I took a few days away from my regular activities at the mission and connected with my friend Pastor Francois Murat for a more culturally related adventure. I realized I had not had the opportunity to visit other parts of this beautiful island so this was much anticipated. Pastor Francois agreed to take me to the southern part of Haiti to visit the port city of Jacmel. As a point of reference Carries, where the Mission of Grace is located is in northwest Haiti.

Knowing we were headed to that region Pastor Francois asked if we could first visit the mountaintop village of Sheridan. Sheridan is supported by an organization Pastor Francois works with, and is the direct responsibility of one of his employees named Edward Delbrun. Edward, Pastor and I embarked on a five-hour car ride through Port Au Prince towards the southwest. At some point we started driving up the mountain in our 4-wheel-drive vehicle and it was readily apparent the car would not get us very far. Sure enough after about 10 minutes we parked the car and called for motorcycles to take us the rest of the way. After 30 minutes of traveling along treacherous goat trails and switchbacks on the back of these bikes the three of us reached the summit and Sheridan. You can get a glimpse of the magnificent view in the pictures below.

The coolness and clouds which occasionally obstructed the view of the valley below made me realize just how high up we were. The folks in Sheridan were friendly and the children were very inquisitive, particularly of the “blanc”, a term used to denote non-Haitians (that would be me). They peppered me with questions about where I lived, my family, what I did in the US, and why I was there in their village. We spent about two hours visiting with the children. One of the little ones was sitting with me and I noticed he was getting sleepy. Before too long he had fallen asleep in my arms.

While I thought the ride up the mountain was arduous, the ride back down was no piece of cake and we were all glad to get back in the car. Pastor Francois and I dropped Edward off and headed further west, and up over the southern mountains of Haiti towards the beautiful port city of Jacmel.

It was enjoyable playing the role of tourists as we walked the streets of this quaint town. There are many older buildings in Jacmel, some dating as far back as the 1800s. This town definitely has “artsy” feel to it which is evident on some of the streets and walls of several structures. Jacmel is high on my list of places to visit again when I am in Haiti.

On our way back to Carries we visited Lambi Village in Carefour. This is where I served the first three years as a missionary in Haiti. It was good to see faces I remember from the past. And it was heartwarming to be fondly remembered by people in the village I haven’t laid eyes on in more than six years.

On November 11, 2020 I returned to Haiti after 10 days in the US and brought my adopted son Bryan Nails and my niece Ryan Arrendell along with me. For both of them it was their first opportunity to serve as missionaries in a foreign land. Bryan and Ryan had not met before arriving at the airport in Port Au Prince but took to each other right away. I can tell there is now a lasting friendship forged by their shared experiences during the five days they were in Haiti. Below are Ryan’s reflections the mission. Bryan’s experiences are shared in a separate post. Vernon.

2020 Haiti Mission Reflection by Ryan Lindsay Arrendell

To know the Haitian children, women and men served by Mission of Grace is to know God’s profound and unconditional love for His children. Haiti is a country that continues to be impacted by colonialism, capitalism and corruption. On my morning ride to the airport from Carries to Port au Prince, I saw buildings that were still standing, some barely, some surrounded by rubble, and the people who have made those buildings homes and businesses of many kinds. Just ten years ago, more than 220,000 Haitian lives were swiftly ended because of a devastating earthquake. Over 300,000 people were injured and more than 1.5 million became homeless. I saw those still living, those homeless, and from a distance, a mass gravesite. Carries, the village where Mission of Grace’s soup kitchen operated was burned and pillaged earlier this year because of civil unrest. Despite that, Mission of Grace’s school, orphanage, church, elderly home, and clinic still thrive.

Each day, children eager to learn arrive at the gates of the school, dressed in their uniforms. The day begins at the flagpole where the Haitian flag waves in the wind, as students join together in song and prayer. The focus is not on what they don’t have—like windows, running water or electricity—but what they do have: a safe space to learn with educators who are committed to their success, and a place where meals and clean water are available without question. It was an honor to be able serve lunch, observe the children learning and to help get computers, tables and equipment ready for the solar-powered computer lab that’s in the works.

When the school day ends, some children head home to their village. For many others, the Children of Grace Orphanage is home. There, they play, dance, sing, sleep, and eat in safety. In many ways, it’s like one big family. The children will quickly capture your heart with the sheer joy they have for living and laughing. I, “Madame Wyan”, was quickly welcomed by the girls. We spent afternoons talking, many convinced that I knew exactly what they were saying in Kreyol, learning games (I taught the hand game Slide, they taught me theirs), and challenging each other to arm-wrestling and thumb-wars because, why not? I photographed some of the children using my Fujifilm instant-photo camera—“Madame, photo?” I wished I had enough film for everyone. A four-year-old boy and I bonded as well. I often picked him up and walked around the grounds with him on my hip. He was quiet and observant but could sometimes be caught cracking a smile, even if only with his eyes.

It became harder to leave each day because of just how much a blessing the children were to me by just being themselves. The reality is that for many of these children, their lives have been colored by abandonment, abuse & other adverse experiences that are too painful to even imagine. And yet, their joy persists. For that, I am grateful. Through them, I see God’s enduring love.

On Sunday, it was a true joy to be in the house of the Lord! We sang songs that were recognizable by their melodies alone and became even more familiar when the praise & worship team would sing a few verses in English before returning to French or Kreyol. My years of French in school were certainly put to use during my time in Haiti, perhaps the most special moment when reading Psalm 40:1-5 from a weathered French bible. After service, we worked alongside Mission of Grace staff to sort items for a distribution that would provide over 100 people from the mountains and villages near and far with clothes and shoes for themselves and their families.

A charred portion of Ocean View, Mission of Grace’s resort property, is a solemn yet poignant reminder that God is with His people even in the flames. Earlier this year a fire partially destroyed one of the buildings on the property. Thankfully, no lives were lost and the building, though harmed, is still standing. The view of the Caribbean Sea, the sunsets and mountains are beautiful to say the least but truly beyond words.

It is evident that every single person working with and for Mission of Grace believes that how Haiti is amidst the unrest is not how it will always be and that audacious hope, love and humble service can counteract those profound C’s—colonialism, capitalism and corruption. I left Haiti believing all the more heartedly that God is indeed close to the brokenhearted and that indeed, blessed are the meek, the pure in spirit, the peacemakers, and those who mourn and are persecuted.

On November 11, 2020 I returned to Haiti after 10 days in the US and brought my adopted son Bryan Nails and my niece Ryan Arrendell along with me. For both of them it was their first opportunity to serve as missionaries in a foreign land. Bryan and Ryan had not met before arriving at the airport in Port Au Prince but took to each other right away. I can tell there is now a lasting friendship forged by their shared experiences during the five days they were in Haiti. Below are Bryan’s reflections on what he saw and felt. Ryan’s experiences are shared in a separate post. Vernon.

AN INDELIBLE MARK by Bryan Nails

2020 Haiti Mission Reflections

Being close to and working alongside Vernon for so many years, I quickly sensed his passion for Haiti, the Mission of Grace, and the children of the orphanage.  I knew that, before long, I would have an opportunity to go and feel what he felt so passionately about.  However, I did not know it would happen so quick!  I was fortunate to be one of two individuals sponsored through JJS Missions donors to make the trip and I am so grateful.

Arrival into the airport felt like a cultural immersion.  There were a lot of people and they were all speaking Kreyol.  Luckily, I flew with Vernon so it required little thought for me to get through the airport wickets.  We were met by a good friend of his, Pastor Francois, who [as a local] readily guided us out of the airport to the transport vehicle.  Although I had heard of the mass amount of the poverty that had stricken Haiti, actually seeing it was a very different and real experience.  Literally right outside the airport in Port Au Prince were so many people who seemed to be in grave need.  I could see how this could cause the violence and in-fighting amongst the citizens that is often reported.  Following a quick meal while we waited for one additional traveler arriving on a later flight from the US we headed off to the village of Carries which was a little under a 2-hour drive.

We pulled into Ocean View, where the volunteers/missionaries normally stay, and were warmly greeted by Ms. Kim, the director of Missions, and the Ocean View Staff.  The next morning we woke up to the waves crashing on the beach and a hot cooked breakfast.  This is when I truly saw the beauty of Haiti.  The velvety smooth turquoise waters, warm weather and beautiful mountainous ranges were enough to leave me in awe of God’s creation.  How could something so beautiful be so wrought with poverty?  The only answer that I could come up with is “man”.  But just as the greed of man caused such destruction so could “we” [man] assist in the rebuilding of this beautiful place.  And I believe that Mission of Grace [the Mission] is a major part of that plan.

So, let’s talk about the Mission!

Our first day was like a tour of the different parts of the Mission.  We visited the school, the clinic, the home for the elderly, the orphanage and drove by the church.  Each was very touching.  I could see that Mrs. Lynn and her husband Pastor Jean sought to meet the needs of the community in creating this Mission.  That’s what makes Mission of Grace so special!  The clinic was staffed with a few nurses and a doctor that, even through the civil unrest of the nation, sought to treat the people who came in infirmed.  I was able to personally donate some Albuterol to help those who might be asthmatic.  I then found out that a child had passed away from breathing issues some time ago and maybe, if they had that medication, the child might have lived.  Each day and each step through the Mission I learned that lesson, that each little bit helps, no matter what it is.

Our first interaction with the children was at the school.  The school was simply a building, no AC, no electricity, no windows, and few doors – just a building with rooms.  It’s easy for us to see despair coming from what we are used to in the US but the children were filled with excitement and unspeakable joy!  I could tell that they took their studies serious and that the teachers were serious about teaching them.  In fact, I felt as though we were interrupting their classes during our brief tour but the teachers were ok with the little break for us to say hello.  We later served the kids their lunch for the day and were able to interact with them during their lunch break.  You wouldn’t believe how excited the kids were just to see us, ask us questions and find out who we were.  Most of all, they were thankful for us to come and spend time with them.  In the coming days we went back to the school when class was out of session and put in some sweat equity by staining some tables and doors,

specifically for the Principal’s office and the new computer lab that would be stocked full of donated computer systems that the children would use for their coursework.  This is a big deal for the school and it will be fully functional as soon as they are able to run electricity to the room.  We also helped sort donated school uniforms for the children which were handed out while we were there.

While the kids finished their school day, we went to the home for the elderly, affectionately called the “Grandma’s House”.  Entering this space caught me by surprise because I initially thought that the Mission was solely focused on orphaned children and I didn’t think about “orphaned” seniors.  It was amazing to see that the Mission cared for and provided for ALL those who couldn’t care for themselves.  The seniors are served 3 meals a day and have daily activities they could partake in as well as a bed to call their own. Many had been abandoned by their families because their needs outweighed their contributions.  This was the heart of Mission of Grace on display.

Later that day, and the following days, because we enjoyed it so much, we went to the orphanage to spend quality time with the children.  Honestly, there isn’t much to describe other than we went to have fun, play games, talk, dance and sing with the children.  There are four separate homes at the orphanage and they are split up by gender and age group so the children can bond with one

another.  I spent most of my time in the boy’s home.  When I initially walked up, the first thing the boys said to me was “come play basketball!”.  Not at all what I expected but like I said, there was unspeakable joy and love in the hearts of the children.  They just wanted to play and get to know me.  So that’s what we did.  We played basketball, laughed, played Uno, Spoons, Jenga, sang, danced and laughed some more.  The time there flew by…Vernon had to come get us every time it was time to leave.  I titled this writing “An Indelible Mark” because this experience, especially with the children, truly stained my soul, in a good way.  I made connections with some of the children that will stay with me for the rest of my life.  Looking at their situation from a privileged perspective you see all of what they don’t have and wonder how they could be so happy?  But when you get to know them and talk to them you realize that they don’t focus on what they don’t have, their only focus is on what God has provided them.  If we could only have the mindset of these children, the world would be so different.  I left the orphanage changed in a way that is indescribable.  I wanted more and even made a special connection with one of the younger boys that rests on my heart to this day.

On our last day we attended church service, organized a clothing donation distribution for the village and went back to the orphanage.  The church service was great.  I don’t think I have cried so much in a service before in my life!  Tears of joy and gratefulness to God for what He was doing through Pastor Jean, Mrs. Lynn and Mission of Grace.  To hear all of the children singing praises to our God for what He has given them was the most powerful thing I have ever heard.  Most of the service was in Kreyol but I honestly felt that I understood every word that was spoken on a spirit level.  The Holy Spirit dwelled (heavily/strongly…) in that church house and I could only cry tears of joy for being able to witness His greatness.    I recorded one the songs of praise and as I listen, I can hear God speaking through the mouths of the children.  What a mighty God we serve…hallelujah!  I thank God for allowing me to be in the place to witness this worship.

Following church, the donations from Alfred Street Baptist Church and other churches/organizations in the DMV were brought up and organized for distribution to the community.  This was a highlight for the surrounding community [those not part of the Mission].  It was a full circle experience for me since I helped pack some of the very items that were being distributed.  The

best part of this experience was to see Mrs. Lynn talk to the people about God and the vision that God had given her on the future of the village.  This was a true evangelistic moment as some of these people were not believers in God, so to witness to them while they were able to enjoy what God had provided was a big moment that was not missed.  They received clothes, food and a hearty word.  We then went to the orphanage for our last day and to say our “see you laters” to the children.  I asked the boys what I could bring them back when I returned…and they didn’t know how to answer but one of them said, “just come back”.  So, while the material things might excite them, what really mattered was my presence and just being there with them.  This spoke volumes to me.

Thank you to the benefactors of this trip for allowing God to use you in this way so that I could walk in the path God had laid out for me.  It is through your generosity that this was possible.  I cannot wait to go back.  There is work to do, God’s work to do and I plan on seeing it through.  For me, this experience was an encounter with God that He orchestrated and it might not be for everyone.  If you are “on the fence” about going then that means it’s been placed on your heart…don’t tarry, GO! A blessing from above awaits you.

As I sit in reflection, I know that I am forever changed…forever grateful…and will continue to enjoy this ride.

selah