Hey Everyone,
Today, I’d like to discuss a sensitive and heartbreaking reality. The work we do brings us into a deep relationship with incredible people, and when they hurt, we hurt with them.
This past weekend, the head of our security in Haiti, Kalou, lost his 13-year-old son, Sebastian, in a tragic motorcycle accident just outside of Pignon. This is a story of profound grief, but also of the unwavering hope that holds us steady in the worst of storms.
1 Story of Impact
We have known Sebastian since he was two years old. In many ways, Many Hands has grown up alongside him. He was a remarkably bright kid who possessed natural leadership qualities. He could often be found helping to run his dad’s gasoline business, making him a familiar and beloved face to everyone in the community. This sudden news has cut deeply, leaving his family, our staff, and the entire Pignon community reeling.
It is a stark reminder that life in Haiti always lives on a razor’s edge. There are perils around every corner. There is no margin for error or emergency, and because of that lack of margin, many suffer fatal consequences.
On Thursday, the entire community gathered to say goodbye to Sebastian. It was a deeply moving ceremony. Even though his time on earth was short-lived, we honor him and the light he brought into this broken world. We are fiercely praying for his family, Kalou, his wife, and his nine brothers, as they carry the heavy weight of his legacy forward.
Yet, as followers of Jesus Christ, we do not mourn as those with no hope. Our hope is not rooted in wishful thinking; it comes directly from the One who overcame death. We place our trust in the only One who lived in Heaven, came to Earth, descended into Hell, rose from the dead, and ascended back into Heaven. He knows the way, and we trust that He took Sebastian by the hand and led him to his eternal home.
3 Points to Ponder
- The Fragility of the Razor’s Edge. We often live with the illusion of control and margin, but life is incredibly fragile. When you recognize the razor’s edge we all ultimately walk, how does it change the way you prioritize your time and the people you love today?
- Bearing the Burden. For us, “love” is not a passive feeling; it is an active verb. It’s the agape love that makes a choice: to bear another’s burdens. When a community member suffers an unimaginable loss, presence matters more than words. Who in your life is walking through a dark valley, and how can you actively step into their grief to help carry the load?
- Grieving with Hope. The pain of loss is real and necessary, but the empty tomb changes our final destination. How does the reality of a resurrected Savior reshape the way you process your own grief and face your deepest fears?
2 Quotes to Share
“Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope.” – 1 Thessalonians 4:13
“For the Christian, death is not the end of adventure but a doorway from a world where dreams and adventures shrink, to a world where dreams and adventures forever expand.” – Randy Alcorn
Even in times of great sorrow, we are called to be People of Impact. We are called to stand with the broken and the hurting, pointing to the light when the world feels unbearably dark.
How can you be love in action for someone who is hurting this week?
Feel free to reply and share—I read every response.
Live with impact,
Tim
