20922: Haitiarise: More report from St. Marc (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Haitiarise@aol.com

From: info@ywamhaiti.org

3/18/04
Another busy day as the tides of Haiti are turning towards a truly free
nation. This was a day of meetings, but these meetings may make a difference. This
morning Pastor Marcel, a native Pastor who has been partnering with us for
many years, and I met with an influential lawyer to discuss the needs of the city
and solicited his support in meeting those needs. Also, we meet once again
with Franky Paultre, local businessman, about the future of the city and course
direction. We had a heart to heart soul to soul talk. It was a good time and
we have gained an even greater mutual respect for each other.  Then we went to
a meeting called by the Red Cross. It was to be a calling of the nobles,
business leaders and influencers of the city to discuss the problems and how to
respond. It was a good meeting and I noted that it began with a word of prayer.
Everyone seemed to want to see changes, root changes, that will require hearts
surrendering to the ways of God.  I was given an opportunity to share and I
chose not to hold back. I let them know where I stood before God and what the
spiritual root problems in our city were. These must be repaired, and then I
moved on to the other problems of social issues. I used an example of a bus
getting a flat tire on the road. Everyone gets out and looks at it. All have an
opinion on how it could have been avoided, but no one is willing to get their
hands dirty to fix it. I challenged them to join in and fix the city! I asked
them to donate funds, water pumps, cement, sand, gravel, paint and volunteer
laborers. It must have been a God thing as they all said amen and the meeting
adjourned with information on where to deliver the supplies and with whom from our
mission to connect with. Today the generator at the police station was
started and has run with no problems throughout the day. More painting was done
along with plastering. Lubens, along with other YWAM staff, delivered clothes and
a few remaining goods for the flood victims of last August 2003. At the same
time Pastor Wilson, native partnering pastor, worked with a construction crew
in the building of another home for a flood victim. In addition, Roberteau,
YWAMer, supervised the rebuilding of a burned home. We have been moving with
great speed, by the grace of God, and I pray it will only continue. Tomorrow
Lubens and I will be joining Maula Jean-Marie, YWAM leader, in Gonaives. Maula has
arranged for us to meet with the leader of the Cannibal Group, Jean Touton,
who is planning to introduce us to other city leaders. After this we will be
meeting with a group of pastors that desire to form a Christian Network; a
network that reaches out to the mass population similar to the one we have here in
St. Marc. We will be talking and praying with focus on the restoration of
broken covenants. We would appreciate your prayers. Below is my itinerary of
special meetings that I would appreciate your prayer support for; Friday8:30am
Meeting concerning land for the Victims of the August 27, 2003 flood.9:00am Meeting
with Franky Paultre concerning our first city hall meeting.9:40am Leave for
Gonaives11:00am Meeting with Jean Touton and various leaders in Gonaives3:00pm
Meet with Pastors (Broken Covenants)5:00pm Return to St. Marc6:00pm Home!
Sunday2:00pm City Hall Meeting St. Marc

3/19/04
Our day started on schedule. We had a meeting about land that went well, but
more talk is needed as I believe we can see the 60 acres of land released for
less money than is being asked. What is the land for? What land? Before all
that has happened recently we felt that God wanted us to pursue building a
development as a model to the city and nation. We have now located two pieces of
land, both being 60 Acres, one on the mountain side, the other in a flat plain.
The cost is some where around $260,000 USD. But let me save that to share with
you on another day. From there we did our normal checks through the city with
a visit from the human rights group of Haiti. They wanted to meet us because
everywhere they go they hear of us and never have seen the kinds of things
that are happening in our city. They were speechless and just said; “On behalf of
Haiti we want to say thank you!” It is God you need to thank, we are nothing.
Then off to Gonaives. After connecting with Maula, YWAM leader there, we
headed for the head quarters of Jean-Taton. As we entered his zone we had a very
welcoming response with people waving and children smiling. Clearly Jean-Taton
had been speaking about us with the people. The meeting began in a very
official way. They had a moment of silence, not an opening prayer, as they claimed
they wanted to respect all forms of faith. A voodoo priest was part of his
committee. Jean-Taton asked if I would like to begin the meeting by sharing my
thoughts.  I began by sharing the concept that Haiti has two problems, spiritual
and social. You cannot fix one without the other. We cannot talk about the
social problem until we are ready to deal with the spiritual, just like a farmer
cannot plant good seed in soil until the soil has been prepared. With this
concept I lead them through the Gospel message and how the church should operate
in society to bring about transformation. They were all very interested and
had some very good questions. We then went in to the immediate social needs of
the zone of 30,000 people. Jean-Taton suggested that there be an organized
cleaning of the streets and gutters as this was causing sickness and disease. I
agreed and challenged him that this could also be a prophetic act in people
beginning to seek Christ in seeing their lives cleansed from sin. With this
agreement we equipped them with wheel barrows, shovels, picks, brooms and rakes.
Maula will be assisting in coordinating the efforts as well.   However, before we
closed the meeting and walked through the zone to get a feel for the needs, I
had to ask a question; “Will everyone here tell me honestly where they are in
concerns to their faith in Christ?” Two proclaimed to be Christians, another
voodoo and the others seeking, but interested. I then took a step of faith and
said; “It would not be right if I left here without giving all of you who do
not know Christ a chance to accept him. Is there any of you that would like to
accept Him now?” One man raised this hand. The others said, “We will need to
reflect on your words more.” So, I asked if I could pray with the one and
they all agreed. We all stood to our feet and the others said that they would
like to pray along with us even though they still had questions. So, together I
lead the whole group of leaders through a simple prayer of faith, asking for
forgiveness of sin and power to live the Christian life. What a moment to mark
in the history books! Some of the biggest things happen in the smallest
places.After our walk about the zone we said farewell and they let us know that we
are always welcomed in their zone and we had nothing to fear!  From there we
went to the Pastors Meeting. Today I talked about the effects of sin,
identificational repentance and confession. We closed our time by making a list of sins
and then praying out confession of these sins asking God to forgive and cleanse
the city, heal the land and change the hearts. We also discussed more about
broken covenants and now it appears a delegation of Pastors from Gonaives will
be traveling to St. Marc next Saturday, April 27, to help see mending of the
cities and to participate in a city wide prayer meeting being held in our new
Evangelistic Arena. Please mark that on your prayer calendar. God continues to
move and there are other things happening that I cannot tell you about at this
time, but let’s keep praying as we have taken the high places, now we must
disciple the nation!

Thank you for your continued prayers and giving. We need them more than ever.
Things are happening both spiritually and physically in the country. Today I
want to share with you a report I received from our native leader Maula
Jean-Marie, located in Gonaives. Before I do so I would like to point out that he
has took a step of faith from our example of planting the 10 commandments in the
park of St. Marc by buying wood and have the 10 commandments painted on it
and placing them in Gonaives park now.


Listen to what he has to say!

Hi Terry,

Yesterday I went to the different stores. I could not find all the equipment
to clean the zone we wanted, but I was able to buy 10 wheel barrows,20
shovels,6 racks and 100 brooms. I then called Jean Tatoune to come with some guys of
his to get them. They were very excited to see the stuff I bought. It was like
a dream for them. They took all the equipment in a truck, the same truck that
they took from the police during their revolt against Aristide.

 When we all arrived in their area with the equipment, people stood on both
sides of the street smiling at the leaders. Jean Tatoune told me; ”The people
are happy because they can see we are working for them”. This simple gift
really created an atmosphere of hope. Jean Tatoune and the other leaders are very
thankful. He said we are the first people who kept our promise to them.


I told them that the equipment is YWAM’s but you take care of it. They agree
with us and know that we are wanting to build relationship with other zones as
well as theirs. So they need to be careful not to break that relationship. It
seems they have a good attitude and are ready to be discipled.


I put the 10 commandments on the public square yesterday. People, children,
students, passer by’s, came from every where to see the big sign with the
commandments. They said; “Those people who did that are very creative.” It is the
first time they saw an initiative like that.

 As I reflected I also realized the people began to clean the city since the
moment you started to teach about repentance, reconciliation and forgiveness
in Gonaives. I feel that it is good time to present the Jesus film on a big
screen and maybe the transformation video. Would you lend me the YWAM video
projector to do that?

 God bless you!
Maula

WOW! Isn’t that great news! Jean Tatoune was one of two of the key leaders
that led the revolt that took control of Gonaives that led later to the
resignation of Jean Bernard Aristide. He has put down his gun and is picking up a
shovel! We must re-enforce this kind of positive action along with all the
additional things happening in St. Marc. What city will be next? God is beginning
something deep in this land and the results are being seen spiritually and
physically.

Terry