MICAH INSTITUTE FIRST ADVOCACY TRIP TO HAITI - DAY 4

Day Four
Thursday July 22, 2010

Searching for Sean Penn

Today we went to the Petio-Ville Club Camp. This 9 hole golf course was hub of Haitian's elite in one of the most affluent neighborhoods of Port-au-Prince. After the earthquake on January 12th, the golf course became a landing pad for U. S. Blackhawk Helicopters who brought in supplies after the earthquake. It was quickly transformed into tent city, but this one was different as it was led by an American, not any American, but Sean Penn. Sean Penn is one of my favorite actors. From Spicoli in Fast Times at Ridgemont High to Harvey Milk in Milk, Penn always acts with immediacy, irony and a twinkle in his eyes. While I enjoy his acting, I am even more inspired by his activism. In September of 2005 Penn went to New Orleans to participate in the rescue and rebuilding of New Orleans after the Hurricane Katrina. Then less than a week after the earthquake in Haiti hit, Penn co-founded J/P Haitian Relief Organization “to save lives and bring relief to the Haitian people quickly and effectively” J/P Haitian Relief Organization now manages the Petio-Ville Club Camp, the largest tent city in the country housing 50,500 Haitians.

Preaching in the Tent Cities

To approach the camp we drove up a stone road through an affluent neighborhood that included the Ambassador from America's villa. We came to a gate and were let in by a security guard who was carrying a rifle. As we drove up to the old club house surrounded by palm trees and banana trees, we met our host for the day Pastor Jean St. Cyr. Pastor St. Cyr was a big Haitian man, with an even bigger Haitian smile. Around his neck he proudly wore medals that JP HRO has been awarded for their humanitarian efforts, like the Commander's Award for Service by Lieutenant Colonel Mike Foster of the US Army's 82nd Airborne Division. Penn gets along well with with US military who like his pragmatic, no-nonsense style of development work. Pastor St. Cyr grew up in Port-au-Prince, but moved to New Jersey in the 1980s. He returned to Haiti in 2003 and was in the country after the earthquake. His church was just a few minutes away from the country club. After the quake he wanted to minister to earthquake victims, and started a church in this country club camp just down the road from his home and church building.

We turned on the four-wheel drive on our truck and the pastor jumped in the truck with us and drove down into the camp through muddy roads under an overcast sky. We rolled down the windows and saw an endless rows of tents in blue, red and gray from US AID, Oxfam, and even Walmart. With over two million Haitians living in tents, I wonder how long will these temporary towns exist?

Compared to other camps that we have driven by each day, this camp appeared to be well cordinated and running smoothly. It had a playground for the children, an amphitheater that screened films, a chapel, a health center and was well secured with barbed wire around the golf course and a large security staff. With the sweltering Haitian heat, being cooped up in a tent is often unbearable, covering your entire body in sweat. While there are latrines, there are often no bathing facilities so in this camp and others you often see folks bathing outside in the open air. It is hard to maintain your dignity in such rough circumstances, yet the Haitian people forge ahead amidst this daily struggle for survival.

Pastor St. Cyr led us up a hill to see the church he pastors, holding services every night. His congregation meets underneath a tent with a massive sound system that can projected throughout the camp. He has seen many people's lives transformed, but he said that it comes with a great cost. He is separated from his family who is in New Jersey, and has had his life threatened several times. Yet, amidst these challenges, he has a clear sense of calling. He said he feels like God is using all of the challenges in his life up till this point to equip him to lead courageously at this moment.

Ordinary People Doing Extraordinary Things

While we talked to St. Cyr, a young Haitian man named Jean who was part of the worship team, quietly played his guitar. Subtle and sonorous, his song was a small glimpse of hope amidst the great struggles of life in a tent city.

In the end we didn't meet Sean Penn. Pastor St. Cyr said he was meeting with “the General” today, after recently meeting with his friends Spike Lee and Shakira. Yet, we were able to meet with several ordinary people doing extraordinary things. That night Jean would lead the church in worship, while Pastor St. Cyr would preach, both exercising their gifts of ministry to bring healing and hope to the people of Haiti. How are we using the gifts of ministry that God has given us? Do we have the courage to step up and lead in the struggle against injustice? By sowing small seeds of justice, with time we will reap a harvest of shalom.

Peace, 

Peter Heltzel

Director, Micah Institute

Associate Professor of Systematic Theology

MICAH INSITUTE FIRST ADVOCACY TRIP TO HAITI - DAY 3

Day Three

Wednesday July 21, 2010

Integral to the Mission of the Church is the Ministry of Justice

Today we began the day talking to Jean Valery Vital-Herne, the national coordinator of Micah Challenge Haiti. Micah Challenge is a world-wide Christian-led movement in 40 countries that are working together to keep their elected officials accountable for the promises that governments from around the world made to cut poverty in half by 2015. These promises are the UN Millennium Development Goals.

The Micah Movement

In January of this year Micah Challenge USA came to New York Theological Seminary, bringing with it a deeply theological vision for justice. Inspired by the Micah Challenge, the Micah Institute at New York Theological Seminary was launched in April to educate the next generation of Christian leaders for ministries of peace and justice.

Through teaching a theology class in Haiti, I hope that new friendships are formed that will begin to establish a restorative network of healing and hope between Christians in the North and South. In our current global moment, we need a new prophetic paradigm of theological education based on a vision of integral mission. 

In the past, evangelical theology has emphasized the importance of converting people on the field of mission. The Great Commission in Matthew 28 to go into all the world and make disciples has been the mantra of the movement. Yet, as founder of the Micah movement in Haiti Jean Claude Cerin told us, “Jesus not only gave us a great commission, but also a great commandment—to love our neighbor as ourself.” Thus, integral mission brings together the Great Commission and the Great Commandment. Prophetic Christianity must engage in both evangelism and social witness. It is time for an integral theology—the whole Gospel for the whole people for the whole world.

Integral Mission in Haiti 

Prophetic theology today challenges both the church in the North and the Global South. Jean Valery says when he works with Haitian pastors, he encourages them to “re-read the bible” in relationship to the poor so that they can gain a fresh understanding of scripture that is connected to the Hebrew prophet's vision of justice.

Justice is God's Word manifest in a lived context, but what does that mean in post-earthquake Haiti?

Jean Valery said that top priorities for Haitians now are new jobs, good governance, and social services. The needs in Haiti are great. Port-au-Prince is surrounded by tent cities, but when will these families move into homes? When will the Haitians who are unemployed and underemployed find good jobs? When will half of the children in Haiti who are not in school find a school to attend? If the Micah Challenge movement seeks to inspire Christians to do their role in cutting poverty in half by 2015, they have their work cut out for them in Haiti.

Since 193 nations signed onto the MDGs in 2000, gains have been made in primary education world-wide. Yet, the aftermath of the earthquake, a history of neo-colonialism, and deep cultural conservatism provide serious obstacles to the struggle to end poverty in Haiti.

A Challenge to American Christians 

When asked what American Christians should do, Jean Valery, said, “I would encourage all American Christians to make a trip to the southern hemisphere. Through these trips they can get to know the ways that the majority of the people in the world who are poor live. Through understanding the challenges of their sisters and brothers in the global South, they will be in a better position to keep their elected officials accountable for justice. Thoughtful, prophetic advocacy for justice in solidarity with the poor is vital for the renewal of North American Christianity.

It is time for American Christians to get out of their comfort zone and join the global struggle for justice. The crisis in Haiti presents an urgent opportunity for American Christians to respond.

Conversations are currently afoot between the Episcopal Theological Seminary in Haiti, Azusa Pacific University in California and new urban monastic groups, to send people into the tent cities to live with the people for relationship building in the short-term and community organizing in the long-term. Father Oge Beauvoir, the Dean of the Episcopal Theological Seminary, is seeking to open the gates of his seminary to be an open space for Haitian religious leaders and leaders from other countries to get to know each other and conspire together for the Kingdom of God. Today we will travel to Sean Penn's tent city to learn of their example. Moving into tent cities raise a host of issues and potential problems, yet doing so opens up the possibility of developing a deeper understanding of the plight of those living on the margin.

The challenges in Haiti are great, so a multi-dimensional approach is vital. Direct advocacy, short-term trips, incarnational living, and prayer are a few of the ways that American Christians get involved.

President Obama has said the UN MDGs are the United States' development goals. What will the American Church do to help achieve these goals? What is our distinct role in the Micah movement for justice? 

Peace, 

Peter Heltzel

Director, Micah Institute

Associate Professor of Systematic Theology

A Day to Address the Needs of Today's Church

Transformative Leadership, Women’s Issues and the Media
What’s for the Youth in the 21st Century Church?
The nuts and bolts of community organizing

The Alumni/ae and Church Relations Department of New York Theological Seminary is pleased to present an exciting program on The Church in the 21st Century: Transformative Leadership Shaping the Future, on May 14, 2010.



The day will begin with worship, with a sermon by Keith Russell and the music provided by Darren Ferguson.

Exploring the theme will be a team of experts led by Katharine Henderson, President of Auburn Seminary. A panel composed of Mercy Amba Oduyoye, Kofi Opoku, Lester Ruiz, Daniel Meeter, and Allison Davis will discuss transformative leadership, women in the Church, challenges facing the Church, and media in the 21st Century Church.

At the Rising Star Awards Luncheon, we will honor two alums who have made tremendous strives in the five years since graduating: Cecilia Loving and Alfred Correa.

An afternoon panel led by Alfonso Wyatt will discuss What’s for the Youth in the 21st Century Church? Panelists are: Darren Ferguson, Diane Carter, and Alfred Correa.

Peter Heltzel, of the newly formed Micah Institute, will present a training session on the nuts and bolts of community organizing, with Ava Farkas, Liz Theoharis, and Chloe Breyer.

We are looking forward to having alumni/ae and friends join us for this informative and stimulating day. The cost for the program is $35, which includes a continental breakfast and lunch. Two Continuing Education units are offered for an additional $25.

For more information or to register, contact: Geraldine Howard, Director of Alumni/ae and Church Relations, at 212 870-3415, e-mail: ghoward@nyts.edu.