No Turning Back
October 2, 2022
Does headline news send you reeling? It does me. Sometimes I just want to shut down my emotions and not care. Wars, floods, hurricanes, famines, politics, sickness, on and on and on - and all at the same time. How easy it would be to stop caring - to just worry about myself, my husband, my children, and my grandchildren. It's all too much. There's one little problem with going down that rabbit hole - I am a follower of Christ.
I can't follow Christ, who is going in one direction, and my thoughts that are going in another. I can only follow one or the other. No matter how difficult things may seem, there is no turning back, for I truly have decided to follow Him. Quite simply, He is THE WAY, THE TRUTH, and THE LIFE. This I know.
And yet it's so hard! Is this what Jesus was thinking about when He said, "take up your cross and follow me"? But His cross was so heavy! The reality of following Jesus while carrying heavy burdens can seem impossible. And yet, even Jesus had the help of Simon the Cyrene to carry His cross. The Father gave Jesus an incredibly heavy burden to bear and still He provided people to help with that burden.
And yet Jesus speaks so gently and kindly to us in Matthew 11:30, saying "For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." And I think back to Psalm 55:22, "Cast your cares on the Lord, and he will sustain you." Putting all these verses together (some of which seem contrary), I picture someone picking up a heavy load by themselves - they barely get it off the ground, and immediately others are there to help with the weight. Together the load is no longer heavy, but it is still a burden. That heavy burden became a light burden. When we cast our cares on Him our burdens are lightened and He sustains us.
The churches in Thozin and St. Etienne continue meeting regularly and bring hope to their communities. I am grateful for the faith our friends walk in each day.
As I was writing this post, we received a text from Haiti: Feyo passed away. Everyone who has ever stayed a night with us in Haiti knows who Feyo is. His official position was as a caretaker at the missionary compound (aka Cayes Mirliton). Feyo was the caretaker prior to MOHI obtaining the property, having living his whole life in the little village down the road. He was a very generous soul, hated confrontation, absolutely loved children, and made us all feel a little happier.
He was special to our family. When Alexis and AJay were little, Feyo would never let them go into the ocean without him being right there watching them. As they grew more competent in the water, he held his ground and would always be nearby. He always let us know when there was a red tide (baby jellyfish that cause an awful, itchy rash) so the children wouldn't go in the water.
He was special to our long and short-term missionaries, too. Most people who have visited MOHI in Haiti will ask us for Feyo when we see them. Visitors would says things to him in English and he would nod, and smile, and laugh at all the right places - having no idea what they were saying until they would bring someone over to translate.
Feyo definitely lightened our days. I feel sad that he is gone from this world. Feyo had a big family but was especially caring for his youngest daughter. Please consider making a donation toward his funeral expenses and to help provide for the family he left behind (choose the "memorial donation" from the dropdown online or write "Feyo" on the check memo). Notes of condolence and special photos with Feyo may also be emailed to support@mohintl.org. We will make sure the notes are translated and given to his family along with the photos.
The overall situation in Haiti remains grave. This all started as political maneuvering, which brought about the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse. It then turned into gangs overpowering certain areas of Port-au-Prince and its suburbs. While both of those situations remain even today, the population as a whole has now joined in the battle. Cities from The north to the south, from the east to the west are protesting.
Cap Haitian...
Carrefour...
Gonaïves...
Jérémie...
Port-au-Prince...
Port-de-Paix...
Petiòn-Ville...
Gasoline has become so rare that it can only be obtained on the black market. The going price at the beginning of the week was $30/gallon and by the end of the week, I saw people were paying $50/gallon in the city of Les Cayes.
Produce goes bad on the sides of roads, with no transportation available to get it to the markets.
Water for many is scarce and drinking water is no longer available for purchase. Many people are now boiling their water, which is very expensive for them. Most take their chances with the water they find. MOHI is grateful for the water we are able to share with our neighbors. Fetching water is usually delegated to women and children, but even the men are joining in the search for water now.
People are hungry throughout the country. We do what we can to keep feeding programs going. In Grand-Goave farmers from the surrounding mountains come down to the city with their burdens and those who still have money left are able to buy food. More than ever, our neighbors are grateful for the baby feeding programs.
This week Madona worked with the little ones on handwashing. It's an important habit for them to form, but it's also quite adorable watching them stare at the soap and freak out at the water.
Of course, hardly anyone is working right now. Unless they are joining a protest march, people stay home. Even in our little city of Grand-Goâve, people are protesting.
The government had postponed school opening until tomorrow, October 3rd. This time it's not the government telling us not to open schools, it's the protesters. They are saying that school will not open until Haiti's prime minister has left office. When a population is hungry, things get very ugly. In the meantime, children like Marisia and Francia, twin sisters in Thozin, must wait for their education to continue.
A pound of rice in our area is now selling for about $10US. We can get a one-pound package of rice at our local WalMart in Massachusetts for 82¢ - for less than 60¢ per lb if we buy a bigger package. Consider this, the average person was making about $2 per day a year ago (most are making $0 right now) and one pound of rice will feed one meal to only 2-3 people. How many times a week will a family be able to eat?
Will you help to feed our friends in Grand-Goâve? They simply can't do it on their own. Please give generously into the "Food/Feeding Programs" category online here. Thank you!
