Grateful for Grace

Fifth in a series.

Tuscany Girls Bible Study (Kelly, Cookie, Marguerite, Sharon, Margaret, Gaye and Patti)

Acts 13:47 & Ephesians 2:8

Beauty Shop

When we stop and consider the verse from Acts, we realize that Christianity at that time in the world was at its mustard seed beginnings, confined to a very minuscule area of the globe when contrasted to present times. Today it is the faith that keeps the world on its axis. Certainly, Christianity’s influence played a critical role in the founding of our nation we call America. Yet today Christianity here and around the world is hanging by threads. For today’s disciples it is not really any different than the original 12 were experiencing during the time of Acts. I believe the Gentiles in today’s context is- the world- of course, the light is Jesus and our salvation is He who is Love. Haiti is only a three-hour flight from Atlanta and we did not even change time zones. There are times on the ground here however, when one feels as if he is at the end of the earth. 

Haiti Deaf Academy

If you were to revisit 1 Corinthians 13 in the King James Version, you would see the word charity used multiple times in the context of love. If one was to explore the roots of that word they would find a connection to gratitude or gratefulness. Today we visited Haiti Deaf Academy and we heard few spoken words but there was much conversation going on with these children. The sign we saw most often today was two fingers touching the chin and the hand then extending toward us. The were saying thank you! They did not even have to make this gesture for the entire team was already being washed in His Grace. As has been the case the past five days the mission team was being saved over and over by His Grace!

Let the little children

My contribution to the team this week has been preparing eyeglasses in our optical clinic. I have had dozens of occasions to hand a finished packaged pair of glasses to the patient. It would always, 100%, every time, be immediately followed with a humble twinkle in the eye soft-spoken, “Merci.” Merci is the French word for thank you. The is no doubt in my mind God showers Grace upon us, His mercy, a gift that says, “Thankyou good and faithful servant.”

Father, may we always be of a disciple mindset contributing to the expansion of your Kingdom to the ends of the Earth. Amen

Bradford Bosworth 

September, 2018

Kinder Heaven

Third in a series.

Ed Hogg

Isaiah 55:12-13

Bev, Patti & Heaven

We have one big change to our mission trip this year and it has to do with children. We have been given a blessing on our team in the appearance of Beverly. She is a preschool teacher back home and on this mission trip we have reintroduced VBS (Vacation Bible School) as part of our mission. So far, three of the four clinics we have set up have been in Schools. Bev, being a picture of joy has added a new facet of God’s Grace to our experience with her VBS leadership.

In our Isaiah scripture for today we have a joyful praise described in ways that stretch an adult’s imagination in a Disneyesque way: “the mountains and hills will burst into song…” I believe the Prophet is trying to describe heaven in these verses: “And all the trees of the fields will clap their hands.” The pragmatic adult in me says only at the Magic Kingdom can we see trees clapping their hands. Bah Humbug! The child in me says, “I wanna go see Mickey!”

Hanging Crosses

Watching the little children respond to our mission team generally but to Bev specifically the last couple days has caused me think of Jesus’ words in Matthew 19:14. “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” The conditions on the ground here are devastating and alarming to the visitor. The atmosphere and environment defies description. Yet the little children are pictures of joy and happiness. The adults visiting Haiti for the first time might see the thornbush. These children see juniper. The hungry and tired mission adult sees briars. The children see myrtle.

It is for certain that in bringing to these people of Haiti the gift of the Light of life in the form of our servant’s hearts we also have received gifts of Grace from their meek and humble hearts. But it is the children who through their innocent acceptance have shown us real glimpses of heaven that will endure with us forever, all for the Lord’s renown.

The Kingdom of Heaven

Yahweh, may we go out in joy and peace and get a little closer to heaven today, Amen.

Bradford Bosworth                                                                                                                     September, 2018

The Body Temple

First in a series.

Diane and Randy Pettit

1 Corinthians 6: 19-20 NIV

Much of team preparation for this mission trip is about the preventative maintenance of our individual health. For the first timer, it is a daunting proposition to secure all the immunizations required. About the only vaccination I could credit to my record was a Diphtheria Tetanus shot. The conditions in Haiti are such that the list of preventative drugs is long and intimidating to someone who only ingests a once a day vitamin and occasional ibuprofen. Our recommended list includes injected Hepatitis A and Polio vaccines. As well there are pills prescribed to ward off Typhoid and Malaria. We must be judicious about how we drink the water on the island, carefully zapping with a SteriPEN each vessel containing the H2O.

Bathroom in Haiti - lacking infrastructure.

The Haitian people live every day in a land with little infrastructure to speak of, including accessible medical treatment facilities. Recently this country has ranked second only to Afghanistan with the highest maternity/neonatal mortality rate on the planet. There is also an abnormally prevalent incidence of high blood pressure within the populace. Today our team is traveling to this Caribbean island with the purpose helping Haitian folk to better honor God with their bodies. For a week we will travel to different Churches and schools around Port au Prince setting up medical and optical triage clinics to attend to prescreened patients. We will diagnose and treat everything from hypertension to ear infection to nearsightedness.

Clinic window view

In his epistle, the Apostle Paul was admonishing Christians of the Church in Corinth because they were allowing their prideful fleshly desires to get in the way of God’s wonderful gift of the Holy Spirit. The Haitian people we serve do not have the means and methods found in most societies to maintain their bodies, yet their faith has formed within them a welcoming sanctuary for the Holy Spirit. It is amazing grace that abounds throughout each clinic when we minister to these gratefully humble people.

Abba, may we always maintain within, the open and humble heart of your precious Son, so your Spirit may flow freely through us. Amen

Bradford Bosworth

September, 2018