Waves of Mercy

There are many missionaries in Haiti doing God's work, but there are a few that hold a special place in my heart. Madame Diana and Papa Larry. They are family. The two have been part of my family for over a decade now, and I had the privilege of interviewing them for a newspaper article updating our community on the conditions in Haiti as they stood last summer. Papa Larry had heart surgery just before our interview and was looking forward to getting back "home" to Haiti. I want to share that story with  you now.

Missionaries bring Haitian experiences to local children

(by Kim Lunsford, staff writer - July 05, 2011)

Messenger photo by Kim Lunsford

Broken and shattered, a people stand amidst chaos with disparity and uncertainty.

The land that is Haiti in the aftermath of the 2010 earthquake remains a landscape of debris and broken lives. The already depressed country was struck down by the 7.0 earthquake which took the lives of as many as 316,000 people and shook the entire nation.

“Homes are shattered. Lives are shattered and broken,” Waves of Mercy missionary and co-founder Larry Owen said. “It takes years to get back to where it ought to be.”

Larry and Diana Owen run Waves of Mercy mission in Port de Paix and have been in the country for more than 30 years taking care of Haitian orphans, street boys and widows in need.

After starting their original mission, Northwest Haiti Christian Mission (NWHCM), the Owen family began raising their children to know the work of a missionary. Today, while home base is in Versailles, Ky., there are two of their children, as well as their spouses and their children, who live and work in Haiti alongside them running the NWHCM. For their retirement gift to themselves, The Owens’ created Waves of Mercy.

“There are people in Haiti who are starving to death just because they are starving to death. Then there are those who are starving to death because they were affected by the earthquake,” Larry said. “This is the kind of thing we face. Haiti is still very much in the healing process. Spiritually, and I have to be guarded how I say this, this is the best thing that has ever happened to Haiti. It was such a traumatic experience that really shook the whole world. What that did is put Haiti on a lot of people’s prayer lists that never even thought of them.”

Larry understands the pain and burden on the heart of the Haitians.

“Our business as a mission is to restore and release people,” said Larry. “It is to set them free from this burden that they have and just give them hope.”

“Madame Diana” and “Papa Larry,” as the Haitians lovingly call them, have been out of the field for a few months dealing with health needs. Larry was extra tired this past year after the earthquake. The work is tiring, difficult and labor intensive. A return stateside and a visit to the doctor uncovered a new challenge for the Waves of Mercy team. Larry had blockage in his heart and needed immediate bypass surgery.

“I have gone through the most difficult time in my life. It was so overwhelmingly shocking. The Lord literally carried me,” Larry said. “I know the Lord was preparing me for this challenge. I long to be with my people. They are family to me. As I struggle with wanting to be back in Haiti, I know there will be a time when I am ready.”

Larry said his surgery is similar to what the people are going through with the aftermath of the earthquake.

“Like the earthquake at first, it just seemed so terrible. It just seemed so unfair,” said Larry. “But what I have learned is compassion more than I ever have before and understanding. Through this struggle you can say one day, I have been restored. I have been released and I am at peace with my body. That is the same thing we are trying to do on the mission field.”

The wounds are still too fresh for many Haitians to see events through Larry’s eyes, but he believes one day they will say  it is a blessing.

“For them, those large number of people who died, I say, oh what a tremendous waste for them,” said Larry. “But for those who died, they caused a change in the country, they are patriots. When we fight our wars and we have victory and we set countries free, they are heroes. They didn’t die in vain. All these people who sacrificed for the country. For that we can take comfort. That is how I try to comfort our people in Haiti. They could have lived their whole life and not make a difference, but instead they did and what a blessing that is.”

Diana said, even though they are out of the field right now, the mission continues to function effectively at the hands of the oldest orphan boy who they raised and who is their minister. The programs set in place work with the Haitians to educate them and feed them among other things.

“There is still so much tragedy in Haiti,” said Diana. “God isn’t finished with Larry yet, and He’s not finished in Haiti.”

The Owens spent the past week with host church, Amazing Grace Christian Church in Grove City, celebrating with the children and teaching them about their work in Haiti during the week-long vacation Bible school. The children raised more than $1,000 to help support the mission of  Waves of Mercy.

Churches and individuals interested in getting involved in the work Waves of Mercy and earthquake aid can do so by contacting Lori Conley at (614) 506-3694 or at trousdalelori@yahoo.com. Donations of peanut butter, rice, beans, other non-perishable items as well as Clorox to clean water, white sheets for burial, sleeping bags and basic hygiene items are being accepted. Monetary donations will also be accepted through the website http://mercysaves.org.