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

Clarity

Let's take a trip back to October 2007, on a Thursday night God called me to the ministry while driving home from Encounter (campus ministry). Ever since that night, I have known in my mind what I want to spend the rest of my life taking part in. I am at a point in my life right now where I have a huge weight on my shoulder to do something about that calling. I feel like up until this point I have taken major baby steps in observing what a life of full time ministry could look like. It seems like everyday I wake up with this sense of urgency under my feet to take off with it. I am ready to be used for the Kingdom. Recently I have been praying that God would give me clarity on exactly how he wants to use me. There are some options I know I could see myself in but I am seeking God's voice on how and where he wants to use me before jumping to any conclusion. As some of you know, I have a heart for the nations across the globe. I also know that America is a country right now in desperate need for this generation, my generation, to have leaders rise up and lead with passion uniting the church across this country to bring eternal glory to the Kingdom. I want to be apart of something that reaches people all across the world bringing glory to the throne of grace. I want all the glory and praise go to the one and only King of Kings sitting on the throne. Readers of this blog, I want you to know that I am praying for a sense of urgency to rise up in this nation and all over the world that leaders would get serious about serving the King. What would it look like if a generation of believers got serious about serving God? If that sense of urgency would come under this nation once again, what would it look like? What kind of impact could this nation have on the world if this generation got serious about serving the King? I am so thankful for the support of the people whom have invested truth into my life throughout the last twenty years. Please pray for clarity for me on what to do with the sense of urgency I have to put my calling in the sea.

"I will rise when He calls my name"

Living for the King,

Nathan

Embracing Life

Well it has been a while since I have updated my blog, so let me give you a quick update without going into a lot of detail because I have a lot I want to share but want to keep it short. After the fall semester in Auburn, I decided to come back home to be with my family with intentions of finishing up at Belmont University. I think that my college route might take another swing starting in the fall or next spring. I am currently in the process of looking into a couple bible schools to finish up my undergraduate work in Biblical Studies. I am taking online classes this semester while working a good amount of hours at the Fresh Market. Now that you have a short snippet of where I am at lets get into the meat of what I want to share for this article….

The last couple months of my life have been the hardest for me personally that I can remember. I came to Nashville thinking I am going to embark on a new journey where I am most comfortable being with my family. Little did I know I was really being stripped of everything that was comfortable to me at this moment in my life. All of you, who know me, know that I live for meeting and embracing people in their walk of life wherever they are at. Some may say to me that I am the type of person to never meet a stranger. Well I noticed that when I moved up here and all my close friends went back to school in January this gloom of loneliness fell right before my eyes. I could connect with some on skype or facebook or even a cell phone but that was not fulfilling my wants to be with people. I could go to work and deal with hundreds of customers a day but that was not even fulfilling the need. It might of given a quick shot but as soon as I got home by myself reality began to sit in. I found myself turning away from whom I truly was. I began to lose my zeal for life. Although on the outside I would tell people I was doing great but their was a raging war going on inside of me telling me to give up. It wasn’t until I finally realized that God was teaching me something by this that I could embrace the reality of the state of mind I was in. God brought me to Nashville to take me away from my comfort zone of life so I would grow in Him away from the distractions. While at Auburn in the latter stages of my time their, I began to find my identity in my friends instead of Christ alone. I found myself wanting to spend more and more time doing the fun stuff with my closest friends than dedicating some time to be alone with God. It was as if I was living a life that I wanted my friends and God to be at the top of my list but share that number one spot. It wasn’t until I moved up here that God was stripping the friends off of that number one spot so He would be the only one I find my identity in. Although I may still be walking in the desert and will be for a while I am finding my trust in an old wooden cross that provides strength for me daily. It’s in the midst of all the brokenness in my life that I am finding comfort in the healer of that pain.

The night I embraced the reality of walking in the desert has been the best thing to happen to me, I decided to let God have all of me with no distractions. I wanted to have a Yes attitude towards the Lords will for my life. No matter what I am put through I want to maintain that attitude. I happened to stumble across 2 Corinthians 1:19-20 which reads, “For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, whom we proclaimed among you, Silvanus and Timothy and I, was not Yes and No, but in him it is always Yes. For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory.” That was it for me. That is right where I am. I want everyday I am alive to shout that bold YES towards God. I put the picture of White Sands National Park on this blog portraying the majesty of God in the distance with the desert in front of it. I would like that picture to accurately display where I am right now: In the desert saying yes to the Lord with my eyes-only being focused on the beauty of his light.

Who are the people that you know in your life that have made a life saying yes to anything the Lord calls them to? For me, I start with my own father. Saying yes to the call to ministry as a young boy and never doubting his call to serve. Then from there I think of Jim Cymbala, pastor of the Brooklyn Tabernacle, who started a church in Brooklyn, NY and pastors needy people week after week. I then think of a guy like Francis who is the father figure for nearly 200 orphans in Bethany’s Village in Ggaba, Uganda. Francis is in his later 20’s in a wheel chair due to polio at a young age but provides comfort to hurting children daily no matter what his physical problems are. I then think of Jason Swain (my youth pastor) and his passion for providing hope to people wherever he is. After God took Jason’s little girl at the age of 2 months he continues to serve the Lord daily. Lastly, I think of Matt Dean and by him saying Yes to the Lord to move to Hong Kong to provide hope for the hopeless over there. I pray that God will continue to bless these men that have had an influence on my life. As I conclude this blog I want you to evaluate what it means to say yes to what the Lord desires out of you? The Lord has been so good to me. He has blessed me with people that have poured so much life into me. Some of you may never know the impact you have left on my life but I want to say thank you. May God continue to bless you. Continue to keep me in your prayers.

Living for the King.