Days Six and Seven for Mike and Bonnie Snider and the Holiday Hill and Wood Run Mission Teams in Bercy, Haiti
August 7 & 8
We’ve had some kids at the orphanage sick with malaria this week, and they are better now. Everyone is careful to take their malaria meds. Today 20 orph kids and 21 adults piled into the 16-passenger van and old pickup truck and headed for the beach! We had fun when we finally got in as the gatekeepers wanted to charge more for the white Americans than the Haitians (a difference of 64 cents per person, as advertised on their sign and wanted to charge the set amount for Haitians, but $1 for blancs (white folks). As usual, our driver, Nick saved the day after we started to pull away to go to another beach and we were able to get the one price fits all rate. We won’t be going to that discrimatory beach again. Several of the adults (always the youngsters it seems) did a quick snorkeling trip while we were there.
Last night a church service started at 8:30 and was supposed to end at 1 or 2 a.m. The music was lovely and we could tell the prayers were heartfelt, but when the pastor started speaking in tongues without an interpreter Mike had to pull the plug. Literally. He took out the power to the orphanage and church. Some of our missionaries were already over there as they heard what sounded like and exorcism and wanted to get the “full experience.” The power was off for only a half hour at the orphanage, because Mike realized he could have just turned off the church power alone, without taking us out too! He told the pastor to look up the chapter in the New Testament that talks about when you speak in tongues you must be careful to have an interpreter. (Sorry, I have not committed the reference or verse to memory.)
The adults came back to our abode, walking through the hallway on the girls side, when one of them screamed at the sight of a 5″ tarantulla. One of the nanny’s shooed it outside and beat it to death with a straw and bamboo Haitian broom. I had to battle my fears so I could get to sleep last night.
Unyez, a seven-year-old girl from the village, along with her Uncle Simon, twelve-years-old (who speaks English very clearly), was treated for severe burns to her hand and arm. She came to one of the clinics held by our team this week. The nurses were so impressed by her sweet, calm spirit that they gave her a Ballerina Barbie doll!
The beach was a good wind-down from a very busy week. In our bible studies these past several days, we talked first about 2 Tim 2:13. Ran talked about God remaining faithful even when we are not. Don’t give up even though it looks like you won’t make it.
Matthew 25 and the talents and end times. We battle with pride and arrogance when serving God. Our faithfulness is determined by the question, “Will I apply what I have learned and done here effectively at home?” Yes, we should seek to be faithful when we get home.
Jonah 1:13-17, God is trying to teach us something. He requires our loyalty to Him. We were created by God for God, for a purpose. Ran said that he wanted to be a youth pastor since he was a teenager. He challenged us to live out what God has called us to do. Take what God has given to us this week and use it for God’s purpose. What are you going to do now?
Two people were led to Christ this week!!! The small things we did can make a huge difference in people’s lives. It is a dying world and we can’t help everyone. Don’t take things for granted!
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