Dispatches: Sunday, March 18

The church at Malasi.

We worshiped for 3½ hours with about 150 brothers and sisters in Christ at the church at Malasi. The first two hours were spent in song as individuals and small groups of people lived out the words shared from Psalm 100: “Worship the Lord with gladness; come before Him with joyful songs.”

I then had the privilege of introducing each member of our team, who took turns sharing encouragement (through Rosie’s translation) with the church. The Holy Spirit wove our words together as we shared a message of love and thankfulness.

Joshua started our team preaching with a story about giving our best to the One who gave His Best to us. Jordan then talked about loving the Lord more this year than last. Pastor Don taught about casting aside voodoo and other gods to worship the One True God. I then talked about how God IS love and we are to love as He first loved us. We prayed that the church at Malasi would do its best to love and care for one another and also share the love of Christ with those outside the church.

Jordan closed our team message by singing (and playing on the backpacker guitar) the hymn, “They Will Know We Are Christians By Our Love.”

Joshua giving rice to Darisma’s family in their small house.

We then lived out our teaching by delivering one of two 50-pound bags of rice Joshua bought for those in need. We took a bag to Darisma, the teacher who first brought me to Malasi to ask for help in their school. Darisma has nine children living with him and his wife in a tiny one-room house.

“I just buried my heart here,” Joshua said.

Welcome to Mission: Haiti.