The Church on the Move-Haiti

What if, every Sunday your church walked out of the doors and in unison were singing the song you started in the building? That is the perfect description of the church in Haiti right now! I couldn't believe my eyes! I saw it first hand.

I was one of those who, before going to Haiti following the earthquake, asked, "Now what business do I have there?" Don Schreier who is the Director of our work there often uses the phrase, "Boots on ground." I would expect that from a former Marine. So on my first journey inside my head I was chanting, almost "Rainmanish," "Boots on the ground, boots on the ground, underwear at Kmart."

I've been to Port au Prince many times, but only one extended stay. Mission Discovery's work is on the northern coast of Haiti in and around Port de Paix. But, this was a new day, a terrible event had happened and we were there with our friend and ministry partner Haitian Pastor Dr. Chereleus Exante to ask, "What more can we do?"

Dr. Exante is the pastor of the New Haitian Mission Baptist Church in Nassau, Bahamas, and oversees an association of churches in Haiti of 45 member-churches in the New Haitian Mission Baptist Association. He grew up in Port au Prince, and came from poverty to found and lead this association many years ago.

This past Sunday was the last of 3 days of National Prayer and Fasting for the country. Traversing across Port au Prince to visit two of the NHMBA churches we witnessed worship all over town. If the church was not worshiping under a tarp, they were walking, dressed mostly in white, singing in the streets. The largest group walking was at least 200 people! The pastor had a bullhorn encouraging the group like a good coach. I asked Betor to stop the car, I jumped out for this picture.

Later that day at the MD office in Port au Prince we had a second meeting with pastors, simply asking again what were their immediate needs. On the short list were tents, food, and medical. And last on the list from several as they departed, "You won't forget us will you.?"

This week we received 18 new children at the HOLD the Children orphanage in Port de Paix, all as a result of the earthquake. Don Schreier immediately mounted a plan for Mission Discovery's promise to not forget. You can read his blog and see those details.

So what can you do? Sponsor a child at our orphanage, join a team going to serve in Haiti, donate a tent (Shaun King an Atlanta pastor has a place for you to do that click here and read), and ask your pastor and worship leader to pick one Sunday this Spring to remember Haiti-then walk out of your building singing and praising!

In His Service,
Maury Buchanan

How I Droped the Ball-Another Haiti Story

Yesterday I was asked by my friend Don Bruce to speak in his Sunday school class about Mission Discovery 's work in Haiti.

Don, a pilot, had just flown a group of doctors to Port au Prince, dropped them off, then flew to Cape Haitian to pick up 5 orphans who had adoptive parents waiting form them in Sarasota, Florida. Don talked first about his journey. It was a riveting story with every element of drama, man's mistakes and God's perfect timing. Click here for the video story of Don's flight.

Joe Earnest, a friend who had just returned with me from Haiti, did a great job telling what he saw and how Mission Discover was perfectly placed for a the long term ministry ahead.

Now it was my turn, and I resolved this: what good was it to tell people about Haiti, unless there was something they personally could do?

I want to apologize to my friends in Haiti, my talk motivated a gift of $20.00 to purchase 50 pounds of rice. That gift from a great friend who has been with Mission Discovery to Jamaica and seen our work first hand.

I had so much rolling through my mind and 10 minutes to talk about it all. The current needs of one single orphanage, a pastor named Timothy who lives in a truck beside the church (pictured right) because his home is destroyed, and lost 20 members of his congregation in the earthquake. Our friend Pastor Chavenes whose school collapsed on 400 children, all killed. Evans, who lives behind the Mission Discovery office in a tent in Port au Prince with his nephew whose parents are still buried beneath the rubble of their home. Our friend, Dr. Cherelus Exante, who has the task of ministering to over 45 churches in his New Haitian Mission Baptist Association. The development of a micro-lending effort to help Haitians fund good business ideas, etc. The needs of Haiti are just overwhelming!

(To the right is Mission Discovery HOLD the Children Children's Home located in Port de Paix, Haiti will soon be filled with children from Port au Prince)

I had been working on an email all week and had hit a block, but came home motivated to give friends in Haiti a better shot. On my mind were those friends I mention and a projected $750,000 in projected spending to do our part in Haiti's recovery. The email is out and people are responding! Obviously I write better than I speak!

Not only will Mission Discovery be working in Haiti, but in the Dominican Republic, where a flood of refugees are crossing to find hope and safety. Our network of Haitian pastors in the Dom. Republic are connected to the needs and teams will minister there. (left-I caught this shot of a Haitian woman falling trough the gate entering the Dominican Rep. from Haiti praising God)

We once had a worship leader at an event who shamed kids for not worshiping. After the artist left the stage I said, "They are not bad worshipers, you're a bad leader." He's my Facebook friend now. That's as close as he wants to be.

Sunday it was a great class, a good group of people, ready to make a difference. I know them and their hearts. You had a bad communicator-me. I'll do better next time....promise!

On our departure I had a nice chat with CNN's Dr. Sange Gupta and Gary Tuchman. Good people telling a difficult story. Anderson Cooper and Dr. Gupta are traveling back to Haiti today to continue their coverage.

Looks like I'm headed back to Haiti this week to get materials together for the construction of bunk beds at the Mission Discovery office in Port au Prince. I'd appreciate your prayers. Here's the Mission Discovery office in Port au Prince that will house teams. We understand there is a proposed feeding center coming next door to the office that will feed 500 each day. Perfectly positioned for His perfect work!

Slowing Down

Ashaye Williams is 10 years old and she stopped me in my tracks.

She is HOLD the Children un-sponsored child number 21. I took this picture of Ashaye the first week of January at Victory Christian Fellowship School, one of Mission Discovery’s HOLD the Children pre-schools. For those of you who may not know, Mission Discovery has a child sponsorship ministry in Jamaica and Haiti that allow over 350 children to receive a school uniform, a hot meal daily and of course an education.

When Ashaye’s teacher brought her in for her picture Mrs. Brown said, “She is 21.” To which I responded, “Ok.” To which Ashaye responded, “I’m not 21….I’m 10.”

I looked at Mrs. Brown, we smiled at each other, I put down the camera, sat in the floor and introduced myself to Ashaye. What followed was a conversation about how much she liked school, her favorite subjects, how pretty she looked today for her picture and how cool it was to be 10. I remember becoming 10. It was the first year in my life where there were two numbers to describe my age…a 1 and zero. It was somewhat of a big deal, and it sounded to me that Ashaye felt the same.

Rich Rohde, the Director of HOLD the Children, knows every child and his or her story. I was just to be a photographer that day, but was stopped by 10 year old and reminded that everyone has a story. It was a pleasure to get to know Ashaye. The encounter reminded me that over 350 children in our program have sponsors who know them deeply, how to pray for them and their families.

I’m now looking for the next long encounter….the next great story!

The God of Drama

I have a friend named Macon. It’s now wonder that a man like Macon, who has such a unique personality, would love theater. Macon is a regular in community playhouses around Nashville. He’s good too. So all this to say, that, because of Macon, I have been to more plays this year than I had in my entire life to this point and I’m starting to notice some patterns. Plays that hold my attention have the following things in common:

There is a problem
There is drama
There is mystery
And the solution is a surprise

I’m sure as time goes on I’ll get better at recognizing what holds my attention but that is basically it for now.

Get this for drama. Jesus last words on earth before He ascended to be with the Father were, “and you will be my witnesses in all Judea, and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” Verse 9 of Acts 1 says “Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight.” Wooh what a show! Read the next verse, two angles had to tell the disciples the show was over, but that Jesus would be coming back the same way he left! At the end of the Elvis concert I attended in 1972, smoke surrounded the King of Rock n Roll and when it cleared he was gone and a voice came over the sound system to a stunned crowd and said, “Ladies and gentlemen, Elvis has left the building.” This is similar.

My experience with walking with God since 1972 is much the same as the story of His ascension. My live has been fraught with drama. I can’t say that I have enjoyed every dramatic change of scene, but am on the edge of my seat while at the same time a co-writer of the events to come!

Imagine walking out on stage and all of the actors are speaking in other languages. Imagine entering stage left and a fellow “actor” hands you an orphan, “here, change his diaper.” You’re on stage following a tractor-trailer loaded with all the lumber for houses for the poor in Mexico and it flips over on a sharp curve and catches fire! (That really happened too!) Or an elephant turns toward the car you are driving (a small Toyota), floats his ears forward to warn you to “back off!” Or a homeless man warns you to back off or he will punch you out, later only to weep in prayer as he experiences God’s love and all in the middle of a gas station parking lot at the corner of Expressway 83 and 10th Street in McAllen, TX. Caleb, remember that?

Macon, thanks for introducing me to your world. God thank you for inviting me to Yours too!