“On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” Romans 12:20-21
These verses from Romans brought back some memories from 2010 when I went to Haiti a few months after the terrible earthquake. The earthquake in Haiti on January 12, 2010 brought a new level of despair to a country that has known so many different types of suffering since receiving its freedom in 1804. Following the shaking and destruction came the cries for food and water. Trinity HOPE does one thing and by the Grace of God does that very well; they feed children attending Christian schools. They don’t build buildings, dig wells, buy generators, trucks or caterpillars; they feed around 50,000 children every day at their school.
Following that terrible quake, Trinity HOPE assisted organizations in Port-au-Prince to work with local vendors that Trinity HOPE used to purchase food already in Haiti to be distributed to the homeless. One of the distribution places was at the Bon Berger Lutheran Church in Caredeux, which is in the attached photo. Back in the day while living in Haiti, this was my home congregation. Here congregation members assembled rations that would last a family of four for a week and handed them out to those in the neighborhood. The vodou temples provided no assistance, no hope, no peace, and no answers.
Here adults, children, Christians and vodou people could come and receive ‘manna’ from Heaven. Here at Bon Berger which is translated ‘Good Shepherd’, evil was overcome by good. At this school, hundreds of young missionaries are fed daily and also receive the Holy Gospel that brings peace to their lives. Following a devastating personal loss Horatio G. Spafford wrote the words to ‘It is well with my soul’ and they are a wonderful way to close.
“When peace, like a river, attendeth my way, when sorrows like sea billows roll; whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say, it is well, it is well with my soul. It is well with my soul, it is well, it is well with my soul. Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come, let this blest assurance control, that Christ has regarded my helpless estate, and hath shed his own blood for my soul. It is well with my soul, it is well, it is well with my soul. My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought! My sin, not in part but the whole, is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more, praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul! It is well with my soul, it is well, it is well with my soul. And, Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight, the clouds be rolled back as a scroll; the trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend, even so, it is well with my soul. It is well with my soul, it is well, it is well with my soul.”
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