Day 14 | Russell Nuckles

Our week is complete, and with it what could likely be my final mission trip with this group for a very long time. As we sat and reminisced tonight, I thought back not only on this past week but also over the last 10 years. The Lord has blessed me with opportunity after opportunity to go with Him to projects near and far, with some of the best people I have ever met. He has been so good to me. It was fitting, at the end of all of these trips, that He reminded me one final time that the project is never the purpose. The job is never the goal. God did not put me on earth at this place and time to accomplish a list of chores that He needed done. He placed me on earth to love Him, and to share that love as I go along His will. Life looks so complicated from where I’m at right now. But His word assures me that it is never more complicated that this. I leave this with a portion of scripture that has become very special to me: Psalms 115 1. Not to us, O LORD, not to us, but to your name give glory. For the sake of your steadfast love and your faithfulness. 2. Why should the nation’s say “where is their God?” 3. Our God is in the heavens, He does all that He pleases. … 16. The heavens are the LORD’S heavens, but the earth he has given to the children of man. 17. The dead do not praise the LORD, nor do any who go down into silence. 18. But we will bless the LORD from this time and forever more. Praise the LORD!

Day 13 | Russell Nuckles

We read from Matthew chapter 25 in the Bible study this evening, and this revelation has given me a lot to think about. One group had been seeking to prove their righteousness by their works, yet failed. The other group had simply been seeking to serve, and in the process walked in righteousness. The first group, for all their good intentions, was blinded by their own efforts. The second group did by nature what they were always intentioned to do. The first group was condemned. The second was welcomed into eternal life. As the righteous stand before the exulted Christ on judgment day, they are redeemed not because they did good deeds that benefited mankind. They are redeemed because they served Christ faithfully, and in doing this they served their fellow man. The wicked are surprised to learn that the mission had been among them all along, but they had failed to recognize their opportunities because they were not looking for them where they should have been. We are not called work; we are called to serve. Our tasks are completed for the week. All major work is finished at the church and we will go tomorrow to officially give the house to its recipients. It has been a good week.

Day 11 | Russell Nuckles

Sunday. It was a pleasant, relaxing day. Church service here was much more similar to what we would consider normal than the previous services that I have attended here. The message was presented by an American, and then translated by the Haitian minister. Everything else was in Haitian. As always, it was comforting to see that the adoration and exultation of God transcends cultures and nationalities. Following this, I napped.

Day 10 | Russell Nuckles

It was a long, physically strenuous day. But God is good, and his blessings are evident even in the face of such weariness. When we finished up work today, Tyler and I went over to the water bucket to wash off our boots. We started to clean, but immediately one of the elders of the church who had been working alongside us all day long knelt down, pushed our hands away, and began to wash our boots off for us. Such a simple, profound expression of love and humility that left me speechless. We had just spent the last 6 hours working as hard as we could to serve him and his church, and yet with that one simple gesture of love all of it seemed to come to nothing. We had given to him what the job demanded that we give; he gave to us what his love of Christ compelled him to. Even now that distinction weighs heavily on my mind.

Day 9 | Russell Nuckles

Day 1 complete. The crew worked hard, and our progress was satisfactory. I got to do a little bit of everything around the job site, but by far the most interesting task was mixing the cement under supervision by the Haitian work crew. They’ve got their own way of doing things, and they expect you to adhere strictly to that way. I know about three words in their language, but they were able to express pleasure or disapproval quite clearly nonetheless. Working with them, I have now mixed three of the three largest single piles of cement in my life. I had an interesting conversation with one of our translators today. We came to be talking about how we bear our burdens in life, and he told me of how many Haitians will walk up a mountain carrying rocks or something similar so that they could lay them down at the peak as they arrived to worship. This ritual gave the acts of submission and repentance a much more tangible character. We all pick up burdens in life, but I for one often become possessive over them and keep their weight all to myself even as Christ reaches for them to take them from me. Time does not heal our burdens; it inures us to their weight, creating a separation between us and Christ’s grace. I found this lesson to be one which I was in dire need of.

Day 8 | Russell Nuckles

It’s been two years since I was here last, but I feel no more alien here than I would in my own home. There is simply a level of comfort about this place that is rare to find. As always, there is work to be done. God has already been doing some amazing things here, and it is our great privilege to get to join Him in His work. I came across this verse in our readings preparing for this week. It has become the central verse for me, and my daily plea before the Lord. Psalm 42:7 Deep calls to deep. At the roar of your waterfalls; all your breakers and your waves have gone over me. I pray that this week will be a total immersion in the Spirit of the Lord for myself, and all of our team.

Day 7 | Russell

The last evening. Normally this is a time of anticipation for the return home, and getting back to regular life. However, tonight, all I can think of is how amazing my God is and how truly wondrous He has been this week. Thinking of the many blessings that I have experienced gives me great joy. However, I cannot say that I am not somewhat dismayed by the fact that I must leave before the project is completed. This is an entirely new experience for me. Logan, Tyler, and I have discussed how this will be the first ever time we have not finished the job. So it is somewhat disconcerting to be heading home while still so much remains to be accomplished. But as I sit here and reflect on the last week, this dismay cannot bear before the joy that I feel when I consider just how good my God has been. There have been many mission trips that I have been on where I have been unsure as to whether our tasks were truly addressing a need. That has not been the case on this trip. The Lord has presented us with a mission field that is abounding in opportunities for service, evangelism, and building relationships. This playground will allow children a place which is solely dedicated to their enjoyment, while also placing them around men and women who love the Lord and will work as an ambassador from him in their lives. God has also given me a personal opportunity to affect the life of an individual child. A program here gives people the opportunity to sponsor a child through school. For $25 a month a person can provide for that child’s school supplies, uniform, and meal. When we were first informed of this, I volunteered out of a sense of obligation due to the fact that God has blessed me with the means, therefore it is my duty to help. While I do not believe that these motives were entirely wrong in and of themselves, they are no longer the driving motivation behind my actions. We met our kids today, and as I looked at the 4 year old boy clinging to his mother’s leg, all I could think was that this young boy deserved a chance to be more than a dirt-poor farmer in his life. How cruel could I be to have the ability to help and still refuse? I look forward to seeing how the Lord can use what He has given me to help this child and his family, and to hopefully grow a friendship between us. There is far more to this week than what I have written in these blogs. However, it will suffice for now to say that our God is awesome in power, perfect in beauty, and infinitely wondrous in love, and that He has richly bestowed His Spirit upon us this past week.

Day 6 | Russell

It is with a heavy heart that I look toward tomorrow as the last working day of our trip. Today was a very interesting day. We went to the market to buy supplies. It was rather eye opening to see 1. How they conduct their business transactions and 2. How much effort they put out just to survive. It was incredibly humbling.

Day 4 | Russell

Another awesome day in Haiti. We attended the Haitians’ service this morning. Although I didn’t understand a thing that was said, I still stood in awe simply of who God is. The songs that were offered up and the message that was preached were every bit as genuine and God-honoring as any that we might offer up back home. The universality of the Lord and the faith that He gives to us is beyond words.

Day 3 | Russell

With each passing day I am in greater awe of God’s ability to take a group of depraved, dysfunctional people and use them corporately for his glory. I knew that the group we brought over could work, but the diligence to task that they have displayed in our first two days has blown me away. I am no expert on these things, but I am mightily impressed with our progress thus far. However, if this were our only accomplishment thus far, I would count it as a complete waste of my time. However, I can state with confidence that the Lord’s presence has been with us in everything we have done. I cannot speak for others, but I have certainly felt his Spirit working in me even in the short time that we have been here.

Day 2 | Russell

My my my what a day. Allow me to start by saying that it was a tremendous day of work. The kids worked hard, and we got off to a great start. Supper tonight was a fitting end to the day. An old man who has been a missionary in the area for 9 years stood up and told of a few of his experiences which had impacted him the most during his time here. The first was of how the Lord had guided him in his attitude and decision-making. When he first arrived, he had an attitude which I believe most of us can relate to. He saw himself as the man who would change Haiti, and this left him dismayed and disheartened when his plans did not work out or his projects did not meet his expectations. However, through a series of trials and revelations, the Lord opened his eyes to the fact that he was not called to save these people. Rather, he was only to suffer alongside them, in order that Christ might be glorified through him. He was to have compassion, not command. His second story was equally impacting. It was of a conversation he had with a fellow missionary. The man had told him of seeing a Haitian man washing a car and listening to the song “White Christmas.” For those of you who do not know, snow is a foreign thing in Haiti. So the pastor went and asked the man “What does ‘white’ mean to you?”* The man replied, “I dream of a Christmas like the White People have, where I am with my family, with a large meal and gifts to give to my children.” The Christmas that he dreamed of is the Christmas that we take for granted every year. I cannot speak for those with me, but for me, hearing this man talk was a tremendous wake-up call for what my mindset should be, both now and for the rest of my life. *I’m paraphrasing here.

Day 1 | Russell

Based on the first two days of the trip, this is shaping up to be a terrific week of mission work. Attitudes are squared away, and there appears to be enough work to keep us busy for the duration of our stay. I look forward to seeing how the Lord will manifest himself in these next 6 days.

Day 1 | Russell Nuckles

Well we made it, and I didn’t kill anyone on the way down so its going good. I found a few people that I met from my first trip so its pretty cool. Well its time to beat some kids at card games. I miss you guys.

Day 7 | Russell Nuckles

Just to let everyone know, if Tyler doesn't make it home, it was a woman that did it. It will most likely be a very painful, gruesome death. He is totally innocent of all stories you may hear.

Day 6 | Russell Nuckles

This has quite possibly been the awesomest mission trip of my life. No showers, no bathrooms, no electricity. And i'm sleeping in a TP. All of which, when added to the atmosphere of a mission week, is turning out to be a terrific experience. Being removed from the normal comforts of life such as running water, cell phone service, etc., really makes you move past the usual everyday concerns about appearance and personal hygiene. The beauty and sheer size of this place shows the unlimited power of the Lord in a way I have never seen before. Anyone who has never seen a sunset on a place as flat as this is missing out on a spectacle unmatched.

As usual, we are already out of jobs, so we are trying to find things to do. In a remarkable turn of events last night, we got the wonderful opportunity to go put a herd of cows back into their proper field. And I thought I had gotten away from all that.

It's hard to believe that we have only one more day to work. This week has really flown by. I miss being home, but at the same time I will be sorry to leave this place.

Day 2 | Russell Nuckles

I am officially blogging for the first time. Go me. Having a great time. It's pretty funny to be cooped up in a van with Mickey, marcy, miranda, callie, jarren, brian, and tyler. But i'm persevering.  Can't wait to get to Montana and start the work.