Make a Joyful Noise

On Monday several of the team were asked by the HeadMaster of the schools for the town of Anse-A-Galets, Daniel-Bertrand, to come to the middle/high school and speak English to the students.  He explained that the students were preparing to take exams on Tuesday and Wednesday and that they were supposed to be out of school on Monday, but he had cancelled their day out of school because we were there. I was anticipating that they wouldn't be too thrilled to have us there taking up the day off.

I was wrong.

We went early to the school which was just a few minutes by Jeep from the compound where we were staying.  Daniel-Bertrand and another Haitian man named Johnny were to be our interpreters.  Daniel-Bertrand explained that there were middle school students in one area and the high school students were in another area. The students are not grouped by age, but rather by grade passed.  Once a student achieves the level of 5th grade, they must pass the year end exams before moving up to the next level in school.  It does not matter the students age, only that they learned all curriculum and pass the exam. Alex, Riley and Megan would talk with the high school students first while Paula, Joe and myself would take on the middle schoolers.

We had no idea what we were in for.

The room was packed with students sitting on benches, row after row of eager faces looking at us as though we had something to teach them.  We began by telling them a bit about ourselves, and asked them to do the same, in English.  Like any other classroom,  the cool kids sat together, the studious were in the front of the room in a line, the shy kids in the back trying not to be seen.  Each took their turn telling us something about themselves in English.   On the front row was a handsome young man named Markelor Louis. His English was pretty good, probably the best of the Haitians in the room. He told of how his Father had died 6 years previous and he was left to support his mother and 6 sisters. He was matter of fact, not trying to evoke any emotion, just stating facts about himself. Then he sat down. As others continued to rise and speak, I quietly went over and sat by Markelor.  I asked what I could do for him or how he thought I might help him. His answer was to teach him more English so he could better support his family. (Here Markelor -last on right-is pictured with his friends)

We did, in the form of a song.

Paula is a worship leader who plays the Ukelele.  Yes, I said Ukelele.  She played and I wrote on the board the words to "All To Him"- an upbeat contemporary christian song declaring God's greatest.

For every mountain that is high He is higher
For every burden that is great He is greater
For every valley that is deep He is deeper still
More than we can know

Our promise is Jesus
Our answer is Jesus
All to Him
All to Him we owe everything
Our savior is Jesus 
Our future is Jesus
All to Him
All to Him we owe everything

For every fear that closes in He is closer
For every doubt that comes on strong He is stronger
For every battle that we face He has conquered all
More than we can know

We know the great God
We serve the great God
We owe the great God
Everything all to Him


The kids were engaged and excited to learn the song.  They sang along loudly and with great enthusiasm.  By the third time though, they had it.  One in the group came forward and played the Ukelele after some minimal instruction from Paula while his classmates repeated the song again and again.  At the end of the song everyone in the room stood to their feet.  The room filled with thunderous applause, shouting and laughing.  Cheers lifted the spirits of all there.
I think I got a glimpse of what it sounds like at the Throne. It was a joyful noise indeed.


"Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth.  Worship the Lord with Gladness; come before him with joyful songs." Psalm 100