Pastoral Pondering

Written by Rev. Martha Langford, Senior Pastor at Second/First Church of Rockford, IL

Preparing Our Hearts Through Our Prayers

We move into February after a tumultuous beginning to the year.
We will mark the beginning of the Lenten Season and consider what we will “give up” or “take on” to focus our attention on growing into our identity as God’s people. Yet this work doesn’t have to wait until our foreheads bear the ashen mark of a cross. It can become the work of our everyday.
This year, I invite you to engage in a season of prayer and reflection on our ministry partners, Pou Kinam Yo—or POUKY for short. Our member, James Casimir, established Pou Kinam Yo (which means “for my people”) as a 501c3 non-profit. This organization implements projects onsite in and around Saut-d’Eau (Soto), Haiti supporting the common good of the community.
These projects include sustainable farming, education for children, a nine-bed hospital, a clean street project that employs the boys and girls of Saut-d’Eau to make their hometown a better place. James devised a genius method for getting supplies to Haiti that covers the cost of transit—you should ask him for the story.
New projects include Filtration Urns to provide clean drinking water, energy efficient cook stoves. Some projects are pending, waiting for government policing to overcome gang activity: Solar Panels, a Water Well, Tin Roofing, a Garden Tiller, a Library, Satellite/Broadband and Solar Charging units to allow students to pursue higher education from anywhere.
And some projects are cyclical—like the Education Project. POUKY is seeking to send 54 children to school equipped with the necessary uniforms, backpacks, supplies, and tuition at a cost of $250 per student. SecondFirst is a mission partners in the Education Project and the Tools and Seed project, but this call goes beyond the work of a single committee. It invites each of us to embrace the people Saut-d’Eau as neighbors in Jesus Christ.
As for prayers, consider adding these to yours throughout the month of February and through the season of Lent:
•THANKSGIVING for the foundations that have been built in Pou Kinam Yo and for our congregation’s connection to this vital ministry.
•LAMENT for the turmoil and gang violence in Haiti with prayer for the restoration of the rule of law.
•ENCOURAGEMENT for the continuing support of the Education Project.
•HOPE for the future of Sau-d’Eau and the POUKY projects that will expand the wellbeing of its citizens and the size of all our hearts.
And send me your prayers for our ministry work in Haiti and beyond, because I believe that those prayers are buoyed up on God’s dream for our church.

Blessings, Martha