Mourning on the mountain!

It’s been a busy couple of weeks!  We’ve learned a lot, but there’s still a lot we don’t understand.  Last week we learned about Haitian funerals.  Here in our little community, 4 people died in 6 days.  We knew 2 of the people, another was the sister of a friend and the other lived just across the ravine behind us. 

It all started with the tragic death of a 22 yr. old teacher who had siblings in our school.  He was on his way to a missionary revival after dark on a moto that didn't have any lights.  He and his passenger were literally run over by a ‘taptap’ that also didn't have lights!  Just to put this into perspective a little, the moto was a 125 cc motorbike and it ran in front of a medium size (650/6500 series) truck.  Word of his death spread fast and I think everyone on the mountain but us went to view the accident scene.  There really wasn't a hurry to view it because, pending investigation by the police (they had to come from Port au Prince!), the body laid on the road right where he died until late the next morning!  ‘Vixon’ was a fine young Christian man and the shock of his sudden death really hit everyone pretty hard.  We hadn't really experienced a Haitian funeral before but had heard a lot about them.  We were really curious what it would be like.  It turns out that Vixon was the first to die, but the last to be buried.  His body spent the week at the morgue while the police tried to decide what really happened.  In the mean time, 3 more people would face judgment.

While we were down in Fond Parisienne for 3 days tending to Elifait’s (a little boy we are helping get treated for lymphatic TB) treatment, Andre and Elifait’s aunt both passed away.  Elifait’s aunt had been sick for a long time and her death was more of a blessing.  She was a believer, so her suffering is over.  Andre was a different story.  Some of you have heard part of his story, but Andre had a history of voodoo worship and the occult.  He struggled with demon possession and could be extremely violent at times.  He died in his sleep Monday night to an uncertain eternity!  Pray that God will be Merciful to him!  By the time we got home Wednesday afternoon, he had already been buried!  The funeral wasn't over yet, but the body was in the tomb.

The fourth person passed on Thursday and we’re not sure of any details concerning her.  We heard she was a believer but that’s about all we know.  What we do know is that everyone is talking about dying and they are very open to the Gospel!  Just about everyone is willing to discuss eternity and they’re thinking seriously about their destiny!  Pray that God will give us the words in every opportunity!

Another aspect of a Haitian funeral is the partying!  Everyone had asked us if we were going to go, we probably should have, but we knew there would be gobs of people and we would be more of a distraction that anything so we decided to just look on from afar.  Well, you could see it from afar!  The three houses were fairly close to each other and not far from ours.  A couple neighbor kids borrowed a flashlight to walk down and we could hear a lot of commotion so we decided to take a little walk just to see what we could see.  From one spot on the trail we could see all three houses.  There were huge crowds at all three, and they were all lit up.  Andre’s house from a huge bonfire and the other two from a generator and lights.  There was music blaring and people playing dominos, lots of food and drinks.  There was a lot of celebrating going on.  If our language skills were better and we knew the people better, it would have been interesting to get closer, but we’d seen enough for one night and stumbled back to the house in the dark.

We got there a little late!

Elifait’s aunt was to be ‘intered’ Sunday morning at 9:00 and, believe it or not, it started promptly at 9:00 because when we arrived at 10:00 with a lot of other people they were putting the last of the mortar on the tomb and it was pretty much over except for the hanging around playing dominoes  drinking and waiting for the food.  We shared our condolences and went home to await Vixon’s 3:00 service. 

Just hanging out.

There were people standing everywhere!

 It also started pretty promptly, was held in a church that was pretty close to his house and the tomb and the place was packed!  We never made it inside the church and stood outside with 300 or so other people!  The service was quite lengthy with several people speaking and singing, groups singing, people entering the church and soon exiting it in full throated wail looking for someone to fall upon and grieve.  

Headed to the grave site.

About an hour later, people started coming out of the church followed by the casket being carried by 7 men and the whole throng proceeded down the road, up the path, across the stream and up the steep hill to the tomb.  

Up the mountain we go!

I just had to add this!  She was standing in front
of us at the grave site! Probably the only white shirt
she had!

'walking shoes!

I had my trail sandals on and glad for them.  How the Haitian women in their spike heels got up that hill defies explanation, but all 400 or so people made it!  There was a short service at the tomb and then everyone descended on the house of the family for more food and drink.  We just observed from a distance, again not wanting to be a distraction, and went home.  Most of what we’d experienced seemed a little over the top as far as the celebrating and the cost of it all, but a lot of it is out of the hands of the family.  It’s just the way things happen.  People show up and that is what they expect, so it happens.  It’s really too bad, because it creates a lot of hardship when the bill start rolling in.  Especially when you’re mourning the loss of your oldest son! Pray for Vixon’s family!  This has been a huge thing for them.

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Beyond that, life has been busy!  Cheryl’s working with the school, making friends with some new mothers and dealing with injuries and all the people with the ‘grip’. 

The onion fields are looking great!

 We had a nice rain Wednesday evening.  We hated it because we had to cancel our evening church service, but .8” was very much appreciated!  It's been over 2 months since we've had a measurable rain.  It kicked the farmers into high gear prepping fields and planting. The onion fields are looking great!  It’s amazing how fast everything responds.  Trees are pushing new leaves within a couple days, bugs appear in mass and smoke fills the air.  It grieves my heart to watch the fires rage on the mountainsides and in the fields.  I've spent a couple days with my machete cutting up the congo bean stalks and weeds I've pulled from my garden, but everyone else piles them up and burns them!  I tell them ‘Bondye pa konnen boule!’ (God doesn’t like burning!).  They just smile and shake their heads as I try to explain about mulching and composting.  Hopefully, they’ll see a difference in our fields and start shaking their heads the other way!  Oh what I’d give for a small chipper here!  A couple seasons of composting vs. burning would make believers out of them.

Clearing a field to plant sweet potatoes.

Well, I’m sure those of you that made it this far are ready to quit, so I’ll close this thing to a close.  We have some dreams we’d appreciate your prayers on.  We've decided that we need a vehicle up here.  Unfortunately,  there’s not a cheap way.  A 4 wheeler would be our choice, but we’re not sure.  We’re also dreaming about a well near the school and block walls for the school.  We’re looking for confirmation that our dreams are God’s dreams and trusting Him to provide everything we need to make His dreams a reality.  Thanks for doing your part, whatever that is.  Maybe it’s praying, maybe it’s giving, maybe it’s buying a ticket and coming down and laying block with us!  We love you all and pray for you all the time.  Drop us a note if you get a minute.  Your prayers and partnership are what keep us strong!  Peace!

'Life is a gift.'  Memen, neighbor and good friend