HUN Update, January 28, 2007

Hey HUN,

Psalm 46:10 says: "Be still, and know that I am God."

That verse has meant a lot of things to me throughout my life as a Christian. Most of the time, it means, "stop worrying, you're not in control anyway." I'm a low-grade control freak, so that's necessary for me to hear now and then. But last night, that verse meant something different: "shut up and start listening."

I talk a lot when I pray, and I don't think I'm alone in that. Now, I have some non-Christian friends on this mailing list, and I think that they would all concur with me when I say that a relationship with only one person talking really isn't much of a relationship. It doesn't take a doctorate in psychology to know that you have to listen if you have any desire to learn. Actually, it's a bit of a paradox: if God knows everything and I know (basically) nothing, why should I be the one doing all the talking? Like I said a couple of updates ago, Matthew says "[the] Father knows what you need before you ask him."

You didn't sign up to this list for the religious content, so I'll cut to the chase. Having taken a little time to listen, God has really started to give me focus. Do you ever feel like you get lost in the moment-by-moment emergencies of your life? Sometimes it seems that "step-by-step" is the only feasible way to get through life; and yet, big-time financial planners will tell you that if you don't keep your long-term goals in mind all the time, they probably won't be realized. That's because everyday decisions can be powerful when each one is consistent with where we want to be in the long run.

It's really changed how I look at things, and it's allowed me to minister in a whole new way to the people here. I don't have a lot of business experience, but I have some, and most people don't have any. With 70% unemployment, that's not much of a surprise! I've been absolutely amazed by how blessed Haitians are to be taught fundamental economic principles. One guy came to me today and said he had a business idea that he felt was wonderful but he couldn't make any money. I asked him if the people to whom he was marketing his product (he was a tailor) had the money to pay him--because if you want to be rich, there has to be enough money in your targeted demography to make you rich. Lights went on everywhere. This guy is twenty and wants to start mass producing clothing because right now it's cheaper to buy imported clothes than to buy the custom made clothing they create here. I can only imagine how many great ideas have foundered because of a simple lack of information. This guy took off like he expected to be rich within the week after extracting a promise from me to teach him more if he had questions. My objections about my limited personal experience... completely ignored.

I grew up in a country surrounded by people that are making it in life. As a result, I know the skills necessary to make it. I am familiar with them; they are a part of my culture. I don't want to bring my culture to Haiti; that would be a crime. But I do want to be a part of making success a Haitian cultural norm.

On a lighter note: I misplaced my camera yesterday. I panicked. I looked in every single office, throughout the sanctuary, under and above and below and beside (plus additional prepositions if you like) every orifice and piece of furniture that I've used in the last week. It was nowhere. I was beside (those prepositions again) myself.

You guessed it. I left it on my bedside table. *sigh*

Your Haitian for the day:
I : mwen (Mway, with a nasal "n")
You : ou (oo)
We : nou (noo)
He/She: Li (lee)

The order is SVO (subject, verb, object) just like French and English, so most simple statements are direct translations.

I see you : Mwen we ou (Mwen-way-oo)

But, like French, everything is contacted, so "I see you" would actually be...

I see you : M'we'w (mm-way-oo) - but the last "oo" is barely pronounced. Creole is phonetic, which is why the "ou" changes to a "w." In fact, if you say use the present progressive ("You will eat him"/"you are going to eat him"), it becomes a regular old consonant.

You will eat him: Wap manje'l (Wap-mahn-zhay-l) - the "l" at the end is the contracted form of "li" which is he/she.

That's probably way too much for one day, but I got carried away. So... happy Sunday! Here's the contact information as usual.

Phone Number: 011-509-617-7720
Address for Letters: Pastor Jean Petit-Frére, P.O. Box 407139, Ft. Lauderdale, Fl, 33340
Address for Packages: Pastor Jean Petit-Frére, 2525 NW 55 Court, Hangar #24, Ft. Lauderdale, Fl, 33340

Important: Remember to address it to "Paster Jean Petit-Frére" and put "Attn: Dan" on the back of the envelope or package. Thanks!

Bondje beni'w,

Dan