“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’ “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’ “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’ Matthew 25:40-45
It has been really interesting following the news reports from Haiti the past several years since the powerful gangs have been taking control of things and have even been sometimes even controlling the vodou priests. If the gangs aren’t pleased with the results from their priest, they kill them. Haitian Carnival is taking place now and this large official public celebration in Haiti started in 1804 in Port-au-Prince. Carnival celebrations were traditionally considered ‘sinful’ to Christian Haitians, who were advised by their pastors not to participate. Pastor Thomas advised me to stay in my apartment during vodou holidays. These celebrations were criticized for condoning sexually-suggestive dancing, profanity-filled plays, music lyrics mocking authority and were filled with vodou and kompa music rhythms.
Carnival had been cancelled last year due to violence and now this year, the Haitian government leaders want it to return while half of the country wants to cancel it again in favor of using the government funds to fight the gangs and feed the people. And that is interesting as back in the day when I moved in Haiti, it was estimated that 80% of Haiti practiced vodou. When I left Haiti in early 2004, it was estimated to be practiced by over 65% of Haitians and when we ask people to pray for children in Christian schools; we North Americans probably don’t imagine or fully comprehend what Christian children and their parents are up against in their daily lives.
The attached photo is of a vodou Rara band that was marching down the street outside of my apartment building in Petionville on an Easter afternoon. Rara bands are often led by a vodou priest and this particular group probably numbered 400 – 500 followers who were chanting and honking on long bamboo horns and some were pounding on drums. These people are following the liar and their souls are lost. These are the people that ‘assure’ children in Christian schools that satan defeated Christ on Good Friday. They will stress that Jesus died on the cross, was buried in a tomb and is still in the grave. In vodou temples there are crosses buried in the floor up to the cross bar to signify that Christ is still in the tomb.
These bands are really active during the season of Lent as that is when they will do whatever they can to bring doubt into the lives of Christians in Haiti. They generally begin marching on Thursday and increase their numbers on Saturday night and don’t stop until Sunday morning; hopeful that will keep Christians from attending worship service.
During this season of Lent, please dedicate a daily time of prayer for children in Trinity HOPE feeding programs, their parents and all Christians living in Haiti. May their lives be protected by a company of angels as they are Spirit driven to proclaim the Gospel of our Risen Lord and Savior to the lost, such as these vodou followers, in their families, neighborhoods and to strangers on their streets in Haiti.
Heavenly Father, you have called your servants to ventures of which we cannot see the ending, by paths as yet untrodden, through perils unknown. Give us faith to go out with good courage, not knowing where we go but only that your hand is leading us and your love supporting us through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. Amen.
May God be with you,
Jay