Mark Graham’s Blog

4.21.11

April 21, 2011

mark graham…I have been back from Haiti for almost a week now and still working to process through the entire trip.  I was overwhelmed with all that we experienced to say the least.  We spent a good part of our trip in a community called LaComa.  It’s a beautiful community in a desert like setting.  The people there are incredible and the new church there is thriving.  It was so encouraging to see their passion for God and for the people of their community.  Our goal going forward is to establish a partnership between us here in the states and the church in LaComa.  I can’t wait to see how that begins to play out.

I got the chance to see the new Sun Spring water filter that is in place at the main mission campus.  What an encouragement to see it in action.  It will provide limitless clean water for the campus.  They want to buy 10 of them for their campuses around the northwest, but right now they only have 2.  They $23,000+ so it makes it hard to get them.  That’s where your help comes in.  We need you to contribute and post all over your facebook and twitter about the cause.

www.runmarkrun.com

4.4.11

April 4, 2011

mark graham…It’s almost time.  Down to just a few days before we head to Haiti.  My thoughts are all over the place.  I think I have everything ready.  Or at least I hope so.  The big details are done.  The students are prepped.  We met last night for the final time.  You could just feel a buzz in the room.  Looking forward to starting a partnership with a community, to look for ways to partner with the local church, to meet the people.  Good stuff.

For the past week or so I have been studying God’s truth behind kindness.  Most of it started with my message for our students but it hit me hard when I really began to get in to it.  The story of David and Mephibosheth is an amazing portrait of kindness.  David offering compassion and concern when he didn’t have to.  The story of the Good Samaritan.  He saw a man along side of the road and saw to it that the man received the proper care.  God made it law in Exodus 23 that his people were to show kindness to their enemies.  Kindness is a huge deal to God.  It is that nudge that eats at you as you watch images on TV.  It’s that nudge you feel when you see a need.  I want to do something but I talk myself out it.

Kindness isn’t always easy but it’s the best way for us to display who Jesus is and what he’s all about.

Please prayerfully consider how you might join us in our cause: www.runmark.com

Please repost our website all over your facebook accounts and twitter.

3.31.11

March 31, 2011

mark graham…We have one week until our team leaves for Haiti and the anticipation is building.  There are the nerves that come with being away from home as well.  At our meeting on Sunday I asked our students if they were nervous and many around the circle began to shake their heads with that deer in the headlights look on their face.  For many of them this will be their first time out of the country and their nerves are racing.  So we began to talk more about what they were going to experience and what the first few hours would be like once they are on the ground in Haiti.  As I was telling them my heart just began to race again at the thought of some of those experiences once again.

God is doing some huge things in the country of Haiti.  He is using Northwest Haiti Christian Mission in incredible ways to spread the Gospel message and offer God’s hope to people.  My mind often wanders back to Job, a boy in the Miriam Center.  I can still remember sitting beside him on the floor and talking to him and simply rubbing his arm.  The moment he felt a touch his face just lit up with an enormous smile.  Job can’t see and can’t walk but Job loves being loved on.  Sitting there on the floor tears just swelled up in my eyes as I saw joy come over his face.  We didn’t share the same language but we do share the same God and one day Job will be running the streets of gold free from the struggles of this world.  For the first time in my life I began to understand more about the glory of heaven.  For now Job brings joy to those he comes in contact with.  What an amazing kid.

Join in on what God is already doing…www.runmarkrun.com

3.30.11

March 30, 2011

mark graham…I wanted to take a chance to share a story from a friend…Cameron Mayhill…which will put a bit of perspective behind what we are trying to accomplish or better yet prevent from happening again.

“It is a desperate situation in Haiti.  In November, cholera struck the
Northwest zone.  But, I was here in the United States when I heard the
news.  It was devastating!  Within just a few days, we had lost
several people because of it.  I started working night and day to get
resources to Haiti to help the team.  Everything from oral rehydration
salts to antibiotics was purchase, shipped and delivered.  It wasn’t
enough.  They kept coming and dying.  On November 20, I got a text
message from Curtis Rogers, one of our missionaries.  It simply said,
“Isaiah has died.”  I was crushed.  Isaiah was one of our kids in the
baby orphanage.  He was my buddy.  I met him when he was three days
old weighing 3 lbs. 14 oz.  He was supposed to turn three in Feb
2011.  We are working so hard to get clean water to those that
needed.  We need your help!”

I know that there are so many thing vying for your attention, money, and time but it’s time that we start looking at how to heal the world around us.  We are simply inviting you to be a part of what God is doing in the country of Haiti.  He has already taken a hold of our hearts and we pray that he would take hold of yours.  We need your help in making this happen.  We don’t want another story like this to have to be told.

Go to www.runmarkrun.com and get involved.

3.28.11

March 28, 2011

mark graham…The time has been ticking away more quickly than I had thought.  Our Haiti team leaves for our trip in just over a week and a half.  It seems like we had more time than that.  None the less my excitement has started to build in anticipation of being back among people I have come to love and respect.  The Haitian people I connected with the last time I was there may not remember me but they have left an impact on me.

I can remember a boy named Junior.  We met on the very first night I was there last year.  He just wanted to stand by me and hold my hand.  He knew only broken English but we found ways to communicate.  The next day our team went on a whirlwind trip through the northwest area and didn’t return for 5 days or so.  The day we returned we ventured out to hand out groceries and the moment I stepped outside of the wall of the main mission Junior found my hand.  I felt his hand slip in to mine and then I looked over and there he was just smiling up at me.  I can still remember a smile forming on my face in that moment.  He walked down through town with me and back to the mission again.

It’s hard for those that have never had the chance to visit Haiti to understand the way it attaches itself to your heart.  Even I type these words my heart is pounding a bit faster thinking back over the smiling faces of the kids or the chance to run and play soccer.

Join with us in making a difference in the life of the people of Haiti.