LetMeBeFrankT

One Month Later…

Friends and Family-

   I am sorry for the delay in writing this letter. Since coming back from Haiti, life has been a whirlwind of camp preparation, new opportunities and diving back into the ministry that I am more than blessed with to do in Las Vegas.

   I want to start by saying THANK YOU. While I have been on many mission trips before this one, this trip was single handedly the most life changing experience of my life. The people, the places, and the team I got to lead played a huge role in this truth.  I wish that my words could encompass ever emotion and thought from this trip, but unfortunately they cannot. I will do my best to share with you the life change- please know that your support means the world to me!

   Haiti has been a devastated country since its start. Talking with our translators and hearing the stories of now and then within the history of this country was eye opening. You can pull out a history book and read about the people of Haiti, but you won’t get the full story. From slavery to corruption to earthquakes, and pretty much everything in between has been apart of the history of this small country. And while many American people don’t believe that we are spiritual beings- the people of Haiti know we are- which has added to the depravity of the country- being under the influence of voodoo for the past 200 plus years. The spiritual battle in this country is strong- to the point that, at night, as I laid on the rooftop of the home we stayed in, I could hear the chants of the voodoo, and the worship of the Christ followers- as if an epic battle was about to take place.

   Many different people told us that the country had been literally dedicated to Satan by the leader of the slave revolution, in return for his help in winning the war against France for independence. That is where the Voodoo religion comes from- relying on evil to live, and to curse. For the past 200 years this has been the stronghold in the country. However, over the past year, the church and the love of Christ has been overtaking the evil that has reigned for so long. I learned that a month and a half before the devastating earthquake struck Haiti, a group of a little over 200 pastors had gotten together to pray for their country. Their prayer was simply this- that God would shake the country. Whatever their intention was with that prayer- the results are evident. While I can’t go as far as to say that God caused the earthquake in response to the prayer- I don’t know His plans- I can say that ever since that earthquake struck the spiritual climate of the country has changed, and peoples hearts and lives began turning towards the one true God in ways never seen in Haiti before.

   The story of Haiti is one of hurt, despair, love and grace. And stories like that, no matter how well told, can really only be experienced. To see the life of Pastor Wilnard and the work he does to help bring people to Christ is incredible. The man literally does a church service every night. The passion of guys like Watson, Ramces, Zachary, and John (our translators and guides) is inspiring and life changing, for the people of Haiti, but also for me. To see the tireless way they work to show the love of Christ is amazing.

   The beauty of the country is slowly beginning to shine in the people as well, as the grips of evil are loosened and the love of Christ takes hold. Walking the streets, talking to the people, you can see in their eyes that hope is there for the taking. The hope that only comes from spiritual beings finding their creator and receiving a new life in Him.

   If you know me well, you know that I am a HUGE people person. I love to be around people, to encourage, to share, and to give love in whatever way I can. That is my heart behind going to so many places and the reason you have received so many letters from me. There are so many groups of people in our world and there is a lot of great need also. I love learning cultures and people groups and making an impact in whatever way I can. Thank you for your continued love and support in this.

Haiti

I experienced a cool moment today. In preparation for my upcoming trip to Haiti- in the midst of fundraising and shots and paper work and team meetings- God reminded me that this is a part of who he has created me to be. Two years ago I spent time in Africa and have been wearing a bracelet of the Kenyan flag ever since. Today, it broke. At first I was bummed, then I felt the spirit telling me that this was how things were supposed to be. This bracelet was supposed to break. Haiti is the next chapter, and for a new chapter to begin, the previous one must end. I am more than excited for this new chapter, for all of the new people I will meet, places I will see, lessons I will learn, and changed lives I will see. Thank you God for this moment.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer

I love to read biographies of great people in history because they inspire me, teach me about character, leadership, and what it takes to be great. Right now I am reading a biography on Dietrich Bonhoeffer- a great theologian and Christian leader in the early to mid 1900’s. 

If you want a  short synopsis of who Bonhoeffer was- check this out from the prologue of this book-

“The man who died was engaged to be married. he was a pastor and a theologian. And he was executed for his role in the plot to assassinate Hitler. This is his story.”

I know! You can borrow it when I’m done.

two things I really love to do- write and take pictures. I haven’t done a ton of either, but I think that this is the place to allow other people to see these things. So over the next few weeks I will be posting some pictures that I have taken from some of my world travels- Africa, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Mexico, Argentina- and some writing I have done about lessons in faith that I learned while on an extended trip to Kenya. So if your interested… Stay Tuned!