Our Time in Haiti By Andy and Ainslee Crum

My wife and I thought we should try and take our focus from our normal life of kids, soccer practices, church and work and see where we could be used to help further His kingdom. As most people, we had heard of the sadness and devastation in Haiti and the constant need the people had. Our lives had been blessed in recent years, and, with our 10 year anniversary coming up, we thought there could not be a better way to give back than to sign up with a group from our church (Crossings Community Church-Oklahoma City) and go to Haiti for a week and pitch in. We got our shots, travelers insurance, had a little fund raiser and got lots of items to take to the kids in Haiti. We were feeling great about ourselves…feeling a little closer to God for BEING GREAT CHRISTIANS!!! We got all of the “I’m so proud of you guys,” and the “I wish I had your faith” statements. What happened transformed my thinking and help me shake my selfish and shallow existence in what I thought faith and serving the Lord meant.
When we got to Port-Au-Prince, the first thing that we were met with was the large group of people wanting to take our bags and rushing across the street to get into the personnel carrier to begin the ride up the mountain to Calebasse. Needless to say, what we saw was broken streets, devastation to the buildings, tent cities, and lots and lots of people. The streets were FULL of people. People going to market, people moving around the tent cities AND lots of people going to church. I was struck at all of the people in their whitest clothes, Bible in hand walking with their families and heading to church. I immediately thought of how I struggle every Sunday to get my children’s shoes on, my best outfit, and my best face before I went in the Church doors…what a struggle and what frustration. God humbled my heart immediately. These people lived in the midst of total devastation, friends and family lost and they were WALKING (uphill) with joy to their church, their hope. God forgive me for ever complaining.
When we arrived at House of Blessings, there were not sad faces or desperation. What was there was joy and hope. The Haitian people have obviously been through a lot and the earthquake was just the beginning. They are surviving…daily. Every day is a struggle. Everyday there are obvious reminders of how hard life is. BUT, there is joy and hope. Joy at being together. Hope in their Lord Jesus Christ. Hope in how God is working. These homes are a piece of that hope.
As we started working on the homes hand in hand with Haitians from Calebasse, I was overcome at the happiness and comradery we were having. There were Americans that were from different parts of the country, different churches AND there were a lot of Haitians who had absolutely no idea what we were saying and we had no understanding of Creole. However, when we worked in the Name of Jesus, there was lots of understanding and teamwork. Everyone jumped in and did whatever we could and there was lots of happiness in being together. No one knows better than God how to bring people together. We got four houses done and worked very hard. I was moved at the devotionals at night and the love and appreciation from the children and the workers. The sound of the children singing praise songs to God is one of the greatest sounds I have ever heard.
Towards the end of the week, a small team of us were around the village putting a few finishing touches on some homes. We were blessed to be painting the home of a gentleman named Johnte. He walked around and helped at every opportunity he could. He was thanking us over and over for what we were doing. I was running out of paint and it was late in the day. I had just finished cleaning up and rolling the last of the paint, when he asked me, “will you come back?” I explained I would be leaving the next day, but that someone would be back soon to finish the second coat. Then Johnte said, “If I do not see you again, I will see you in Heaven.” I was immediately blessed and humbled. It was clear that his hope is in God. It was clear that his perspective was eternal. I prayed that God would give me the same perspective and hope.
What started out as an opportunity to bless and give back was quickly transformed into an understanding of a greater faith and trust than I knew existed. My life was reset by the example of the people in Calebasse and the faithful that work with them. People like Phil Murphy and Richard Fields who have made the ultimate sacrifice in committing their lives in the Name for others in foreign lands along with their families. I had a one week experience that my wife and I will never forget. However, the missionaries and their families have put their entire lives and families in God’s hands and live a life of work in helping others and spreading hope.
Andy & Ainslee Crum
PRAY FOR THE PEOPLE OF HAITI
PRAY FOR HOUSE OF BLESSINGS
PRAY FOR HELPING HANDS IN MOTION

Andy, Ainslee and friends in Haiti