Lots of tears were flowing, followed by an even more intense time of praise and deep expressions of gratitude before the Lord. I got goose bumps all over. What a privilege to be in Haiti!
Rodolpho, one of four staff, praying with a child
During the month of October we were in Haiti running a three month training school, together with four staff , for a group of 38 Haitian young people. We lived in tents just like 1.3 million Haitians. This last week, the subject was post counseling and bereavement, followed by a practical time when the students could teach the same principles to a group of children from a local primary school.
Johan giving classes to our Haitian students.
Most of our students, just like the children, had been trying to cope with their losses by just not talking about the earthquake anymore, acting as if nothing had happened and pretending to be strong. Now they had to learn to recognize and come to grips with their losses and learn to pass through the “valley of the shadow of death” in order to allow God to comfort them. This powerful collective experience brought great unity and strength to the group.
After three days of classes and application on the subject, we went to a local primary school of 15 minutes walking distance. During 2 days the students started putting in practice the principles they had just learned themselves. We were using a little booklet specially written for the very reason of counseling children after the earthquake in Haiti. Every one of them spent a number of hours with 3 to 5 children. Those were very special moments. One boy of 13 years old said that he lost both his parents during the earthquake, but that until now, months after the earthquake, nobody had ever talked to him about it…. We got to hear many similar stories. But what impacted us the most was to see our students being transformed from receivers of blessings to transmitters of hope, comfort and love…Yes, with young people like that, ready to be used by the Lord, there is hope for Haiti!
One of the students praying for one of the kids.
Before we were able to embark for Haiti we had all kinds of setbacks: I had a major crises with my back, my new computer broke down, our finances were tight, and on top of that suddenly Johan’s knee got very thick and developed what the doctors diagnosed as septic arthritis, something quite dangerous that needed a surgery to clean it.
All this happened three days before we were ready to leave for Haiti! Hundreds of people started to pray. It was so encouraging to receive so many messages through email, blog and facebook. And God started performing some miracles: Johan was cleared to travel one week after our planned date, I was able to borrow another laptop, my back stopped playing up, various people pitched in financially, and we were able to swop our tickets to Haiti for a week later than planned! Thank you Jesus!
Haitian student talking to one of the kids.
BACK AND FORTH
The best way to combine the school in Haiti and leading the base in Belo Horizonte was for us to go the month of October to Haiti, come back during the month of November to Brazil and then return to Haiti in December again to be there for the last weeks of the school.
During the month of November we are busy meeting with the leadership of the base including the leaders of the 8 different operation locations here in Belo Horizonte, as well as wrapping up the children at Risk School which is currently running here with a wonderful group of 10 students; 6 foreigners and 4 Brazilians. We are so grateful for the wonderful group of leaders and staff we have here at the base in Belo Horizonte who dedicate themselves in being living examples of the good news to children and families at risk on the streets and in the poor communities around them. We feel so privileged to be able to be part of all this.
Besides all this we are planning to spend a couple of months next year in Holland with family, friends, church, and do a number of presentations in churches to make more Christians in Holland aware of what is going on as well as giving a report.
CHRISTMAS
This year, Johan and I are planning to spend Christmas in Haiti, so we can bring the school in Port au Prince to a closure together with the staff and students.
We all wish you a Christmas full of a deeper understanding of the Love of God in Christ Jesus, and may the new year be full of significant victories for the Kingdom of God!
With lots of love,
Johan and Jeannette Lukasse
P.S. For more pictures and regular updates please do visit our facebook.
PRAYER POINTS:
• Thank God for restoring our health. Please continue to pray for His protection in every way.
• We give thanks to God for the wonderful students in Haiti and Belo Horizonte. Pray that they will let themselves be mightily used by the Lord.
• Thank God for the leader and teams of staff in Belo Horizonte. Pray that God will continue to bless and use them.
• Thank God for our time and Holland and thank Him for this opportunity.
