We have been living in Haiti for four and a half years now and have had plenty of unusual experiences. Let me share one that occurred only a few months ago…
Just outside of our front gate there is a very large square cement structure sitting in between our yard and the school building. In the past there has been wet laundry set out to dry on it, neighborhood kids have played games on it, teams have laid out in the sun on it, and various guests have had their quiet time with Jesus on it. But what is its actual purpose you may wonder? It is a grave. Our neighbor’s mother-in-law had been buried there for several years. Our plans for the land did not involve the grave and so the neighbor made arrangements for it to be opened and his mother-in-law’s remains to be transferred. Not your typical agreement when buying land, huh?
Well the day came for the opening of the grave and the removing of the casket. Four bosses came with sledge hammers, spices, cologne and a large bottle of rum. The sledge hammers were to open the grave, the spices and cologne were for the possible odor once the grave was open and the rum was to help with their nerves. In Haitian culture there are a whole lot of beliefs revolving around death, but the base of it all is fear. People spend hundreds and thousands of dollars to give someone a “proper” burial even if that means that the remaining family goes hungry. The reason? They don’t want the deceased to come back and haunt them. The bosses wanted something to dull their fear.
There are so many in our community who fear death and go along with the cultural traditions that are supposed to ward off death and the dead. Even within the church there is a prominent fear of death. But the Gospel frees us from that fear! Jesus conquered sin, hell and the grave and so if we are in Him, we can confidently declare that Jesus is alive! Because He is alive, we are alive and we will never die. His life gives us eternal life. Our bodies will quit one day, but our spirit will live on forever. Death, where is your sting? Grave, where is your victory?
I love the song “In Christ Alone” and there is one line that is a perfect close for these little thoughts of mine – “No guilt in life, no fear in death. This is the power of Christ in me.” There is no room for fear in the love of Jesus. His love conquers every fear. Be blessed in His love today!
- Kirsten