Update From Haiti #3

Go and Do Likewise

I understand it is snowing in Findlay. I can't say the same thing here in Haiti. Today was a  hot one. I think it reached into the 90's. The team was hard at work here in the dormitory while I was traveling to a potential sight for our church to bring another team next year to build a church. The Church of the Nazarene is growing in numbers here in Haiti. Twenty five percent of everyone who comes to know Jesus Christ as their personal a Savior is done in the Church of the Nazarene. One out of every 100 Haitians is a Nazarene. There are about 1600 established congregations that are waiting for churches to be built. So needless to say, God is blessing our church in Haiti. It is exciting to see the enthusiasm in the church. As I traveled to this potential sight, I was able to talk with several who are excited about what God is doing. This church has a new pastor who is newly married. Pray with us as we ask the Lord what He would have us to do.

We continue to finish up the dorm and plan to finish the inside tomorrow. There are Haitians working on the bathroom tile and they will be finishing up in the weeks ahead.

In Luke 10:25-37 and expert in the law begins a conversation with Jesus by asking what he must do to inherit eternal life. Let's join the conversation at verse 26.

26 “What is written in the Law?” Jesus replied. “How do you read it?”27 The man answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’[c]; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”28 “You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.”
29 But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”30 In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. 31 A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. 32 So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. 34 He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. 35 The next day he took out two denarii[e] and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’36 “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?”37 The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.”Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”

Go and do likewise. We are called to Love God with all our heart and love our neighbor as ourselves. It is demonstrated in the Parable of the Good Samaritan. What a great example Jesus used when He said that it pertains to all. It isn't the title that you have, how long you have been serving the Lord, or even how much you know, it all boils down to loving no matter what. 

As we were driving today I couldn't help but notice that they don't drive like we do. They are more aggressive but rage is not accompanied with their aggression. You can be driving along and someone can lay on the horn but they don't mean it like we do in the states. They are just being courteous and letting you know that they want to pass by. The amazing thing is that no one takes offense by the honk. Life goes on. Now if they were in my neighborhood, those honks would be enough to stop and have a little discussion. 

And Jesus would say, "Yes, include that neighbor on the list to love to the ends of the earth." That my friend, will be just enough to live. 

Tomorrow we plan to start at 6:00 a.m. So we can stop in the afternoon in order to have an excursion. We need to finish painting a few rooms and the hallway, finish the desks, benches, and cabinets, and finish the sinks and toilets in the bathroom. After putting the beds together, we will put the sheets and pillows in place and be done with our part of the project. We are a little further than what they expected us to be.

Thanks for your prayers!

Pastor Mike