God blessed us with another great trip to Haiti this Summer. Here is a quick overview:
THE TEAM:
THE WORK:
The work was more diverse than it was last year. We accomplished alot of little projects instead of one big project including, but not limited to: painting, building, fixing up, and organizing.
Aubrey painting with Jose...one of our favorites.
THE KIDS:
Of course, the biggest and most important project was loving on the kids that we have been missing so much for an entire year. It was great to see the changes and maturity in all of them over the past year. Many came out of their shells who were a bit more reserved last year, a difference that I think is due to the stability the new missionaries, Hunter and Jillian, have provided to these little gems. Just about all of the kids seemed to remember us from last year which created an element of familiarity and trust allowing us to have more of an impact on them.
PRAYERS:
Visiting a place like Haiti is excellent for one's prayer life. There is no shortage of people with real problems. I don't mean, "I'm really stressed out because all these deadlines I've got" or "What if I lose my job?" or "My social security check isn't enough" or "My mother-in-law and I are not getting along." I mean problems like "I don't have a job and there is no hope of getting one so I'd better figure out my own way to support my family....if I don't, we will starve to death. Oh, and my 10 year old son is paralyzed." or "My entire family has turned their back on me because I have turned my back on VooDoo, so I have no support system....I'm over 70 and cannot work or take care of myself...who will help me?" just to name a few.
I have developed relationships and a love for the people who are in these and very similar conditions. It becomes mind-numbing making sense of their plight and contrasting it with my level of comfort. I find sense in the words of Jesus. In Luke 6:20 He says "Blessed are you who are poor; for yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed are you who are hungry now for you shall be satisfied. Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh." in vs. 24 he says "But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation. Woe to you who are full now, for you shall be hungry. Woe to you who laugh now for you shall mourn and weep." There is a sort of joy that these people have that I think I will never know or fully understand. A joy that goes beyond circumstance. A joyful need that brings someone to the point of wanting to seek out a relationship with their Creator. Nothing has more eternal significance or importance than that.
My problems...our problems seem somewhat insignificant when compared to those who are just working to survive every day. It's difficult to come back home and be ungrateful about very much. The words of Jesus "To whom much is given, much is required" is a joyful burden we should all feel.
Wow. You've completely touched my heart.
ReplyDeleteIn "A Million Miles in a Thousand Years" Donald Miller writes that we are obsessed with TV shows, video games, and create our own drama because we are seeking the "drama" intended for us in the life of Christ. Taking risks, jumping out in faith, getting involved in the "messy" parts of peoples lives -- these are things that we are supposed to be doing in furthering God's kingdom. Instead we settle for it on the big and little screen.
ReplyDeleteHe writes: “And once you live a good story, you get a taste for a kind of meaning in life, and you can't go back to being normal; you can't go back to meaningless scenes stitched together by the forgettable thread of wasted time.”
It sounds like that is true for your family. Still working on it myself.