Breakthroughs on the music front

This blog is going to take you back a few years before it jumps into the present, just to give you some background on what God has been doing with my love for music and my desire to use worship as a way to bless and encourage others...

About two years ago, in the midst of a 4th year of teaching at LAMS and being involved with worship leading and Bible studies at New Danville Mennonite Church, I was feeling incredibly restless. I couldn't put my finger on the source of this restlessness, but after sharing with a parent of one of my 4th graders, I began to see the ONE behind it all... This "holy discontent" I was feeling led me to start asking God specifically what He was doing with my life and where He was leading me. I began to look into the possibility of teaching overseas with Wycliffe, but didn't feel like this was the right fit. I thought I was feeling some burn-out from my teaching, and wanted to explore some other interests and passions in my life. So, when the Mennonite Church USA Convention in San Jose rolled around, in July 2007, I was very interested to learn more about mission opportunities with EMM (Eastern Mennonite Missions) - specifically their one year mission internship program. I filled out the application, attended a missions weekend, and was more than ready to jump on a plane to Honduras to work alongside a pastor in exploring my giftings and interest in church work and music ministry. But with every passing week, the restlessness in my spirit increased. I did NOT feel at peace about this decision. I felt like I had designed my "dream job" in missions and was asking God's blessing on it, rather than knowing that I had asked for God to show me HIS dream mission for my life ... So began the WAITING.

In March of 2008, it finally made sense to me why God had asked me to wait. He had opened an amazing door of opportunity for me to use my love for language and culture, my gifts of organization, and my experience in teaching to fulfill a need at the Liberty Academy here in St. Marc, Haiti. I was going to teach English! And NOT in a Spanish-speaking culture, as I assumed I would - but among a people of African descent who spoke a fascinating language that was a mixture of French, Spanish, and African tribal languages.

But what about my music? I was excited to find out, during my week to Haiti in March, that the people here are incredibly gifted in music and rhythm. But I didn't have any sense of what my own role would be in that area, and really felt God challenging me to let go of ALL hopes and dreams of what 'could be' to see what HIS plans were for me down here.

When I was ready to board the plane on August 5th, I didn't have ANY musical instruments with me, NO written music, nothing. Although I felt almost naked without it, I also felt a deep peace. That kind that passes understanding. I couldn't bring my guitar or violin because I needed the extra space for my year's worth of clothes and teaching supplies. I didn't bring written music, because I assumed that I wouldn't be very involved in music while I was here. I couldn't have been more wrong...

Now, one glimmer of hope that was holding on to were some words that were spoken over me at my commissioning at the end of my TESOL school in Lebanon, PA this past June. One of my professors told me that she wanted to see me use my love for music and my gift in leading worship to "change the atmosphere" of Haiti. Another friend and classmate shared the exact same prayer. And in the past 3 days, I have begun to see what God had in mind when he asked me to TRUST in His plans for my music.

I was chatting with Rhodes one day last week and she shared with me how much music has been a part of her family, but that her children don't know how to play any instruments yet. They have a keyboard and 3 guitars on the way (most of them donations from family and friends), but no one in her family knows how to play them yet (except Kai, who is just learning guitar). So, when she found out that I play the piano, she asked if I would consider giving her children some keyboard lessons. I also had a young man from the DTS team (now on staff) ask me for guitar lessons. I didn't think I would be teaching any more music while I'm down here in Haiti, but I have LOVED doing that as part of my teaching at LAMS and am so excited to see how God can now use those skills to bless my new 'family' here on the YWAM base. And... when Rhodes found out that I play guitar and that I DIDN'T bring any instruments here with me, she offered to lend me one of their guitars for the entire year!

That brings us to yesterday. Rhodes was in our kitchen, chatting with Lindsay and I about our upcoming school years. We were marvelling at how much God had been at work in our minds as we set up our classrooms, did lesson planning, etc. It was just so evident that his creativity and wisdom was being poured out over us as we tackled the daunting task of teaching something that NONE of us have taught before. We are seeing God's strength being made perfect in our weakness and it is a beautiful and humbling thing to behold. We are also seeing how much our gifts as teachers balance each other out - we all have different strengths, that when shared in conversation and brainstorming about our classrooms, is helping us all to become VERY capable in the role of teacher.

But after discussing our classrooms, and the beautiful uniqueness of each student we will work with this coming year, Rhodes sang for us a song that she had written, on this very topic. It was absolutely beautiful, in word and melody, and left me with goosebumps ... I knew that this song was inspired by the Holy Spirit and I could already see how PERFECT this song would be for us to learn and sing at the Liberty Academy. Well, after she sang it for us, she shared that over the last year or so she has been given over 20 such songs - songs that were God-given, but for no apparent use or purpose - YET =) She mentioned that she's always wanted to have accompaniment put to them, but it also has yet to happen. Except for one, for whom a friend wrote out guitar chords. Then Lindsay chimed in that I really like writing music too, and that I could probably help write some music for her songs. Rhodes' eyes lit up, and I told her that yes, I have always had a desire to compose and write music. But after a 'burst' of music writing last summer, the inspiration just hasn't been there. I was learning to wait on God's timing...

We decided to go over to the sanctuary, a few short steps from our front door, and I played on of my songs for Rhodes to hear (Lindsay had already heart it). It was the song, "Crucified," which was also inspired and based on the text in Galatians 2:20. While we were in there, Lucy came to listen as well and she informed us that her husband, Peterson, a very gifted musician himself, is VERY good at writing Creole lyrics to songs that are written in English. She said he'd probably be interested in helping us out with that sometime, for our songs, if we would like.

Within the hour, Rhodes' husband Rodney informed us that Kristian Snow (a VERY talented young man, who loves to play around with making vidoes and multi-media presentations here on the base) has been looking for some new projects to work on - and that he had some interest in doing a music video with one of Rhodes' songs. TALK ABOUT EXCITING!!! To top it all off, Terry Snow has been good friends with the TV station managers here in St. Marc and so Kristian's work has the potential to be aired on TV throughout the entire city. Which is why he was looking for some new stuff to work on. He also said that there is very little music in Creole, and he would LOVE to do some music vidoes IN Creole, with Christian lyrics! The DTS team that we met back in March is still here on the base, mostly as staff, and they are a VERY gifted group of musicians as well. So not only will we be able to use Rhodes' beautiful voice on these music videos, but we can also add rich instrumentation of keyboard, guitar, drum, etc. I can't WAIT to see what God does with all of this! When I was talking to Kristian about this last night, I could just see his eyes light up with excitement. He said he's been sensing a breakthrough ever since this DTS team came to the YWAM base, and Lindsay, Rhodes, and I have been sensing one in the school ever since we realized that all three of us would be teaching there. And if you got to read the newsletter from Peterson and Lucy (ask me, if you're interested), you know that this city is seeing breakthroughs on MANY levels.

All of this is making me wonder why I EVER doubt God's ability to do great things, to transform lifes and cities and nations, to pour out his abundant blessings on his children! It is my prayer that these same breakthroughs can be a reality in each of your lives as well.

On a personal note... when I was talking to Kristian last night, I mentioned that I've been having fun playing around with the different instrumentation settings on the keyboard, and that maybe we can even have some solo violin for some of Rhodes' songs. He agreed that this would sound really nice, but then added that his brother Wayne has a violin that he left here when he went to the states, because he never really learned to play it. And it is brand new. I could hardly believe my ears! After sacrificing my desire to bring my guitar, God gave me 3 to choose from! And now, after giving up my violin as well, I have a brand new one at my disposal so that I can use it in the worship services at church AND in the making of these music videos!

Right now, we are all in the dreaming and planning stage of this project, but I KNOW this is something very near to God's heart and it WILL become a reality. I am so excited to see how He will use this to impact the city of St. Marc for his glory! Please pray with us that God will use this media of music and art to bring his kingdom here on earth in Haiti.