The Holy Spirit Helps

Last week, my brother-in-law, Jason, brought me a copy of "Walk," the book and study guide that one of our home churches is currently studying (big thank you, J.)  Yesterday, I read the pages titled The Holy Spirit Helps.  Here are the sentences that grabbed onto my heart:

"When we partner with the Holy Spirit, He helps us.  When He helps us, our lives are filled with power. When our lives are filled with power, we boldly step out in faith and God works in miraculous ways." (pg.34)

The scripture of focus in this section of the book was Romans 8:26.

    "In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness."

Friends, let me tell you... I have had some majorly weak moments during the last nine weeks I've been in Haiti. Moments when I am ready to pack my suitcase and buy the first plane ticket out of here.  Moments I've cried.  Moments I've whined.  Moments I've lashed out in frustration.  

And yet, when I look back on the week that has just passed, it is plain to me that those words I read are absolutely true.  They're TRUE!  

The Holy Spirit is here, time and time again.  He is here, helping us.  

Indeed, our lives ARE filled with power! 

And--would you look at that--we have been able to step out boldly. 

When all those things start happening...  GOD works in miraculous ways.  Let me show you...

  

These are some second graders at Kids Alive here in Cap Haitien.  We visited them at school last week and shared basketball jerseys and shooting lessons.  If you look in their eyes, you'll see how they felt about it.

Here are Jason and Adam, out on the "court" with a group of Kids Alive students.  Their court consisted of some gravel-y dirt and a hoop and backboard nailed up on a palm tree trunk.

Students received some shooting lessons.  They were very open to guidance from these coaches about proper technique.  It was pure delight when the ball made it through the hoop!

It's hard to say who had more fun--the kids or the coaches.  Here, you can see their hoop behind the crowd.  Thank you, Kids Alive, for letting us visit!!

Then, we tracked down a friend Adam had made on a previous trip to Haiti.  This man had been building his house when Adam and an interpreter visited with him.  We had no address, no phone number.  Nevertheless, Adam and Mark remembered the general area where they had been.  We drove there and as we got close, they recognized the street.  We pulled up to the now-finished house and asked for "Alasay."  His wife said he wasn't home, but she ran up the street to tell a neighbor to find him.  

Cell phones were borrowed and calls were made until we figured out where he was. We drove five minutes to where he was working, near Pillatre, and we found him!  He was completely astonished to see Adam, Mark and Jason pile out of the truck and nearly tackle him with smiles and hugs. 

Adam said, "Man, I told you I'd bring you something for your new house when I came back--and here I am!" Alasay hopped in the back of the truck and we took him back to his house.  We were introduced to his wife and one of his children (the other two were in school), and his brother (I think) and his nieces and nephew.  Adam bestowed housewarming gifts and got a tour of the home.  

Here is a photo of Adam and Alasay and his family.  You'll note that Adam is the only one smiling.    While most Haitians will agree to pose for photographs, they will not smile.  They think showing their teeth is ugly.  But, trust me, they were ecstatic.  Really!

And then, we prayed.  All of us, together.  Jason prayed and Junias, our interpreter, made sure our friends knew what was said.  We prayed for blessings and peace and protection for Alasay and his family.  We thanked God for the opportunity to be together--again.

I have more miraculous stories to share, but I'll wrap up this post with another excerpt from "Walk" in which Richard Foster's work Life With God was referenced:

"God wants an active partner in relationship.  The spiritual life is just that--a life.  We learn as we go.  We learn as we do.  As we go and do with God, we're changed along the way.  We're called into the struggle and joy of transformation."

Blessings and peace to you, my dear readers, as you go and do with God.