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Some time later, Jesus went up to Jerusalem for one of the Jewish festivals. Now there is in Jerusalem near the Sheep Gate a pool, which in Aramaic is called Bethesda and which is surrounded by five covered colonnades. Here a great number of disabled people used to lie—the blind, the lame, the paralyzed. One who was there had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, “Do you want to get well?” (John 5:1-6) I don’t know about you, but I feel like (at first glance at least) this is Jesus at one of his most insensitive moments, because the question he asks the disabled man is borderline offensive,  “Sir, do you want to get well?”  Because, who wouldn’t want to get well?  A little less than a year ago, I was in our garage. And one thing you have to understand is that, up until about a year ago, our garage had old-school garage doors–solid wood doors, no electric garage door opener,...

    Yesterday I watched in deep frustration as the UN Security Council wrung their hands and spun their wheels regarding the deteriorating situation in Haiti, once again delaying any meaningful action.   While many Haitians fear long-term foreign occupation, the Haitians I’m speaking with recognize that temporary international support, in the form “boots on the ground”, is essential to alleviate the humanitarian catastrophe currently unfolding:   Cholera is quickly becoming endemic Food, water and fuel are increasingly difficult to find (at any price) Violent gangs continue to control key parts of Port-au-Prince and beyond Haitian police routinely lack the resources to secure the safety of the people Haitian ports remain almost completely blocked to any sort of traditional aid   In the midst of this unthinkable disaster, I’m grateful to be part of an organization with deep roots in Haiti, and whose Haitian-led staff continue to find creative ways to serve the most vulnerable in their...

HEALING HAITI UPDATE: Refugee crisis and Grace Church . Forces of Good. . . I am sure that by now you have heard the various tragedies befalling the country of Haiti. The island nation many of us have come to know and love is truly in a time of suffering. Stories that have come out of Haiti scandalize and shake our souls. We spend time in prayer and intercession when the illustrations of their affliction cross our phones and computer screens. We pray against the forces of evil, at times this comes at the expense of praying for the forces of good. . . Neighboring communities of Titanyen, where a significant portion of our ministries reside, have been under attack by gangs who traversed the ocean from southern Haiti to seek out new spoils and terrorize new cities. Families must take what little they can and leave everything behind, they are refugees in their own country. Almost immediately Grace Church began welcoming in their neighbors that were fleeing, offering up a safe space and...

DESPITE PROFOUND CHALLENGES.    As you may have heard, the situation on the ground in Haiti continues to deteriorate. The country remains without a functioning parliament, judiciary, or infrastructure. Traffic has ground to a virtual halt due to extensive roadblocks, protests, and the inability of most Haitians to access fuel. This morning we learned that, due to the continued gang control of Haiti’s ports, the country is no longer able to import vital aid including food, water, diesel, and medication. In other words, Haiti is cut off. The scarcity of fuel, especially, has caused many of Haiti’s hospitals and clinics to shut down, leaving the most vulnerable without access to vital care. Simply put, Haiti is in a profoundly dire situation, the gravity of which we’ve not seen since the 2010 earthquake. We wanted to take a moment to share with you what the current situation means for our Cite Soleil elders, as well as how we’re leveraging your sponsorship dollars to do everything we...

Roll My Stone Away.  Here goes…well, everything. Words I felt I should write awhile ago but feared that writing them would cement their reality into existence. As an eternal optimist, publicizing anything with a semblance of negativity surrounding something or someone I love feels akin to a betrayal. Yet we’ve arrived at this place once again, a time of great pain and suffering. A country and people that welcomed me like family even though I had no expectation, reason or right to that kind of love is hurting. Seven years ago I moved to Haiti and watched my presupposed ideas and sense of self slowly die, but not without a fight. My pride, privilege, and ignorance have put up roadblocks along the way, but when I gave way to listening, learning, and elevating; everything changes. For a resurrection to occur, death is an obligation.  With every passing challenge that has faced Haiti I have leaned more and more on the staff I work with, the friends I’ve accumulated, and the whispers and...