Name the blog: "My trip to Port du Paix" or "Bad decisions, Luck and Mud"

So, had a few simple plans for the day. Take the Cub Cadet (one of our smaller vehicles here at the mission) to Port du Paix to buy it a new battery, and then pick up some soap and other stuff for our depot. No big deal, 3 hours, tops.

So, got all my morning stuff done, borrowed a battery to get the Cub Cadet going. It was running pretty rough, and the brakes weren't working. Not too uncommon for the CC, usually once it warms up it gets better. So I headed to PdP, sloshing through the mud and puddles (did I mention that it poured rain last night? First time in a couple weeks).

Unfortunately it really never started running better, and still didn’t have brakes, but as I had already passed the halfway point, I figured might as well go on. Now, I know what you’re thinking, running bad and no brakes should be an indication to turn around and call the adventure off, but in my defense, it was running rough enough that as soon as you let off the gas, it pretty much stopped without brakes.

So, got to PdP, and as I pulled up to meet Nahum, my friend from the mission who was going to help me find the stuff I needed (and not have to pay the “Blan” price, which is usually a lot higher than the Haitian price), a tire blew. So, went ahead and picked up a battery, then drove slowly down the road a piece to get the tire fixed. Had to buy a new inner tube for the tire, then back on the road. 

Spent the next couple hours trying to find and buy the supplies we both needed, me for our big campus depot, and Nahum for the Miriam Center. Couldn’t find everything I wanted to, but did score a good deal on some black beans (saved about $40 Haitian a bag), and even found some Pineapple and Avocados for my friend Autmun. 

So now fully loaded and about 4 hours into the adventure, I headed back to the mission. By this point, the cadet was running really rough, moving slow on level ground, and struggling to make it up slight inclines. On the few decent hills, I was getting passed by people walking.

But, with no options (we don’t have tow-trucks in our neck of the woods) I kept pushing on, determined to make it back to the mission. Stopped to buy a gallon of gas, and continued on, slow but sure.  Just passed LaPointe (roughly halfway home), I started up a fairly long hill, and the Cadet choked and died.

Now, for those of you following along at home; let me do the math:

Hill + No brakes +no motor to keep the wheels turning = A fun, barely controlled trip down the hill.

Backwards.

Luckily, there was no traffic, and other than a few people walking up the hill who enjoyed the show, I coasted to the bottom of the hill and came to a stop right in front of a group of guys working on a moto. As they stared, I got out, walked around the Cadet to make sure I didn’t lose anything off the back, made a little small talk with the guys, then jumped back in, started it up, put it in low gear, and crawled back up the hill.

I finally made it back to the mission a little after 1 pm  unloaded our supplies and parked the Cadet. As I was walking back from the depot, I noticed a couple of our employees standing, looking at the Cadet. I walked up, prepared to tell them about my adventure, when they looked at me, shook their heads and one of them said:

“It’s dirty. You should clean it” and they walked away.

Soapbox

“I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth.” ~ Revelation 3:15-16 NIV 

Hi all, I have a need to vent a little about a most disturbing phenomena that I have been witness to during my time in Haiti. I have tried to understand it, but the more I see it occur, the harder it is to comprehend, so if you will please bear with me and permit me, I’d like to crawl up on my soapbox for a few minutes.

As I began and continue my service to the Kingdom in Haiti, I have been surprised and saddened by the way I have seen the Haitian people treated by some missions and missionaries, both short term and long term alike. Now, it’s not what you think, I’m not talking about racism, about people being looked down upon due to the color of their skin or their economic status. It’s actually more of the opposite.

There seems to be a pervasive thought here that Haitian people are incapable or simply do not need to be held accountable to the same standards that we are all called to adhere to as sons and daughters of the Father. I simply cannot tell you how many times I have heard comments condoning, or at least accepting, theft, infidelity in marriage, lying, abuse of all forms, and a myriad of other sins, under the statement that its ok, because they’re Haitian.

I simply cannot understand this thought process. Now I don’t claim to be any sort of great biblical scholar, but I have read through the Bible, and I have never seen a listing as to what commandments we have to follow, based off of where we live or our nationality. We are all children of God, all created in His image, and we have all been given the Word to know right from wrong, and we are all part of the same family and must be willing to hold each other accountable.

Now, before you start yelling at your computer screen, I do want to clarify a couple of points. I’m not talking about judging another person. I know that I have no business or right in judging another person, and quite frankly I wouldn’t do that because I don’t want to be judged either. There is only one fit to judge each and every one of us, and trust me, I know I ain’t HimJ. I’m also not talking about not having Grace. Again, I know all to well the kind of person I am, the life I’ve led and the sins I’ve committed, and I know that it is only through God’s grace and love that I have been forgiven, that my past does not need to predict my future. It is by Grace that I am talking to you now, because if there was ever a person who probably shouldn’t, based on his past, be serving the Kingdom, it would be me, but here I am.

What I am talking about is the seemingly unwillingness of many Christians to stand up and say that something is wrong, and the vilifying of those with the courage to stand. I am a firm believer in the adage of love the sinner, hate the sin. While I cannot judge a person for their actions, I can stand and say that what they’re doing is wrong, that their actions will hold consequences, and not be willing to accept or allow it to continue in my presence or on our campus.

I have never known what its like to be starving. I cannot imagine what I might do when looking into the faces of my children, knowing that I cannot legally provide the food or medicine that they may need. I can’t say would I would do, and therefore I cannot judge what others in similar situations would do. I cannot judge, but I am obligated to say that what they choose to do is wrong, is illegal and is against God’s law. I know that this is not a popular position these days. Trust me I know. I have been chastised several times for daring to speak these beliefs, called everything from judgmental to a bad Christian, and I’ve been told that I hate the Haitian people. I’ve been called a lot of things in my day, but honestly that last comment hurt. I love the people of Haiti, and want nothing more than for an end to the darkness here, and for all people to know the love, peace and freedom that comes through faith and obedience to Jesus Christ. I do struggle with anger when I see sin, ignorance, laziness, immoral behavior, lies and thievery tolerated, under the guise that its ok because we’re in Haiti, or because the people are poor, are hungry, are orphans, or whatever other excuse can be thought of.

Above all other things, we need to be honest. Sin is sin, no matter what the reasoning behind it, it’s still sin, and we need to be willing to speak that truth in love. How can we claim to be making disciples, how can we truly share Christ’s love and His sacrifice for all of us, without explaining the change that is an integral part of the transformation that must take place in our lives? I think we are short-changing God, and harming those we are all called to serve and reach if we are not willing to stand for the full truth of the Gospel, but only for those parts deemed socially acceptable.

And, the more I have thought about it, the more I began to realize that it is not something that is only a problem on the mission field, or only in Haiti, but is a battle raging throughout our churches around the world and in our daily lives. Each and every day, God’s truth is watered down, is changed to become more socially acceptable. Instead of standing up for what we know is right, we allow sin to occur and sit silently by, afraid to be called intolerant, judgmental or racist.

I believe that I am called here to not only serve the people of Haiti, but to try and be an example of God’s redeeming grace, and how He can use such a poor excuse of a man for His purpose. I am not worthy of this honor, and a lot of days I fail miserably at this calling, but I’m still here standing for the Truth. All of it. To simply pick and choose some parts of the Gospel to teach and hold up and some parts to ignore is beyond my understanding. And I hope that it always is.

As Christians we are all called to stand for what is right, for the Truth. We are called to stand against the darkness, to be a beacon of light for those that are lost. To feed the hungry, clothe the naked, heal the sick, and love the unlovable. Nowhere are we called to allow sin, to look the other way.

Or maybe I’m wrong.

Please, I would love your opinions; either respond here or you can email me at justin.clark@nwhcm.org. I’d love to hear from you.