At UN Gunpoint

Each year the week after Easter we have a big convention with all the churches we work with in Bois Nerf, Haiti. We just finished the week of eye clinics, medical clinics, pastor training, youth meetings, children ministry, and women's seminars. We also have crusades every night and this year a group from our home church in Conover, NC put on a performance of a production they do each year at Christmas. The production is called The Promise and it was a huge hit. It was a crazy thing the way God put it all together.

The team that was coming could not find a medical doctor that could make it on the trip. They were having a team meeting just a couple of weeks before the trip and a couple from out of town was at our church for another meeting and "accidentally" walked in on the meeting where the team was praying for a doctor. The couple apologized and the folks from the team told them not to worry about it and if they were a nurse and a doctor to just hang around and go to Haiti with them. The couple excused themselves and headed for their car. But as they got into their car they felt they needed to consider going back to the meeting. The husband is a medical doctor with many medical mission trips under his belt. They returned to the meeting and shared their feelings to a team sitting in utter disbelief at the providence of God. The doctor did make it on the trip and ended up playing several roles in the theatrical production with his wife as well and God used them along with the rest of the team to encourage the Haitian people and touch our family deeply.

We had a great week with some of our best friends in the world. Things really were amazing this week and this morning was the topper of the week. We left Montrouis at 5:30 this morning to head to PAP to the airport. About 45 minutes into the trip we came onto a convoy of trucks with armed UN guards. The trucks were only doing about 20 mph and we were pushed to get the team to the airport. Dago, our driver, decided that although the guards were flagging him down to not pass that due to our circumstances that maybe they would reconsider for us...he was wrong! As we go about ready to go around the guard on the UN truck drew his gun and pointed it directly at Dago...a situation that would cause me to back off and go about my business...but Dago...being concerned about the team not missing their flight...continued to pressure the guards until one of them put down his machine gun and raised and aimed a 12 gauge shotgun at our windshield. Now I am almost sure he would not have shot our vehicle but we were close enough to see the seriousness in his expression and the cursing in his Brazalian Portugese. The danger however did not come from the UN, the danger came from the fact that we were only one vehicle with a Haitian driver that was not very tolerate of the UN's opposition to letting us get to our destination. There were about 20 other vehicles all pressing and bumping and jockeying for position just in case the irritated soldiers decided to let someone through. I think we had a little bit of a taste of being 4 wide at Talladega. I apologize to any non-rednecks that do not pick up on Nascar illustrations.

After the UN turned where we would normally turn we decided to go straight...not the best idea. We ended up in a 'blokis" or traffic jam and had to backtrack back to the same road. The team finally got to the airport but I have not heard from them since we dropped them off. I pray they made their flight and are safely back in Carolina.

Fuel Shortage Again...
We found out today that we are in another fuel shortage. Gasoline is out and diesel is being rationed. The Govenment controls the fuel that enters the country. Obviously they did not account for all the fuel the agencies are using that have come in since the quake. We heard they can't get a tanker in until the 26th so that will put a hault on a lot of the recovery efforts. Thankfully, I have a reservere barrel and a half that should get us through. We will have to see.

Jesus Visits the Fisherman...
Pastor Rick came to our prayer meeting with the fisherman at 5:30 Monday in his Jesus costume from The Promise. It was really a good time of sharing with the guys. Ken Wilson had brought some fishing supplies with him so we were able to give them some things and share the gospel with them as well.

God is so good!