The Power of Patience in Faith
"But if we hope for that which we see not, then do we with patience wait for it"
Romans 8:25
MAMMY & MAMASAN'S MIRACLE IN HAITI
"Mamasan! Don't you think we should take some food out to the workers in Pernier," Marlene asked Winona, early one bright, sunshiny day in Port Au Prince, Haiti. We had gone to Haiti to began the first school and church building construction. Our group consisted of Charlie Collins, Adam Bryan from Nora Christian Fellowship plus Winona and Jack Terry.
So, Winona and Marlene decided on 5 lbs. of chicken, 6 lbs. of rice, some bread and water for the cooler. They felt that this would be enough food for fourteen people. Marlene, also, bought paper plates and cups.
When the food was completed we were all amazed that a crowd of people had gathered to watch the construction. We had a dilemma. We had prepared only enough for 14 people, but to our astonishment there were over 60 people surrounding our little makeshift outdoor kitchen.
We did not know how far the food would stretch since we had prepared for only 14 people. Our hearts were a bit heavy as we saw all those hungry people standing and looking at the food about to be dispersed to the workers plus the missionaries. Marlene and the Haitian cooks began to fill paper plates with rice, chicken, bread & a cup of water. Charlie, Adam, Winona and I were willing to give our portions, but what about all the other children & adults? We prayed a blessing upon the food and all of the people gathered.
We could not believe what happened next. Soon, everyone had a full plate of rice and chicken. That included us! We counted more than 60 people gathered there that day as the workers began to build a school and church for those precious people. Then! Everyone got seconds. It was a time of rejoicing! But, that was not the end of the story.
Winona recounts the rest of the miracles. "After everyone got all they wanted to eat the young boys came to me and said, ?Mamasan, would you like to hear our band?" Winona smiled as the boys collected plastic jugs and some pieces of metal and began to play in a calypso style rhythm music. It was full of energy and joy. When they finished the young girls came running to Winona and eagerly asked, "Don't you want to hear us sing?" In a few minutes the mountainside was echoing with the vibrant sounds of worship and praise. Then, Mamee arrived!
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MAMEE, is the 85 year old lady who gave the land for the new school and church. She was the reason we were here. She had prayed for six years that someone would come to her remote hillside in Haiti and open a school and church for her desperately needy neighbors. Now she was ready to celebrate! She grabbed Winona by both hands and began to dance with her up and down the dusty road adjacent to the property. It was a sight to behold! Here were two elderly ladies dancing energetically while young boys were playing their plastic bongo drums. Then, the Police arrived!
The dancing stopped. The music stopped. Everything got very quiet. Haiti is one of the most violent nations on planet earth and the presence of police meant there was serious trouble. There were five cars loaded with armed policemen. They all moved out of their vehicles and glared at our leader, Maxo and at the American missionaries. What are you doing here? The surly commander shouted in a loud voice. What are you white people doing here? He repeated in French. "Come and explain to them, Mamee!" Maxo called out to Mamee. Everyone felt the tension as fifteen armed policemen looked at us as if we were criminals.
Little 85 year old Mamee, weighing less than 90 lbs. came striding up the hillside carrying a document in her hand and waving it at the commander of the police. "I want you to know!" Little Mamee walked in front of each of the policemen waving her document. "I want you to know," she repeated in her high pitch Creole voice. "I want you to know that I prayed six years for someone to come and build us a school and a church and now they are here. Here is the deed that gives them the right to build and you had better get out of here and leave them alone!" There was dead silence as the chief of police read the document. Then, he looked at his squad of policemen and said, "I think we had better leave!"
What joy and celebration followed that crisis! We all breathed a sigh of relief as the work continued. But, Mamee had other plans. She walked briskly down to her little one-room house and returned in a few minutes wearing her only church dress. She came walking up to me, Jack, and pointed that bony little finger at me and said, "We are going to have church right here and, you Pastor Jack, are going to preach!" Wow! I was astonished, but I was not about to deny that little Hero of the faith. I could only answer in the affirmative, OUI! MAMSELLE!
There on that poverty stricken mountainside in Haiti we experienced another miracle that day. It was even greater than the miracle of "Chicken & Rice." As I gave the message followed by the invitation to receive Christ our hearts were blessed beyond measure as almost everyone of those men, women, boys and girls came forward to receive Christ as their Savior.
I will never forget that day. Neither will Charlie Collins, our Haiti Overseer, or Adam Bryan, a young man who helped us start our work in Bolivia. But, most of all, I'm sure that Winona and little Mamee will forever remember the day when God blessed them with those beautiful miracles. I believe that one day these two saints will dance again up there on the streets of glory while heaven will clap its hands in Haitian rhythm.
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