Haiti is very different from the Dominican.
For one in the DR they yell “Americano” to get your attention and here in Haiti they just say “you, you, you!” In the DR there is loud music played everywhere even from speakers piled high on the back of trucks. In Haiti all you hear is the awesome horns to tell you to get out of the way orrrr the sound of our generator. Haiti IS way hotter. In the DR they love baseball and in Haiti all you see everyone playing is futbol. There is also however a very distinct difference in poverty. In the part of DR we were in there was a clean water business, here in Haiti everyone walks to a water well for their clean water… like in Africa.
Despite Haiti having pretty much nothing, I can feel hope here. In Haiti, my heart feels alive and at peace. I feel safe here. I feel God moving here. I see God moving here.
Our contacts, Rene and Lex, their two children and a Mission of Hope worker, Gloria are all truly servants of God. Mission of Hope was just recognized this week by the UN to be the top second group out of all of Haiti to be providing the largest number of homes to people displaced by the earthquake. Not only is Pastor Lex providing homes, but they run two churches, an orphanage and broke ground this week to build another orphanage here in Haiti… all the while making sure the missionaries like us who come in to help out are well feed and housed. I have no idea how they do it. I’m truly blessed and honored to be helping them out this month. Mission of Hope will forever be in my prayers. This family is serving God with more then just their lives all the while surviving the earthquake themselves.
Team Transformers thought we were going to be just the 7 of us all month, what a surprise we had for us. Not only did we get to spend awesome time with Kim and Janina, our squad leaders for a week, but there have been quite a few other groups come though that we have been able to work alongside with and this has been another blessing in itself. Our friends from Massachusetts, Bernard and his family, Paul and Andy, Alec and Karen, Mike and Jim, Marcus and Michelle, and the WordFM gang… you all have been wonderful to work with and I love how God has placed you guys in my life, even if only for a week :] Know your time spent with us not only lifted our spirits, but you guys felt like our parents, brothers, sisters and friends back home that we miss. Thank you for leaving behind all the goodies for us as well, it felt like Christmas!!
Now back to my last blog: I’m going to be honest. I am still struggling, but God has been faithful.
“For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes NOT on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” 2 Corinthians 4:17-18
God’s guiding my feet, allowing me to shine lightness into darkness. I am confident of this. I’m constantly reminding myself He works in different ways throughout the world and throughout people. God is in Haiti. He is moving in America. He is in Europe. He is in Africa.
He is in the hard Haitian workers rebuilding their country. I see Him in a little boy Taphael, who brightens my day just with his smile. And the fact that I can have a blast and feel like a kid with him, even when we can only speak 5 words to each other (blog on him coming soon!). I see Christ shine in a simple game of soccer between two orphanages. Getting to see boys who have no parents and no sense of a “normal” life get to just be kids for 2 hours. I hear Him while singing “Heart of Worship” in English at church while the Haitians are worshiping in Creole… now thats the Jesus I see. There is the hope. There is the Light. He provides. even in the random afternoon breezes to cool us off God is there. I can’t help but every morning on the ride into the city in the back of the pickup but catch myself smiling. I feel God. I fill His joy. I fill His love. This is all that matters for eternity… these are the moments I can take with me to heaven.
It doesn’t matter how I feel Him or how I see God. And to be honest, even though I know this, it is still something my heart is trying to fully believe and understand. Despite the amazing experiences I’ve had in Haiti so far, I am struggling with feeling worthy of His love, but I’m not giving up…
Your way is perfect Lord
You are my shield
You train my hands for battle
I chose YOU
and I’m ready for the war :]
