Giving life everywhere that we go.

This is less about where we go and ALL about WHO we go with. We desire to bring the reality of Jesus Christ everywhere that we go. Jesus said, "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit." Jesus is already at work in the World & we would not even begin to pretend that we are bringing Him somewhere that He is not already working. Through every mission trip we will encourage, support, and lift up those who are serving tirelessly in the location we are traveling to, whether that means Mexico, Washington D.C., New York City, or Williamsburg.

6.26.2012

Haiti, June 19-26, 2012 | Blog 4.


After a grueling day of work at the job-site Friday, we woke up Saturday morning and decided the we were just so fatigued that we could not work at the work-site.  We used Saturday as a time to gather a little strength, unfortunately, a few members of the team began feeling a little ill and very, very tired so we slept and read and slept some more.  We woke up Sunday morning excited and a little nervous about going to church in another country.  Needless to say, not only did everything turn out well, it was amazing.  During the first worship song, we began to feel the presence of the Holy Spirit move throughout the entire congregation and continue to flow as the song got stronger and stronger.  Some of us hands held high in worship; others completely in tears ---- WOW!  As we got into the Word, even thought we could only make out a few words and phrases, we all knew that somehow we were being changed.  As the service ended, we were overwhelmed with the sheer number of people that were actually there.  Roughly 300 people on the main level where we were, many more in the basement level watching via video projection and an overflow into the street, again --- WOW!  

Sunday night we decide that on Monday, the entire team would spend our last full day in Haiti visiting the children in the currently rented children’s home.  What a great decision that turned out to be!  It didn’t take long for the children to warm up to the members of the team that they really didn’t know yet.  After a few piggy back rides, some arts & crafts and paper airplanes, it was on!  Hugs & kisses, photos, beach balls and soccer balls, it became a experience that we will never forget.  They are all very sweet and completely innocent of the world outside. What a true sanctuary in a city full of chaos.  Inside those walls you would never know that an earthquake devastated the city not so long ago.

My heart truly goes out to Pastor Wilson and Gladys Charles and the extended family of their household as they not only welcomed us into their home, but shown us love and compassion as if WE were also their family.  Jesus will continue to build His church and in Haiti, He is also building homes for the little ones.  After the new Wings of Refuge home is complete, not only will the 21 children that we spent today with have a home, so will many others.  Children are already on the list.  What a true honor it is to be a part of building a refuge, second chance, and haven in Haiti. God bless Pastor Wilson and Gladys Charles and God bless Wings of Refuge Children’s Home in Petion-ville, Haiti.
-Larry Sanders

6.23.2012

Haiti, June 19-26, 2012 | Blog 3.


Since I have been here, I have seen and experienced so much. I cannot even begin to describe what everything looks like around me. I see so much poverty and so much brokenness. Just by looking into people’s eyes you can see and feel their pain and lack of hope. Haiti is a country where the people have been beaten down so much that it has become very difficult for them to dust themselves off and get back up again. But through all of the hurt there is such beauty in the country as a whole. The people here are simply beautiful.





As we drive through the streets I can hear the cars honking, the people speaking, the dogs barking and the music playing. I can see endless shacks (some being homes and some being stores or restaurants), I see many people, many cars, different types of animals, and multiple vendors lining the make-shift streets. But if you look past all of the commotion, if you look in the distance you can see the shadowing of the hills and mountains. It is such a beautiful thing that amidst all of the chaos you can see something that is this peaceful and steadfast. I feel like I could spend forever here,  observing, learning and literally changing from the inside out. 

In my time here so far I have been reminded of the important things in life; I have had the realization that our life truly is but a vapor. That, in the bigger picture we are only here so long. Each of our lives has a beginning and an end. It is up to us to decide what we want to do in between. It is our job to make sure that we make the most of our lives. I am reminded that in order to do this, Jesus is the must-have ingredient. We are incapable of living our lives the right way without God as a part of the picture and we CANNOT do it by ourselves. We can’t live life thinking that we are making a difference by just being a ‘humanitarian’. It is so much bigger than that; motive is everything. That by being a follower of Christ our heart should come in line with His heart and as it does, our actions should come in line with His plan. I am so thankful that it really is that simple; when we make God number one everything else will fall into place. I am so grateful that the weight is not on my shoulders to live life correctly, that really when I am obedient to the Lord I am doing all that I can do. 

I love that as Christians we are not called to simply live life for ourselves, eventually the focus needs to be shifted off of us. It is not about us, we are called to live life for others. We are supposed to live for something BIGGER than ourselves. I am encouraged that really the whole point of my being is to bless the people around me. In being here, I have had the opportunity to do just that; I have had the opportunity to serve day in and day out. But while I am here in Haiti for one week on the missions trip it is very easy to have that mindset. I am reminded that the spirit and heart of serving and missions shouldn’t stop here. I am supposed to carry that same spirit home with me to the United States. As much as I have learned so far and as much as I am sure that I will learn over the next couple of days, it would all be pointless if I didn’t bring anything home with me. I feel like the Lord has just been saying over and over again that my ‘missions field’ is where I live - what I call my home. By leading a selfless life at home I am making more of a difference than I could ever do here in Haiti for only a week. 
-Summer Zacharias

6.21.2012

Haiti, June 19-26, 2012 | Blog 2.

When we arrived in Haiti, we did not know what to expect, but we knew God was already here with open arms. The first day of work was good and as the work week progresses, we are becoming better acquainted with the gentlemen on the worksite of the new children’s home that is being built. There truly is one spirit that joins our effort in the building process. To operate as a team is really the fruit of the Spirit in real time operation, yielding to our own leading and working together for one common goal. Even despite the language barrier, hand signals seem to be our best friend in getting direction from the construction foreman. He has become affectionately known as “hey, Bossman”, which is totally OK with him. Lifting up and esteeming others (the Haitian workers) as valuable in their helping give us direction and seems to break down the language barrier. It sort of gives them a higher position over us almost like the main “Bossman”, adding value to their knowledge despite their paid position. We firmly believe that we are uplifting their spirits and giving them a sense of value and worth beyond monetary compensation. Sometimes we often believe we have a better way of doing things to help rather than just coming with a servants heart and the “foot washing” spirit.




Needless to say the conditions the Haitians live in are beyond description or anything the average American can wrap their understanding around. You would have to be absolutely desensitized to not to be on the verge of tears at the sight of the extreme poverty. In our time at the job we have encountered a young boy that has become our friend through hunger. I dare say anyone of us has ever made a new acquaintance because we were hungry and in need of a meal. Sounds like an opportunity to step in and help. Huh? Sort of a no brainer. Breaking bread with a hungry child will definitely humble you and have you survey how blessed you really are.

-Chris Brown, David Scott, and Larry Sanders

6.20.2012

Haiti, June 19-26, 2012 | Blog 1.

As soon as we landed in Haiti, it seemed that there was mass chaos. The minute the pilot announced that we could deplane, there was a mass exodus of people, not being pushy but really ready to be off a packed to the gills 3 1/2 hour flight. Then into the airport with our declarations and immigration papers, again packed to the gills with people and all their stuff. While Holly says that it went “the smoothest it ever has”, it was long, hot and stressful to me, not as much so as the gauntlet to get to our vehicle though. Noise, noise and more noise. Horns honking, loud engines, people wanting to carry your bags and not taking no for an answer the first ten times you tell them. Telling you this is really not about shedding bad light on the Haitian people at all, they are just trying to make a living and go about their daily business in the most populated city in the whole country of Haiti. But it is what it is --- extremely loud and hectic. But then!!! When you get to the Wings of Refuge Children’s Home (after a very bumpy, loud ride), you enter a world where the noise is at the opposite end of the spectrum. Children laugh and giggle and run around having fun, giving hugs, giving kisses, sitting on your lap and being kids. Behind the gate to the children’s home - a sanctuary. These children are loved and they are loving to each other - it truly is a family of 21 kids with caretakers like aunties and uncles - people who love them back. They are all equal, no one is preferred over another. They share most of the time and when they don’t, they work it out amongst themselves and keep on going. The baby, Darvensly is the most cared for baby I think I have ever seen, he is the object of everyone’s affection, they hold him, kiss him and touch his head in passing which is such a sweet sight, it speaks of pure love. As we talk about comUnIty at CLC, I look at these children and can’t help but realize that they have only been together for a year. This is what community looks like - they get along and love each other because they have genuine care and concern for each other regardless of any of their differences. Regardless of who and where they were before coming to the home. I think we, as a commUnIty minded church, could all learn a valuable lesson from the children at Wings of Refuge. -Susan Sanders