A Thief in the Night

We joined a short term expedition into Dwa Dwa, where Brandon teaches bible studies every Tuesday, a couple of weeks ago. The trip was going well and we were making headway with the Senior Headman and his council as well as pounding the pavement (or...dirt) with outreach evangelism. One night, while the team was leading a night service with the village, Brandon, Jake, Derek and I were sitting around the fire back at our campsite discussing the day and preparing for the next. We were only 30 feet from the farthest tent, but in the pitch blackness, we could only see the few feet around our fire.

Derek was the closing speaker in the meeting, so when it was about time, he got up from the fire and started walking toward the service. He switched on his headlamp when he reached the furthest tent just in time to see a man reaching inside of it! "THIEF!" he yelled, and ran after him into the tall grass. We saw his light disappear into the night and stared at each other for a moment. We had been talking about the catfish Derek had caught earlier that day and put under the truck, joking that the dogs were going to come steal them. So, we yelled after him, "Man or Dog?" half kidding. When there was no answer, Jake and Brandon took off. They found Derek in a ravine about 40 yards away and 6 feet down. He was running too fast to see the drop and fell while chasing the thief. He was okay, but had scraped his leg pretty badly. As they headed back to camp, they picked up a few scattered bags the man had dropped as he was making his escape. There was no way to know how many he had gotten away with, so we pulled the expedition leader out of the service. Beau checked the tents and most of everyone's belongings looked in tact, but he couldn't find his backpack with his Nikon camera or all of their expedition money. They searched the path hoping to find more scattered items and bags, meanwhile, Jake pulled Senior Dwa Dwa out of the meeting along with Mariel, the co-leader of the expedition. When Mariel heard what had happened, she closed her eyes for a minute and shared with us that before the meeting, she was the last person at the camp. She noticed that there were bags and shoes laying around and tents unzipped, and she felt prompted to pick everything up - including Beau's bag - and put everything inside the tents and zip them closed. We praised God that He had prompted her to tidy the camp and that she was obedient in the 'small' task of picking up after the team.

Senior Dwa Dwa asked us if we saw the man get away, and when we couldn't verify, he and our guys went looking for the thief. When they came to the ravine, they noticed that it was actually a stream with fairly deep water. (That Derek wasn't seriously injured was a miracle.) There was a large backpack floating on top of the water. Jake reached in to grab it, but it was stuck on something. From the camp I heard Derek ask, "Is that a head? Senior, can you see, is that a man?" Senior Dwa Dwa reached in, pulled the man by his hair and lifted him out of the water. The thief had also fallen into the ravine, and was either playing dead, or hiding hoping to escape later. They brought him back to camp and sat him almost in the coals of the fire, doped up and soaking wet. Senior Dwa Dwa questioned him for a moment finding that the man was sent from town to follow the 'big trucks' in, to steal from the 'Makua' (whites) and sell items in the villages on the way back. Senior was distraught and ashamed that this was happening in his village, and assured us that it was not one of his people. He took the thief with the help of some of his council members, and we heard them questioning him for the next few hours. We could only imagine what fate awaited this man, out in the bush, where the civil laws don't always apply. For we were guests of the Chief, and this act of theft wasn't just a crime against us, but also an insult to the Chief and the headman in charge of this village.

We were quiet for the next while, torn between relief that the thief was caught and that no items were permanently stolen, and the thought of our witness to this village as Christian Missionaries. Wasn't the last person to speak to Jesus a thief? Weren't we all thieves and liars, harlots and addicts, before Christ came and erased our shame? Our flesh cried for Justice but our spirits simply cried. Is this man beyond our compassion? Is this man beyond the Grace of God? NO. He is lost, he is deceived, and he is broken - as we all were - and He is in need of Jesus, perhaps more than anyone else we had met in Dwa Dwa so far.

The leaders went and found where the Senior and his men were holding him. Sure they would walk up on a gruesome scene and find a man beaten half to death, they prepared themselves and prayed for strength. But what they found was quite different. The thief was bound, but was sitting close to a fire for warmth, no bruises or blood, and the Senior and his men were guarding close by. They told Jake that they would banish the thief from their village and deport him to the next, where most assuredly the village of Milundu would do the same until he was deported back to Livingstone. Our leaders sat and shared with the man, witnessed by the headman and his guards, the redemptive hope and righteousness that we find in Christ. He wasn't 'the thief' any longer. He was Alfred, and he is now working through his brokenness to find Christ.

When the team left a few days later, they were greeted by Alfred in Livingstone, he apologized to them, seemed to be sober, and had a smile on his face. I am eternally grateful that we have a Father in Heaven who doesn't call us what He could - for we have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God - but rather calls us by Name, His Beloved, as we are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ.

We look forward to seeing Alfred more in the future, and continue to pray that he finds his restoration and peace in Jesus.

PRAISE REPORT!

GOD IS SO GOOD and He never fails!

Even if I wanted to question God's call on our life, it would be no use. He has certainly made himself clear and brings new understanding to us daily. There are so many sayings "Those who God calls he also equips" or " God doesn't call the qualified, he qualifies the called' and many more... and while they may seem cliche, there is certain truth to these statements. God has placed a call on many of us. When you follow God in obedience to those calls, placing your trust in Him, and knowing that you can't do anything apart from His goodness, HE makes a way. He is THE way after all!

We have been blown away in the last few weeks with so many of you, allowing God to speak through you and provide through you for the mission he has given to us. Kindness and selflessness like this can only come from One Spirit. We are blessed to be in the path of the Most High and His purpose and plan for each of us to meet each other, love each other and have an intertwined relationship of obedience and trust in our Heavenly Father. You are solidifying the call of God and we pray that your blessings are returned 100 fold!

We want you to be encouraged at just how amazing God is and how he is working in this time of preparation. See what a blessing it is to trust in God and to obey in faith when he gives us opportunities of growth and surrender! 

A VEHICLE AND A LEGACY

You can tell a lot about the life of a person by their children and the legacy they leave behind, but what is even more telling, is how a person spends the last few months of their life in the face of pain, sickness, and death. I'll never forget reading the caring bridge update on Ms. Gwen, hearing Candace tell how her mother was sharing Christ with everyone who came to tell her goodbye. As her battle with cancer was coming to an end, not a moment was being wasted. She worshiped, she loved her family, and she was unashamed of the Gospel until the day she met her Lord face to face. 

We have been incredibly blessed in having a relationship with the Fry family. (Remember this post?) Camille and John Thomas are our tiny friends who are at times smarter, and more spiritually aware than we could hope to be and are a complete joy in our lives. We began babysitting them a couple days a week after school so Candace could spend time with her mom. God was creating a beautiful web of love and friendship during this time and through it all, we came to know Ms. Gwen for the beautiful spirit God had created her to be. 

Ms. Gwen and Mr. Rodger encouraged us and helped us in our fundraising efforts for AMT in Zambia earlier this summer. In the midst of the battle, she was still focused on the Kingdom of God and wanted to be a part God was doing in us.  Full of gratitude, we went and continued to pray for the Phelps and the Frys. A few weeks into our training, we learned that Ms. Gwen had been called home to be with Jesus. 

When we returned back to the states we shared our story and our next step with our church.  Our Sunday school class asked what we would be needing to get back to Africa and among the things we needed was a 4x4 vehicle. After hugging Candace's neck, she mentioned that her Dad had a jeep that she thought he was thinking of selling and she would check it out for us. 

Not 2 weeks later, we heard from Mr. Rodger, ready and willing to DONATE this beautiful vehicle to us. It is a 1989 Jeep Wrangler with a brand new engine and all kinds of bells and whistles the 4x4 driver needs! And because it's a 1989 the import tax will be so much less than we were anticipating! Even as I type this I am without words to describe how incredibly thankful we are, how incredibly wonderful our God is, and how beautiful the tapestry of the Body of Christ.

So, Ms. Gwen's legacy lives on. Not only through her husband, who carries the same generous and Christlike spirit; or her daughter Candace, who lives her life as a reflection of who her mother was; or through her grandchildren, who talked about her all the time; but also through the gospel. Ms. Gwen's life was modeled after her Savior, and this is the piece of her legacy that each of us can carry on; Sharing the good news of Jesus Christ, and the Peace, Joy and Love of our God to those who haven't heard.

Remembering her and our loved ones who are cheering us on from the clouds (Heb. 12:1-3), we promise to live our lives worthy of His love and sacrifice, and of your love and support. This vehicle will help us reach the unreached in the remote areas of the Zambian Bush and wherever else God may lead us.

Thank you Mr. Rodger and the entire Phelps and Fry clan for loving God and allowing Him to bless us and our ministry through you! We cannot express our gratitude, so allow us to quote Paul in his 2nd letter to the Corinthians. He speaks of how God sees hearts like yours, and what it means to Him and his kingdom when the church gives:

2 Corinthians 10-15

¹⁰ Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. ¹¹ You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.

¹² This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of the Lord’s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. ¹³ Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, others will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else. ¹⁴ And in their prayers for you their hearts will go out to you, because of the surpassing grace God has given you. ¹⁵ Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!

To all of our family, friends and special support family:

We love you, appreciate you, and thank you for joining us in a journey of obedience, trust, and glorious blessings from our Father!

Do you feel God may be asking you to be obedient in some way?

There are many ways that you can be a part of what God is doing throughout the world.  It may be as simple as a hug or a prayer. Maybe he's asking you to commit to a monthly donation to support missionaries across the globe (I know a couple ;) ). Sometimes it might sound like something crazy, but obedience to the Spirit can bless people in the most unconventional ways! God knows what we need, and He speaks to you just as clearly as He speaks to us! Contact us to find out more of how you can join our support family! Email us at brandonandsallymissions@gmail.com or give us a call anytime at 912-536-4591.

*Stay tuned for another incredible story of how God works in the little things to make a big difference, and how He shows us that in the Body of Christ, there are no 'strangers' - only children of God, obediently working together to fulfill HIS purpose!

Love y'all!

Brandon and Sally 

Haiti - Last few days

a month later... :) ... sorry! It's been crazy the last few weeks!
So much has been going on; some wonderful, some sad, some expected, some unexpected - - but all beautifully woven into the tapestry of life God has given us here on earth. We have welcomed new life, and tomorrow we will be saying goodbye to a loved one. In the midst of our uncertainty and sorrow, or in the midst of excitment and elation, God is in control! Praise Him for his unfailing love and for the hope we find in Him.

Brandon will tell you in a couple days about his experiences chaperoning the youth and kids camps with Vineville. He had a wonderful time and was able to witness so many great things!

I didn't want to leave you hanging on the end of our Haiti trip, so I'll finish it out today. It's been a month since we were there, but it still feels like yesterday- so forgive my brain for leaving you out to dry! So here it is, the end of a beautiful trip, Goodbyes to beautiful landscapes and even more beautiful people.

Wednesday, June 6th, 2012

Today is bittersweet. It will be our last day with sister mario and Mr. mario's family in Gressier. tomorrow we will go to the beach in Jacmel and Friday we fly home.
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We visited the school again this morning. We did the Good samaritan skit. The kids, as usual were too sweet and sang almost every song with us. We prayed over the director and the school before we left, that God would use them to strengthen their community and to protect them and the children they serve.

We arrived at mario's house for the last day of work, greeted by Rodney's smiling face! (I recently learned that while you pronounce ODNE just like that...it is in fact spelled like RODNEY! who knew?) It was so wonderful to see him there. He is such a joyful person and he is more hardworking than most of us! Stevens and Bernie also joined us! We made fast friends with a little boy named Rijkad and a little girl named Senti. Rijkad, only 11, helped us all day too!
We ended up having to move 'sand' which was really more like a thick chalk dust, from one pile at the top of the mountain down to Mario's house for them to be able to use it for mortar. We had 6 buckets and spent the day in assembly lines passing full buckets down and empty ones back up. Many more helpers joined in as the day went on. Wilda and Junior came to visit and she ended up jumping in line! She is so wonderful, and I know God is planting a seed in her heart. She is smiling so much, and only God gives that kind of joy! Steevens was still in pain from his tooth today. We gave him more medicine and prayed for comfort.

It was very hot, as it was every day, but we all worked hard and talked and smiled with our new friends as much as possible, hanging on to every last moment we could. We played frisbee with them on our lunch break and had some AMAZINGLY delicious fresh mango - - which tasted better than any I've ever had in the states!
After a few more hours of bucket passing, we spent time hugging, taking photos, and saying our goodbyes to Mario's family and neighbors - our new family and friends. We prayed for them and asked God to bless their new house that it would be completed quickly and would be a strong foundation for them to build their lives upon. We rode off to smiles and tears and "Arevwa"s. We learned a new phrase - "Pachwen ane si Dye vle" which  means 'next year if God wills'.

Worship was great tonight. We were able to lead the songs again and had such a wonderful time worshipping together at the end of such an emotional day. A young man named David shared his testimony and really touched us all. From the outside, he was just a good looking, strong, 18 year old boy who didn't have any problems. But he shared with us the physical difficulties he has come through - even being in a wheel chair for 3 years - and the emotional pain it caused. He spoke about how alone he felt and that he was even agnostic for a while, blaming God, acknowledging his existence, but feeling trampled on. He shared that his youth minister, Chad, was always there for him, encouraging him. He told us that he found God's purpose for his life while coming on mission trips with their church - to serve - as he is now healed and is pretty much in perfect condition physically. I pray that as he goes to college he remembers his purpose, and remembers God's presence in his life through the hard times, and in the rebuilding of his body and of his spirit. He was an inspiration to many of us, though I'm sure he doesn't even realize it. Such a beautiful testimony and we all loved him more at the end of the evening for sharing his heart.

For more photos of Wednesday: Click Here

Wrapping it up - Thursday - Friday, June 7 - 8:

The beach was AMAZING. it was incredible to be in the blue Caribbean water ( a little polluted with seaweed, but still beautiful!) and turn around to to the shore and see the majestic Haitian mountains! We all got a little burned, but it was a wonderful day. Traveling to and from the beach we had to cross the mountains, so we got a ton of wonderful pictures! Such a beautiful countryside! On the way there, Almando got us some fresh bananas - straight from the tree! They were little and so sweet, YUM!




We had our last worship service and a send off from Pastor Sampson. We stayed up singing, and spending time with our friends and then packed our stuff up before heading to bed.





Friday morning started early, some of the group had to leave for the airport by 6am! We had more time than that, so we were able to get pictures with everyone and give out some last minute hugs. Kathryn was able to leave most of her stuff behind so she didn't have to lug it all back when she hopped back on the plane on Saturday. (She is still in Haiti and will be back at the end of the month! She is having an amazing time and I can't wait to hear all her stories!)

The flights were great, and we even met an evangelical pilot! He was a trip, and was inspirational with his excitement to talk about the gospel. Praying for Michael Harrison, American Airlines pilot and brother in Christ! As he said at the end of the flight, "See you in Heaven!"
We are grateful to be home safely, but are missing our friends and doing God's work in His beautiful country - Haiti. Thank you all for your prayers! It was an incredible experience and we hope to be back to work with our friends at Praying Pelican Missions in the future.

For more photos of Thursday and Friday: Click Here

On to the next step!

We covet your continued prayers and support for our training in Zambia in less than 2 months! If you'd like more information on the training program, visit www.overlandmissions.com/amt . I have been making some cookies for donations toward the program and our future in full-time missions, so please email me or facebook me if you'd like to help out in any way. We fly out on August 27th, so keep praying for strength, courage, and retaining all this knowledge we have been given in his Word so that we may effectively share it with the people of Zambia. We love you so much and thank each and every one of you for your love and support. We are just doing the best we can (which we know is filthy rags in comparison to Christ) to follow His Word and to stay in line with His Will for our lives. We are learning daily to endure the costs and sacrifices, to deal with the tough questions and the judgements from those around us. But know, that no matter what you, or we think is best for us, it is only God who knows. We pray that we have a strong faith to trust him with EVERY single aspect of our lives - not just the easy ones. We pray for you as well, that you would let go of control in areas of your life where you have been stealing the reigns and the Glory from God. Our lives are but a means to his Glory - in all that we are, in all that we say and in all that we do - may we bring Glory to God.

In His Love,
Sally

Haiti day 4 - the hardest work day

Pray for Brandon! He, Angela and Alice are chapperoning the youth camp this week! Tomorrow is his birthday...so I hope they're having fun!!! Pray for safety and for young minds and hearts to be molded :)

His absense does allow me some extra time to get things done, though! :) I realized when gathering my journal and everything to write this, that Tuesday in Haiti was such a difficult day, I only had 4 pictures from the school and none at the worksite! We worked so hard, and were so busy getting to know our wonderful helpers, that I forgot to bring out the camera! But there is good news in day 4, so even without actual footage from Tuesday, there are still stories to be told.

Tuesday, June 5, 2012

Today was difficult, but incredible. I can't believe we've only been here 3 days...but at the same time, I'm sad that we only have 2 full days left! I am going to miss the friends we've made and the hard work we have been doing. It will be interesting to see if we will make the same kind of connections when we travel to Africa as we have here. We have all loved this beautiful country and the people who serve here.

This morning adn work day was much like yesterday. While we were at the school, we met a man named Deacon Demitri. He makes and sells beautiful wood carvings. We found out that his family barely survived the earthquake. They lived in a duplex, and the family on the otherside of the wall was killed, while his family was spared. One of his daughters was greatly injured, but was healed after some time on a Mercy Ship. We also found out that his home was one of the first worksites PPM ever had in Haiti. Needless to say, he is a strong man of faith with great joy and gratitude, and loves the people from PPM

We arrived at Mario's house and greeted the family. After a few  words of encouragement and blessing from their pastor we began to move our first set of 100 blocks up the mountain. Due to our small numbers, it still took us 5 trips up the hill using our assembly line. Steevens, a young man from the neighborhood who helped us all day yesterday and today (again for reasons unknown to us), was in incredible pain. He had a very bad tooth ache and had to sit out a couple of turns. We all told him that he needed to rest, and gave him lots of water and some Ibeuprophin to ease the pain. I am so ready for my faith to be strengthened. My God is a God of healing... and I am so weak in faith that I couldn't bring myself to touch his precious, hurting face and give God an opportunity to show himself to Steevens. We still loved on him and cared for him, and of course prayed for him...but I know that God gives us power to do more for people than give them medicine sometimes. I continue to pray for Steevens, but also for the rest of us..that we will be open to the Spirit of God and will listen when he wants to use us for His Glory. I know I will experience much of this in Africa during our training and I am excited and terrified to see how mighty God truly is, and what incredible power and mercy He has for his people.

We got to know a very special person today. Wilda is 24 and has an 18 month old son named Junior. On Monday, we saw her peeking around corners, and watching us work. But today, she started talking to Cassie and ended up asking her where she went to church, she told Cassie that she had never been invited but wanted to go to church with her on Sunday. She also told Cassie that she had never accepted Christ.  We are all praying for Wilda, and can't wait to spend more time with her tomorrow.

We shared many things tonight in worship. Almando asked us to share someone we met that we wont forget and something we learned that we wont forget.  I shared that I would not forget the neighbors and members of Mario's family, especially Mario himself. For their hard work, for the kids/teenagers who helped us for no reason, and Phito and Odne who worked harder than all of us and encouraged us with their beautiful smiles. I shared that I would not forget what it means to care for others before yourself and that I will work to always think of another before me. We all shared and then got together to pray for those we've met and for eachother.

The breeze was so wonderful tonight. The dust was pushed out of the air and you could see so many stars. The power had gone out (generator...happened a few times) so it was pitch black. We all sat on the rof in the dark, taking in all the beauty of the night, and enjoyed spending some quiet time with eachother. I got to talk to Phito about his life, and we talked and laughed about how I had been singing wrong creole words (Like mixing up the word for LORD and REMEMBER...so i was singing Praise ye remember....hahah) and he shared with me how much he loves learning english.  He taught me more animals (Kabwit - Goat ; Chavel - horse ; bef - cow ; papillion - butterfly ; zandolit - lizard )

After a while, it was just Neil, Marisol and I out on the roof (from our group) and we stayed and watched the moon rise over the mountain. A sunrise is beautiful... but a moonrise is just breathtakeing. After soaking in the gloriousness of the stars, the moon and the cool breeze, we gathered ourselves and went to bed - Tomorrow is the last day in Gressier and we want to make sure we get everything done we possibly can.

Haiti - Day 3 - First 'work day'

the view from our project location in Gressier

Monday, June 4th, 2012:

Wow. I feel like I say that every time... but each day is so different and amazing!

Today started off with peanut butter and jelly (although there was no jelly left by the time I made my way to breakfast! I've gotta get up earlier!) We went to a school first. It was neat and organized and the children were so smart and precious. We started with 'Simon Di' or Simon says, led by Marisol Ortiz. She did the entire game in french, which the children understood perfectly! It was amazing to see the excitement on the kids faces that they could understand her without an interpreter. (Everyone in Haiti speaks Creole (their own form of language based on french) but schools teach French and most Hymns are in French!)


After the game, we did the skit for Paul and Silas. I read while Phito translated and the kids loved watching everyone act out the scenes! We even had a few tiny prisoners join us in the 'jail'! We sang a few songs, they loved 'Praise ye the lord' which is a stand up sit down song we do at most VBS here in the states, but we also sang a couple songs in Creole! They knew 'When the roll is called up yonder' and 'I'll fly away'. It was so much fun to sing with them in their language, and you could tell the kids (and even the teachers) were getting a kick out of us trying to speak creole. They also sang a song for us and we ended with a great time of prayer and blessing.


We moved on from there to the project work site. A home in the mountainous region of Gressier that had collapsed during the earthquake. 4 family members were in the house when it fell, but the tin roof did not collapse and ended up saving their lives. We learned later in the day that after the house had collapsed, sister Mario (the mother of the family) began to sweep the church every day as her offering and prayer to God because she said she knew he would give them a new home. She told us that when we came her prayer had been answered and that God had accepted her offering to His church and brought Praying Pelican Missions to deliver the gift of her new home. TOO cool.


When we arrived at the house (after walking straight uphill on a narrow path for at least 5 minutes) we saw sister Mario trying to 'clean up' the rubble that was left of her house. She was pulling grass and weeds from the broken rocks that used to be the foundations and walls of her home. I asked her, "Mwen ka ede ou?" which means, 'Can I help you?' as the cinder blocks had not yet been delivered for us to carry up the mountain. She smiled and said 'no no' but with gratitude and humility allowed us to help her pluck the weeds and grass from the the stones that, I can only imagine, mean such a great deal to her and her family. During the act of pulling these weeds from the rocks, Brandon was reminded of the parable of the sower that Jesus explained to his disciples (Matthew 13:1-23). This was an excellent focus for the task at hand, and reminded us that our faith should not be easily uprooted, like this grass that has grown among these rocks. I told Brandon that he should share that tonight at worship if we were given an opportunity. Cassie had asked our group to lead worship on Wednesday, so he thought he might just save it and do it then.


We labored on the weeds for a while and with broken creole, we mingled and attempted to get to know sister Mario's family and neighbors. We began separating the broken blocks and stones into piles (small or large) until our next job was ready. Bring on the sledgehammers! A man showed up and had sledgehammers! He was the foreman for demolition and we were his workers! There were still a few broken walls that were standing and these had to be knocked down in order for new walls to be built. Apparently he didn't want to share the hammers, and was trying to do most of the hard work on his own, but a couple of us started using rocks to break up the columns and walls and his heart was softened and he shared his tools and taught us how to work efficiently. (Isn't it neat to see God teach?) We knocked down the broken fragments of the Mario family's cinder block walls and carted them off into piles as well.


WE SAW A TARANTULA!!!!! Thankfully, I wasn't that close to the surprising find, and Mr. Mario stepped on it a few moments later, but we actually saw it! It wasn't as scary as I thought but I wasn't the one who found it hiding in my cinder block either! It looked more like a mouse than a spider, it was so big and hairy! I am so glad that I was able to witness this... as I know God is helping to prepare me for Africa and showing me little by little that I can handle these creatures and reminding me that they are His creation - and fear is not an option!



After lunch, the cinder blocks arrived... we had to carry them via assembly line about 100 yards straight uphill and winding around a mountain path. There were 10 of us, but luckily Phito (our brother and interpreter) joined in as did sister Mario's son, Manou. So the 12 of us moved 100 blocks, but it took us 5 assembly lines to get up to the house... so we passed each block 5 different times. OUCH! So it was like passing 500 cinder blocks uphill, with the heat, and in the sun!Craziness! About halfway up, a young boy (about 14) named Bernie joined our line and for no other reason but to help and maybe practice a little of the english he knew. I gave him one of my gloves and thanked him for helping us. He enjoyed asking little questions in english like "what is your name" and "where does your father live". His smile is beautiful and contagious and his spirit is sweet. We were so glad to have met Bernie and hope we will see him again tomorrow.


We returned back to Cote Plage in Carrefour to some wonderfully cold showers and some much needed rest before dinner and worship. (I actually ate and enjoyed dinner today because I didn't take the Doxycycline!) After dinner, Cassie asked our group if we could lead worship and possibly a devotion. We sang God of Wonders, Amazing Love, and Give us Clean Hands. Brandon was able to share his thought from earlier in the day about the weeds and rocks for the evening devotion and was able to tell the other groups about our experience of the day. (Isn't it cool how God gave us the opportunity to share that, when we weren't sure we'd have the chance?) It was an incredible time of worship and we ended up singing all night after the meeting.

Now it's time to get some sleep, because Cassie wants us to move 200 blocks tomorrow! I'm already sore from today (Praise ye the lord at the school killed my quads! who needs P90X? Just be on the Hallelu side and don't use a chair! haha) Lord, help our bodies heal and our spirits be willing, I pray our attitudes don't reflect the pain in our backs and arms, and that you will help us finish the task for the day so that we do not put the project behind. Thank you for an incredible day today, Amen.

Haiti - Day 1 - First glimpse

Wow, what a week! It is nice to be home and to be able to rest, but it is so bittersweet. 

We miss our new brothers and sisters and we even miss the heat (I've been cold since I've been back!) But most of all, we miss all the hard work - - - God's work. 

Thank goodness we have plenty to do right here until the next journey!

Haiti is an amazingly beautiful country, with beautiful people and hearts to match. We will never forget our time there and hope to see our friends again in the future. Thank you all for praying us through this trip, we could feel God's protection and strength all around us as we worked throughout the week.  We will give you an over view, day by day, of our week. Most of this is coming straight from a journal I kept while in Haiti. Enjoy!

Day 1 - Saturday 6/2/2012

Today was wonderful, stressful, exhausting, and exciting all at the same time. Maybe it was waking up so early (1:30 AM), being on 2 planes, in 3 airports, worried that anything I ate could ruin the rest of the day,  or maybe it was the realization of my complete lack of ability.
Praise God that I am not required to be able or worthy to do His work - because I would fail every time.  I try to make this feeling allow me to focus on God more, to rely on him, to trust him and obey, because it is easy to feel so depressed - like you can't possibly handle any of the tasks at hand, or that you're completely powerless.  I have thought many times today "I don't know if I could do this everyday, long term, different places/climates/food all the time. Is my heart strong enough? Is my faith deep enough? Do I know what I'm doing?" and the resounding answer is "NO!" none of the above... but my God is more than strong enough to make up for all of my shortcomings. All he needs is a willing and obedient heart - That I can do.

Today started early, 4 AM call time to be at the church and ready to go. Neil was the first one there, and Brandon and I were 2nd! (Yay for not being late!) The next car to pull up was such a surprise and blessing. John and Jackie Fry (whose life is a miracle and testimony itself) came to pray with us and see us off! This is what the church is for! Jackie's faithfulness and presence continue to awe and inspire me to deepen my own relationship with God. (Which is exactly why I prayed for complete restoration and healing after the accident. I, among many, have SO much to learn from this strong woman of God! Praise Him that she is doing so well!!!)

We arrived at the airport early and Rachel switched with me so I could sit next to Brandon on the plane to Miami. I am so glad she did because we were able to meet Lindsay. She is a beautiful 23 year old girl who went to Shiloh High School and graduated the year after me (in my same school district)! She is in law school at UGA and wants to become a diplomat and eventually an ambassador. She is fluent in Spanish and is teaching herself french! Her grandparents were actually born and lived in Haiti and moved to the USA where her parents grew up and raised her and her family. She has never been to Haiti before. She was on her way to an internship in the Dominican Republic. She wanted to visit Haiti while she was in the DR, but her mentors told her it wasn't a good idea, her family being Haitian, and the issues with border control between the two countries. We talked a lot about missions, and about faith. She said she appreciated how Brandon and I spoke to her about our faith and our call to missions. I pray that she will find her heart for God again, that she will not let the negative opinions about 'church' dictate her future. If she got nothing else from our discussion, I pray the Holy Spirit reminded her that she is responsible for her own relationship with our Heavenly Father and that she is so useful to the Kingdom. She has a heart full of passion and love and desires to help people. I pray, Lord, that you will keep Lindsay safe during her 10 week stay in the DR and that you lead her down your path and that she may listen to your voice. Thank you for letting us meet Lindsay.

We had a layover in Miami and were able to get something to eat. I was scared to eat anything big, as I knew in about 4 hours the heat would be overwhelming. I ended up eating Wendy's french fries and Brandon got some pizza. (of course he's never worried about anything like that!)

When we got on the plane from Miami to Haiti, I was alone on my little row all the way up until the last 2 people I saw boarding the plane. I was thinking, aw man! So close! But WHAT a blessing and joy, and I am so thankful I was seated next to 2 wonderful people. Casey and Naomi Gustafson. They are from Iowa City, Iowa and attend Faith Baptist Church with their 4 children. They were also headed to Haiti for mission work. Casey is very tall and is built like a super hero and Naomi is very delicate and naturally beautiful (come to find out she is/was a ballerina!). Talking to them throughout the 2 hour flight was rewarding in many ways. Naomi's parents were and are still full time missionaries in Africa! She was born in Bolivia and grew up all over Africa. She had wonderful stories and assured me that growing up as a missionaries' kid was the most amazing upbringing. (so encouraging). Her parents do a lot of work in Northern Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo as well as South Africa. I hope to meet them in our journey there. We talked much about our faith and beliefs and encouraged one another in living a life of doing God's work. I pray for the Gustafsons; for health and safety while in Haiti. That their church continues to fall in love with missions and that Naomi and Casey will be integral in helping their faith family reach the people of the world with the Gospel. Thank you, Lord for a new brother and sister.

Okay. They weren't kidding... it is HOT!!! But it is also beautiful and sometimes breezy! The drive through Port-Au-Prince was breath taking and heart breaking at the same time. Behind flowering trees were rows and rows of tin roofs and tarps, and there is garbage everywhere. But all you have to do is raise your eyes just a little to see the majesty of God's handiwork in this land. The mountains here are green with trees and spotted with homes and villages. This constant backdrop allows you to see this country for the beauty God intended for it. And when you see the smiling faces of the Haitian people, you see it again.  These are His children, also. They are also made in His image. And they are in need.
I am amazed by the local Christians we have seen so far. Raising their voices loudly to the heavens and dressing in suits and ties with shiny shoes through burning, hot, dusty roads lined with rubble and trash. The church we are staying at is 5,000 strong and packs out each service where worship can last over 3 hours. What a family. What a testimony to their countrymen. Lord, if there is anything we can do to help these people, allow our bodies to serve.

The food is wonderful! We got settled into our rooms and had our first Haitian meal: Rice and beans with red sauce, baked chicken and fried plantains with the most glorious fresh cherry juice. Even though I did end up feeling sick and not being able to eat much, I thoroughly enjoyed what I had! [side note---it was not the food that made me sick, but my malaria medicine! resume journal] I pray that I can acclimate to the heat/food/lack of normalcy and not be a hindrance to the mission. Lord give me strength. Protect our bodies and keep us able to do your work he with our Haitian brothers and sisters.

We are showered and bug sprayed, fans are blowing and we are ready to fall asleep on our air mattresses! Lord keep us as we slumber. May the rest provide us with excited and willing minds and hearts as we worship with your church tomorrow morning. Thank you for loving us and for the opportunity to serve you. AMEN.

Hope you enjoyed day 1 - Saturday/travel day! Sunday morning was amazing and we will talk about it on the next blog! View more pictures from day one on our Facebook album: Haiti 2012 Pics

A leap of faith...step by step

SO. Here we are, on the brink of the most important journey of our lives. The journey that leads us hopping in the foot prints left by our Savior, each step requiring more faith than the last, but also more rewarding. Releasing the weight of the world, and putting our trust in God to lead us, to love us and to lend us His strength so that we might fulfill His purpose for our lives: to tell the nations about His Son.

Brandon and I have been Christians all of our lives, but until recently, our 'fruit' didn't really show. Salvation may not be gained by works, but as we've come to realize, if you've accepted Christ, your life can't help but show evidence of His presence in you. When you come to this understanding, it's not easy to continue with every day living, wasting the time we've been allowed, and selfishly keeping the Good News of the Gospel to ourselves.

I got my first taste of missions in 8th grade, when my mother and I went to Bryasnk, Russia with our church. Every year after, until I graduated high school, the highlight of my year was the week we would spend serving with our Russian brothers and sisters. They taught me more about living the Word, then I could have ever understood on my own. Humility is something that is so rare here in the states, and when you see pure passion and love for Christ, uninhibited by pride, you can't help but be changed.

But, as it seems to work out, returning to the over abundance of indulgent activities had it's toll on my calling and my obedience to it. And so I made God wait, setting Him on the back burner as I had my fun and found my place in this world.

Most of you know the story of how Brandon and I met, and how I knew he was the one since about 10th grade (Holly has evidence on video... who knew I was prophetic? haha!) But even after we were married in 2009, knowing that God had worked this plan out since we first met at Georgia Baptist Music Camp in 5th grade, we still had our own plans in mind and put His aside. Why? All of our lives we hear, "the safest place to be is in the center of God's will", and while that is so true, safe doesn't always mean sitting on our couches in a beautiful home filled with luxuries. God's will for our lives is not to spend our time, money, and talents on ourselves and sitting on our hands. God's purpose for us is to share the love of the Creator of the Universe, who sent His one and only Son to die in our place on the altar of Redemption, and who made a way for us to be with Him, again, as it was in the beginning. A time before sickness, before sin.

We are not making Him wait any longer. In January of this year, Brandon and I answered the call that has been placed on our lives from the beginning. A call that is spoken very clearly to each person who professes to be a Christian- to obey, to love, to preach the Gospel of Christ. Our obedience is taking us first to Haiti, to serve on the field with our church, and then to Zambia, Africa for 3 months, to learn how to proclaim the Glory of God to the best of our abilities. We know that God has a plan for our lives. We know that plan involves sharing the love of Christ with as many people as possible. We realize the changes that will take place, hoping they begin in our hearts and then bleed out to the outermost facet of our lives. We know the danger involved, and we understand the hardship that may come our way. But if we truly believe God's Word, than things of this earth should never hold us back. The worst thing that can happen is to die...and for a Christian, isn't that the prize? To see Him, face to face, and have Him say "Well done, my good and faithful servant."

We have so much to learn, and so much to prepare for. We don't have any answers beyond what God has given us so far, but we whole-heartedly trust in his provision, and in his love. And we know, the best and safest place to be is in the center of His Will; His holy, pleasing and perfect Will.

Pray with us, learn with us, and be inspired by God's overwhelming Grace with us.

We love you and thank you all for your support as we embark on the journey of the rest of our lives.


Brandon and Sally Lewis


For more information on our training this year, and ways you can support, email us at brandonandsallymissions@gmail.com .