The light crept slowly into the dark rooms. One by one, the teens at Lighthouse Children’s Home got out of bed and prepared for their day. They were gathered in Les Cayes, a region in Southern Haiti, for a spiritual retreat. Wadson Delvar and Nixon Felix, Back2Back Haiti staff, were waiting for them at the breakfast table, ready for what the day would bring.
“We wanted the teens to know what they take in with their eyes and hear through their ears ultimately effects their thinking, speaking, and actions; our hope was to encourage them what they take in, could impact them in the future,” explained Nixon.
The theme of the retreat was “A Sane Spirit in a Sane Body.” It addressed the three parts of being human: the physical body (what can be seen); the soul (the human spirit); and the Holy Spirit. “After discussing these three aspects, we considered the interconnections between those three pieces and what can ‘spoil’ our spirits if we aren’t careful,” shared Wadson.
Together they studied Romans 12:1, “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.” They then shared what they could accomplish in their lives by seeking health in all three areas, and inviting God into that health.
1 Corinthians 6:19 taught the teens each of their bodies is a temple of the Holy Spirit. This cultivated conversation about caring for their bodies, but also encouraged them to care for their hearts and minds. “The retreat was a unique time for the teens to examine how the music, videos, and books they’re taking in, could effect how they view themselves and others,” shared Wadson. The teens were given time for devotions each night, and they worshipped and prayed together as a group.
“One of the last activities was asking the teens to write down what they needed, to remain in God’s presence,” shared Wadson. Each teen wrote their answer on a piece of paper, without their names, and put them in a bowl. Together, they all prayed over what was written down, and Wadson and Nixon have continued to pray since the retreat.
As the teens returned to their routines, Back2Back staff is prayerful the lessons learned and the presence of God will remain fresh in each of their lives. Please join the teens at Lighthouse Children’s Home in prayer, as they grow in their spiritual independence and learn more about living healthy and staying faithful to God.
Thank you for your faithful support for each child at Lighthouse and for diligently being the difference for one.