For eight days, from July 17—24, 10 team members from Harbour will travel to Haiti. Our team will join with youth from PACE ministries Kenya and others from around the US. This diverse team will build homes for 2 families that lost theirs in the 2009 earthquake. During the evenings we will minister to youth in the local church and community. Our desire is that this time away from home in a different culture and environment will provide life changing spiritual growth opportunities for the team.
Here is a Testimony of one of team members.
I grew up in a Christian home, and for many years, my family attended Harbour. The Spirit was moving in my family and we were on our ways to getting to know Christ better, when my mom was diagnosed with cancer in 1999. This was a world-shaking experience for my whole family. After a long battle, in September of 2001, my mom passed away. From that point on, my relationship with God was really challenged. I stumbled in my walk, and began to turn away from God. I knew what I was doing was wrong, and I tried to push God away, but even when I was struggling, I attended Harbour youth. It was there that the youth pastor at the time, Dave Chantler, and the leaders helped me get real with God, and look at where my life was going.
It was at the age of 17 that I started to take my relationship with Christ more seriously, and devote myself to Him. Even though I had called myself a Christian, I wasn’t really walking with God the way He wants us to.
Since then, God has given me so many blessings. He has placed desires in my heart to do His will and opened doors of opportunity for me. One of the desires I’ve had is to go on a mission’s trip. For a few years, there has been times that I thought I would have the opportunity, but for one reason or another, it didn’t work out. I see now, that God wanted my first missions trip to be something I share with my husband.
When Pastor Washira came to Harbour a few months back, and talked about the trip to Haiti, both Justin’s heart and mine were stirred with excitement. We had been talking about a mission’s trip for about a year, but nothing seemed to call out to us. Although we may be looking forward to slightly different aspects of this trip, I know that God has put us on this path to be light and hope for the Haitians. I know that God has built our marriage so that we can bring a different dynamic to the mission team. A verse that has always spoken to us, and continues to be motivation for our relationship comes from 1 Timothy 4:12,
“Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity”
Yeah Devan and Justin. You two will be shining lights for God in Haiti and we will be praying for you two and the rest of the team. What a great way to spend your first honeymoon/vacation together.