End of Day 3 in Haiti

Middle of Day 3 in Haiti

Morning of Day 3 in Haiti

Night of Day 2 in Haiti

Day 1 in Haiti

Day 3 in Haiti

Today was incredible. Well after I was woke up on the roof to rain and carrying my mattress downstairs at like 2 AM and then sweating in the hot room until 6 AM. That was not so fun at all. Anyway, today we first started off by painting downstairs in the school where we painted 3 class rooms. That lasted for a few hours, then we ate lunch. 

After lunch, we headed to repraties which is another Haiti Outreach Ministries church and compound about 15 minutes away. They had a church here but it was completely leveled by the earthquake. The only thing left standing was the entrance. The about 10 foot wall to the compound was completely in rubble. It was an eery feeling to see God's house in rubble but somehow knowing in that rubble there was hope. There is a big tent city at this place so we filled 50 1 gallon jugs to pass out. They went really quick but it was so cool to see people sprinting to get this water. As they were running I had a vision come to me of people running to the father to receive living water and salvation. The kids smiles as they laughed at how big my feet looked with my boots on made me smile. So much good video footage from this. 

After passing out the water we had to go to the market but it was pretty much all the way through port au prince so today was the first day we saw a lot of earthquake damage. Just wow. The best way to describe it is imagine a stack of pancakes. I saw a 7 story building just stacked like pancakes. So many houses, school, churches, businesses etc. are just piles of rubble now. News cameras and pictures do not do it justice. It was a weird experience, but the thing is people are so hopeful for the future of Haiti. We went home after the market driving through a place we will be tomorrow where 300,000 people live in 2 square miles. It used to be a land fill but now it is one of the largest slums in the western hemisphere. In the midst of chaos there is peace. 

The Lord is doing a lot of work here. There is a team of doctors with us also as well as a couple construction guys. Continue to pray for us. 

So, everyday I am doing a video blog here in Haiti about three times a day. The internet is to slow to upload them. When I get back into the states I am going to give you all the blog updates. Its going to be crazy cool footage for everyone to see. Nathan (team lead from Macon, GA) has a tripod for a flip cam so using that some also. Its been cool. 

Sorry for the length of this one. Hope you enjoyed. God Bless. 

In Him, 

Nathan Ring

Past 36 Hours in Haiti

Well, first blog since I have been in Haiti the last 36 hours. Internet went out last night so I couldn't post it. This account is from when we landed till yesterday night. I will type one for today separate because so many incredible things happened today. For those people that want the details of what has been going on I will give them to you in a short list: 

- Arrived at 12 PM to Port au Prince, Haiti. Wilson's bag did not make the trip down here but it did arrive today so that was a blessing! Got out of the airport where we met Stephen and Nathan our American team leads from Macon, GA. Both are around our age and have been in Haiti for 3 weeks now. 

-Took  a 10 minute ride from the airport to Blanchard where we are staying. At this compound Haiti Outreach Ministries has a church, school, and living quarters for teams. Very nice place and was not touch in the Earthquake. On the way to the compound we past the US Army base. Pretty crazy to see marines everywhere down here. 

-Yesterday at the compound was very relaxing. Got a tour and just hung out. Ate dinner on the roof and also slept on the roof. Food was really good. 

-Today woke up around 5:20 AM not PM, that is. Got into church around 6:30 AM and that just blows my mind that church starts at 6:15 AM. That really is crazy. Lasted till about 9:00 AM.

-Walked back upstairs took a nap. 

-Went to airport to get Wilson's bag. 

-Ate lunch

-Sanded two bathrooms and painted them at the compound. 

- Ate dinner. 

-Were all caught up now. 

So, I know that a lot of people are probably wondering is all of Haiti just destroyed. The answer is no. The earthquake hit downtown Port Au Prince really hard and thats where most of the damage happened. Where we are at there aren't to many buildings knocked to the ground but about 10 minutes away it gets really bad. I know I am looking forward to our time when we are going to see all the damage and all that. It has been so good to be in a 3rd world country again. I just love that I have sweat on my face as I am writing this because that means I am not comfortable. God calls us to uncomfortable. So I embrace where I am at because I know that is where God wants me to be. 

Tonight I heard a couple stories from a lady who came back to Haiti a couple weeks ago after spending 3 and half years here prior to the quake. She said that one of her friends attends a church in Port Au Prince and when the earthquake hit the children's choir was practicing and it is estimated 23 kids died in that building a alone. Crushed my heart when I heard that! More than likely they were singing praises to our Lord when they went to be with him. 

The other story she told me was about her friend who was taking an exam at the time and him and his professor got trapped under the rubble when it all happened. They were in the rubble for three hours when one of the professors friends came and rescued him. They looked at the boy who was trapped deeper and said we will come back to get you. Well, they never came back and he said that he sang and prayed to God all night. The next day he was crying out and a little girl said I can hear you but can't see you. At that time, he moved enough for her to see him and she went and got help. When he got out of the rubble, he told the guys I want to find the little girl who helped get me out. They said, there was no little girl. This boy was saved by one of the many angels that watch over you and I. Praise the Lord for a God who can save. 

To close Day 2 in Haiti, tomorrow is going kick off a lot of work for us to get done. Pray that we may see the Holy Spirit move in a powerful way in everything we do. We are going to City Soleil the poorest area in the western hemisphere. It was a land fill for trash but now it has turned into a slum. 300,000 people live in 2 square miles. Pray that the Lord would move in a powerful way through us to bring hope to people by simply reaching out and touching them where they are at. Loving this place so far! 

Stay tuned for a blog about today, I am going to type up here in a little bit! Big things happened today. 

-Nathan Ring

Church in Haiti

I want you who read this to try to imagine this scenario…

In a matter of minutes the place where you worship God whether it be weekly, every other week, monthly, or even just once a year has now gone to rubble. Now maybe your pastor, worship leaders, elders, deacons, administrative staff, and even members of the body of your church are gone in a matter of seconds. Chaos has now filled your streets, dead bodies can be seen and smelt in the air, needs are everywhere you look as you stand on what was the front steps of your church you once attended…

Where would you turn? For myself, I would like to say at that moment I would fall to my knees and shout, Oh God, use me to advance the gospel in this time of need. After watching Pastor Mark Driscoll’s sermon (www.marshillchurch.org) from this past Sunday morning about his 32 hours he spent in Haiti the individual stories of the pastors, seminary professors, teachers, fathers, women, and children are racing through my head. As I think about what would it be like if in a matter of seconds Brentwood Baptist Church or Fellowship Bible or First Baptist Opelika or wherever it may be for you is now in a pile of rocks. Wouldn’t you want to just ask God why it has happened to us? Maybe even out of some anger in your heart. The amazing thing to me is that story after story the men and women in Haiti Pastor Mark showed continued to smile and say my joy comes from the Lord. That is the type of person I want to be, that even in the days ahead where disaster may hit directly to my family I would be able to say God you are so faithful, my joy comes from you and you alone.

It is my prayer for you today that you might just take some time and think about how you can help what is going on in Haiti. I know that it might be the popular thing to do but I also know that already it is getting less and less attention via the internet, television, etc. One-day people will say that happened a year ago there isn’t much need for me now. Do not fall into that trap people. For I encourage you to check out www.churcheshelpingchurches.com and see how Pastor Mark Driscoll and James Macdonald are partnering with the global church to rise up the church in Haiti once again. Would you consider taking some time out of your day everyday to pray for a movement of leaders to rise up in Haiti to shepherd the hurting and broken hearted in the midst of a tragedy? I pray that you may be moved in such a way to see the urgency to do something now.

Acts 1:8 – “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

A new page in the book

Well a lot of things have changed since I last posted in April of 2009 but I really want to try to keep this blog updated on some things going on in my life these days…

April 2009 – November 2009- Worked at the Sheraton Hotel Downtown Nashville.

End of November 2009 – December 2009 – Returned to Uganda for about 3 weeks to Bethany Village and some surrounding areas. Incredible time. Will probably hear bits and pieces of the trip throughout a lot of blog postings.

December 25, 2009 – Christmas was great with the Family.

January 1, 2010 - Auburn won the Outback Bowl. War Eagle!

January 2-5, 2010 – Attended Passion in Atlanta, GA with about 23,000 college students. Absolutely amazing what the Lord did in 4 days there. The Holy Spirit was moving in a powerful way.

January 6, 2010 – Began traveling with my dad and working full time for Reach Out and Touch Ministries.

So the last date is a very important step in my life. In the days ahead as Dad and I embark on a journey to reach the world with all we have will you keep us in your prayers? There are some big dreams out there and with the help of you we can reach those. For right now I am just asking for you to pray that the Lord will continue to guide our footsteps and that we would daily surrender for what the Lord desires for our life. In the days ahead look out for a blog on my most recent trip to Uganda, a word from Mark 2 and how it applies to what we are about at Reach Out and Touch Ministries, some daily thoughts on life on the road, and much more. I would love to hear some feedback just to see if people even read these things anymore... Love you all.

Nathan