What an overwhelming response to our first post on this blog in nearly 16 months! People came out in droves, and many also took the time to contact us or speak to us with much support. God is good...and the adventure continues with both new passion and new participation!
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| Kester (9), Alexandra (6), Elizabeth (8) outside home in Sioux Center |
My soggy new friend was a Hispanic fella who spoke pretty good English. I asked where he was headed and whether he needed a ride. He was happy to get in and only needed to return to the Country Home Motel just a mile and a half north of town. To be honest I had forgotten all about that place despite the fact that I have driven past the A-frame room along the road thousands of times. How easily we become blind in this life to the everyday things right in front of our faces!
We got to talking and it turns out he and some others from Chicago have been working on the new hospital being built east of town. His crew specializes on the framing and drywall work, and most of the guys headed back to the city for Memorial Day weekend, leaving him with no vehicle.
I dropped him off and he asked how much he owed me. I laughed and said, "Nothing." Later that day I decided to go to Walmart and get some groceries for the family, and it dawned on me that the soggy man might need a ride to get supplies as well, especially if he wasn't scheduled to work the next day as it was a holiday. I pulled up to his temporary A-frame home and knocked on the door. The man answered the door and invited me in. Inside was a distinguished, gentlemanly-looking older Hispanic man whom I had not yet met. There was something inside of me that said, "This is the guy you are supposed to meet."
I asked them if they would like to go to Walmart. The younger man, whom I had met first, agreed and both were very thankful for the offer, though the older man decided to stay there. We were soon on our way and a great conversation ensued. The younger man's name was Carlos, and the older was Sebastian. It turns out Sebastian was once a successful and somewhat well-known businessman in Mexico before his business fell through, at which point he was forced to take work as a manual laborer in the US in order to provide for his family back home. In fact, his fifth grandchild had been born just a few days previously, and his only option was to check Facebook daily in the hope of seeing pictures of the new child. Carlos reverently remarked, "Sebastian is the most honest man I have ever met."
When we returned to the motel I asked Carlos if the two of them would like to come over the next day for Memorial Day hamburgers, etc... They gladly accepted, explaining that any chance to get out of the motel room for a few hours was a welcome reprieve. The next day turned out to be memorable as well. I spent most of the morning helping Lynn's sister Cora and her husband Marlon (see post "A Pleasant Surprise: PART 1" http://ouradventuresinhaiti.blogspot.com/2011/03/pleasant-surprise-part-1.html and check out "PART 2" and "PART 3" to read the rest of that story) tear out carpet from their flooded basement. After that we all met for lunch at Lynn's folks' home, and I did have a chance to pick up the new friends, who were dressed quite formally for the occasion.
Carlos and Sebastian seemed a little uncomfortable among so many strangers, but they appreciated the meal and remarked several times about how big the house was. Upon hearing about the flooded basement, they insisted that we head back over and complete the job. I drove the guys home for a moment to change into work clothes and we drove to Orange City to tackle the job, and tackle it they did! Those guys tore into the work like a bulldog might approach a T-bone, and we were finished quickly. I think they were very thankful for the opportunity to reciprocate for the simple kindness they had been shown.
Afterwards I took the guys back to their temporary home and we sat outside for a bit talking about life. I was anxious to find out more about Sebastian, yet a bit reluctant to appear like I was prying. However, we did agree that it would be fun to get together again sometime soon, and I believe the end of that story is yet to be written...
So why did I choose to share that story as a part of this post? Because it is our firm belief and experience that when we engage in what God is doing globally, He will open our eyes to what we have been overlooking and give us the courage we need to live for Him locally. That is why we are asking you to read this blog, to pray for us, and to participate in our mission work to Haiti. We believe that as you do so God will bless you personally and present you with more opportunities in your everyday life to live for Him.
Over the next several posts we will lay out the basic framework of what we believe God is calling us to do in Haiti. This series will be called OUR NEW VISION, and here are the parts you can expect to read in the near future:
Part 1: Introduction
Part 2: What Failure has Taught Us
Part 3: Finding Strength in Weakness
Part 4: Native-led = Spirit-led
Part 5: God Ordained Facebook
Part 6: Conclusion
As is often the case in vision casting, the model we will be describing is neither "ours" nor "new." Rather, it is a return to the early days of Acts and an attempt to remain faithful to God's Word as we humbly attempt to bring Scripture to bear on our current age.
Martin Luther and the other reformers turned the church upside down at the end of the Middle Ages by recapturing these basic truths:
- Sola Scriptura - By Scripture Alone
- Sola Gratia - By Grace Alone
- Solo Christo - By Christ Alone
- Sola Fide - By Faith Alone
- Soli Deo Gloria - Glory To God Alone
In the same way we believe many Christ-followers around the world have been busy about the business of recapturing God's original design for global missions and in the process may very well be reforming the Church once again. Millions are coming to faith each year, though in most cases the expression of that faith may be quite unfamiliar to us in the United States. Nevertheless, the Spirit is a raging fire violently consuming the chaff of injustice and sin, and we all must make the choice whether we will courageously draw near to that dangerous flame or remain motionless on the chilly sidelines.
There is much debate these days concerning the validity and effectiveness of both long-term and short-term mission efforts. Add to that the fact that the American Church is deteriorating rapidly and many are asking, "Should I even be thinking about non-believers around the world when my coworkers, neighbors, and family members don't even know Jesus?" The entire situation can be a bit overwhelming to the soul, yet we believe God has a divine strategy at work and a compelling plan to utilize each one of us in both settings if we are willing.
So how can we get involved in what God is doing around the world, including our own backyard? That is the very question the "OUR NEW VISION" series will seek to answer, because ultimately what matters is not what our family accomplishes but what we are able to inspire others to attempt for Christ, by God's grace and for His glory. Our goal is that the "Our" in "Our Adventure" would including all of you, our friends in Haiti, and others from foreign lands as well.
So keep reading, keep hoping, and keep "adventuring" if that is a word. It is now!
Also, please remember us in your prayers this week as we pack up our belongings (again!) and prepare to relocate from Sioux Center to Sioux Falls. Many thanks to our new friends in Luverne who will be helping us make the move possible!
MANY BLESSINGS!
-The Grimm Family Adventurers
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