Everywhere we went in Haiti was in the back of a box truck.
I was always in the same spot.
I chose to stand in the back corner.
I chose to turn around and ride backwards, watching as we drove away.
I decided to commit myself to something God was teaching me.
I decided to make my time in the truck not a time to rest or chitchat.
I chose to be intentional with that time.
The funny thing is, no one that I rode with knew I had reason behind my position in the truck.
But I did.
Riding backwards at the end of the truck bed was the place where eye contact with the community was most accessible.
God has been teaching me the power behind eye contact.
Everywhere we went I sought after individual’s eye contact.
Especially the women.
Majority of the men would immediately go to throwing out kisses which was not my objective.
And with that, I felt that Haitian women were sought after only by men for that very reason.
I wanted to show them that a white American girl cared for them
I wanted them see into my soul.
Upon arriving I struggled majorly with this because the hostile looks Americans get is unreal.
For whatever reason, white people are not very welcomed by many Haitians.
I was overwhelmed with the hateful glances.
I was afraid.
I wanted to quiver at the things I felt from those awful stares.
But one day, not super clearly God spoke to me.
He told me to make genuine, sincere eye contact;
That through that I could share His love.
So I listened and obeyed.
It was not always easy.
And even on my very last ride in the box truck I received dozens of hateful stares.
But when I made eye contact and smiled and in turn received a smile my heart lit up!
I in turn smiled bigger and then they smiled bigger.
The communication we made was crazy.
I longed for people to see my heart;
To see that I’m not just a greedy, rich American,
To see that there’s more to me then the color of my skin.
I longed for them to realize we were alike in so many ways!
Although the mean stares never became easy to see,
The small handful of smiles I saw each ride always made it worth it.
I’m learning the power of nonverbal communication.
I’m learning that God communicates in ALL ways.
I’m learning to be open to all things God uses for His glory.
I’m learning that people can see into my heart through my eyes if I just allow them the chance.
I’m learning that Jesus can be spread through a second of communication, verbal or nonverbal.
I was always in the same spot.
I chose to stand in the back corner.
I chose to turn around and ride backwards, watching as we drove away.
I decided to commit myself to something God was teaching me.
I decided to make my time in the truck not a time to rest or chitchat.
I chose to be intentional with that time.
The funny thing is, no one that I rode with knew I had reason behind my position in the truck.
But I did.
Riding backwards at the end of the truck bed was the place where eye contact with the community was most accessible.
God has been teaching me the power behind eye contact.
Everywhere we went I sought after individual’s eye contact.
Especially the women.
Majority of the men would immediately go to throwing out kisses which was not my objective.
And with that, I felt that Haitian women were sought after only by men for that very reason.
I wanted to show them that a white American girl cared for them
I wanted them see into my soul.
Upon arriving I struggled majorly with this because the hostile looks Americans get is unreal.
For whatever reason, white people are not very welcomed by many Haitians.
I was overwhelmed with the hateful glances.
I was afraid.
I wanted to quiver at the things I felt from those awful stares.
But one day, not super clearly God spoke to me.
He told me to make genuine, sincere eye contact;
That through that I could share His love.
So I listened and obeyed.
It was not always easy.
And even on my very last ride in the box truck I received dozens of hateful stares.
But when I made eye contact and smiled and in turn received a smile my heart lit up!
I in turn smiled bigger and then they smiled bigger.
The communication we made was crazy.
I longed for people to see my heart;
To see that I’m not just a greedy, rich American,
To see that there’s more to me then the color of my skin.
I longed for them to realize we were alike in so many ways!
Although the mean stares never became easy to see,
The small handful of smiles I saw each ride always made it worth it.
I’m learning the power of nonverbal communication.
I’m learning that God communicates in ALL ways.
I’m learning to be open to all things God uses for His glory.
I’m learning that people can see into my heart through my eyes if I just allow them the chance.
I’m learning that Jesus can be spread through a second of communication, verbal or nonverbal.
Can I get an AMEN?! God is good..
