Gayla's Magazine

The Mountain Crusade Service

And after the river adventure we parked the car and walked the rest of the way up to the clearing.  And we discovered almost a thousand people all crowded together having church in the dimly lit clearing. My eyes filled with tears instantly as I saw men and women and children, who have escaped from the devastation of the city below having 'church' together. 

 

There was a small generator grumbling off to the side of us and a string of light bulbs to light up the entire area.  A tarp overhead tied to the trees we were setting under.  There was a keyboard musician playing with a bass thumping and a drummer kicking out the music over the mountain.  Their voices all in harmony was so good!! 

 

They sang their hearts out, and prayed with intensity, and the entire crowd was very involved in the service. I couldn't help but wonder who in this mass of people had lost mothers or fathers or dear sisters or brothers or even children.  My heart goes out to them....

The Trip up the Mountain

One night in Haiti, we went up the mountain to visit a church crusade happening with survivors  from the devastation of the earthquake.  It was a long ride up and the roads were terrible, slowly we traveled along bumping and twisting and moving past other vehicles on the one lane rough road.  It seemed like we would squeeze past barely missing the trucks, while watching the long drop down into ravines and  sheer drop offs opposite  us on the mountain road.

 

Finally we reach the end of the road and can travel NO MORE.  Now what...... the pastor decides we must go over this edge and into a river which apparently is flowing just below us!!

 

We were trying to get pictures while he is maneuvering down the bank.  Look at the left corner - it's a tiny  glimpse of the tire. I admit I did had a little thought that we might be gonna tip over and roll down this embankment into the water. But faith is walking without sight and so we simply trusted God that we would be safely delivered to the people at the end of our journey.  They need such encouragement  from us, in this the worst hours of their lives.   

 

We ended up getting stuck in the water... and trying to put the truck in gear back and forth rocking.  I fully expected to have to get out and walk in the water to start pushing.  When suddenly men appeared out of the dark and begin pushing.  After a while they got us released from the mud and flowing water and we started rolling forward.  Thankfully we reached the edge and pulled out to safely. 

 

I am thankful on different levels..... our safety... the truck.... we didn't get wet..... didn't lose any supplies.... or the camera equipment ....or people who helped us in the water. God is with us...

And we pulled up out of the water, dripping but the engine intact.  And that is most important this far from the civilized world!

What Haiti is like...

Haiti is a land of raw beauty and the elements of earth definitely have the upper hand.  It's rough and tough, but the natural landscape is beautiful and untouched in most places remote to man's touch.

 

It is a place of rugged change that the earthquake has changed forever for thousands of lives....

 

Strangely there are no sea shells on the beach there.... only rocks too big to walk on easily. I have never seen a beach area of the sea without any type of sea life whatsoever.... not a tiny shard of a shell to be found.  ?????