Day 3: Wings

Our third day in Haiti took us to the site of St. Joseph's Home for Boys in Port-Au-Prince.  Many of you out there are familiar with their organization, or their dance troupe, the Resurrection Dance Theater, touring to a city near you this Fall!

For those of you who don't know about them, the home started in 1985 as a response to young boys stranded on the streets of Port-Au-Prince, or boys forced into brutal house servitude.  They have 20 something boys at the Port-Au-Prince location, and even more in Jacmel.  However, after the quake, this is what remains of the Port-Au-Prince house:

The several story building collapsed, killing a couple friends, but none of the kids.  One of the directors of the program, Bill Nathan, was on the roof of the building when it collapsed.  Here's what happened to him.  Now, he tours with the Resurrection Dance Theater, promoting St. Joseph's and telling his story.  We had a chance to hang out with him and hear his drumming skills.

Younger boys from St. Joseph's have been moved to the Jacmel "Trinity House," while the older boys and some graduates of the home are living at a rented house next door, carrying on the home and assisting in clearing the lot/rebuilding:

That day, we also got to visit "Wings of Hope," another house of St. Joseph's which cares primarily for disabled children.  They had around 39 kids (may be off a bit) at their site, all receiving fantastic medical care and attention.  They even had a fat ol' chocolate lab running around the house, giving the kids some extra love!  Given how Haiti often responds to people with disabilities, as second class citizens, it was so beautiful to see a place where they are cared and love for as the children of God that they are.  The wings have truly set them free.

On the way back from HOM that day, we stopped by a tent city location on what used to be a golf course.  We walked around on the higher elevated part and looked down on the vast expanse of tents down below.  This was one of the more shocking parts of post-quake Haiti, seeing every possible public space in the cities taken up by tents.  Even statues and historical landmarks are often covered up (like the statue to the left) because people need space to live.  At the rate rebuilding is going in the cities (VERY slowly), people could be in these tents for YEARS.  Just imagine how difficult this must be, especially over time as more and more people move into the city and all must readjust.

That evening, our crew reflected on the ministries we've witnessed thus far, comparing their approaches. HOM has a larger scale view: building churches and houses for as many people as possible, to raise the quality of living for a part of the city.  St. Joseph's view is smaller, aimed at transforming individuals who can grow up to be agents of change in the city.  Both have elements that could be challenging to deal with, issues of sustainability, funding, stewardship, etc.  However, among some critiques we drummed up that night, we kept coming back to the admiration of enactment.  Some amazing people are committed to working in Haiti to shape areas of great poverty and despair.  One of our group members reminded us of a phrase he heard before in regards to mission organizations that may be difficult to deal with: "this is what it means to be in relationship."

The work these groups are doing in Haiti should call us to action.  They should invite us into relationship with them and with organizations in our own communities.  They are a reminder that the gospel of Christ is an ACTIVE gospel, that is boldly serving the world beyond its own means.  This work is never perfect, in fact its often messy.  However, it's rooted in love.

May these wings set us free.

Haiti part 2: my family set me free

I really had no idea why exactly we were going on this trip for sure.  I did know I wanted to experience the country and learn how to tell stories of the place.  I knew I wasn't going for "relief work" in the traditional sense, of Americans showing up to "help out" the work projects, not much focusing on everything else.  In order to tell a story, you need context.  Thankfully our trip has had much context, the bad, the good, and everything in between.

Our first fun cultural experience was Thursday night the 19th when we went to see the Haitian musical sensation RAM at the famous Hotel Oloffson.  We had a fantastic night of great food and dancing in the restaurant at an old, plantation style hotel that has collected much history in Port-Au-Prince.  A highlight of the night was when all of a sudden Win Butler and Regine Chassagne of Arcade Fire took the stage with RAM!  I learned Regine was of Haitian descent.

They of course, played this song:



"Haiti" by Arcade Fire"
Haiti, mon pays
Wounded mother I'll never see
Ma famille set me free
Throw my ashes into the sea

Mes cousins jamais nes
Hantent les nuits de Duvalier
Rien n'arrete nos espirits
Guns can't kill what soldiers can't see

In the forest we are hiding
Unmarked graves where flowers grow
Hear the soldiers angry yelling
In the river we will go

Tous les morts-nes forment une armee
Soon we will reclaim the earth
All the tears and all the bodies
Bring about our second birth

Haiti, never free
N'aie pas peur de sonner l'alarme
Tes enfants sont partis
In those days their blood was still warm
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We stayed in a hotel in town that night...supporting the tourism industry which is in great need!

Haiti part 1: Something is always burning

Five pastors, one student, and one documentary filmmaker boarded a plane to Haiti early Wednesday morning, August 18th, in Miami.

I wasn't sure what to expect upon landing.  Based on media coverage and word of mouth, it sounded like Haiti would be in complete chaos - rubble all over the streets, looting going on everywhere, nothing functioning as it did before.  Although this turned out to be far exaggerated, I came to discover many of the chaos in Haiti has been present long before the quake ever hit.

We come out of the airport pushing our way through guys trying to make a dime by helping us move our bags.  One of them finally fools us by telling us he's with the "airport" and needs to take the luggage cart back.  We roll with it.  When we get in our "tap tap" (Haitian taxis, basically truck beds with roofs), we begin to ride through the city, witnessing some of the poorest parts of town.  As we make our way towards Blanchard, we see homes along the way.  Life looks similar to what I've witnessed rural or poor areas are like in other countries (Turkey, China, Guatemala).  However, this time there is the added element of tents, blue and white, every open space you look across.  As we travel down the dirt roads we smell burning and notice riverbeds piled full of paper, styrofoam, and plastic.  There is a black smoke emitting from them.  Our guide nonchalantly says, "yeah, something is always burning around here." This is what happens when there is no infrastructure for such things.

We meet up with our first hosts, a mission known as Haiti Outreach Ministries.  Similar to a group I worked with in Mexico (Constructores Para Christo), these guys are focused on building houses, churches, medical facilities, and schools within communities in the poorest parts of Port Au Prince (Blanchard, City Soleil, and Repatriote).  They are doing hard work through the help of volunteers, employing several Haitians along the way.  However, I have some misgivings about their evangelism approach.  They also seem to be disengaged from political engagement, something I assume to be a theological standpoint of the ministry.  I would come to realize however, that this disengagement runs extremely deep throughout the country.

The next day (August 19th) we would tour Port-Au-Prince.  Stores and houses along the street stood beside massive piles of rubble and collapsed buildings.  The lack of progress in cleanup was truly evident.  I asked our guide why and realized a lot of it was due to government roadblocks, lack of initiative to make a massive effort.  Also, I learned a lot of aid money had been used in consultation, as those looking to rebuild were seeking ways to prevent future damage.  The cost is great indeed.







A very haunting view of the rubble was when we visited the national cathedral.  What was once a gorgeous structure standing as a monument to the city is now a massive pile of rubble.  We walked into the structure along with a few Haitian kids, hoping to serve as our "tour guides." The roof had completely collapsed.  The giant stained glass windows were cracked and shattered.  Columns had fallen.

It's funny to me how the largest buildings, built as testaments of strength, are often the first ones to fall.  And when they do, they make a statement. I got caught up in emotion when I realized that giant piles of rubble mean that they haven't been moved since the quake.  This means that there still could be bodies under where I was standing.  Bodies that may remain there for months to years, in their new tomb.

We went to a large market near City Soleil that morning, a massive enterprise of people, fruit, clothing, medicines, meat, you name it.  We learned that this market had been used as a place to buy and sell slaves back in the day.  Haiti was the first nation of freed slaves, due to a revolution in the early 1800's.  However, the 200 years following were hardly "free" for those of you up with your history of the nation.  This is still the case.  The damage of the quake is horrifying.  Rebuilding is slow.  However, the true tragedy is the continued slavery to foreign powers and the cultural nihlism this has embedded in the country.  The lack of political progress and hope.  The hope from this quake is that these deeper issues will be realized and the slow, long journey to true independence and peace may be found.

Something is always burning.

To Haiti

I'm a few hours away from my flight to Miami, where I will be joining a small group of pastors/peers/friends for a 10 day excursion to Haiti.  I was approached about this opportunity earlier in the summer.  Realizing the unique nature of this trip and the opportunity as a transition between BSM and seminary, I decided to join along.

Our goal is to embody the love of Christ in our interactions in Haiti.  We will be traveling with Haiti Outreach Ministries mostly around Port Au Prince.  We will be connecting with a few orphanages connected to the ministry, as well as doing some physical labor/earthquake rebuilding.

Like any international trip of this sort, there is always a danger in going into a foreign place such as Haiti with a vision to "save" the place.  Cultural barriers must be acknowledged and respected.  Therefore, we are approaching this trip with the understanding that we are going to learn stories, to experience the people, and to bring their stories back, speaking up for the situation in Haiti when we return home.

I'll do my best to keep my trip logged here, but due to the lack of internet access, this may not happen very readily.

Thank you all for your prayers and support!

transition

The dancer moved swiftly through the room as the singer belted out the chorus "God is already there..."

I was nearly in tears at one of my final services at Broad Street Ministry witnessing a moving expression of the Spirit.  Under normal circumstances, this would be merely a well done song and dance worship piece.  However, I knew the guy who was singing, I knew where he was coming from and what awaited him in the future.  That's a game changer.  In fact, telling the room of people gathered that "God is already there" is a pretty bold statement.  A lot of pain exists at BSM...
from people on the margins of society,
from people discriminated due to sexual orientation,
from people just struggling to make ends meet,
from people feeling all alone in the city,
from artists just vying to express themselves and make a living,
from recovering addicts,
from wealthy people figuring out what to do with their life.

I've always known this, but in my final weeks I've been hypersensitive to the weight of it all.  Particularly because I know this pain exists in every city, in every place.  And I know the religious landscape often runs away from this pain instead of taking it head on.  I know that MOST people in the situations mentioned above would never think of finding God "already there." Church is the last thing on their mind.  Community is the last thing on their mind.  I will be leaving BSM with a motivation to seek out this pain and move my future ministry setting to response.  I realize the importance of connecting to the community around, drawing in those who would never imagine being invited in to a "church" setting.  May we open our eyes.

I will be traveling to Haiti on Wednesday with a few pastor peer/mentors of mine.  We will be going to connect with organizations feeling pain.  We will be going to love, experience, and learn.  I'm pretty unaware of the weight of things I will experience, yet my motivation to be present in the midst of pain is obvious.  We aren't going to "save" Haiti.  We aren't going to "repair" or "work" for them.  We are going to be present, to be as little a footprint as possible.  We are going to learn stories and tell them; to be advocates for those in the midst of pain.  Besides...

God is already there.

Stay tuned for blog posts from Haiti.  Though I may not have internet access, I'll do my best to post what I jounal about during my time.  There will also be many pictures and stories to share.

Where in the world?

For those of you who don't know me, I am an AVID traveller.  I have a hard time staying in one location too long.  This month has been a month of travel, vacation, and exploration.

My first stop was Augusta, GA, my birthplace and home of my sponsor church, Reid Memorial Presbyterian.

"Home" is a very interesting concept, relative to the individual.  I admit, I often feel most at home while on the road, visiting friends that know me well.  I find it difficult to tie down this concept to one particular location.  Even Augusta has become a different place for me at this point in life.  Family and a few friends remain as my draw to home, but beyond that, I'm left seeking out other friends and experiences I can consider home as well.  Where is home for you?

One thing I LOVE about home is the lake.  We take our boat up on occasion to the lake to escape.  Floating out in the middle of nowhere on glassy smooth water is a GREAT way to clear the head after being in a city for so long.  Since I've been back I've felt much more centered and full of energy.  I credit a lot of it to being able to clear my head and relax in moments like these.

Amidst my inability to remain stagnant, I received a very welcoming reception at my home church.  I was greeted very warmly by people I have grown up with and people I barely know.  There is a clear love and appreciation for me and my work, despite my inability to be present to them.  This means a lot whether they realize it or not.

After some time in ATL and a wedding, I was off to Presbyterian Triennium at Purdue University in Indiana.  I was a small group leader as well as booth facilitator for Broad Street Ministry.

The theme was "Such a time as this," based of the Esther story.  What was driven home was the importance of standing up for our beliefs on behalf of others, despite the risks we may face.  We are guided and supported by God as was Esther when she stood up for her people.  This theme brought up many raw stories in my small group, stories about being too afraid to stand up for someone and not being stood up for.  I was reminded of how much pain high school youth carry with them and don't often have opportunities to express or share with others.

I was surprised at the openness of youth to come up to our BSM booth at the exhibit hall.  When I went to those things, I would go straight for the "free stuff," not even caring about what was being exhibited.  I had youth from all over the nation really interested in the life and work of BSM.  There was a lot of desire to do unique mission trips, something I don't remember as fondly from my youth.  I'm hoping this is a trend that is staying!

My favorite quote: "Is it true that you guys are a 'church for hipsters' (loose quote from a news article about bsm we give out)?  If so, I think I'd like to go there!" I was like...um...in some ways, yes!

Even though I'm an extreme extrovert, I was WORN OUT by the end of this week - a lot of talking!

So here I am, back at BSM for the time being, in my last month :(

I'll keep you all updated more as I make the home sprint and begin to make my final evaluations.  peace!

My Toy Story 3 reflections (spoilers!)

Just got back from seeing Toy Story 3, and my face is officially rocked off.  It totally lives up to the hype, so don't think that hearing too much about it will ruin your experience!

I feel led to give a little theological reflection on the movie so feel free to read ahead, but BEWARE, i'm throwing out spoilers left and right.  I highly encourage you to SEE THE MOVIE first!  Seriously go see it.  I'm not responsible for ruining the movie for you!  You've been warned!
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ok we're safe (granted I know some of you will ignore my warning and read on!).

To me, this movie is structured around a theology of belonging.  The toys belong to Andy, to their owner.  They bear his mark (woody and buz's shoes).  This means they have a responsibility to be there for Andy no matter what.  It's not a perfect metaphor, because Andy is in no means perfect and sovereign.  Andy also grows up over time.  However, I do believe in a God that suffers and experiences life along with us.  In this way, we belong to God and one another.

Andy has to leave, to go to college, leaving the toys behind.  This moment expresses itself early on when the toys are coming to grips with the fact that they are no longer being played with.  Are they not loved anymore?  The toys are left to fend for themselves, eventually ending up at a day care center (kind of on accident).

The main antagonist is introduced at this day care center - an evil stuffed bear who was lost by his owner and ended up at this day care - taking over with a mob-like structure.  Out of a sense of loss and abandonment, this bear was turned to evil (out of the circumstances that shaped him).

Escaping this facility requires the relationships the main toys have to one another and the guiding thought of their belonging to Andy.  This journey eventually leads them to a confronting of mortality in the garbage smelter.  In the face of their demise, they still recognize their loyalty to one another.

Through this adversity and a miracle, the gang makes it back to Andy.

The true power (and tearjerking) of this movie emerges in the final scene as Andy's packed car is ready to go to college.  He (through the cunning of Woody) takes the box of the gang of toys to a little girl's house.  Then, in a moment that sums up the full experience of being a child of God, Andy plays with each toy as he introduces them to the little girl, naming them one by one.  His love for each and every one of them is evident as he passes them along to someone he is confident will take care of them and love them as he did (Take care of my sheep).  Andy does not abandon those he loves.  He acknowledges their value and passes them on.  This process is much greater than he imagined, made evident in his hesitation to give away Woody.  However, he knows its the right thing to do.

This is who we are and what we are called to.  If we truly believe we are loved by God, we are called to pass that love on to one another, no matter what the time or circumstance.  We are never to give up on one another.   And at the end of the day, we have nothing left but gratitude, made evident in Andy's teary eyed "thanks guys" as he gets in his car to move along.

This year at BSM, I have experienced what it looks like for people who are neglected and abused by society to find a place where they experience belonging and love.  Our belonging is not determined by how we look or live.  It's a fact that we ALL hold in common - we are children of God and our love is made evident in our living.

We belong to one another and at the end of the day should have nothing but gratitude for one another.  This gratitude means that in the face of great adversity we can gift each other with the presence of others, with community, especially down to the most neglected members of our society.

Thanks Guys.