First off, I’m sorry I didn’t have time to post my usual “the weekend that was” entry. It was a great weekend (services were awesome, God moved in people’s lives, I heard about 2 different healings from our prayer teams, visited my mom in the OC, met with our prayer leaders Sunday afternoon – so you can see there was plenty to reflect on, just didn’t have time).
And of course the reason for the above is the trip to HAITI that I’m embarking on today. I’m excited and nervous at the same time.
I’m there to look into being a part of some CHURCH TO CHURCH partnerships (click here for more info) with some Haitian pastors and churches through a wonderful organization, Adventures In Missions (Click here) that I’ve worked with since I was a youth pastor in the 80s (when I was in Omaha).
I’ll try to post some thoughts and even pics from Haiti. They say we’ll have wireless where we are staying (some camp / house that AIM staff is using).
Mark Oestreicher (Marko) a LONG time friend and Journey member, put together this trip and is leading it. I would encourage you to check out his blog. He has a few great posts on what we are doing. Click here.
Here are a few pre-trip thoughts from my journal from yesterday and this morning:
FROM MONDAY:
TRIP PREP: One of the reason trips are so hard for me is that I don’t like to be out of control. I don’t like to be uncomfortable (duh). But more than that, I also want to manage & guard my heart. Understandable and perhaps even helpful except when I’m guarding it from You & shielding it from what You would like to do in me. I’m tempted to keep the suffering, the brutal realities of this sin cursed world at a distance. But I don’t want to just serve You when it’s all rolling. I choose to follow YOU, JESUS – in looking at it right in the face. Help me to deny myself, take up my cross and follow You.
– Help me to make good connections w/ Haitian pastors & leaders & AIM staff
– Open my heart & eyes to what we have in front of us.
– Free me from my desire to impress the other pastor guys on this trip. Help me to be a blessing to them.
– May this be a big KINGDOM STEP and a answer to the prayer about MISSIONS and us moving ahead on this.
o God raise up a Journey missionary who wants to be in Haiti or DR or both
o Kind of like a Tom Yaccino
FROM TUESDAY MORNING:
Tuesday, May 25, 2010 – Leaving for HAITI
I’m sitting enjoying as it were one more moment in my very comfortable house. I’m already struck even in thought by the disparity that I know I will encounter. This isn’t my 1st rodeo, just my 1st in a while. And also my 1st time seeing a tragedy like this up close & personal.
So, God, help me today. I ask for smooth travels. I ask for good connection w/ people on the team. I ask that You would use today to get me ready.
Just got a hug goodbye from David – he initiated it. Cool.
You can still give to help seed this project. Just designate it, “Haiti”.
