Lessons from Haiti

In 2004, more than 2500 people died in Gonaives, Haiti due to heavy rainfall after the passage of Tropical Storm Jeanine.

Gonaives was under water once again in 2008 following the passage of tropical storms Fay, Gustav, Hanna and Ike, with more than 100,000 persons left homeless.

Then came the devastating earthquake of 2010, with over 300,000 deaths and more than one million persons displaced.

Now in 2016, Haiti has once more faced a major disaster, this time in the form of Hurricane Matthew.

Trees uprooted

Homes reduced to rubble

Plantations immersed underwater, destroying crops ready to harvest

Personal belongings destroyed

Cooking a meal in front of what is left of her home

Many persons have formed theories about why Haiti seems to be suffering from so many "acts of God". It seems like they barely have a chance to recover from one natural disaster before another one hits. Many have put the blame on the prevalence of voodoo in that nation, saying that God is judging Haiti for their sinful ways.

However, I beg to differ.

My reading of the Bible shows a God who is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9). In Romans 5:20, Paul writes that where sin increases, God's grace increases even more. 

In the Old Testament, there were incidents where God punished cities (Sodom and Gomorrah) and even the whole world (the great flood) because of their sinful ways. However, in these accounts, the righteous were spared destruction. Lot and his family were forcibly removed before Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed, and God led Noah to build an ark to save himself and his family from the flood.

In the disasters that Haiti has suffered over the past decade, there was no distinction between those who were living according to God's laws, and those who weren't. The righteous were affected just as badly as the unrighteous.

Pastor's house which lost its roof

The reality is that Haiti is vulnerable to both earthquakes and hurricanes based on its geographic location. It is situated between two fault lines, on the divide between the North American tectonic plate and the Caribbean plate. Haiti also lies in the middle of the hurricane belt, making it an easy target for major tropical storms and hurricanes.

However, in the midst of disaster, there lies hope. We spent time over the last few days meeting with persons who were directly affected by Hurricane Matthew and hearing their stories.

This man was at home with his wife and family when the hurricane hit. He knew that it was coming, but he didn't think it would be that bad, so he did not leave his home. When the winds hit, his home came crumbling down, trapping him and his wife under the rubble. His children ran to the neighbours to get help and when they saw him they initially thought he was dead. They were able to free him from the rubble, and he and his wife escaped unharmed. When we asked what he was thinking as he lay trapped under the rubble, he responded that he was recognising how powerful God is: that even though his home was destroyed and he was left with no material possessions, he and his family were safe.

Monique's husband was a fisherman. Two days before Hurricane Matthew hit, he went out to sea as he normally did. She warned him not to go out too far. If he had listened to her, he would still have been alive today. He and his fishing partner drowned due to high waves generated by the hurricane. Their house was destroyed, along with their crops, and now she has to raise her 7 children on her own. When asked how she would survive, this was her response: The birds don't work, yet God provides food for them. I know He will provide for me.

I have travelled to 16 countries and met hundreds of people, but I can honestly say that Haitians are the most resilient people I know. They do not crumble when disaster hits. Those who have share what little they have with those who have less. They find a way to rebuild. Those who have faith in God look to Him for sustenance. And so should we.

Habakkuk 3:17 & 18

Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines,

though the olive crops fails and the fields produce no food,

though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls,

yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior.

Venezuela in crisis

Venezuela is in crisis. Social. Economic. Political. Crisis.

Crisis is when you are only allowed to go to the supermarket one day a week to buy basic items like sugar, rice, milk, oil, cornmeal, toothpaste, soap, etc.

Crisis is when you have to wait in line for hours to get into the supermarket.

Crisis is when you get into the supermarket but most of the shelves are empty.

Crisis is when your newborn baby is starving because you cannot produce breast milk to feed them due to your malnutrition.

People are hungry. And when people are hungry, they get desperate.

Is There Not A Cause is partnering with two churches in Margarita, Venezuela to share God's love with a people who are in crisis. We will do so in a practical way by distributing food items, as well as offering prayer and words of encouragement.

We are collecting donations of the following items to distribute on our next trip scheduled for October 20th - 23rd:
Powdered milk, pasta, rice, cornmeal, oats, oil, tuna, sardines, sugar, toilet paper, soap, toothpaste, deodorant, sanitary napkins, shaving razors, baby milk, diapers (cloth and disposable)

Donations of cash or kind can be dropped off at the ITNAC office at 93 Charlotte Street, Port of Spain (upstair Rehoboth Mall) or you can contact me directly to collect. If you prefer to deposit directly into the bank account, please let me know how much was deposited.

Let us demonstrate the love of God to our neighbours in their time of need.

Matthew 25:37 - 40
“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

YLG Plenary sessions - Part 1

One of the program elements at the Younger Leaders Gathering were morning sessions centered around scripture. Gifted men and women shared what God had laid on their hearts for us to learn from these passages, and then we were able to dig deeper in our small groups. Here are some highlights from the first 3 sessions:

The Garden - Cultivating God's Word 
Genesis 1:1 - 2:3

The Beginning helps us understand purpose.

Genesis 1:1 - In the beginning, God... - God is behind every experience.

God made everything out of nothing by His Word. This shows the power of God's Word, His effortless, unbound sovereignty - when God speaks, things happen.

"It was good" - according to God's purposes, not necessarily ours. When Adam and Eve ate the fruit, they defied what God determined to be good. God's best may differ from what we think is best.

Creation was ordered:
God created the context
(Day 1:light                               Day 2:sky and water       Day 3:land)
 before He filled it    
(Day 4:sun, moon & stars    Day 5: birds and fishes   Day 6:land animals & plants)

Mankind was created in God's image:
1. Appointed to rule the world under God's loving rule - creation care. Creation belongs to God, but we care for it.
2. Appointed to rule as male and female. God created marriage for His glory.
3. Made distinct from animals and angels. Humans are the climax of God's creation.

God gifts us to perform our responsibility. Our greatness comes from God's appointments, not our abilities. The world tempts us to find our identity in what we do.

After the 7th day, there was no "evening and morning" indicating that God is still at work in us because of our sin. He is recreating us to His image.


The Tower - Turning from idolatry
Genesis 10:32 - 11:9

The descendants of Noah acted immaturely when they did the opposite of what God told them to do; instead of spreading out to replenish the earth, they stayed in one place and mulitiplied there.

Before building the tower of Babel, they were known as the people of the ark - those whom God had saved from the flood. But they were not satisfied with this name - they wanted to make a name for themselves (pride), instead of accepting the name God had given them.

The gift of unity which was given for their salvation became what eventually led them astray.

God was not opposed to the progress and ambition of the people. It was their motive that was sinful. Their desire to stay together was in direct violation of God's command to fill the earth. God scattered them to protect them from the evil that would result from their rebellion and pride.

Our greatest human efforts are nothing compared to the power of God, who had to come down from heaven to see the tower they were building, which was supposed to reach to heaven.

Humanity today is trying to build a world without God. God is calling us out of our cities of false security, rebellion and pride.

Abraham was a descendant of the people of Babel, and God called him to be the father of the nation of Israel. God never gives up on humanity. He never stops pursuing us.

The people of ISIS tried to make a name for themselves when they videotaped the beheading of 20 Christians who refused to deny their faith in Christ. Contrary to their intention, when this video was broadcast worldwide, it drove persons towards Christianity, rather than away from it. When pepole realised that Jesus was worth dying for, they figured that He must be worth living for.
Unless we are prepared to die for our faith, our faith will die.


The Mountain - Responding to redemption
Matthew 17:1-13

Moses had died before he entered the Promised Land, and now he was in the Promised Land with Jesus.

Jesus was the source of glory, whereas Moses and the prophets merely reflected that glory.

John the Baptist represented Elijah to this generation. Matthew 11:11 declared that there was no one greater than John the Baptist. His greatness came from the clarity of his witness to Jesus. God the Father, not just the prophets, pointed to Jesus as the Son of God.

Sincerity and passion do not always result in actions which are correct. Peter was sincere in his desire to build tents, but it was wrong of him to equate Jesus with Elijah and Moses. The Father shows Jesus' superiority to the prophets by giving Him the title "Son of God".

Psalms 2:7 - Who is better positioned to be the Son of God, than God the Son?

Isaiah 42: 1 - 4 - Isaiah prophesied that Jesus would bring justice through His suffering, but Peter could not understand this.

If you want to see the love of God, look at the cross.

Lessons from our leaders

One aspect of the YLG program that had a huge impact and generated much food for thought were the leadership panel discussions, where young and mature leaders shared openly about their experiences - both the positive and negative. The lessons shared were invaluable:

Lessons learnt in leadership:

Understand that your identity in Christ is key.

You can't sustain what you don't have.

Lead from your testimony, not by your title.

Prayer saves time. The way you get things done is to pray.

You are working for God, but are you working with God?

Jesus made time to rest and connect with the Father.

You are strengthened as we consume God's Word - Jeremiah 15:16

Be responsible for how you live your life before others.

Surround yourself with supportive people.

Have accountability partners.

Even though you may think, "Lord I'm not good enough", God just requires simple steps of obedience.

God has anointed us - we are not alone. He is there, even in the darkest of places.

It's OK to admit that you don't know what to do.

Know who are the important people in your life.

Abide in Jesus (John 15) - this is the only way you will be able to bear fruit.

Maintain mentoring relationships - someone who will challenge you like Paul, someone who will encourage you like Barnabas, someone you can mentor like Timothy - they will keep you relevant and remind you that your leadership will not last forever so it must be passed on.

There is a need for balance, a rhythm of work and rest, labour and renewal.

Be careful that you don't fall - 1 Corinthians 10:1-13

1. Remember you are dust. Burnout is a real danger - you are not invincible. Every day, take time to relax and enjoy life. Proverbs 4:13 - your heart is the control center of your life. Weakness does not disqualify us from ministry; many times, God works through our weakness.

2. Keep Jesus central. Don't be so busy that you forget who you are doing it for. We need discipline to keep daily devoted to Christ.

3. Be ruthless with sin. Deal with it when it is a seed, before it grows into a tree. Leaders are in danger of abusing power. We sin because we want to, when an idol captures our heart and we think it will bring us satisfaction and happiness.

4. Maintain close relationships. Leadership is isolating: people put you on a pedestal. Take steps to deepen your friendships. Friends who know our passions, our failures, our struggles.

As a leader, your life should include the following:

1. Confession: be honest about your shortcomings and the negative effects that your decisions may be having on others.

2. Repentance: be willing to change wrong behaviour

3. Forgiveness: Ask forgiveness from God and others. This sets you free to be renewed and restored.

4. Embrace: Embrace life with its associated conflicts. Open up to others, listen and share your experiences.

5. Worship: Demonstrate a lifestyle of spirituality - Bible Study, prayer etc.

In facilitating reconciliation:

Recognise that transformation happens in community, as believers demonstrate how to live in love.

Allow young people to take the lead in rebuilding the nation

See reconciliation as a lifestyle, not just a project. You must be able to experience the pain of others.

Aim to shift persons from a posture of victims to one of servanthood - love your enemies.

Don't be overwhelmed by the big picture, which can be complex, but take the next step of obedience.

Sincere passion and consistent obedience is what God requires.

I thank God for the willingness of these leaders to share their lives with us, so we can be encouraged by their successes, and learn from their failures.

First Impressions

There is no way the experience of the Younger Leaders Gathering (YLG) 2016 in Indonesia can be summarised in one word, one conversation, one power point presentation, or even one sermon. This blog seeks to highlight some of the aspects which made a lasting impression...

The campus where YLG was hosted

The Connection
The YLG Planning team was very intentional about ensuring that this was not going to be "just another conference". We started receiving information one year ago to help us prepare for what we would be encountering during the ten day gathering. An app was developed specifically to allow participants to connect with each other before, during and after we left Indonesia. This tool was tremendously useful in getting to know persons and the ministries they were involved in even before we met in person. In addition to the facebook page for participants, a whatsapp group was created, which facilitated even closer interactions. Every day there were hundreds of messages with persons sharing their victories and prayer requests, words of encouragement, facts about the state of the Church in different countries, and even a live news feed! (we learnt about major international events in this group before the stories hit the headlines)

WhatsApp group celebrating birthdays from last year till now!

It was a wonderful experience to be able to meet in real life the persons who we had been developing relationships with virtually. Everytime I met someone I had spoken to before arriving in Indonesia, it was like a grand reunion,even though we were meeting for the first time. There was a great sense of camaradie, as participants willingly shared their finances with those who were in need. There was a great sense of connection as everyone there had one common passion - to see the gospel advanced to the ends of the earth - even though we were all involved in different ways. It was a beautiful foretaste of heaven when we worshipped in different languages, and were able to set aside our denominational barriers to focus on advancing the kingdom of God in our generation.

Unity in diversity!

The Networking
The mission of the Lausanne Movement, the parent body for the YLG, is to connect influencers and ideas for global mission. The program was structured in such a way to allow for much informal interactions among participants, apart from providing formal sessions where we could meet in groups depending on the issues we were passionate about. Every conversation - the person you sat next to on the bus, the person behind you in the food line, the person next to you at the breakfast table - all had potential to develop into new ministry partnerships. There were numerous spontaneous meetings during the free time which allowed persons to develop deeper connections which will last long after YLG 2016 has ended.

Map showing participants at the Children and Evangelism workshop

The Testimonies
For many of the participants, getting to Indonesia was a victory over many hurdles - finances, visas, family commitments. It was very heartening to hear from persons from a closed country who were prevented by their government from attending the last Lausanne meeting just six years ago. We also heard the story of a super model who gave up the fame and fortune of that lifestyle to study theology so she could be more effective in sharing her faith with the lost. Then there was the guy who came from generations of radical extremists who encountered Jesus in a dream and gave his life to Christ even though it meant being disowned by his family. There was a woman who was imprisoned in solitary confinement for her faith, and relied on the Holy Spirit to bring back to her rememberance scripture verses, which she proceeded to write on the walls of her prison cell. Every night we heard from ordinary persons who overcame challenges in their lives and are faithfully serving Christ. This served as a reminder of the power of God to transform lives in miraculous ways.

Someone shared how they got saved after understanding why
this character made up of the symbol for "lamb" over the symbol
for "self" stands for "righteous"

The Honesty
One of the program elements was a daily leadership panel, where mature leaders were interviewed and shared their experiences. This was the session that I had expected to learn the least from, after being exposed to so many leadership training programs, as well as my own experience in leadership. However, the leaders on the panels shared very candidly about their struggles as leaders, not hesitating to admit when they got it wrong. They were willing to expose themselves, so we could not make the same mistakes they did. The mentors in our connect groups also made themselves vulnerable by not just sharing the 'good' parts of their lives. It was refreshing to hear from persons who were willing to share, not just their triumphs, but also their struggles.

Much was shared about the need to guard against burn out

The Prayer
Prayer is crucial for the success of any venture, and YLG was no different. From praying in our regional group calls prior to the conference, to the morning prayer in the hotels organised by participants, to the prayer room which was open throughout the day for those needing time to spend apart with God - YLG 2016 was saturated with prayer. The climax for me was the evening of prayer where we were invited to pray for each region represented. It was astounding how what the Holy Spirit led us to pray while we waited on Him was so much in line with what the participants from the region prayed afterwards. The presence of God was so tangible in the auditorium that night - we did not want it to end.

Praying for one another

The Challenge
There was such a wealth of information that was shared through each of the sessions, which I will elaborate more on in subsequent posts, but there were two major things which stood out of me:

1. The importance of discipleship. Jesus didn't call us to make 'converts' of all nations, but to make disciples - followers of Jesus. So many times we have programs where many people surrender their lives to Christ, but for one reason or another they end up falling away. I was challenged to be more intentional about discipleship in the various ministries that I am a part of.

2. The vast number of unreached people groups who do not personally know a Christian.There are still many who have never heard of Jesus, and too often priority is placed on ministering to those who have already heard. Am I doing all God has equipped me to do in advancing His Kingdom among these people groups?

The Culture
Our hosts demonstrated an overwhelming level of hospitality. There were smiling volunteers everywhere - from the time we landed at the airport, straight throughout the conference giving guidance and answering questions, until late in the night when we took our last shuttle back to the hotels. They served tirelessly, and with genuine joy. Their labour of love certainly would not go unrewarded.

On this rainy day they removed their shoes
so they could serve us better as they provided shelter

The conference organisers had advised against experimenting with street food, as not everyone's stomach was designed to handle that level of spicyness. One of my Brazilean friends who is currently serving in Indonesia did not want me to leave without experiencing that aspect of Indonesia's culture, so she took me to dinner where I had the most delicious meal I could remember - IT WAS SO GOOD!!!

Can't remember exactly what it was, but the taste was phenomenal

I had a crash course in the history and geography of Indonesia on one of my bus rides back to the hotel. I learnt that it is the largest Islamic country in the world, consisting of over 17,000 islands! There are many different regions, and each region has its own language, culture and traditions. Some of us were able to take a driving tour around Jakarta where we saw craft from many of the regions, as well as interesting sites like a large church which was built by Muslims!

Beautiful hand-crafted batik

Overall YLG 2016 was a truly amazing experience, and I was so grateful for the privilege to be a part of it. Thanks again to all who made this possible. There is so much more to share, so look out for additional blogs soon :)

God's Unmerited Favor

I spent the past ten days in Indonesia at the Lausanne Younger Leaders Gathering and experienced so much of God's favor during my time there that I just had to share...

I arrived at Jakarta, Indonesia 
I cannot take it for granted that just because I set out to attend this conference, it was a guarantee that I would arrive.

There are some who were unable to raise even funds to purchase their tickets, so they could not come.

There are some who were able to raise sufficient funds, but were unable to secure visas, so they could not come.

There were some who secured letters granting them visa on arrival status but when they arrived in Indonesia, immigration officials refused to allow them into the country, so they were put on a plane and sent back to their home country.

There were those who secured visas and were en route to Indonesia but they had to turn back because of a sick family member. I am grateful that even though Daddy was hospitalised with angina while I was away, there were family and friends in Trinidad who were able to give the necessary support.

My delays were minimal
Anyone with experience traveling knows the uncertainty of delays - no matter how much time you leave for your connections, you can never tell when, just before take off, the pilot will notice an open panel below the plane, so they would have to call in the engineers to check it out and make sure that nothing serious happened. Having to connect in multiple countries with different airlines is always risky, so I do not take it for granted when I arrive at my destination.

My flights were not cancelled
Some people had their flights transiting through Hong Kong cancelled on the way to the conference, since the airport was shut down due to a storm in the area. Others were stranded in Dubai when an Emirates flight crash landed on the runway and the entire airport was shut down while the authorities were handling that incident. I had no issues with my flights from Trinidad to New York to London to Dubai to Jakarta, gracias a Dios.

My luggage arrived
Some of you know the story of what happened with my luggage the last time I travelled to Asia for a YLG conference, ten years ago. The short version of the story is that it arrived 3 days after I did. This time, I got my luggage on the same day :)

I did not get sick
Having to operate on minimal sleep due to jet lag, long conference days and different foods, there were many who got ill and had to miss parts of the conference. There was one particular day when I was almost sure I was coming down with the virus, but I didn't. After the conference, many were fighting bacterial infections, norovirus, chikungunya and typhoid fever so please pray for their speedy recovery.

I got a free loan from strangers
I arrived one day before the conference started in order to get some rest and adjust to the time difference. On arrival at the airport, we were advised to change our funds when we get outside, in order to secure a better rate, so I arrived in the evening at our hotel with no local currency. It was close to 9pm and when I enquired at the hotel reception, they said that there were no places nearby where I could change money. However, they offered to loan me enough money to pay the taxi fare that would get me to the mall where I could do so the next day. Talk about favor!

I got a free dinner
On the first night, I decided to buy dinner in the hotel, because it was late and I was hungry and tired. However, when I got to the restaurant, the staff asked if I was part of YLG and then directed me to the ballroom for dinner. It turns out that the YLG mentors had a meeting that night which included dinner, and there was a lot of food left over, so I got free food :)

There were no incidents in Indonesia
With the increased frequency of attacks happening all around  the world today, we do not take it for granted that we were able to enter and leave Indonesia safely. There were security measures put in place in the event that anything happened, and we were grateful that we didn't have to use them.


It's things like these that make me feel like I am Daddy's spoil chile, as I see the hand of God so clearly in ensuring that I am well taken care of as I walk in obedience to His calling.

Life in London

Before my time in Grenada, I visited London at least once a year from 2007 to 2013, most times on my way to a destination on that side of the world. This trip was no different, as I chose this route to get to Indonesia. I was so happy to be able to spend time with my big sister, and her new family!

Liming with the Mrs. Ogunbonas

Dinner with the Ogunbonas, overlooking the city at night

I was also glad for the opportunity to reconnect with my friends from high school, one of which I had not seen since we graduated! It was lovely being able to talk about what was going on in each of our lives, and to encourage one another.

With my friend's children

Youth undaunted!!!!

One of the highlights of this trip was the opportunity to serve on the prayer team at Hillsong Europe Conference 2016. This was a gathering of members of Hillsong church from all over Europe, and even persons from Africa, South America and the Caribbean, all coming together to worship God and be encouraged from His Word. It was a powerful time of testimony and ministry, and I want to use the rest of this blog to share some of the truths shared there, along with some pictures of London in the summer :)

Loving the sunshine that is actually warm!

God wants us to live transformed lives, not conforming to the world around us. God does not want a mediocre church, but one that is gaining territory, advancing His kingdom.

Our confidence should not be connected to our accomplishments, but to our belonging in Christ. Sometimes our shortcomings and failures is what allows us to release God's gifting in our lives, as His strength is made perfect in our weakness.

View of Central London from the 10th floor of Tate Modern

Our faith needs something to work against: that's why we have challenges in life.

Faith cannot fix what we will not face. We should not live in denial.

If you live in the gap between where you are, and where you want to be, your faith will give way to frustration, and eventually despair. Instead, we should look back at the gap between where we are, and where God brought us from, and be encouraged.

The kingdom of God is likened to a mustard seed, because Jesus wanted to teach the power of potential. Faith is the ability to see potential before there is any evidence of progress.

What you are doing may seem insignificant, but little is much when God is in it.

When a seed is planted in the ground, it seems like it is gone, but that's when it is growing. We must survive the soil.

Don't hesitate to ask God for big things for fear that it will ruin His reputation if you don't get it. When we love God, He places a passion in our hearts that He wants us to fulfil, so don't be afraid to ask for the deep desires of your heart.

Don't pray small prayers that hold God back from being great. Don't underestimate the goodness that God wants to lavish on us. Don't limit His generosity.

God can work with whatever little we have.

Part of the church's job is to train others to influence their spheres (the areas of influence we have - home, school, work, community) in a godly way. There are spheres waiting for us to step into, so that we can define the atmosphere.

God is not looking for people who have never failed - He is looking for people who will never give up.

At the Globe Theatre for the Taming of the Shrew

Human beings have the unique ability to materialize the invisible. We can dream and create.

We are works of art, created in God's image to create the future.

God responds to the voice of faith, which must the louder than the negative voices around us. Faith moves the hand of God to do the miraculous in our life.

Our past mistakes are not greater than God's mercy. But we cannot step into our new life without laying aside the old.

Part of the prayer team

It was lovely serving on the prayer team, taking person's prayer requests before the start of the session. There are so many among us who are burdened and hurting, and I was privileged to be a part of the response to provide a space for them to lay their burdens before the Lord.

One prayer request that I took one the first night of the conference was from a young lady who said she is not feeling loved by God. On the final night of the conference, the speaker used the account of Jesus and blind Bartimaeus to show how we are not just another face in the crowd, but God cares deeply for us as individuals and is ready and willing to answer us when we call out to Him. The amazing thing was that speaker wasn't the one scheduled to share that night - the scheduled speaker was unwell, but it was clear that the Holy Spirit was using him to deliver the message His people needed to hear.

This was a tremendous week in London - can't wait to see what God has in store for us in Indonesia!!!