Looking Up To The Mountains

Since meeting Bill and Janet in Sept. 2011, I’ve followed JUST MERCY  on Facebook and by email and kept up with their work in many areas of Haiti. My primary interest has been their efforts in the mountains. So many times I’ve sat in Fond Parisien, looked up in the mountains, and felt my heart drawn there, but found no one willing to discuss going up, always saying it is too difficult a journey. It hasn’t been too difficult for JUST MERCY.  From the standpoint of a mountain hiker, I can attest to difficulty of the journey. From the standpoint of a fellow Christian, I can attest to the value of the trip and the quality of the mountain people. It’s a special place filled with special people. I pray that I was in some way a portion of the blessing to those I met as they were to me.

Bill explaining the Gospel Story and the greatest gift to all mankind

I arrived in Haiti on Tuesday, March 26^th, and was picked up by Bill in PAP. We headed back to their base. As Bill said, we were batching it. Janet had gone back to the States that morning. The following morning we headed out early for Lastic, a small village up a deep gorge, which required driving up a river bed for two miles to reach. JUST MERCY  had arranged to give out Samaritan’s Purse gift boxes to an expected 355 children and to begin the education program “ The Greatest Journey” teaching the children the Bible from Genesis through the resurrection of Christ. We were met with scores of children, all in their school uniforms, even-though school was out for Easter break.  Bill explained the Gospel Story and the greatest gift to all mankind, Jesus Christ to the children. Then we gave out almost 400 boxes to children filled with clothing, school materials and toys, possibly the first toys many had ever received.  The balance of our time was spent watching and listening to children running everywhere showing off their presents and playing with their toys.

The next morning we departed at 5:30 am to meet our Haitian friends and begin our journey up the mountain to Pelerin and Robia. Bill chose to send three mules a separate route and we ascended the steepest route up a dry stream bed, rock hopping and hoping they didn’t come loose and roll on us,  until we finally crossed paths with the mules. We continued up and eventually gained 4400 ft. in elevation, arriving at Pelerin and at Mommy and Poppy’s house. They were happy to see us and offered us their front porch to kick back for a short rest. I have a wonderful memory of laying on some duffle bags and felt someone tug on my arm. I looked up and Mommy urged me to get up. I did so and she led me in a little room and patted a little bed for me to lie down on and smiled from ear to ear.  We never spoke a word and didn’t need to. That is one of my first memories of these fine people.

Dr. Jolius (left) with his parents, Poppy and Mommy

Later that day we visited the school that also serves as a church. We were trapped there for quite a while during a hard rain. We saw firsthand where the roof leaks and the need for repairs. Later that evening our Haitian friends cooked a nice meal for all of us. Then about fifteen people slept in the little house. Mommy and Poppy gave up their bed and slept on the floor with their son Dr. Jolius.  A testament to the quality of these people.

The following morning someone told us there was a Good Friday service at the little school / church. We went up to it and enjoyed worshiping together with several people from the community. Bill gave a message, we sang songs and prayed together. Later we spent time discussing opportunities for the area as well as watching Poppy make one of the best woven ropes I’ve seen, starting with strands of fiber from a plant. It was better than anything we can purchase in a store.  There are many skills that these people can teach others about survival and living off the land.

While we were at Church, Mommy cooked a chicken and fed us a good meal of chicken, beans and rice. We departed and walked on to Robia, visiting the site for a new medical clinic. It is a beautiful site and is central to several mountain villages. Dr. Jolius has agreed to work here if funding can be found to build it.

View from the land for the clinic in the mountains

The dream of a clinic here would be to end the 4- 5 hour walk down the mountain to the next nearest facility and saving the lives of many that cannot make that journey when sick, injured or in labor. It is near the location JUST MERCY set up a cholera treatment center during the outbreak and treated over 1000 people.

After a long walk back down the mountain, we made it back to base, a cold shower and some of Nono, Sherlie, and Chris’ cooking.  Nighttime came quickly since there was no electricity in the area during the week of my stay.  The rest of the trip was spent travelling to help individuals and to hand over teaching supplies that I had brought down for certain groups.

One afternoon we went to look at a piece of property as a possible site for a new base. We were walking over the property and talking when a woman came running down a little path. She was crying and in hysterics and yelling in Creole to a man. As we got closer, I asked our Haitian friends what was wrong. The lady said her sister had told a lie about her. A person involved in voodoo had come and told her she would be hacked to death with a machete because of what had been told. She cried and cried and was very scared. I asked our friend to ask her if she was a Christian. She stated she was. I then asked if I could pray for her. She immediately said yes and dropped to her knees in front of me. As we prayed I asked God to comfort this lady and remove the fear, to surround her with His loving arms, and to give His angels charge over and around her. God’s gracious love and protection fell on and around her. As she stood up the crying stopped and His peace surrounded her. We explained to her how that God holds her in the palm of his hand, protecting her, and that nothing can ever pull her out of His hand. She nodded and quietly spoke for a moment with the Haitians and then departed. We witnessed a miracle as God had arranged for all of us to reach this little spot on this big Earth at the exact time so He could minister His healing touch to this lady and set this captive free. Praise God!

As I sit in my office and consider the trip. I ponder the needs of the mountain people. They need support to rebuild the school / church buildings in several villages.  They need Pastors that are literate and can teach the Word.  They need a medical facility to end the 4-5 hour journey for the nearest help and they need more expertise in farming and animal husbandry techniques.  All of these could be accomplished because people like JUST MERCY are willing to go where most other groups will not or cannot. And there are doctors and teachers willing to work there. In the US, we would think projects like these would cost tremendous amounts of money. In Haiti, the cost is a small fraction of that. Our God is an Awesome God. He owns all of the cattle on a thousand hills and all of the silver and gold belongs to Him. I pray each person will pray for JUST MERCY and the villages they feel led to help. I pray that each of us pray and ask where we fit in. The fields are ripe for harvest and the workers are few. Most certainly, many cannot not physically make the trip into the remote mountains. But, many that cannot go can financially support others that can. There is room for both. May we pray, seek His face and have open hearts and open ears to hear His voice and His answers.

Come Lord Jesus! Let thy Kingdom come on Earth at it is in Heaven!   –  Tim Taylor