1

Bearing the “Bouret”

By Levi Jones

Perspiration beads the man‟s brow as he strains against the load in his “bouret” (cart).
Inching his way up the hill seems nearly impossible as the weight threatens to pull him
backward... still he labors restlessly. Noticing the man‟s struggle, people gather behind the cart
and begin to bear the burden of the man‟s cart, hoisting it to the summit. Galatians 6:2 reads,
“Carry each other‟s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”
Haiti has undoubtedly experienced dark days and challenges, especially with the
devastating damage from the recent earthquake. Not to mention, hurricanes and mudslides are
always potential threats for disaster. Plus, many people will often walk for hours to the nearest
water source and back to their homes carrying five gallon buckets of water! Finding clean water
is rarely easy to acquire. It can be a difficult existence, to say the least. In many ways, the
Haitian people are resilient and hard-working, straining against the weight of their “bouret.”
The Nazarene Church has been one of many responders in recent days. Groups from a variety of
world areas are contributing to help rebuild, restore, and rejuvenate this wonderful country. The
Haiti Water Project is drilling wells for clean water. Nazarene Compassionate Ministries is
helping distribute food and supplies to disaster victims. Work and Witness teams are working on
construction projects or medical clinics. Recently, a team composed of members from all over
Oklahoma and Nebraska, representing several denominations, visited Haiti to complete a church
build and provide medical attention. Upon arrival into Port-au-Prince, many of the team‟s pre-
conceived notions about the Haitians were immediately confirmed (or so they thought). Children
 2

ran up asking for dollar bills, while two men counted a thick roll of cash that they took from the
youngsters. Others tried to sell trinkets or asked for assistance of any kind.
Brad Douglass of Perry, Oklahoma recalls, “Wow!!! People pushing, grabbing for my
bags, five requests to ride in a taxi. Then a boy, 10, with a broken arm, pointed to his cast and
said, „Dollar…dollar.‟ My heart broke. Then more kids, youth, adults began begging. My
misconceptions, distortions were reinforced.”
The first full day in Haiti, the team traveled north of Port-au-Prince to Desroulin to
complete a church build. The cement foundation and walls had been poured. The local church
members had gathered between 1,500-2,000 gallons of water from the nearest water source (3
miles) in five gallon buckets. The Haitian people would then travel three miles back with a
loaded bucket, careful not to spill a drop. That is equivalent to 900-1,200 miles traveled on foot
by this community in order to construct their church! The dedication by these men, women, and
children was amazing!

The team immediately set to work constructing the roof, painting, and building pews.
Unfortunately, shortly after putting the third truss up, an accident occurred. The third truss
began to swing down without anyone to guide it. Chuck Hall and I could not keep it from
rotating at our position on top of the wall, due to its weight. Shane Moore was standing on a
ladder directly beneath the truss as it began its downward arc. Rick McAmis, standing at the
base of the ladder, saw what was going to happen and braced the ladder with his back to the
coming blow. The metal truss smacked Rick on his back and his head. The medical team
patched him up before taking him to the nearest hospital, a dirt-floor hut, an hour and a half drive
away.
 3

Thankfully, Rick was just fine (minus a headache and stitches). But, God used that
misfortune for His purposes. The doctor that stitched Rick up came to help conduct the medical
clinic for the people of Desroulin. God provided connections for the people to receive help and
provided the doctor with people to care for! God‟s hand in the whole situation was evident!
Despite the setback on the first day, the team managed to complete the church in a day
and a half. The dedication service that evening was Spirit-filled. The people rejoiced at what
God had done... all we could do was praise Him for changing us! We had seen a compassionate
people, willing to work hard. They may have led simple lives, but the sincerity of their worship
could not help but stir the soul. Sure, the team could see the difficulties that had beset the
country of Haiti. But, even more impressive, we had seen a God that was overcoming that
darkness! He was empowering His people to be salt and light in their communities.
When asked about the best part of the trip, Pastor Dale Blake responded, “It was the
completion of the church and the response of the people after we were done; the young man who
threw up his arms and yelled, “Hallelujah!”; the smiles of all the children and the love they
showed us, even the food that was brought to us at the church [ in Gros Moren] was quite
humbling. The women who went through the sanctuary at 6:00 a.m. to prepare the church for
worship, what a sight! The cleaning, sweeping and picking up pebbles and trash and then
splashing water on the floor just to make the church ready for worship. The sheets and ribbons
on the pillars and the preparations would make us feel inadequate. We can't even get up in time
to come early and pray, let alone show up on time for service. We definitely have a lot to learn!”
Curt Luthye, a missionary in the Carribean region, stated, “We have 33 official churches
(not damaged by the earthquake) that are waiting for a building period and probably another 50+
not on the official list.” In addition, the Haiti Water Project still has a number of wells that they
wish to drill to help provide clean water for the Haitians. Not to mention, there are 46 churches
in need of repair after the earthquake.
 4

Obviously, there is a tremendous amount of work still left to be accomplished. There are
a great number of needs present in Haiti. However, it is not a hopeless situation because God is
already working in wonderful ways. He calls us to be a part of His work in the world. The
question we must ask ourselves is: “Are we willing to help bear the “bouret?”