Ancephalor

Today has been a rough day physcially. I went to bed last night at 8 with a horrible headache and my jaw acting up and it was still there when I woke up. I debated on whether to go to Ancephalor or not but decided I wanted to go.  Since I have been back I have iced, tried more IB Profin and now I am trying some Mountain Dew for the Caffeine. Please pray I can knock this headache so I can focus and be productive because right now I can't consentrate on much of anything

So, this morning we all climbed into the back of a tap tap (20 of us) and headed out. We prayed we could get through the river and there were many times today that I thought we were going to get stuck. The drive to Ancephalor is beautiful it along the coast up in the hills with lots of trees. I got some great pictures.  When we arrived at Ancephalor we started to go to hike up the mountain that houses a voodoo monument and alter. When we got to the bottum of the mountain they wanted us to pay to hike up it and we refused so we circled up right there at the bottum and prayed for This city to see God and wisdom to know he is above all other Gods and is the one true God. We prayed that Satan would flee from this city and for revival. The story behind this monument. It was originally build by the Catholic church as a huge cross but during a big storm lightening struck the cross-beam and it fell to the ground. Teh Haitian people believed that was a sign from Satan that he defeated God. 

From there we started to hike to the voodo temple, we were not sure if they would let us in or not but they did. It broke my heart what I saw and it took everything in me to not start to bawl. When we walked in there were lots of people sitting around and as you walk into the temple there are tables and tables of things you can buy to offer as an offering or a sacrafice to the "doll." The first place we went was to the upper room where the doll is housed. The whole way up to the room there are pictures of Jesus and mother Mary and then when you go into the room there are more pictures of JEsus around but in the front of the room there is a huge porcelin doll and people are praying to it. Much like we do in church and it is so sad because they truly believe this doll can intercede on there behalf. We came down from that room and we walked back a hallway on one side there were tons of people in a dark room laying on mats and they were fasting I think someone said they fast for 7 days. Then we entered another room where there were tons of people on the floor on mats who were sick and there families were around them. They believe that if they come and stay there and live there and offer sacrafices and offerings to this doll that they will be healed, if they are faithful enough then they will be healed. It is soooo sad because like I said before they truly believe with all there heart that this doll has power. Then we walked out to a coutyard where a small child was having oil dumped over it and they were making it drink it (they called it holy water) as we walked further there was a swamp and a lady was washing herself in it. They go up and pray to the doll and ask for forgiveness and then they come down and wade into this swamp and if they come out they have been forgiven but if they drown and die then they were not forgiven and die. We circled up right there and prayed for eyes to be open that they would see the bondage they are in. 

It is so hard to make someone see how they are believing lies but how do you show someone that who has been raised to believe this and that is all they know. IT would be like someone coming up and telling me that this Jesus I believe in and this God I worship do not really exist. I would not be willing to drop my beliefs cold turkey and go on believing something else. This is how it is for the many Haitians they have been raised on Voodoo and that is all they know. I mean look at how they worship they pray, they fast, they bring there sick, they believe in forgiveness look how similar it is to ours but there is one major lie they have been taught this doll has the power to heal them, this doll has the power to protect them. My heart breaks for them. I am left with heartache for these people but filled with Joy knowing that I have the privlidge of knowing the truth, that I have a personal relationship with God. That I have been blessed enough to be raised to know the one true God who brings joy, peace, understanding, power, healing and life. 

My prayer as I walked through the city was God may this nation be changed may this nation be turned back to you, I am on my knees. Lord Bless me so that I might be a blessing, Lord Heal me so that I may bring healing, Lord cover me so that I might be a covering to the weary and weak to the broken and Meak. God let your wisdom fall on these people, may there eyes be open, may this city be flooded with understanding. 

We left there to go to the mission church in Ancephalor and do VBS for 140 kids. VBS went really well we did the story of Daniel and the Lions Den. Which was perfect because it talks about how powerful our God, the God of the universe is and how powerful prayer is. Daniel prayed every morning, afternoon, and evening. We had some children wear headbands and role play the character they loved doing that. I am always amazed at how loud these children sing and how happy they are. At the end we gave everyone a peanut butter sandwich. All the children there were children that go to the mission school at teh church. So at the end we prayed for them and told them they have the power to change Ancephalor for God and the surrounding areas and even the country of Haiti. There God is powerful and nothing is impossible with him. 

On the way back to the mission we stopped at a peice of land the mission is hoping to buy and build a new church in Ancephalor. The old church will be a community center and the school and this new property will house the church. We prayed over the land. This church I feel can make a huge impact in this city it is the only christian church there.