News from Trinity HOPE
This is one of a series of articles which we make available each month to keep our supporters informed about our activities. Trinity HOPE, a not-for-profit charitable organization, raises funds and administers feeding programs that provide a noon meal for the hungry children who attend our schools in Haiti where the Good News of Jesus is shared daily.
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“Haiti, Lent, and Vodou”
By Jay Brinkmeyer
“No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.” – Matthew 6:24
March 5th is Ash Wednesday, and it brings back vivid memories of my first season of Lent while living in Haiti. My first Ash Wednesday in Haiti was on February 13, 2002, and Pastor Thomas Bernard gave me explicit instructions: stay inside my apartment from the beginning of Carnival in Port-au-Prince until Easter. Christians were not to be seen with the vodou people, as they celebrated with the devil.
Before moving to Haiti, I had read a few books about the country, and one thing that stood out was the fact that, at that time, ninety percent of the population identified as Catholic, yet eighty percent practiced vodou. “No one can serve two masters.” There are children attending Christian schools with Trinity HOPE feeding programs who likely have family members still practicing vodou. During the season of Lent, vodou followers become more active, making this a crucial time for us to pray fervently for these children. We can’t imagine the challenges they face at home and in their neighborhoods.
The attached photo shows a vodou rara band marching in the street next to my apartment. I didn’t follow Pastor Thomas’ instructions to the letter and stay inside (I did go up on the roof to watch the band.) There were possibly 300-500 people in the group, chanting and making their presence known on Easter afternoon. A man in the crowd, wearing a Brett Favre Green Bay Packers shirt, would tell you that Jesus is still in the tomb and that Satan is victorious.
Children in Christian schools have heard these bands, listened to the drums and horns, and seen the evil in the faces of the vodou priests. Yet, in their schools, they are being taught the truth about Jesus: crucified, died, and risen from the tomb on Easter Sunday—VICTORIOUS. They know: He is risen! He is risen indeed!
Please take a moment to say a prayer for the children in Haiti during this season of Lent. Also, pray that those who follow the lies of this world will repent and turn to the Living Savior, Jesus Christ.
May God be with you.