Lorenz is Missing

I am 1,593 miles away and hiking in snow. I always come to the woods when something's on my mind. Today, it's Lorenz, a teenager in Haiti. I'm freezing and my hands are numb, but I am angry and I keep walking.

Lorenz is missing.

I met Lorenz and his brother, Lorenzo, last month in Haiti. I'm not sure about all of the specifics of their story, but they spent most of the week in the guest house where we were staying in Mirebalais. Lorenz and his brother Lorenzo felt like instant friends to my teammates and me. It didn't matter that we spoke different languages, communication was easy with them. It would be hard to find two brighter smiles than that of Lorenzo and Lorenz. It's hard to describe these two boys and how special they are, but their eyes twinkled and lit up when we spoke to them.  It's also hard not to imagine a Haiti with a brighter future when around these two. Smart and extremely polite, someone did a great job helping raising them.

One of them would always find us. One of our first days in the market in downtown Mirebalais, Lorenz popped up almost out of nowhere, grinning from ear to ear, so excited to run into us. Another day, he went with us as we worked around Mirebalais and bought food for the street children. We learned more of his story, and how his father had died and that he had several (6 I think?) other siblings. He invited us to go to his house to meet the rest of his family.

What we didn't know about was the turmoil inside his home.  His mother has a new man in her life, and he is into vodou. Apparently there is some tension between Lorenz's "step-father" and the children in the house. On Friday, something happened between Lorenz and his "step-father" (we don't know what) and now Lorenz is gone. The fear is that his disappearance is linked to vodou.

It is a helpless feeling, worrying about something that is happening 1,593 miles away. Lorenz probably doesn't even know it, but he has a whole host of Americans and Haitians covering him in prayer right now.  I can only imagine the army of angels surrounding him, wherever he is.  A group of Christian men who support our mission in Haiti (Grace So Amazing Ministries) are banding together to search for him and will be working with the local authorities.  They will decide the necessary steps to try and get Lorenz back when they find him. I am nervous because these men are my friends, and we are all worried and hope they stay safe throughout this.  I hope that wherever Lorenzo is and whoever he is with, he feels the love and support of the countless Americans whose life he has blessed and who are covering him in prayer right now.