Rick Reflects: November 14, 2011

 

Our Haitian friends frequently urge us to stay in after dark.  I know this is a good idea.  I say to myself often, “I will not drive after dark”.  I have every intention of sticking to my resolution.  Then life intervenes and  {{sigh…}} I find myself driving after dark.  A special evening service is scheduled and I really need to be there.  Or a woman is in labor and I have to drive Cookie to theBirthCenter.

 

In the best of times driving is an exciting challenge inHaiti.  At night it is even more so.  It gets really dark really fast about 6 p.m. every day.  Because we are so near the equator, we don’t get the gradual change from light to dark one experiences in most of theUS.  There are few street lights and even where there are streetlights, electric is needed to run them.  The electric is often out at night.  There is little in the way of ambient light that is so common in the States.  So when you are driving after dark, it is really hard to see even with good headlights.  Then there is the fact that there are not many sidewalks so the roads are filled with people and animals walking along.  It is not uncommon that vehicles don’t have working headlights, tail lights or reflectors.  You dodge a goat only to almost run into a motorcycle with no lights.  Fun wow!  On top of that, robberies and carjackings are more common at night.

 

Dodging a motorcycle

 

I much prefer to drive in the day.  In the day you can see what is really going on around you.  In the day you have a better chance of seeing and avoiding a hazardous or dangerous situation.  In the day it is much easier to see where you need to go.  (Did I mention that there are not many street signs here?).  You just do better driving when you are driving in the light.

 

We live in a dark world.  That is true inHaitibut it is equally true in theUS.  The darkness may take different forms but it is there.  Read the newspaper.  Watch the 6 o’clock news.  This is not a surprise to God.  In John 3:19-20 (The Message)  the problem is defined:

 

“This is the crisis we’re in: God-light streamed into the world, but men and women everywhere ran for the darkness. They went for the darkness because they were not really interested in pleasing God.  Everyone who makes a practice of doing evil, addicted to denial and illusion, hates God-light and won’t come near it, fearing a painful exposure.

 

In John 8:12 (The Message) we have this promise.

Jesus said to the people, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t be stumbling through the darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.”

Think about it…what road are you on?  The one in the darkness or the one in the light?

 

Rick

 

Cookie and I are supported in our work in Haitiby people like you.  If you would like to be a part of our team and support us financially or prayerfully (both are needed) go to our website at www.servinghaiti.com where you will find links under the “Join Us” tab.

 

 

 

 

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