"The difference between our calling and our ability, is Grace." That truth echos through my ear as I think back to the first time I stepped on the raw piece of property that is now home to the MEBSH church/school of Mariani.
"What is God calling us to do here?" To be honest, that's a question that is still being worked out in my head. (More on that later). What I did know when I stepped onto that property is that there were dozens of kids without a school and a church that is meeting under a tarp on the street. I knew that to the head pastor of the district, Mariani was a priority. I knew that we had teams on their way in weeks wanting to help in anyway they could. I knew that every door had been opened.
With that, The Mariani Project began. I hesitate to even name it "The Mariani Project," because it's so much more than that. I understand that the ministry in that community is more than a "project," it's a commitment. Not a commitment to take over the church and the school but a commitment to come alongside them. To support them. It would be more accurate to call it "The Mariani Partnership." Maybe I'll change the name, but for now, it's "The Mariani Project."
I would like to attempt to paint a picture of the community of Mariani and the involvement that Praying Pelican Missions has there. Mariani is a small community on the western edge of a larger southwest suburb of Port-Au-Prince called Carrefour. Carrefour has a population of over 400,000 people and Port-Au-Prince has a metropolitan population of nearly 3 million. Simply put, Port-Au-Prince, Carrefour, and Mariani, are BUSY. People. are. everywhere. On the streets, packed in the back of small pickups, EVERYWHERE.
Now, I want to take you to the Mariani church and school. To get there, you either need an SUV, motorcycle, or strong legs. It is located about a half mile up hill off the main road. The trail up the hill could be called a road, but there's no way you're getting a vehicle up there unless you have some serious wheels. Most people hike it, or take a motorcylce taxi. With that, it's not nearly as busy at the property! People aren't crowding your space and it's really quit peaceful. Not to mention it's on a mountainside, so it has an AMAZING view of the ocean. It is a perfect place to send your kids to school or to worship God on a Sunday morning. Absolutely. Perfect.
The community of Mariani is made up of a young crowd. Young family's, kids, people trying to live life. A lot of people that live here make a living selling goods on the streets or swinging a pick ax at a work site. The majority of the population works for less than $5 a day and is struggling to make it. These are the people that Pastor Valco and his church feel called to. This is where Pastor Valco has been called to spread the hope of Christ.
I, along with Praying Pelican Missions (the organization I work for), have committed to come alongside Pastor Valco and his church. Many of you reading this have had the opportunity to serve with the people of Mariani. This blog is going to follow the progress of the church/school that is currently being built on the property as well as the general ministry of the church. I'll spend the next few blog posts catching everyone up on what has happened in the last 8 months at Mariani. God is at work and I'm excited to provide a way for you to follow along.
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