Haiti, Chris Rowekamp | Blog 4.

All I can say is “Thank you.” 

Thank you, God, for orchestrating every step of this trip in such an amazing way. Thank you, donors, for making this trip practically possible. Thank you, prayer-warriors, for holding me up when I was weak. Thank you, readers, for your interest and encouragement. All of you are awesome, and I appreciate you so much!

The last few days of my trip were a whirlwind; we traveled to Lartigue, a mountain village near Haiti’s southern coast, stayed there overnight, and returned to Port-Au-Prince the following afternoon. We took beans, rice, and Christmas gifts for the kids at the school operated by Eglise Communion de la Manne Evangelique.  

That trip redefined poverty for me. A teacher in Lartigue told me that most kids simply want to grow up and move somewhere else in Haiti, like Jacmel or Port-Au-Prince, where there is work. Note that unemployment throughout Haiti was at 40.3% in 2010, the last official figure from the CIA World Factbook, and depending on the source, current estimates range from two-thirds of the labor force up to 90%. 

As in the country as a whole, the obstacles are enormous. But I have hope. 

God is moving in Haiti. The spiritual climate there is unlike anything I have ever experienced. Pastor Wilson told me that something shifted in January 2010 when the 7.0 magnitude earthquake struck Haiti; the country has been seeing a spiritual revival ever since. I have hope because God’s chosen instrument of Kingdom-building on this earth is His Church, not a dysfunctional government or international agencies. His work is evident at Wings of Refuge Children’s Home, and it is unquestionable in Lartigue, where 178 children are being educated and fed at the church-operated school. Education is powerful, and has a far-reaching impact. God’s work in Lartigue and Petion-Ville is far from over. 

It was so hard to say good-bye to Haiti and everyone there, but I know that it is not good-bye forever. I will be back.

My trip home went more or less smoothly, and after two days in Williamsburg, I was able to head to Richmond to be with my family for Christmas. I hope that all of you had a wonderful, blessed Christmas, and I wish all of you a Happy New Year!

Again, thank you so much for your prayers and support.

In Him,

Chris