Summer Trip Notes

The small team of five was amazing. Three of us have never been on mission before and definitely not to Haiti. Then there was Brother Stephen who I am always excited to do ministry with. We hiked up part of a mountain Thursday near the village of Fedja, evangelizing along the way. One man gave his life over to God. Amazingly enough, our guide for the hike was the former voodoo priest who came to know Christ when I visited this past April.


Friday we visited more homes. Most everyone we met was a Christian and we encouraged them and discussed life with them. In the evening we held a small VBS. We discussed John 21 and casting our nets on the other side of the boat.We also gave the kids the fish that kids from Covington made them. The were very excited and I thought they were going to fight over them until I reassured them there was enough for everyone.

On Saturday we crossed the river to Balmaitre. Some of our new friends from the world race traveled with us also. Of course (I’m beginning to think there is a conspiracy) while we are on our way there I hear “Tyler, you are ready to do a brief message with the people there right?” “Well, I will before we get there!” I gave a brief devotional using Psalm 139. We distributed rice and shoes to folks. And in true Haitian fashion a riot almost brook out during the shoe distribution. We got it under control just in time to run out of shoes.

On Sunday I went back to Balmaitre for morning worship. I asked the church who Jesus was? I used the scripture Mark 8:27-30. I shared with them that we all view Jesus through our own lenses. I view him from an American way of life and they from a Haitian way of life. But, we should be viewing him through a Biblical view. I then reminded them that It doesn’t matter what Jesus is to me or any other leaders it matters who Jesus it to them.

The reports show that only 2% (no that is not a typo) of earthquake damage has been cleaned up. Not much has changed since April. However I do think the spiritual climate is continuing to change. I know that my Christian brothers and sisters are doing an amazing job sharing the Gospel of Christ all over the country.


Please continue to pray for Haiti. Pray for the elections coming soon that government will either step up and help it’s people or step back and let mission organizations help the people in Haiti. Pray for the church in Haiti that it will continue to share the love of God amongst the fear that voodoo creates.

Spring Trip Processing

I’ve come to a much better understanding of what Haiti has gone through since the earthquake on January 12. Most buildings that were damaged have had no attention. There are tent cities everywhere. There is approximately 1.3 million people living in tents, some on our orphanage campus. This is the beginning of the rainy season and it has yet to start to rain while I was there. When it does I don’t want to imagine what diseases and issues will come about. There is still destruction everywhere. There are people that still need medical attention. Many people need mental and spiritual attention as well. We have taken in several children who have been left without parents since the earthquake.

In my message to the church in Balmaitre I talked about the Body of Christ. I talked about how it takes all of Christ’s followers to do His work here on earth. I reminded them that each of us has our own story, or own experiences and our own past. It takes Haitians, Americans, Africans, Asians... it takes all of us to be one body. Sometimes we are the only Bible people get to read or the only Christ some people know.

With that said I want to thank each of you for your role in the body. I want to thank you for your prayer support. Please continue to pray for me and for all of GVCM. Pray for the children in Fedja, our staff members, their families and all of Haiti. I appreciate your continued financial support, too. It is only by your support that I can continue to spread the love and hope of Christ and share my passion for the people of Haiti.

Update from Haiti - Two

Today David and I served at the clinic. We did not have plans to take patients today. We were going to just look to see what supplies were there. Well there was a line of people at the clinic when we got there. They didn’t know if anybody was going to be there, but they took a chance. So David and I took 10 minutes to learn of our surrounding. We met and helped 36 patients today. Amazing God moments too!!!

Pastor Brian spoke to a group of 16 church leaders and pastors today. His talk today was about spiritual giftedness and serving out of that gift. At the end there was a small commissioning service for one of the new pastors. They rest of the group worked on the house down the driveway. They deconstructed what was damaged from the earthquake and figured out what is needed for the next step. They have all of their supplies for tomorrow as well.

We had the privilege of attending the large wedding tonight too. There was five couples (I think previously I said seven). One of the couples has an amazing story of how God has moved in the last few months. This couple is over 80 yrs old and married for the first time tonight. I am so humbled to be a part of their story.

Keep praying for us and we will keep praying for all of you.

Update from Haiti

So many amazing things happening here. Today [Sunday] I crossed the river in a dugout canoe to preach at church. Didn't even know I was preaching until they said Tyler we need you this morning, get your tie and let's go. If we would not have had a flat tire I would have had to prepare something to say during music in worship. Here is a picture of me with Bible and notes in hand while wearing suit in a canoe in the middle of the river.

The church in Fedja was where all the rest of the Ginghamsburg folks were when they had a once-in-lifetime experience. One of the most feared voodoo priests came to Christ in worship. So the team and many pastors (here for a conference) went to this guy's home after worship to throw out all things related to voodoo that he had. Not much left. (Note...by doing this he also loses his job.) Then he decided that his girlfriend must also make a decision so they went and visited her. Then his mother. They had many stops today.

Tomorrow Pastor Brian will teach pastors. At the end there will be an ordination or commissioning service, for a new pastor and then in the evening 7 couples will become husband and wife. Everyone is doing very well and healthy.

When Jesus' Heart Broke: by Henri J.M. Nouwen

“I found this just today. Good Friday. Lord break my heart with the things that break Yours.”

Dear Lord Jesus,

You, “the image of the unseen God, the first-born of all creation, for whom all things are created in heaven and on earth, everything visible and everything invisible,” you hang dead on a cross. You have just spoken your last words, “It is fulfilled,” and given up your spirit.

I look at your dead body on the cross. The soldiers, who have broken the legs of the two men crucified with you, do not break your legs, but one of them pierces your side with a lance, and immediately blood and water flow out. Your heart is broken, the heart that did not know hatred, revenge, resentment, jealousy or envy but only love, love so deep and so wide that it embraces your Father in heaven as well as all humanity in time and space. Your broken heart is the source of my salvation, the foundation of my hope, the cause of my love. It is the sacred place where all that was, is and ever shall be is held in unity. There all suffering has been suffered, all anguish lived, all loneliness endured, all abandonment felt and all agony cried out. There, human and divine love have kissed, and there God and all men and women of history are reconciled. All the tears of the human race have been cried there, all pain understood and all despair touched. Together with all people of all times, I look up to you whom they have pierced, and I gradually come to know what it means to be part of your body and your blood, what it means to be human.

As I look, my eyes begin to recognize the anguish and agony of all the people for whom you gave yourself. Your broken heart becomes the heart of all of humanity, the heart of all the world. You carry them all: abandoned children, rejected wives and husbands, broken families, the homeless, refugees, prisoners, the maimed and tortured, and the thousands, yes millions, who are unloved, forgotten and left alone to die. I see their emaciated bodies, their despairing faces, their anguished looks. I see them all there, where your body is pierced and your heart is ripped apart. O compassionate Lord, your heart is broken because of all the love that is not given or received.

Blood and water flowed from your broken heart. Lord Jesus, help me to understand this mystery. So much blood has flowed through the centuries: blood of people who did not even know why they were trampled underfoot, mutilated, tortured, slain, beheaded and left unburied; blood caused by swords, arrows, guns and bombs, tainting the faces of millions of people; blood that comes forth from angry, bitter, jealous, vengeful hearts, and from hearts that are set on hatred, violence and destruction. From the blood of Abel killed by his brother to the blood of the Jews, the Armenians, the Ukrainians, the Irish, the Iranians and Iraqis, the Palestinians, the South Africans and the countless nations and ethnic groups victimized by the evil intentions of their sisters and brothers in the human race, blood has been covering the earth, and cries have gone up to heaven: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken us?”

Let the blood and water that flow from your heart give me a new heart to live a new life. I know that in this world water and blood will never be separated. There will be peace and anguish, joy and tears, love and agony. They will be there always—together—leading me daily closer to you who give your heart to my heart.

Haiti Earthquake

By now you have seen hours of news reports about the events in Haiti. You may have given a gift to an organization. I’m sure you have prayed many prayers for the Haitians and for the aid workers. I also know you have prayed for me. Many of you have contacted me and asked about my friends and the projects of Global Vision Citadelle Ministries.

All of God’s Children Orphanage and all of the GVCM main buildings have nothing more than cracks. Some of our churches have major damage and reports are still coming in. Also many of our neighbors’ homes were destroyed.

All of my friends are doing well. Some of them have family members injured. Several of them have been left homeless and are now staying at the orphanage. There is at least 50 extra people living there. GVCM has also responded by taking in more orphans. This will continue to happen for quite sometime.

We also experienced a miracle. Twelve of the orphans that were in the adoption process were able to come to the States. Most of these adoptions still had a couple of years of processing. We were able to get them out on refugee visas. I have been in contact with the children’s families. They are all doing very well and adjusting to American culture.

This week I was reminded by a Haitian friend of the scripture in Lamentations 2:11. I then took great comfort in Lamentations 3:20-23;
“I well remember them, and my soul is downcast within me. Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.”

I ask that you continue to share GVCM with your friends and family. Continue to pray for the children in Feja, our staff, their families and all of Haiti. Thank you for supporting me and this ministry in the past. I ask for your continued support as we spread the love and hope of Christ.

In the Love of Christ,
Tyler

We are all in this togther