We have been blessed to work with several pastors in this area. One of them is Pastor Fleurilien from the LaSalle district that is in the area above our house. The following was written by Kyrk and he shares about our experience a couple weeks ago when we attended a service in La Salle.
Sunday Dec. 29th 2013, we were invited to a special service at La Salle, in North west Haiti. The service was Pastor Fleurilien’s idea to honor the older members of the five churches in his district. Most of the honorees were founding members of their respective churches, and he wanted to give them a special honor while they were “ Still living and not after they had gone.”
The Service started like many other special services do here in Haiti, lots of decorations and two photographers and a videographer complete with a TV for the viewing pleasure (or pain) of the assembled mass on this most wonderful day. As we take our seats halfway down on the right side of the sanctuary in 4 school bench desk combo units we are greeted with smiles and a few “bonjour’s” from those around us.
About five minutes later the Pastor calls me up to the platform to join the other visitors and special guests (visiting pastors for other churches of the surrounding areas). I had not anticipated this and felt a little out of place, ALL of the others were in nice suits and ties, me wearing a short sleeve shirt and dress pants, NO TIE.
Now the service really has started, The honorees are asked to come forward and take special seats near the front in an area they have set aside just for the occasion. There are about 50 people. As the Pastor begins He says “ Unfortunately there is one lady who cannot be here today. We really wanted to have her here but last night God called her Home. I know that she is smiling down on us now and is much happier with her Heavenly family than we could ever have made her here today.”
Not long into the service, the time for the baby presentation arrived, which I thought a little strange (it was not in the program), this normally happens on the First Sunday of the month not the last. Three sets of parents make their way to the front of the sanctuary and the Pastor reading from The Gospel of Luke, about the presentation of Jesus at the Temple, gives the families an encouragement to raise their children in the Lord and teach them to be God fearing and responsible members of society. Then as is always done deacons from the church come and each take a child in their arms as the Pastor offers a prayer of blessing over the children. Only the pastor asked ME to give the prayer of blessing on the children. WHAT !!! Did I just hear that correctly?
As I stumble through the prayer the significance of what is taking place begins to hit me like a ton of bricks. I find myself fighting back tears and struggling for words, in Creole, to properly convey the importance of the actions that the parents, family members, and congregation are all a part of. To give Gods blessing to them as they seek to raise their children in the Truth of God's Word. As I take my seat behind the pulpit I am amazed that God allowed me the privilege to do that. Humbled I bow my head and say a quick thank you to God. I immediately look at the program to see if there is anything else that may come my way. There are three more prayers that do not have a name next to them just a blank space. Better get ready just in case, I think to myself, hoping that my duties for this day are over.
The program keeps rolling, passing the 2nd hour mark now and the Pastor has not started preaching. The interviews of the five of the members, one from each church, were priceless. It was incredible to see these men and women reminisce the histories of these five churches and how they started. These five were all over 80 years old, of the 50 present the oldest was 95 and the youngest 68. WOW. How precious to hear their stories. One of them there at the outset of the church in the 1940’s 70 years serving, in the Satanic Voodoo culture that is so prevalent here in Northwest Haiti, as a Light In this Dark world. I am Humbled once again as I sit with tears welling up in my eyes.
Finally the Pastor has finished his sermon, we are well past the 3 hour mark by now but who is counting. It is time to honor the special warriors with a small gift that the church has purchased in appreciation of their faithful service for so many years.
The Pastor turns again to me and asks if I will help with the distribution of these gifts. So along with two other elders of the church we stand at the front. As each pillar of faith comes forward I have the privilege of pronouncing God’s Blessing on each one. “Bon Dieu Benni Ou” I say as I shake each hand, some frail from lack of enough nourishment, some calloused from years of tireless work in gardens of rock. Each face radiating the glory of God, basking in the honor that they so much deserve, but so inadequately shown in our human ability.
As one toothless smile reflects the love of God back to me I realize again the Liquid Humility burning down my face, I so do not deserve this honor. God Graciously gave me the honor of pronouncing his Blessing on a brand new generation and on the Foundational members of the Churches represented here in the District of La Salle. I am So NOT Worthy and God is So GOOD, not at all what I expected when I woke up this morning. GOD IS GOOD.
