Goodbyes

Goodbyes are hard. I know I've written on this before but they seem to happen often. And they very rarely get any easier. Living for a year in Haiti I have sometimes felt that I wasn't making really good friends...ones you share everything with, who seem to understand you even when you can't express yourself, who you know you'll keep up with even from afar. And I suppose partially that is true on each of those levels. But that isn't making leaving any easier. Haitians are such a happy, hopeful people (I know I'm generalizing but still) and even though our communication methods aren't the clearest (my spoken creole is spotty at best) I feel that I'm among family and people who care.

I've had people come up this week and tell me how sorry they are to hear that I'm leaving and while I may recognize their faces I don't recall speaking with them before. And there are my students (both kids and adults) who are sad to see me go and all want to know when I'm coming back and who will continue the class. It is hard to tell them I don't know when I'll be back but even more so that there isn't anyone to take and continue the classes with them. I don't know how far we've gotten but we have had fun with our hour a week classes.

I've received so many blessings here. And they keep coming. The thank yous that I'm getting are heart felt and bring me close to tears (haven't cried yet but I know it's coming). Since writing that I teared up in 3 classes, barely made it through my last staff meeting, had to walk away quickly from the girls at the House if Hope.

Now I'm on the plane. Headed home to NC and cold weather. And I'm ready. (Not that there is any more choice in the matter.) and I'm glad. Still sad that I have left so many friends behind but the dragged out goodbyes were starting to kill me. Not knowing if I'd see someone again before I left. Cleaning out my room (how much stuff!), packing (which I still don't like doing).

Babies

I've been given the chance in the last week to visit the Missionaries of Charity hospital twice. There children are extremely sick and will stay until they are out of danger. Lots of malnutrition, malaria, and dehydration from diarrhea. There were some older children there this time. When I asked them they told me they were 7 years old but they were probably the size of 4 year olds. 

Parents have visiting hours and it is heart-warming to see when they are able to come, but heart-breaking to know that they don't have the means to care for their children. There are many children who don't get visited for whatever reason. Sadly there are always children for volunteers to hold (wouldn't it be nice to not be needed like that?). To hold, feed, change, and love a child. Language doesn't matter though sometimes it would really help. One little boy kept biting me when I wouldn't pick him up (not the best way to convince me) but was overjoyed when I sat down and was on his level even if I was holding another child.
If the child isn't hooked up to an IV there is a space to take them outside. There is a need for more shade there but we moved around and found what we needed. There are many children there and some of them I have recently learned can be adopted. I have only ever been into the first two rooms where the sickest children are, but as they get better there are another couple of rooms for them and they are more active three. The upstairs holds the orphanage but the one time I walked up there the kids were all downstairs on the playground. The hardest part is putting them down when it is time to leave. Often at the end of visiting hours so everyone is leaving and therefore crying. But I am grateful that there is a place like this for the care that they do get. 

As a complete contrast to that: today I was blessed to be able to visit Jean Gaudy's house. He moved about 2 months ago farther from Terre Noire (less crowded area). His new house was finished a few days after the birth of his daughter, Berlandy. I told him that I would love to meet his daughter and see his house if possible. He said yes but we haven't done anything until now (a week before I leave). Before my afternoon class we went to visit. It is a nice house though he tells me it isn't finished yet. He wants to add more rooms and it still needs to be painted. Berlandy was sleeping when we got there and I was afraid I wouldn't get to see her but Madame Jean Gaudy went to get her. She is adorable! Chubby and happy, with a head full of hair! She didn't cry at all even when faced with a blanc right after being awakened from her nap.

I give thanks to God for all the babies and the people who take care of them. 

(No pictures are allowed at the hospital, but here is one of Berlandy and me)

the order of worship

(soon there might be an abbreviated version of this on the HOM website)

As a long-term volunteer for HOM I thought I would write something about the worship services that I’ve attended in Haiti. I hope this will give you some insight as to the format of the service. You still won’t be able to understand the words (it will be in Creole and I don’t have time or the knowledge to teach you that) but to know a little more of what is going on and some of the thought behind it. It is by no means a definitive work as I’m sure that I will miss things. I definitely don’t have all the worship answers but I have asked some questions to the pastsoral staff and gotten some good answers that I’ll try to share here.

The beginning-Praise & Prayer
The services begin with about an hour of songs and prayer. The songs are lead by a church leader and often can be found in the hymn book though most of the congregation will already know the songs and will follow the leader as they lead with key phrases. The songs often lead straight into prayers which are loud and chaotic with each individual speaking to God. Sometimes the leader will continue a song at a hum and when the congregation picks that up they will begin to pray. The congregation then continues to hum or breaks into prayer as they feel led. Other prayers begin after the song ends and the leader picks a Bible verse (often from Psalms) that leads into everyone praying. The energy that flows through the church at this time is awe-inspiring. People are waving their arms inviting the Holy Spirit, calling out to God, on their knees with their heads on the pews. Each is free to pray to our Loving God who hears each one even when we can’t even hear ourselves. In this time is the call to confession and the assurance of forgiveness. Choirs sing praises and then it moves to the next part of worship.

Announcements & Welcome
A pastor or lay pastor then takes the service. He makes announcements and welcomes visitors. Meetings happening at the church, changes in a regular schedule, upcoming weddings, baptisms, or funerals are a few examples. Then the first time visitors stand and are recognized (sometimes with a ribbon, sometimes with a song). Haitian visitors are ushered to the front so they may feel more involved in the service with a closer seat. (HOM teams are not ushered to the front as we often leave in the middle of a service to attend a service at another HOM site.)
The song that is often sung goes like this:

Mwen renmen ou nan nom Segnè a                       I love you in the name of the Lord
Mwen renmen ou nan nom Segnè a                       I love you in the name of the Lord
Paske mwen wè nan ou lanmou Bondye a             Because I see in you the love of God
Mwen renmen ou nan nom Segne a                       I love you in the name of the Lord

What an awesome reminder of God’s love being in everyone, from friends to strangers.

Communion & Offering
A meditation on communion comes next. Communion happens in the middle of the service. This is different from at home when the communion often comes after the sermon toward the end of the service. Communion is seen as the center of the worship experience. It is the reminder that we are saved through grace and the sacrifice of Jesus-the center of our beliefs and therefore the center of worship. The meditation is often taken from one of the Gospels, 1 Corinthians 15, or Isaiah 53 but it is up to the discretion of the leader as they remind us of Christ’s death, burial, resurrection and promised return. Communion is open to all believers that have made the decision and declaration of Jesus as Lord and Savior. The plates are passed and the elements (bread and juice) are held to be eaten together as part of the one body of the church. As the cups are returned, it is also the time of the offering. As we have freely received communion and the grace of God so we may respond with our offering.

Sermon
The sermon is next. This is the last element of the service. There is no lectionary that is followed, but often the pastors have decided on themes for a series of sermons. When I asked why the sermon is at the end of the service, I was told that the hope is that the congregation listens and may be moved to make a deeper commitment to God. At the end of the sermon there is an invitation for anyone who feels moved to dedicate their life to Jesus or for those who already have accepted Jesus to make a stronger commitment to being a more active servant in the church. This is also a time for those who have prayer requests to come forward as there are leaders at the front who help and pray with them.

Often Sunday School classes follow the service (though on some Sundays it comes first). Here at Terre Noire (and I imagine at the other sites) the church is used as well as the school classrooms. In the church a class will take up about 4 pews with the teacher standing in the front and the next class will be about 3 pews behind them. It reminds me of the praying with all of the teaching going on at once in the same space. God’s work is definitely moving here!