Stories from Haiti...

With the promise of a full post about our time in Haiti but also knowing I have posted many times about this passion of mine… I decided to let some of those who went tell their stories.  


Before our trip my mom asked my sister and I what we hoped to get out of this mission trip to Haiti- my answer was that I hoped to find out what I wanted to do with my life. Find out I did, missions seems to be weighing on my heart and after experiencing Haiti for a week I feel like missions truly is my calling. After going on this sweet-short trip I found what I want to be when I grow up; a missionary. Haiti taught me how to love people and all I can think about is going back and learning more. – Aubrey Andrews

One thing this trip taught me is that we don’t have to speak the same language to speak love to one another.  Love can be shown and seen through our actions.  A high-five, a hug, a touch, a smile or just by sitting by someone and looking at them.  I went to Haiti thinking I was going to reach out and help someone, but the overwhelming love I felt has changed me. I didn’t have to try to fit in. I could just be me. I felt welcomed, accepted and loved. – Michelle Andrews

Last week in Haiti was a rejuvenating experience for me. My intention for going on the trip was to be a part of something that my friends and family love and of course to experience it for myself. My expectations were more than met last week. Every single person on the team humbled themselves enormously. It was amazing to see everyone's willingness to serve no matter if the task at hand was picking up trash in the banana orchard or holding a cute little baby. Observing everyone over the past week not only made me want to be a better person, but it made me proud to call that team, those people, my friends. I could go on and on about my experiences, but I believe that is the best way to sum it up. It was an incredible experience. The village of Neply will forever hold a special place in my heart. – Derek Auffenorde

As someone who has been to Haiti on many trips, my experience this time was, as they each are, unique.  We decided we wanted to bring our two oldest children, Jackson and Creighton, along with us to experience their first mission trip.  Being on mission and a mom proved to be difficult and glorious all at the same time.  There were highs and lows, good and bad, beautiful and ugly times.  I wouldn’t trade any of it for the world. I had relatively high expectations going in and was forced to let go of them by day 1. What I realized, however, in the process, is that when I did let go and let them each experience it all, take it all in, and “be” themselves, I was able to really see their hearts and personalities rise and shine.   They really did phenomenal and my hope is that they will remember this trip and the things the Lord showed them, for a very long time.  Even though it was hard at times, I hope that more and more families will branch out and take the steps of faith required to take children of all ages on mission, whether it be downtown Tulsa or to the ends of the earth in Haiti or Africa.  There is no greater message of servitude than serving alongside your children. – Courtney Berg

 

Haiti for me was such an eye opening experience. It humbled me. It is okay that my home has only concrete floors, and a bath but no shower. That there are people in Haiti that live in way worse conditions but they welcome each day with happiness and love. They showed me the true meaning of love, hard work, discipline and a rich and true faith. If we were in those conditions would we have that kind of faith or would we turn our backs on God and blame him for the way it is? – Stacy Burright

A trip to the myLIFEspeaks campus in Haiti is: Moto rides and coral reefs; Mountain tops and sugar cane; Sunny days and humidity; It's banan trees, mangos, pineapple and feeding programs; Sweet, contagious smiles and Redemption 72:14; A helping hand, a soccer game, a warm hug and a lifetime of memories; It's stark white church clothes washed by hand and a "hallelujah" in praise of The Lord; It's relationships and community and welcoming of strangers; It's thinking you are blessing others and ending up being blessed; It's speaking up for those who can't speak for themselves.  A trip to the myLIFEspeaks campus in Haiti is love. – Dana Colley

Being that this was my first trip to Haiti, and overseas in general, going in, I had certain preconceived ideas about how my experiences would impact my life and my journey of faith. Now having had a few days back in the states to process the trip a little bit, the impact of my experience is starting to set in. The trip was incredible. As much as our team poured themselves out throughout the week, the children of Haiti poured the same energy and love directly back into us. Before the trip I thought a lot about how I could be a blessing to them but I didn't think a lot on how they would bless me. Looking back, I am so inspired by the kids and how much joy and love they demonstrated to us in spite of their consistently living in a much harsher environment than what we’re used to. It puts things into perspective and I am so grateful to have a genuinely changed worldview on life. It has been an incredible reminder that people desire to love and to be loved and that we should completely embrace the best of both worlds. I am so thankful to have been a part of this trip and to have witnessed so much of Christ’s grace and love. I’m excited to continue processing everything that I took away from the trip. It was a life-changing experience. I would love to go back! – Nathan Hollis

Often times going into mission work I think that I'm going in to change someone else's life but this experience revealed that changing lives shouldn't be the goal, rather just being the smiling face present everyday to show the love of Jesus.  I think more than anything, my heart was moved by the joy and happiness I saw in the Haitians. I've never seen poverty like I saw out there but their circumstances did not define the attitude that they chose to have each day.  I loved watching the kids dance and play soccer because for that moment, I could see what true love was. Seeing them come from whatever was going on at home and have the chance to smile and be free and enjoy the opportunity to just be a kid was completely worth every moment! – Maranda Jones

Haiti was a pretty weird trip for me. I thought that I was going to have some profound change. I did, but it was not what I thought it would be. I was pretty overwhelmed by everything and it was hard for me to process what was going on in my head and my heart. We were surrounded by poverty. But, what was more apparent than the poverty was the joy and smiles that resided in the Haitians. I think that is what really got to me. Even in poverty they had more than I do. I thought I was going to go to Haiti and bless them, but what ended up happening was them blessing me. Yes the trip was weird for me, but it was good and life-changing. – Emma Steele

My experience in Haiti was incredible. It really showed me what community is all about. Everyone in the village of Neply was so kind and welcoming that it just made me feel like I was at home there. Everywhere you went kids would run up hug people and everyone always said hello and asked how we were doing. Even though we don't speak the same language just taking the time to talk to us and always having a smile on their face meant a lot. I am so blessed to have been able to go and experience their love and their lives and I can't wait to go back. – Brandon Turney

Ivy Baker Priest once wrote, “the world is round- and the place which may seem like the end may also be the beginning.” There are many who would consider the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere to be the last, the least, the littlest. To some, the village of Neply might be the end of the world, hardly worth a passing thought, and certainly not a place where one would expect to feel the presence of the Lord. I came to Neply with the anticipation that I would be there to sacrifice my time and serve the needs of the village. As is often the case, those that have the least are capable of giving the most, and the people of Neply showed the love of Christ and had a far greater impact on me than I could ever have on them.   When I first arrived I was immediately blown away by God’s beautiful creation; a landscape distinguished by endless sugar cane fields, banana and mango trees, nestled along the blue Caribbean coast complete with a backdrop of mountains. As enchanting as the scenery may have been, it wasn't long before I was exposed to the surpassing beauty of the villagers themselves. They live day to day suffering from unimaginable hardship and circumstance and yet, the very idea of playing soccer or chasing bubbles sends smiles radiating through the group of children.  I was encouraged by the contagious joy of the people, with hearts so full of passion and love, reminding me of the simple things that truly matter in life.  I learned a multitude of things during my time in Haiti, too many to write, but the children taught me that the love of the Lord is universal; dancing, smiles, hugs, high-fives and a love for the game of soccer translate in any language! I am eternally grateful to have had the opportunity to serve alongside a wonderful team and will always carry Neply close to my heart, and I hope God leads me down that gravel road again someday, back to the beginning. – Shea Yates

*As promised, if you'd like to see a complete set of pictures from this years trip click here (you will need to have a Facebook account to access the pictures)!! 

May God continue to break our hearts for those in need… May His Son continue to be the ultimate example of love and humility… May His Spirit lead us to be His hands and feet each day… May we lead our families in a way that not only honors but upholds the Shema… May we find the courage to live by example and the faithfulness to take others with us!!

The Berg's (minus Charleigh, adding Jacob)

**Follow Jeff (Family Pastor of High School), also known as "surgeberg" on: Facebook, Twitter & Instagram

#Haiti2014

Live from a small village in Haiti for the second year in a row!!  Internet is still terrible here and I have literally lost two posts... so I am going to just upload a couple pics and call it good today (be sure to check back for a full blog and an entire photo album of pics later).

So far this week, we have:

Visited the My Life Speaks sponsored School!!

Toured the village (Neply, Leogane Haiti)!!

Put on a FREE Soccer camp for the kids in the village!!

Prepared activities & crafts for the FIRST EVER carnival in Neply!!

Served bowls of food at the My Life Speaks Meal Program!!

Made New Friends!!

Thank you New Beginnings and so many others who made this trip possible for so many.  It was the first overseas stamp for several people and the first mission trip for many more.  Please continue to pray for heart change by members of our team as well as incredible Faith Walk moments with our new friends!!

May God show you places to serve this week wherever you are... May the Spirit guide you through great conversations that lead to the cross... May WE love like the hands and feet of Jesus... May our city and world be a better place because of His Church!!

The Bergs

**Follow Jeff (Family Pastor of High School), also known as "surgeberg" on: Facebook, Twitter & Instagram

Day One...

Go to the gym... Eat healthier... Lose weight... Spend time with family... And on and on!!

I don't know what you're resolutions are this year or if you even made any but today is a big day.  Not just because it's the first day of the new year but because we have a big event tonight at New Beginnings.  For the last three years we have hosted Battle of the Bands.  This is an event where local bands compete for a chance at some professional help (recording, bio, training, etc.).  But if that was the whole story it wouldn't be worth mentioning here.  BOTB also has a cause... With every dollar we raise at the event (pizza sales, pop sales, door cover, etc.) we donate to My Life Speaks!!

So here's my thought... How great would it be if you started the first day of your new year NOT like a lot of folks: thinking about you BUT begin praying about a way to serve others!!  Begin looking for opportunities to help at the church, serve at your kids school, caring for your neighbors maybe even setting aside money so you could go with us to Haiti this fall!!  The best news is there's a chance TONIGHT for you to not only have fun but support Special Needs Orphans in Haiti... Simply attending Battle of the Bands!!  Even if you don't think its your 'cup of tea', come buy a couple slices of pizza or dump a few dollars in a band voting box... I promise it will go to good use.

Father, May we spend more time this year with You... May we spend more of our finances on others in need... May we love our families more and give them our best... May we take the opportunities Your Spirit gives us... May we have the courage to pray God sized prayers... May we love!!

**Follow Jeff (Family Pastor of High School), also known as "surgeberg" on: Facebook, Twitter & Instagram

Be moved...

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays. There’s time to relax with friends and family, always plenty of food, football games on the tube, tryptophan induced naps, desserts, and plenty of leftovers for the next week or so. I mean, what's not to love? I also enjoy this holiday because its very title reminds me to pause and consider all I have to be grateful for. And as I count my blessings this year, I recognize God’s abundant grace and favor. I'm married to my best friend that just so happens to be extremely attractive and a lot of fun to spend time with (see picture below). We have three healthy children that daily bring genuine joy and laughter to our home. We also just moved into a new house with the help of many friends that put in some late nights of heavy lifting and unloading to help us make the transition smoothly. Meanwhile we had numerous others that offered to be available and would have been there had we asked. We are relationally rich! We are also fortunate to minister and belong to a church that seeks to make much of Jesus by proclaiming the hope of the gospel to families and individuals. Additionally, I’m grateful to serve alongside a staff and group of volunteers that not only care for each other, but also long to make a kingdom impact within our community. And that's just the tip of the iceberg (or for those who read last week, the visible part of the Easter Island heads). I could go on and on but the bottom line is this: The Lord has been so gracious! And while I am beyond grateful for all I just mentioned, I feel it is imperative that I express one more thing that I'm particularly thankful for this year… I am thankful for the ability to be moved.

My wife being exaggeratedly excited about my superb parking job.
A couple more inches and we would have lost our security deposit.

Earlier this month we were able to spend a week in Haiti. While we were there, we had some firsthand experiences of the raw realities of life. Of course, we saw entire towns and villages filled with people far less privileged than us. We saw poverty and sickness and a way of life that is far different from our cozy comforts here in the states. Unfortunately we also witnessed tragedy strike the community where we were staying, as a five year-old boy passed away with complications from an illness. Of all we observed, I’m not sure any was more impactful. As the parents mourned, we were blessed to see this particular village pull together to love and surround the grieving family. Look, I know that stories such as this happen here every day. In fact, I’ve had similar heartache visit some of my loved ones too. I hear sad stories like this far too often, but there was something about being pulled away from my responsibilities and routine that allowed me to slow down and take a special notice. The sorrowful news didn’t just pass by like so many others. It affected me. I was able to see and feel and soak up the emotion of the entire experience and it deeply moved me.

Honestly, I am grateful to be able to feel such empathy – to identify the value in others and see hurt in a way that produces a sense of compassion. Simply put, it was grace extended to me that allowed me to feel for those individuals. Lord knows there are far too many times that I’m indifferent or so consumed with myself that I have no real time to be concerned for others. My heart has been hard and distant for seasons, but God has been merciful to not let me remain in such a sad condition. He has closed the gap. He has drawn near and softened my spirit. This type of grace is so often overlooked, but in this season I’m extremely grateful for it. My prayer for us this week is that we may be moved. If we are in a rut, may the Lord bring us out! If we’ve been too hectic and busy to process His goodness, may He slow our pace that we might contemplate more deeply on Him. Perhaps as we consider the Lord's presence and provision, we might ultimately look to the cross and be reminded of the hope that’s found in the empty tomb. May we think on God and have our affections for Christ stirred. Might we see His favor that helps us to capture life’s significant moments and may we be moved.

matt@nbchurch.info

Twitter: @FattMowler

Facebook: TheFattMowler

First, take care of self...

This morning’s blog is coming to you live from last Saturday morning. That’s right, folks! I was trying to find some extra inspiration by going above the clouds in hopes of getting closer to God for this one. So at an elevation of roughly 35,000 feet above the heart of SEC country, I was privileged to jot down a few thoughts. I promise to try to keep my blog short. For one, I need to freshen up on my Haitian Creole. For two, I need to finish this before we land, lest I become forced to scrap this whole in-flight theme I’ve got going.

The thing is I’ve never really paid much attention to the “safety instructions” on previous trips. Yet this time around I noticed an important sequence in the safety procedures. In a scenario in which we lose cabin pressure and the oxygen masks drop, we’ve been instructed to first put on our own masks before trying to assist someone else. While this might initially sound selfish to you as it did me, it actually makes a lot of sense. Before one can be of help to another, he must first be safe himself. If it doesn’t happen, there is a good chance that this well-meaning individual will not be around long enough to help. It seems imperative that we ourselves be healthy and plugged into a reliable source of oxygen. If we are not properly connected to our most important source, our efforts to help anyone else become more than dismally limited, they become non-existent.

Now if you notice in the illustration they’ve produced for picture book people like myself, a mother and her son are used as an example.  The woman first positions the mask with a sustaining supply of oxygen to her face. She then proceeds to take care of her little guy. Not selfish, not misguided efforts – it’s just simply the best hope for the both of them. Now, I know I’ve already tipped my hand and you are probably accusing me of over-spiritualizing things once again. However, there is a simple principle at work here that should be considered by parents that are longing to raise godly children.

It is simple. So simple in fact that it can be easily overlooked if we’re not careful. We must first have a connection to our Savior. We must be healthy and thriving, personally reliant upon Christ before we can be in any position to disciple our sons and daughters. Wanting more for our kids is natural. Hoping they experience better than us, well, that is to be expected. But wanting a faith for our children that we ourselves have never tasted is somewhat silly. How much of an impression has the ‘do as I say, not as I do’ mentality made on you as an individual? “Hey, place your faith in this Deity that I don’t personally know or understand. Believe in the One I’ve not yet trusted.” I mean that doesn’t exactly sound compelling, does it?

The spiritual wellbeing of our children is of utmost importance. Their knowing Jesus is as vital as the air we breathe. But another truth worth acknowledging is the significant role we are called to play in such development. And if we can look honestly for a moment, I think that most of us would agree - seeing faith walked out is far more impactful than having it only talked about. Jesus tells us to seek His kingdom and His righteousness, and we’ll find provision for all we need (Matthew 6:33). In this context, I believe the Lord is challenging us like so: “Seek me, trust me, be right with me, and you will be more than equipped to lead your family.” When our relationship with the King is right, our relationships and influence with others will be exactly as they should be as well.

So in closing… If you have dropped the ball as a spiritual leader in your home, pick it back up and remember that God’s grace is greater. To use the example from earlier, your child may very well find the mask, so to speak, and believe in Jesus whether you are of any help or not. Also, you can do everything right and the plane still may go down. Your salvation, my salvation, and your child’s coming to a saving knowledge of Christ, is God’s work – it is His doing all the way. Of course part of His grace towards us is that He allows us to participate as instruments of righteousness in His redemption story. Well, it is time to turn off all electronic devises and return trays to their upright position, so I guess I will wrap it up. With the hope that we can be around long enough to help and set an example in our words and deeds, Lord, may you lead us to first take care of ourselves…

matt@nbchurch.info

Twitter: @FattMowler

Facebook: TheFattMowler