Haiti, Chris Rowekamp | Blog 3.

It is so easy to forget that God never told us to stop dreaming.

Looking at the persistence of the structural, political, and human wreckage in Haiti, it is so easy to become discouraged. Thinking on the enormity of the challenges yet to be overcome can be paralyzing. When it seems like the entire neighborhood shows up to fill plastic buckets with water gushing from a broken pipe in the street, it is an understatement to say that they are in need.

Through all this, God says, “Believe.” He does not ask, “Can you believe?” He asks, “Will you believe?” Faith, possible only through the grace of God, is not a passing, whimsical feeling we produce within ourselves. No, it is “the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1, ESV). It is a choice, made in response to and in agreement with the truth God has spoken to us. 

And make no mistake; His Kingdom is advancing.

Faith leads to action. Today a shipment of rice came to Pastor Wilson’s house; a few guys and I unloaded it. Its destination is Lartigue, an isolated town in the mountains of Haiti where Eglise Communion de la Manne Evangelique operates a school. I’ll be traveling there with Pastor on Monday to deliver the rice and many other essential supplies to this town, which was devastated by the recent hurricane. 

Another example, more close to home: the church family at Christian Life Center, in Williamsburg, Virginia, got together, sold Christmas trees and homemade ornaments, hosted an event representing local vendors where community members could do their Christmas shopping, and gave generously, all to raise the $15,000 necessary to provide a generator for the new Children’s Home. To literally provide light to the 21 amazing kids and the volunteers who tirelessly serve them.

We can look at the seemingly insurmountable obstacles in our path and freeze...or we can choose to do something. Thank you all for believing.

- Chris Rowekamp

Haiti, Chris Rowekamp | Blog 2.

Being in a different country, surrounded by people who speak a different language and come from a completely different cultural and ethnic context, has a way of reminding you that this life really isn’t about you; that God’s Kingdom is much bigger than you had implicitly believed.

Although I had been to Haiti once before this trip, I had no idea what to expect this time around. About two weeks before my departure, I had a “freak-out” moment where I realized, “Wait. I’m leaving for Haiti in two weeks…and I’m not ready. At all.” I hadn’t sent out a fundraising letter; I hadn’t thought or prayed for a specific vision for the trip; I felt completely unprepared. I came very close to cancelling my flight, taking the $150 fee, and trying this trip again later with my transferred plane ticket. I even told my student ministry pastor and our church life director that I needed to cancel the trip…but then decided to give that final decision a few days.

It’s funny how a day off can do amazing things.

I went home for Thanksgiving 48 hours after my moment of panic, and after a day of rest, over-eating, and general good times, I was in my car on the way back to Williamsburg. As I was sitting at the stoplight at the entrance of my parents’ neighborhood, I weighed the pros and cons, and it was pathetic. At the core, I didn’t want to go because I didn’t have a plan for the trip. I couldn’t see the specific purpose I would accomplish, the way in which this would concretely move me forward in my walk with Christ. And then it struck me: the last thing the Haitian church needs is a presumptuous foreigner thinking he can solve all of their problems. God is moving in and through the Haitian church; He doesn’t need me here to do that. 

So why am I here? I’m here to serve Jesus’ church. I’m here to learn. To grow. And to see how God grows His Kingdom in a unique context. 

Really, it’s no different than the perspective I ought to have about my role in Williamsburg. The church doesn’t exist for my consumption; the church, of which I am part, is God’s means for bringing His Kingdom to this Earth. 

And this brings me to one of the foremost purposes of short term missions, in my opinion: to remind the church, as individuals and as a corporate body, that we do not exist as an end in and of ourselves. God is building a Kingdom. And we, as His church, get to be His partners in that work. What a privilege.

-Chris

Haiti, Chris Rowekamp | Blog 1.

You know, the cold showers are quite pleasant when it’s in the low 90s during the day. I actually look forward to the cold plunge after a long day in the heat, especially because I’m never sure if we’ll even have running water…the electricity can be unpredictable.

Whew. Now that I’m done with the obligatory “hardships of serving in a developing country” story, I have to say, I’m having the time of my life. The weather is actually quite nice; it is winter after all, and I get to be in the shade most of the time. And the water isn’t really that cold…more cool than anything. Not unpleasant at all.

I came here in March of last year with an amazing team of mostly college students loaded down with supplies for Wings of Refuge, a Children’s Home run by Eglise Communion de le Manne Evangelique in Petion-Ville, Haiti. We served Pastor and Mommy Pas as best we could, and tried to be helpful, but by far the most rewarding part of our trip was the time we spent with the kids at Wings of Refuge. When I say that it was hard to say goodbye to them, it’s a terrible understatement, and it only got worse when I saw their pictures every time I walked into Christian Life Center, my home church in Williamsburg, Virginia. 

Coming back was something of an emotional anticlimax. I’m not really sure if the kids recognized me, at least not at first. That’s the anticlimax; the rest is emotion. When I stepped into the Home, I was still wearing my suit from my flight, and I was so tired I was afraid I would fall over any minute…but when I saw those kids, I’m pretty sure my heart stopped for a second. Or more likely sped up, I’m not really sure. All I know is that it’s good to be back. I’m trying not to think about the next inevitable goodbye in just over a week.

I miss everyone back home, but even more, I miss the team I came with last time. I have so many amazing memories of that time with them that keep flooding back into my mind every time I step into Pastor’s home…frustrating games, impossible riddles, seagull sandwiches and oh so much more. I remember sitting in the very room I am writing this post in right now, and listening to Nick Lopez and Caleb Elgut take turns driving me crazy with riddles they were finding online. Such good times.

Well, that’s all for now; I’ll send more updates soon. I have much more I could write about, but nobody wants to read long blog posts, so I’ll stop here.

Thank you all for your interest, prayers, and for making this trip practically possible through your generous financial support. I can’t thank you enough.

God bless,

Chris