My life has been pretty average, as a child I dreamed of being a vet which in high school changed into a surgeon. I had my hopes and dreams just like any one. I have been waiting patiently for that day to come when I can walk across the stage after my senior year to get my diploma and finally prepare for college where I would continue to study, again patiently waiting that moment when I can walk across yet another stage and graduate from college with a degree in medicine. After that I’d begin my career, start a family, and live an average American life. But is that really me?
It all started about a year ago when I stepped off of a small airplane onto the grassy landing strip of Pignon, Haiti. After spending only a week in this beautiful country, I knew that my life was not meant to be average. God has a plan for my life and I knew that I had to figure out what that was!
Being in Haiti was an experience unlike any other! I’ve gone on several other trips with my youth group all around the United States, and don’t get me wrong, they’ve all been incredible and have helped me grow in my faith. But nothing compares to the impact Pignon had on my life.
Upon arriving at the tall metallic gates of our home for the next week, we were greeted by an unforgettable group of children. It was clear that these children had very little. Their clothes did not fit them right, none of them had shoes on their feet, and their small fragile bodies were coated in dust. But it is not their appearance that made them so unforgettable, instead it was their actions. These children do not get the opportunity to experience love like most of the children that I know back home. Their parents are focused on their survival and making sure that their children have what they need to survive. As we drove up and gathered outside of our gate, I got my first glance into the Haitian culture. I, for the first time in my life, got to see poverty like I had never imagined. However, trying to take in the surroundings was a difficult task with three little girls grabbing at your hands trying to get you to play games with them. So after very little convincing, I gave these girls my undivided attention. By playing with them and just showing them that someone cared, I thought I was serving them. But it is clear to me now, that they, in fact, gave me so much more than I could ever give them. They gave me the ability to understand what it means to find joy in everything I do. I can vividly picture playing with these girls directly outside those red metal gates in the entrance of our home. I tried my best to play whatever games they desired, however, I was not very good at them. Despite my constant struggles to play their games correctly, they had the biggest smiles on their faces. Whether they were laughing at my inability to play the games or simply out of pure joy of having someone who truly cares about them play with them, I will never know. But what I do know, is that this was only the beginning of how this one seven day trip to a forgotten country changed me in unimaginable ways.
It is not unknown that Haiti is extremely poor. Its people are starving and little can be done to stop that hunger immediately. We had one 18 year old boy, Woodson, who was one of our translators for the week and it would be understandable if he joined our group to beg for sympathy and financial assistance. But instead of receiving assistance, he gave it to not only us, but his community. Woodson joined us as we drove out to deliver rice and beans to the poorest of the poor. He wanted to help his country, even when he probably could have used that food himself. But here I was thrown headfirst into the heart of Haiti’s poverty problems. I saw firsthand how these people have to live. The first home left me completely speechless. Walking up, I did not know what to expect from any of these homeowners and their homes. But here I was, carrying a blue sack filled with beans, noodles, chicken bouillon, and a box of matches, up to the first house. I stepped down out of the tap tap and made my way to the door of our first recipient. After passing through the gate that I had thought would lead us to the door of this family, much to my dismay, I was terribly wrong. This house was deep into the very center of this block. To get to where this family lived, we had to weave our way between houses, over boiling water and cooking rice, and around children that were running in every direction. Upon finally reaching our destination, I was speechless. Their home was nothing besides four walls and a roof. There was no furniture inside, no floor besides the dirt on the ground, and no light inside. They were living in darkness. But it is through this darkness and lack of possessions that I discovered what makes Woodson so different. He does not rely on what he has or does not have to define how he lives his life. Instead his happiness is defined by who he puts his trust in. It was obvious that he has such a strong faith. His relationship with God and the trust that he has in him is inspiring. He taught me that God does not love you based on what you have, how many charities you donate to, how many children you sponsor, or how much money you make on a daily basis. He proved that God loves those who are faithful to him. Woodson has so very little, yet what he has he would gladly give to those who are in greater need. He is a true example of what it means to serve others and trust that God will take care of you no matter what you are going through. Through truly getting to know Woodson during and even after the trip, I was able to learn from him how I should be living my life everyday. I need to make my faith a priority. God is so good and he longs to be a part of my life, I just need to let him in and give him control. Woodson reminded me that God is in control. He knows my every longing and he has a plan for my life. He taught me to turn to God in times of need and in times of joy. The way that Woodson knows that God will take care of him is incredible. He trusts God with every aspect of his life.
While in Haiti, through all that Woodson and the little girls taught me, I learned that God has a plan for my life that is bigger than I ever dreamed. I learned that he is preparing me for a crazy lifestyle! He has shown me the needs of the world and has embedded them deep in my heart. But most importantly, God showed me that I have the ability to do something about it! After talking with some people at church and really praying about what God’s plan for my life is, it became clear that college is not for me! My “perfect plan” for my life suddenly didn’t seem so perfect anymore. Up until now, my life has been average, but I’m happy to say that I’m stepping away from the ordinary to follow God and do something extraordinary with my life! I’m finally beginning to understand what it means when people say that with God anything is possible because without him, the opportunity to go out into the world and experience his love while spreading his word could never be a reality. God is so good!
