Let it begin... (Haiti, Day One)

11 days ago I was surreptitiously approached by a friend at the Association of Christian Design Professionals conference and asked if I would be willing to travel to Haiti on short notice. We were just finishing rolling the chapel and throwing spit-balls at the elderly volunteers, so I was a bit preoccupied: "Sure".

Then, backing up, I qualified my statement: "I'll have to check with my three authorities first: God, Maggie and Gaskins," assuming one of them had a good reason to keep me at bay.

I probably should have found a stronger means of disqualification, as I now find myself arriving in a hotel room in Ft Lauderdale and setting a 3:30 am wake-up call to get the team to the airport for 5 days in Carrefour, Haiti, staying at Grace Hospital and designing a 500 person neighborhood. Or, as Duane rumored, attending the grand opening of the new Sandals resort.

I suppose that last comment is insensitive - I have a history of dealing with overwhelming things with mild sarcasm. I'm pretty sure we are about to see the overwhelming, about to enter the unfixable, about to attempt the impossible.

My dad commented the other day, before this trip was sprung, that Haiti is beyond repair. He is likely correct, judging from the last 100-years of support and where the country has floundered. If there is a God-sized project anywhere, it is in Haiti. I am not an overtly spiritual man in my words, although I try to be in my prayers. But it is clear to me from my suburban tower that Haitians need a breakthrough, and that God is the best route for that transition from the oppressed to freedom.

And as well, even though we are preparing a home for 500 people in a 20,000 person tent city, and that seems almost a waste, it isn't. For the people with a new home, a new garden, a new factory and farm and proper outdoor toilets, it will not be a waste.

My prayer is that I am a man after God's own heart in these days ahead.

Ol' Blu

In early 1995 I took my amazing $300 tax return and blew it in Mecca ('REI', for the uninitiated). Bought a sleeping bag, tent, and 2 bananas ('bandanas', again, for the uninitiated).

Being the crazy rebel that I am, I refused to purchase common red bandanas, but instead opted for a light-blue and a tan bandana, which would ensure I always know which ones are mine (there's nothing worse than having a big bandana party with all of your friends and not knowing which ones to take home at the end of the night).

Ol' Blu (that's the blue one's name) was a faithful chap. Served in whatever capacity needed at the moment: a sweat rag, dew-rag, tourniquet, blanket, ear-warmer, snot-rag, dish-rag (this list is not necessarily in chronological order), food-prep station, strainer, way to meet the ladies ("Wow, that's a nice light-blue bandana you've got half hanging out of your pocket. I bet you can tell a few stories about him." "Why yes, I can."). There has hardly been a time in 15 years that I have not taken Old Blu with me on any trip of length or into the great wide open. The roughness of the cheap cotton had worn as smooth as a baby's bottom. I had even contemplated making a pair of underwear out of him.

Today, just a moment ago, my 2nd child walked in to show me a picture she made, which turns out was composed of a number of pieces of cloth cut up and taped together to in simple beauty. Ol' Blu played his final role, one he shall never return from, as the cut up front door, sidewalk and chimney smoke of my daughter's craftsmanship.

There was a moment I was tempted to react, to cry out in loss at Ol' Blu, to exclaim words of sorrow and anger at the senseless butchery. But how is a 7-year old to understand, and what can I do now to repair him anyway. He died as he lived, a servant to all. I will miss him.

Psalm 37 (edited for brevity)

Do not fret because of evildoers, Be not envious toward wrongdoers.

For they will wither quickly like the grass and fade like the green herb.

Trust in the LORD and do good; dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness.

Delight yourself in the LORD; and He will give you the desires of your heart.

Commit your way to the LORD, trust also in Him, and He will do it.

He will bring forth your righteousness as the light and your judgment as the noonday.

Rest in the LORD and wait patiently for Him; do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, because of the man who carries out wicked schemes.

Cease from anger and forsake wrath; do not fret; it leads only to evildoing.

For evildoers will be cut off, but those who wait for the LORD, they will inherit the land.

Yet a little while and the wicked man will be no more; and you will look carefully for his place and he will not be there.

But the humble will inherit the land and will delight themselves in abundant prosperity.

The wicked plots against the righteous and gnashes at him with his teeth.

The Lord laughs at him, for He sees his day is coming.

The wicked have drawn the sword and bent their bow to cast down the afflicted and the needy, to slay those who are upright in conduct.

Their sword will enter their own heart, and their bows will be broken.

Better is the little of the righteous than the abundance of many wicked.

For the arms of the wicked will be broken, but the LORD sustains the righteous.

The LORD knows the days of the blameless, and their inheritance will be forever.

They will not be ashamed in the time of evil, and in the days of famine they will have abundance.

But the wicked will perish; and the enemies of the LORD will be like the glory of the pastures, they vanish—like smoke they vanish away.

The wicked borrows and does not pay back, but the righteous is gracious and gives.

For those blessed by Him will inherit the land, but those cursed by Him will be cut off.

The steps of a man are established by the LORD, and He delights in his way.

When he falls, he will not be hurled headlong, because the LORD is the One who holds his hand.

I have been young and now I am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his descendants begging bread.

All day long he is gracious and lends, and his descendants are a blessing.

Depart from evil and do good, so you will abide forever.

For the LORD loves justice and does not forsake His godly ones; they are preserved forever, but the descendants of the wicked will be cut off.

The righteous will inherit the land and dwell in it forever.

The mouth of the righteous utters wisdom, and his tongue speaks justice.

The law of his God is in his heart; his steps do not slip.

The wicked spies upon the righteous and seeks to kill him.

The LORD will not leave him in his hand or let him be condemned when he is judged.

Wait for the LORD and keep His way, and He will exalt you to inherit the land; when the wicked are cut off, you will see it.

I have seen a wicked, violent man spreading himself like a luxuriant tree in its native soil.

Then he passed away, and lo, he was no more; I sought for him, but he could not be found.

Mark the blameless man, and behold the upright; for the man of peace will have a posterity.

But transgressors will be altogether destroyed; the posterity of the wicked will be cut off.

But the salvation of the righteous is from the LORD; He is their strength in time of trouble.

The LORD helps them and delivers them; He delivers them from the wicked and saves them, because they take refuge in Him.