Easter in Haiti

We are still very much praying for both America and Haiti as Covid-19 continues to change our lives in ways that many of us never expected. Emotionally, physically, and especially economically I do not recall any single event that has changed us more than what is going on right now, and we wait and pray for GOD to put an end to it.

With that said, this is Easter week, and our normal tradition (whatever that is) will be different this year than it has ever been. There will be no new dresses, ties, shirts, etc. and no commercial or church-wide egg hunts. Restaurants will not be advertising their very expensive Easter brunches, and there will probably be a lot fewer Cadbury or Reese's Eggs sold this year.

The truth is, not being able to go to church all dressed up and getting a picture of our kids like that is a little sad, but it also reminds me of being in Haiti with All Things New for Easter. Not that people do not get dressed up because they do. And not because people do not eat a special meal, because everyone who can get their hands on fish eat it. It just reminds me of the necessity to celebrate Easter in a more pure and focused way. 

I remember, early on especially, going to church in Haiti on Easter and having no idea what was being said. People were singing and worshipping and the pastor preached, but it was all in a language that I did not understand. I missed getting dressed up and going to an air conditioned church and eating ham and mac and cheese. I missed watching the kids hunt eggs at a big "Church block party" and seeing the joy on their faces. But did I really miss those things, and more importantly, should I have really missed those things?

This year, we will all be stuck inside our homes. We can worship with our church families in a virtual environment, but for the most part our worship of Jesus and our family's worship of Jesus will have to be done without the traditions and experiences we are used to.

My question is, have you ever come to the end of Easter, Christmas, or just a regular day of worship and looked back on how great the day was. The meal was great, the pastor preached a wonderful sermon, and the music was incredible. The kids were well-behaved, you had a great afternoon with your extended family, and even closed the day off spending quality time with your spouse. 

My point is that too often traditions and "norms" can lead us to really "good" days at the expense of really "great" days worshipping our Savior. We can get so caught up in the experience of Easter that we can miss the experience of Christ.

I am saying this from my own life experience, but I know that I have spent many Easter Sundays and many Christmases where my memories and experiences have nothing to do with Christ. This year, that does not have to be the case. Starting today, join me in doing everything possible to point your family to the Cross.

In the midst of a changing world where we cannot do our "traditional" Easter, let's do something better. Let's put all of our focus on Jesus' death, burial, and resurrection and let's see what kind of memories we can make and traditions we can begin.