Friday, July 31, 2015

Day 6 {Wednesday, 07.29.15}

John 11:25-26 Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?"


***Cross to Light's power and internet service has been very spotty, so the team has been unable to send an official update.  Please continue to pray for the team's health and for the Lord's anointing, power, and guidance to be upon the team!***

VIDEOs at the bottom of the post!

VBS continued today and the team had an opportunity to participate in the feeding program Cross to Light does for residents of the nearby tent city.

Getting set up for the Feeding Program


Handing out food to those whom come




Pastor John presenting the Gospel through a flag.

While preparing for the presentation during the Feeding Program, the team discovered that they could spell 'Lavi Li' in Creole with all of the pieces of the torn paper, which translates to 'Life [in] Him'!

Watch the presentation in the 3 videos below!




Wednesday, July 29, 2015

Day 5 {Tuesday, 07.28.15}

Isaiah 29:18 In that day the deaf will hear the words of the scroll, and out of gloom and darkness the eyes of the blind will see.






VBS continued for a second day!








Today the eye clinic resumed, while Pastor John continued his study of Job with the bible students. We returned to the missionary training center with a better knowledge of how to set-up and run the eye clinic. We were able to do the eye readings in a small, dim, air conditioned office. Praise the Lord, the eyeglass machine ran for 5 hours today before it overheated!




 We were thankful for Barbie, Pam, and Joel working hard all day with the machine and reading eyes. Amanda, Vinny, J.T., and Laralyn did a great job finding glasses as the prescriptions came in. Kelly, Emily, Emma, and Logan, paired with another team member, sat down with individuals to fit  their glasses and pray with them.



Rachel, John Wallace and Melanie were  floaters who helped where they were needed. Again, we are so thankful for our amazing         translators who help us communicate with the people! John          Wallace was given the opportunity to present the Gospel to those   waiting to have their eyes read. 

Some of the men, Jim, John Nieves, and Tim, spent the day working on the upkeep of the missionary training center.  They painted a large metal gate, fixed lights, and did other handy-work. We finished up the eye clinic around 3:30 and returned to Cross-to-Light. We spent the remainder of the afternoon resting and spending time with one another. Some of the team went down to the amphitheater to        listen to a church service. 

We are excited for tomorrow to continue VBS and we will also do a feeding program at Cross-to-Light for some of the people living in the tent city.                                                                                                                                                                                                

Please pray…


-For the children to be attentive to the teaching portion of the VBS
tomorrow.
-For opportunities to share the Gospel during our feeding program.
-For a few going to the hospital tomorrow to pray with patients.

Tuesday, July 28, 2015

Day 4 {Monday, 07.27.15}




Ephesians 6:12  For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.


Today was the first day of VBS and John began his teaching of Job with the
Bible training students. 

Pastor John leading the team in morning Praise & Worship






After much planning and preparation.... 

Where is the church (right there in blue shirts!), Where is the steeple (Cross to Light)?
Open the gate...and you'll see all the people!





a child inspects her shirt



....we began VBS in the amphitheater! 



We started with songs by Emily, Joel, Emma, and
Vinny. Then Rachel presented the Bible verse John 4:14. After J.T. showed
the children the craft. A fountain of water made out of pipe cleaners.






.
Then the team handed out bags of snack crackers and gummies, along with
some bagged water. Then the children received a message from Allan about
Jesus being the living water. 


During the whole VBS we were blessed to have
a translator named Michael, he has such a boldness for Christ and love for
the people of Haiti, we are very thankful for him. Finally the children
were dismissed and as they left the received a blue t-shirt with the Bible
verse written on it. 


After a short lunch break we took an hour drive to a voodoo village to
repeat the VBS we had done in the morning. Despite the darkness of the
village, we held the VBS in a christian church and had 75-80 people
attend, adults and children. The gospel was presented and more t-shirts
were given out. 

The Word of God being declared over the hearts of these precious ones...in the midst of darkness, a voodoo village!







Handing out crackers & water



It appears Emma's hair is a fascination.
Awesome CCF Youth loving on the kids in the voodoo village!
Pastor John
Playing 'Hot Hands'
Melanie
Worship to the One True God in the heart of the voodoo village!


As we finished and w
ere driving away, what a blessing it was to see the children running behind the truck wearing the blue t-shirts with scripture written on them. 







Prayer Requests: 
-Several team members have been suffering from migraines. Please pray for
relief and healing. 

-Please pray for the eyeglass reading machine to stay strong all day so
that we can read as many eyes as possible. It overheated on Saturday and
we had to stop the eye clinic. 

-Renewed strength and healing for the team. 

 Praises:
For the last few days the power has stayed on! Thank-you, Lord!!!

Monday, July 27, 2015

Day 3 {Sunday, 07.26.15}

Romans 10:14-15  How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard?And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!”

UPDATED from the team:
After morning church service at the amphitheater church, we rode through
the crowded streets / markets handing out hundreds of tracts and Bibles. 
There were hundreds, even thousands of people. We had a speaker system;
played music and shared the gospel message. Stopped at a market to share;
John Wallace was able to get out of truck with a translator and pray with
an individual amongst the crowd of people as the gospel was being shared. 
There was one heckler trying to distract John’s opportunity, but someone
in the crowd actually stopped the person from interrupting him. We went
through some rough areas of the city and were met with some abrasive
responses, but overall favorable.
Incredible translator while we evangelized in the streets! He was loud
and exuberant and connected with the people. 

Then we made our way to the
top of a tall mountain to pray over the city. 

The rest of the day we had a
sweet time of fellowship and worship amongst the team. 

Prayer Requests: 
-First day of VBS is tomorrow at the amphitheater church at Cross to Light. 

-In the afternoon, we will head to a voodoo village to repeat the VBS. 
Pray for ground and hearts to be broken. 

-Pray for all the support we have, and need: cooks, translators, security
team.
-Bible Training Center teachings begin tomorrow (with Pastor John.)

Sunday began with church in the amphitheater located on the hill outside of Cross to Light.  



Jim gave the message...



... and Pastor John had a little assistance with the worship, it appears!



Following church, the team left for "a crazy epic adventure" as one team member called it!

Armed with hundreds of tracts, the team climbed aboard a mobile pulpit!  Take a look at this video to get a look at the truck they rode around Port-Au-Prince in!



The massive sound system blasted worship music and preaching as they drove through the downtown market sharing and handing out tracts.  It was an unbelievable experience!







Turn your head sideways for this one!



After ministering in the market place, the team headed up the mountain for a breathtaking view of Haiti.  There they interceded for the nation that so desperately needs the saving message of the Gospel.

On the way back they had 2 more new experiences in Haiti: 

lunch at a downtown pizza parlor



and literally getting stuck between a rock and a hard place! They had to physically move the more common mode of transportation in Port-Au-Prince...a broken Tap Tap...our of the road so they could return to the training center.




Please continue to pray for the prayer requests listed yesterday!  As the team contacts us with more information and prayer requests they will be posted as soon as possible!

Sunday, July 26, 2015

Day 2: UPDATED! {Saturday, 07.25.15}

Acts 26:18 To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me. 


UPDATE from the TEAM:
After a tiring day of travel on Friday the team made it to Haiti safely
and with all of our luggage!

Saturday morning we left at 7am to the Missionary Training Center to begin the first day of the eyeglass clinic.  The team began cleaning out an area to use for our clinic, shoveling
gravel/dirt and setting up chairs and tables. Once set up, people were
brought in to the Missionary Training Center in small groups. They first
had their prescription read with an eyeglass machine. Then their
prescription was given to a group to find glasses that matched, or were
close to their prescription. Afterwards someone would sit down with them
one-on-one with a translator to fit the glasses and make sure that the
they could see clearly. Then once the physical sight was taken care of we
would ask them if they had made Jesus the Lord of their life. From there
we would share the gospel, and pray for them. Seeing everyone doing their
part was truly an image of the church body working together. Many people
were given glasses, many people heard the gospel, and a large handful
accepted the Lord into their life!

A Haitian girl tests her glasses!



Pamela praying for an Eyeglasses Clinic patient

Emma

Emily

Melanie prays with a woman as she receives her glasses.


The eyeglass machine began to overheat and it had to be turned off and
taken outside to cool off. While waiting for the machine to return, the
team was able to talk to those still waiting and love on the kids that
came with their parents. Pastor John spoke to the group and presented the
gospel message. One woman, Lucienne, gave her life to Christ after
hearing Pastor John talk! The eyeglass machine returned and three more
people were able to get their eyes read before the machine was completely
finished. We gave out some snack crackers and invited those who didn’t
get glasses to come back Tuesday, when we will continue the clinic.





Immediately following the clinic we took a short walk to the Orphanage.
We spent 2-3 hours playing with the kids, holding them, and just being
there to sit with them. Then we returned to Cross to Light to eat,
shower, and reflect on the day. Tomorrow we prepare for church and
whatever else the Lord would have us to do. 

John


Barbie at the orphanage


Prayers: 
Please pray for the eye reading machine. It overheated a few times today
which slowed down the process. We have a plan to remedy this - pray the
Lord keeps the machine operable so we can help more people. 


Pray for strength and perseverance for our team, including translators. 


Pray for growing boldness of the team to share with people as the Lord
brings opportunities. 


Thus far we have had very little electricity at the Training Center (our
lodging.) Pray for power to return.

Original Post:

The team began their day of ministry early! After breakfast and devos, they headed out to the Tent City for the first Eye Glasses Clinic.



After a little work to get the eye machine working again, a few dozen people now can see clearly!  As people waited their turn to be seen at the clinic, members of the team who were not running the machines taught the children worship songs in Creole and loved on the babies.  Not only did they feed their souls with music about the Savior, but they also were able to provide them with a simple snack.  During this time, at least one woman accepted Christ as her Savior!  Praise God!  The team will return to the the Tent City for another Eye Glasses Clinic on Tuesday.



Joel and Logan working at the Eye Glasses Clinic




Emily, Barbie, and Rachel teaching those waiting Bible songs in Creole
In addition the team had the opportunity to visit the orphanage that they have visited on all of the previous trips and continue to love on these precious children.  The orphanage has children with no medical challenges, as well as those with significant lifelong ones.  Please pray for the love of Jesus to wash over these precious ones!


Vinny loving on the children
John enjoying this sweet girl's company
Day 2 also allowed the team to connect with many familiar faces!  Jefferson, the young man who had helped translate for the team in previous trips, is back and the team is so blessed to catch up with him again!  One young girl found a member of the team whom she remembered from two years ago and brought her mother to meet our team member!  There is no doubt that the team is making a lasting impact on the lives they touch in Haiti!  Pray that they would also accept the touch of salvation from King Jesus, whom our ambassadors represent!