Our month in Haiti was a tough month for my team. Personally, I left for the World Race ready to conquer the world. I was excited and willing to do pretty much anything that I thought the Lord would ask of me. Little did I know that the main thing He would ask of me was to let go of everything that could be accomplished through my own hands, and have faith that He would work in the small things like building relationships and playing with children.
We began the month with just my team staying in Port Au Prince, which changed after being in Haiti for a week. Quite a few members on another team staying in the mountains close by suffered from illness and dehydration, so they moved to our location for the rest of the month.
I love the other team, but this was a struggle for me. We were finally ready to be on our own and begin our ministry, but kept experiencing things that seemed like set-backs. I was 1 of 4 people out of 14 that didn’t get sick while we were in Haiti. We were also not able to leave the house on our own because of the dangers in Haiti. This factor, plus the fact that we always have to have a guy with us, was a struggle for my independent spirit.
With most of my team being sick and the inability to leave the house, I began to go stir crazy. I know see the month as a blessing, because all of the down time allowed me to form relationships with the Haitians in the house, and God used that time to allow me to work through some things in my own life.
It’s ironic that one of the main things God was teaching me in Haiti is that life is urgent. Worshiping with the Haitians and listening to their stories about the earthquake helped me to comprehend the fact that each day is a blessing. Listening to them shout “Merci Jesus” (thank you Jesus) made me think about how often I take for granted the simple fact that I woke up this morning. When I say thank you Jesus for this day, am I truly thankful that the Lord allowed me to wake up today? Do I truly believe that the only reason I’m still breathing is because God has chosen that and has plans for my life? Do I comprehend that God could allow me to die at any second? When I have that perspective, it’s a lot different to say thank you Jesus for this day and truly mean it.
One of our contacts, Kanu, made each of the girls on my team a skirt. We went to the market in downtown Port Au Prince to look for fabric (lots of crazy experiences…too much to write, but ask me about it), and walked past a young man that was lying dead in the middle of the road. I’m not sure if he was shot or if he got hit by a car, but people were walking around nonchalantly like it wasn’t a big deal that someone’s life had just ended. I don’t think it was coincidence that God had been teaching me to take advantage of opportunities, and then I experienced that on the day before leaving Haiti.
I often times find myself saying that I’ll do something tomorrow, without the promise that I’ll even be alive tomorrow. God taught me that it’s important to seize the day and live each day to the fullest. Along with the lessons that God taught me personally, we also taught English, visited an orphanage, and spent time in tent communities while we were in Haiti. God has given me a passion to help with meeting the physical needs of the Haitian communities. I’m not exactly sure what that will look like, but I’m sure it will be revealed in time!
