We were not punk'd

Where is the hidden camera?!

Please tell me this is not really happening!!

These were the thoughts in my mind as I answered the phone yesterday mid-morning.  As I listened to my friend speak, I waited to hear, "you've been punk'd."

You have probably seen candid camera or punk'd.  You know, where they play pranks on unaware people and capture their responses via a hidden camera for everyone to get a good laugh. 

Have you ever held out hope that the circumstances in your life that you view with utter disbelief will all be revealed as one big prank?

That it was all a joke and now you join in the laughter of everyone else involved in the prank? 

I don't think anyone really likes being the target of a joke...to be the brunt of the joke is pretty much not what we go around wishing for.

But, yesterday as I listened to my sweet friend calmly reveal all the details of our canceled flight, which was scheduled to take me to Haiti today, I found myself begging to be punk'd.
"You are kidding?!"
"No way!"
Five minutes later she continued talking in all seriousness and laying out more details of how and why the flight was canceled and then began to give me direction on what to do next to rearrange our flight.
She never said it.  She never said. "you've been punk'd."
I hung up the phone still in disbelief and called my other friend on the team to relay this news that I still had not accepted myself.
It wasn't until I spoke with an American Airlines representative that I fully believed our flight was canceled.  I give my friends a lot of credit for creativity and their ability to make connections but getting the entire American Airlines company to participate in pranking me was stretching it.
It was true.  No joking.  My flight was canceled.

If you have been following our journey then hopefully you have had a glimpse into the beauty of Haiti that cannot be seen with our physical eyes.  Hopefully you have seen how close God's heart is to the brokenness in Haiti.   If you missed it, click here to see the passion and blessing we have to be Living Love Letters written from Jesus to the hearts of the broken.
or
click here to see a closer look at the heart of Haiti and to see what was planned for this trip.

If it's not about the love of Jesus then "crazy" is an understatement...

Hurricanes, cholera, poverty, brokenness, political unrest.... 
Who really wants to go Haiti? 
But when it's all about the love of Jesus, then you are released from the fears of the flesh and empowered through the Spirit to go and spread the magnificent love of Jesus to broken people...even to the broken people in Haiti.  So either you go to Haiti because the perfect love of Jesus drives out all fear or you go to Haiti because you are crazy...you've flown completely off the deep end.  I fall into the former category but am completely aware some may argue this point.  :)

Today I am home writing on blogger when I should be in Miami about to board a flight to Haiti. This makes me sad.  I am personally sad but even deeper still, is my sadness for Pastor Nahum and all the people of his village.  They have been anticipating our team coming now for months.  They have made so many preparations for us.  The revival, baptisms, and wedding are all things that cannot be rescheduled.  Today is day 13 of a 15 day revival and the baptisms and wedding are all scheduled for these last two days.
Some things can be rescheduled...done another time.
Then there are some things you can't redo...you just miss out.
Today is one of those days that everyone involved just misses out.

There is also a deep sadness for the entire country of Haiti.  

We don't know what living in an oppressed third world country is like.  We don't know the desperation the people must feel after years and years of being burdened with injustice and how the mothers and fathers in Haiti desire good things for their children just like everyone else but they are crushed on every side...families are divided while the orphanages grow larger.

We are praying for God's Spirit of peace to wash over the hearts of the people in Haiti.  Praying that the light of Jesus would shine in the darkest places of Haiti...that the people who are rightfully outraged with the government will turn to God, find refuge in the shadow of His wing, and allow Him to be their defender.
God, have mercy on this nation.  We ask for more mercy and peace in Jesus.  Continue to calm the hearts and bring your peace. 

For the second time we have checked in online and printed our E-tickets.  If God is willing, this E-ticket will remain valid...we will board our flight at DFW tomorrow morning at 9am, head to Miami, and then final destination, Port au Prince, Haiti. 

No one was punk'd but it's okay because God's grace is sufficient.

I praise God now for His infinite wisdom and sovereignty.  He is in control and His ways are perfectly beautiful.  Thank you, Jesus. I trust you, I love you, and you alone are my prize.