guaranteed a race T-shirt.  If you signed up late or are going to register on the day of the race, come early to get a shirt; supplies are limited! 

5K Race begins at 8:00.

1 Mile Run begins at 8:30.

Run begins and ends at Longview Point Baptist Church, 1100 McIngvale Road (corner of McIngvale and Byhalia) in Hernando, Mississippi.

Want more?

Watch the Orphan Run MS video

Read 4theVoiceless posts "And Suddenly...Orphan Run MS" , "Prepping to Run for Orphans", and "Orphan Run Mississippi: A Personal Best, Half a House, and You"

Click here for The Latest Updates

Come See Us

4theVoiceless is one of the race sponsors and will have a table set up at the race.  We will have special race-day pricing on our Flavors of Forever Families adoption cookbooks (to assist families through the adoption process):
     1 book - $10
     2 books - $17
     3 books - $20
     ($5 for each additional book)

All of our paracord bracelets and paper bead jewelry will also be greatly reduced for the Orphan Run.  Proceeds from these sales will benefit the construction of the House of Abraham children's home in Jacmel, Haiti.


I'm looking forward to seeing many of you at the race on Saturday.

Thanks for reading.

4theVoiceless,
Al

"Thoughts" for Boston, Hope for the World

Evidence of the Fall

I have a friend who has a goal to one day run the Boston Marathon.  His day was not yesterday, but my thoughts immediately went to him when I heard the news of the explosions.  Because my friend is a dad and a father, a son, a brother.  I doubt if many of those who were killed or injured yesterday were truly alone in this world; they were husbands, wives, fathers, mothers, sons, daughters, grandfathers, granddaughters, uncles, aunts, nephews, nieces, cousins, friends.  People’s hearts are broken today over deaths and injuries to real people, people they know and love, not just the numbers about which we are hearing and reading.  Evidence of the fall.

Yesterday was a heavy day for me as I watched the events of the day unfolding.  The talking heads on the network I turned to seemed almost giddy from the increasing numbers of injured and dead.  Having become more and more incensed with the so-called “mainstream media” over the lack of coverage of the horrendous Kermit Gosnell story, I felt this perceived glee as an angry knot in the pit of my stomach.  I know mine is an overreaction, but consider that I live in the Mid-South, where reporters move in order to be able to cover more violent crime; we get this every night we choose to turn on the news.  Evidence of the fall.

I have been regularly blogging about the needs of orphans around the world for almost a year now.  When I heard the news from Boston yesterday, I couldn’t help but think about the areas of the world where explosions like this that take place regularly.  Where fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, children are killed.  Where children become orphans.  Real people for whom very few are calling for justice of their behalf.  Evidence of the fall.

I have read comment after comment on news stories and social media where people were sending their “thoughts” to Boston.  I don’t want to be insensitive here, but those with oversensitive sensitivity meters may want to stop reading now.  Boston – and specifically the victims and their families – don’t need thoughts; they need prayers.  Sending thoughts accomplishes about as much as the “moments of silence” that are sure to come in various places around our nation.  And moments of silence will accomplish . . . what?  Moments where we can send thoughts to Boston?  Thoughts that are equated to prayer?  Send prayers to God for Boston.  When someone tells me that I am in their thoughts, I always ask them to pray for me when they think of me.  Because I, too, am evidence of the fall and need . . .

The Hope of the World

As long as there are Christ-followers in this world, there will be at least glimmers of hope.  Hope that it won't always be this way.  That Jesus really did conquer sin and the grave and that He will return to establish His eternal kingdom.  Hope that those of us who love Him and follow Him can make a difference in this world for His kingdom while there is still time.

Last night during the break in my class, my friend Dusty handed me his phone and asked me if I had seen the photos he was showing me.  I hadn’t.  Photos from Haiti.  Photos of progress on the House of Abraham.  Photos of hope on a day of heartache and cynicism.  Hope for a nation crumbling under the weight of corruption.  Hope through Christ-followers from Haiti and the U.S. who are investing in the House of Abraham.  Hope that many Haitians will become followers of Jesus because of the work there.

Is that paint on the outside?!?

That roof is looking good!

Move in day less that two months away!

 

Not signed up?  Show up anyway.  Click on the photo for the details.

Before leaving class last night, Dusty and I -- along with our friend Jeff -- planned a practice 5K run today to prepare for Saturday's Orphan Run Mississippi in Hernando.  A run that offers hope for orphans in Uganda.  Kids that we don't know but are willing to invest in.  We will have the names of orphans on our running bibs; I hope we will do more than think of them but that we will pray for them while we run.  As we cross the finish line, I hope that we will think of the victims in Boston . . . and pray for them, too. 

And Then This . . .

And then the text this morning that some dear friends of ours who desperately want to have another baby have miscarried.  Again.  My heart sinks.

Even so, come Lord Jesus.

Jesus Christ is the hope of the world.  If you are one of His followers, reflect Him well today.  A world groaning under the weight of sin urgently needs you to represent.



Thanks for reading.

4theVoiceless,
Al

Haiti 2013: The Highlights

CHC 4theVoiceless 2013 Haiti Mission Trip

After a week in Haiti and a couple of weeks of blogging about our team's experiences, I have tried to encapsulate our trip in about four minutes in a photo slideshow set to Kristian Stanfill's "Children of Light."  Trying to capture a week's worth of memories in four minutes is incredibly difficult, but I hope that it moves you to move toward children at risk.

Haiti is the poorest country in the world, and we saw and often smelled this poverty firsthand.  However, you will find little, if any, evidence of this in the video.  Why?  I wrote about this topic last November in a post called "What You Choose to Remember."  I encourage you to read it before you watch the video.  The answer is compelling. 

Poverty may define Haiti to the rest of the world, but poverty doesn't define Haiti.  There is hope in Haiti and for Haiti.  That hope is in Jesus Christ, the same as it is here in the United States, the wealthiest nation in the world. That hope is evident at the House of Abraham in Jacmel, Haiti.

Enjoy the pictures of hope from Haiti. . .

I have enjoyed bringing you stories from our mission trip from my admittedly limited perspective.  Other members of the team could add much, much more.  As always, thanks for reading!

Day 1: The Team's Unexpected Challenge
Day 2: Boaz, Super Ninja. Who Knew?
Day 3: Accomplishment! (and the Return of Josh's Man Card)
Day 4: A Hurtling Batter, Barbie, & Team Determination
Day 5: Puddles, Suncatchers, & Ethan Befriends a Goat
Day 6, Part 1: Pillowcases Without Pillow, a Sliced Arm, & Lobster
Day 6, Part 2: Mwen Fou Pou Ou & a Rah-Rah

4theVoiceless,
Al

P.S.: I think I'll celebrate the completion of the video (which kept me up well into the night last night) with an Orphan Run Mississippi prep run.  The run for orphans is 2 weeks from tomorrow in Hernando, MS.  Hope to see you there!

Haiti 2013 Day 6, Part 2: Mwen Fou Pou Ou and a Rah-Rah

CHC Haiti Mission Trip Day 6, Part 2

I could have told you when Jim May and I first began to plan this CHC mission trip to Haiti that Thursday would be the most bittersweet day.  It would be the day that we would sum up -- to the extent that we were able -- what God had taught us and worked in us during the previous week; that's always one of my favorite parts of a mission trip.  The last team meeting on the roof of the current House of Abraham home was sweet.  Fenel's words of encouragement and gratitude to us (which included dubbing us Team Determination) were sweet.  We would see our families and loved ones the following day; that was a sweet thought.

When we returned to the house from our beach excursion, it was time for a little more time with the kids and a lot of good-byes.  We were to leave at 3:00 the following morning to try to assure that we arrived at the airport on time (We had experienced what Port au Prince traffic can be like the previous Friday when we arrived, so we were taking no chances.)  So the good-byes began.

For me, my good-byes came through a T-shirt I had bought that says, "Jacmel: Mwen Fou Pou Ou."  That means "Jacmel, I'm crazy for you."  When the team returned to the house, the kids wanted to see what I had bought.  I looked at one of the boys, called him by name, and said, "Mwen fou pou ou."  And that's how I said good-bye to each of them and how they said good-bye to me.

The good-byes continued throughout the night.  Many individual farewells took place before the formal good-byes, when we had a chance to speak to the kids through Fenel.  He also interpreted the kids' words to us.  We went upstairs to the team area to finish packing and get ready for the early wake-up call, only to have the kids call us down later to come in there rooms for one more round of hugs and good-byes.  

The good-byes were bittersweet.  For me, I had been before and, Lord willing, I will go again.  For me, it was more "until next time" than good-bye.  Still, there was work on the new home that was still far from done.  There were kids who didn't want to go to sleep, knowing we would be gone the next morning; that was bittersweet.  There were the discipleship programs that Fenel and Jean Jean lead that we didn't get to experience on this trip.  There was just so much that we were seemingly leaving undone or un-experienced.

The heat was worse on Thursday night than any other night of the trip, so sleep was hard to come by.  Then, some of us were awakened around midnight by a rah-rah on the street right outside the home.  And, of course, we were awakened again at 2:30 to gather our things and head to the airport.  We encountered one other rah-rah on the way to the airport but had no long delays.  It took 22 minutes to cover the mileage that took us four hours to get through the previous Friday.  And then, just like that, we were home.

The kids gathered around "Papa Fefe."

Hangin' with the boys (plus one).

Robbie with Lucien and David (Bubba).  Must be after 6:00; Bubba's sleepy.

Jodie enjoying some Bubba time.

One last game of soccer.

Jim and Jean Jean

The formal good-byes.

The last sunset we would enjoy from the current House of Abraham home.  Next trip, new home!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Relationships

Colonial Hills Church has long been a relational church, for better or for worse -- and we've seen plenty of both.  The way we do missions is no different; it is relational.  Why did we go to Haiti in the first place?  Relationships, specifically with Dusty Cooper and IsleGo Missions (whom we partnered with through -- you got it -- relationships).  So we'll be back in Jacmel at the House of Abraham.  If not the specific people from this team (or the one before that or the one before that or the one before that), then others in our body will go.  And so will our brothers and sisters from Illinois and Florida and New Jersey and North Carolina, and so on.  And the work that God is doing in Haiti through Fenel Bruna and the House of Abraham will be accomplished.

None of us can point to the completed house here in a few months and claim more that a part of the foundation or the roof, a painted room or two, some blocks on the wall.  But we can all point to the God who brought us to Haiti at one time or another to accomplish works bigger than ourselves.  Not just in building a house but in encouraging and strengthening the next generation of leaders in Haiti to be young men and women of integrity who seek to glorify God in how they live their lives and serve others.

Mimi & Fenel Bruna

Haiti 2013 Team Determination: Jodie, Jim, Robbie, Ethan, Heather, Dusty, Josh, Al, Fenel, Gary

So that's our mission trip to Jacmel, Haiti, and the House of Abraham.  I hope that you have enjoyed the posts and that you have been challenged to get involved.  At last report, the new house is still about $10,000-$12,000 away from being fully funded.  The current lease runs out in May (and that was after a much-prayed-for extension), so time is running short.  You can click here to help.

Sponsor one of the House of Abraham kids here.
Does child sponsorship really make a difference?  In a word, yes!  Check out this article.

 A look back at previous day's posts:

Day 1: The Team's Unexpected Challenge
Day 2: Boaz, Super Ninja. Who Knew?
Day 3: Accomplishment! (and the Return of Josh's Man Card)
Day 4: A Hurtling Batter, Barbie, & Team Determination
Day 5: Puddles, Suncatchers, & Ethan Befriends a Goat
Day 6, Part 1: Pillowcases Without Pillow, a Sliced Arm, & Lobster


Thanks for reading. I hope to have a video slideshow of our trip ready for the blog tomorrow. 

 4theVoiceless,
Al