When I was in high school, my Italian teacher told us about a website where you could buy plane tickets for a certain date range, and not know where you were going until you got to the airport.
All those emotions you think you would feel if you did that?
That’s what I’m feeling right now:
Rumbly tummy. Anxiety. Little bit of head sweats. A barrage of questions in my head. Confusion. Loss.
A few days ago, our leadership team at AIM informed us that we would no longer be launching to Haiti on 7 August. This came after we had found out our ministry partners, and after months of preparation and prayer devoted to pouring into Haitians. In no way, however, do I doubt this decision.
If you’re not aware, Haiti is facing desparate and tragic uprisings due to a stark increase in gas prices, which has been escalating over the past two weeks. Read more about it here: https://www.npr.org/2018/07/18/630246423/what-caused-the-unrest-in-haiti.
So, essentially, this decision was made to protect our safety.
However, writing Haiti off of my country list does not mean that I can write off Haiti off my heart. In fact, I feel even more encouraged to support and pray for Haiti in this time. The reality that is suddenly facing me is that Haiti is struggling so much that people who want to help can’t even get there to deliver it. It is a tragically ironic downward spiral: ruin, pain, help arriving, help leaving for fear of safety, more unrest, more destruction, more need.
I urge you to join me in fervently praying for Haiti, and for the safety of Haitians and persons of other nationalities there.
Paired with the news of no Haiti was another small piece, the answer to the question you may be asking: so where are we going instead?
Well, we don’t know.
….
Until TODAY!!
I received word this morning that our first location will now be the Dominican Republic (for those of you who are sharp as a tack, yes, that’s where I’m supposed to be going in Month 2!).
This month will be full-squad month, which means that instead of spending it with my smaller team of five, I will be working alongside all of J-Squad: thirty other amazing Racers and two alumni Racers acting as our guidance!!!
We will be working in children’s ministry- think puppet shows, skits, and dances! (All the exclamation points may give it away but I am pretty stoked!!)
Since the Dominican Republic has been bumped up on our itinerary, Month 2 is now the mystery, but I will rest in the confidence that Month 2 will be good, as Month 1 will be, and Month 3, and Month 4, and etc……
With twenty days until I board this flight, let’s anticipate the Dominican Republic not with nerves and heartburn, but joy and excitment over what a month spent planting seeds of God’s love in the future leaders of the DR will look like!
