Celebrate Team – Light of Christ

Members of the Celebrate Team share about how they are experiencing God during their fourth day in Haiti.

The day began with an amazing church service down the road on a property owned by another missionary. The woman who led us in song had the voice of an angel, and her words were so convincing when she sang that a person couldn’t help but feel the holy presence in the place even without knowing what we were singing. At one point the congregation was clapping as she sang the verses faster and faster leading up to an energy that cannot be explained.

Judd and Woodsen at worship Worshiping with special music

A young girl also sang a song that was inspiring, again, without even knowing what her words meant. Four of our team members sang “I Need You” and the Haitian people appeared to be just as moved by our language as we were by theirs. After more than an hour of praise songs, three individual men gave the message. One prepared the communion, which we were invited to partake. Another delivered the offertory message, and the third delivered the main sermon.

Playing with the local children Riding in the back of a truck to a restaurant

After church, we had lunch at a local restaurant because the guesthouse cook staff has Sundays to be with their own families to worship. The afternoon consisted of our team splitting into two groups to deliver cooking oil, bags of rice, beans, pasta noodles and bouillon. Each group delivered the food supplies to five families in the area in need of nourishment.

Distributing food to those in need

The families were carefully selected by the Haitian staff who work for Many Hands. Several of the families were widowed women with many family members counting on them. Some were elderly people who had been taken in by family members or other caring people in their community of no relation to them. These families had no means of supporting themselves and were extremely appreciative of our efforts to ease their life situations.

Spreading joy during food distribution Walking with Richelin Distributing food to homeless and fatherless children

One group experienced a home where darkness lived in the son. The mother was very concerned with his well-being and embraced our presence hoping that we could bring him out of the darkness and into the light of God. Our Haitian guides/interpreters were instrumental in praying over this young man and the team continues to pray that he will let Christ into his life.

Praying for darkness to leave

As time allowed, one group discovered a new business in the neighborhood. The owners were very excited to see us and invited us to look at their store and restaurant. It happened to be the opening day of the restaurant so we bought some refreshing soft drinks and sat down to visit about our day.

Enjoying the new restaurant’s opening day!

It was during this time of relaxation when we realized that the song playing was the same song that our team members had sung at church this morning, which left a very calming presence over us.

This was day four of our time here in Haiti, and everyone on the team continues to believe that each day is a new experience that breaks our hearts. We realize each and every day that no matter what life has given you, if you have the light of Christ in your heart, it will radiate in some of the most devastating circumstances and will give you hope and peace.

Dena Burgett and LeeAnn Pittman