Who doesn’t like a potluck?

You may have noticed the theme for our Haiti Fall Fundraiser is “Konbit.” That is the closest word from the Haitian Creole language that means potluck, or working together. Konbit is a traditional form of communal labor in Haiti, where people help each other prepare their fields.

Our Konbit theme came from a Parish Twinning Program of the Americas (or PTPA) conference that several of our committee members attended in August. PTPA is the organization that partners US-based parishes with sister parishes in Haiti and Latin America. The conference gave us the opportunity to network and learn best practices from other twinned parishes and organizations that work in Haiti.

During a session that focused on sustainability, the speaker used the phrase “Potluck Thinking” to describe involving and sharing the workload with others.

Potluck Thinking is the perfect way to describe our efforts in Haiti. It is a partnership between All Saints and the pastor, parishioners, teachers and entire community at our sister parish to develop a sustainable approach to education – empowering teachers to work together, families to support one another and communities to pool their resources to enhance their parishes and schools.

We need Potluck Thinking. It is the basis of everything in our life. Think about all the ways we pool our resources and talents:

• All of our parish committees are comprised of people with various skill sets.
• Businesses need a variety of employees who are trained in their specialties.
• We can find almost anyone to do almost any task we need, from fixing our cars to mowing our lawns to cleaning our homes and everything in between. Everyone has unique skills.

Now think about all the examples the Lord gives us in the bible. Just in last week’s gospel, Moses needed help holding up his staff and received assistance from Aaron and Hur. Other passages describe how we are one body, with many parts and how we each have different spiritual gifts. We are partners with God, pooling our resources, sharing our gifts.

We hear these readings repeated year after year, and each time I try to look for new meanings. And so, at the PTPA conference, when the speaker referenced the story of the Loaves and Fish when talking about Potluck Thinking, I was enlightened. I had always focused on the miracle in that story, but consider this: God partnered with us, lowly human beings. He could have snapped his fingers and fed those five thousand people. He didn’t need the loaves and fish.

Instead, when the disciples came to him and pointed out a problem, Jesus said – what are our options? Go see what’s out there. They found one person with a mere five loaves of bread and two fish. And, the boy was willing to share those gifts. Can you imagine what the disciples thought? “Well, how is that small amount going to help?” But that’s the beauty of sharing our gifts with God. He takes any amount we can or are willing to give, and he amplifies it.

So that is our ask today. We ask you to pray without growing weary, and we ask for financial support in any amount you can or are willing to give, so our efforts in Haiti can be multiplied by the Lord. Haiti is a mess right now with political instability, gangs and violence. When we are able to safely send money, they will need it more than ever.

Thankyou, Tina Lampe for the Haiti Committee

Our mission is to provide financial support for the 100 plus teachers and 4500 students in the 24 chapel schools in the parish of Notre Dame de Lourdes in Belle Fontaine Haiti.
Your donation of $150 or more will help a child attend school for a year.

Please Give Generously To Our 2022 Fall Education Fundraiser
https://allsaintscr.churchcenter.com/giving