Highlights

Campus News

Wildcat Weekly Minute for Nov. 17, 2011

A look at what's happening on campus this week.

Faith

Cleansed through the Cross

Dr. Quarles speaks on the efficacy of Christ's sacrifice at weekly chapel

Sports

LC hoops teams wrap up homestand with pair of wins

Off to Ozarks, UT-Dallas next

Organizations

LC media student give to Toys for Tots

More than 100 toys will help local charity

Campus Life

February is Heart Health Awareness Month

Stay healthy and 'God Red'

Culture

All the Shakespeare you could laugh at… and more!

tlc's adaptation of 'Shakespeare Abridged' pulls out all the stops

Special Coverage

LC brings another successful ‘Follow the Star’

'Christmas on the Hill' and 'Gala' add to festive weekend

Haitians rise with the sun to worship

by Sarah Hudson

Orphanage in Haiti rises with the sun to worship every day from 4 until 6 a.m.

It is 4 a.m. and my wakeup call is to the sound of beautiful praise choruses ringing out from the mouths of Haitian children. With every beat of the drum, I am thankful to be in Haiti. I am thankful to be alive and in this moment.

After sleeping in a tent on the hard ground that is surrounded by other tents filled with children, some with and some without parents, I crawl out to catch my first glimpse of the church service going on. There are not only children, but men and women, teenagers, elderly…all ages.

I was told the night before that the orphanage had church from 4:00 to 6:00 every morning, but I had no idea what that meant until I saw it with my own eyes.

Under a huge mango tree filled with not-quite-ripened mangoes was a group of chairs in a huge circle with a keyboard, bongos and a guitar. Some adults were sitting and holding their children, some of the children huddled together with blankets, but many of them were on their feet with hands lifted high in praise for the Savior.

It was unlike anything I had ever seen before. Tears flooded my eyes as I stood and watched these people, who just six weeks ago watched walls crumble around them. Even in the destruction and chaos they chose to worship.

Before the earthquake, the orphanage had 40 organized hours of worship every week. After the earthquake, the number was bumped up to 60.

Somehow I feel that my worship is not enough.

I could not understand one word of the songs that they sang, but I could feel the meaning. I felt the Spirit of the Living God inside the walls of the orphanage.

Watch Sarah's video of the Haitian children's worship service:


The orphanage is called Bethel Mission Outreach, but is also known as “The Rock”. It is located in Croix des Bouquets, a small town just outside of Port au Prince. Within a 5-mile radius of the orphanage there are over 450 Voodoo temples.

This orphanage stands as a testimony and a witness even in the midst of the evil and chaos that surrounds them.

As I watch the people sing and dance, I realize that with all that I have in America, I could do so much more. At the very least, my praises to God should ring out much louder for all of the blessings that I have received.

I quickly find that the time is passing by and I have been watching and listening for nearly 30 minutes. I climb up the steps to the second floor of the cracked building that is somehow still standing, and I creep around the edge because I hear that this is the best place to see the sunrise. With golden colors, reds and oranges peeking out above the mountain tops, and the songs of praise nearby, I cannot help thinking that this is the start of a beautiful day. With every beat of the drum, my heart beats praise to the One who knew before creation that this is exactly where I should be on this very day.

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