Haiti has been an incredible month so far!!! It is all squad month so instead of being spread out all over the country in our separate teams, we have the privilege of spending it together as a squad in one ministry location. It is sweet sweet time. Getting to know so many different people who have different backgrounds, histories, skills, talents, and lessons they've learned creates an atmosphere that never grows dull. Not everyday is perfect, but each one holds new adventures and opportunities to learn, grow, and simply have fun. In short, we've been able to fit eight people inside of a 3 seater truck, hand wash our laundry, eat tons of cake with dinner, make forts and watch "She's The Man," play soccer with kids until your bare feet rub raw because you love every minute of it, how to climb coconut trees, learn creole, worship in creole, sit on high beams to screw in supports for 8 hours, and welcome anyone and everyone to be a part of it all along the way.
My squad has been staying at Mission for Hope-Haiti in Titanyen just outside Port Au Prince. What I love about this ministry is that they have the vision of reaching every man, woman, and child in Haiti. It's huge. There are villages all over that we travel to in order to share the gospel, pray with the people, and play with the children. We've also been going to the other campus of mission for hope to help aid the construction of a pastoral conference center. It's huge and I love working on it!
As much as I love manual labor, God has given me a heart for the people of Haiti though. I've been blessed to get to know so many of the locals who have had their lives changed because of the earthquake that happened 4 years ago. The Lord is still bringing people to know Him through that disaster and it is beautiful. Seeing the fruit of previous missionaries and getting to witness people come to know Jesus is the sweetest thing that there is here.
This week my team was sent out to the village of Messaye. We had a translator and just went from home to home and getting to know different families. Our translator, Kidish, said that the village used to be mostly occupied by people who practiced voodoo but over the past few years almost all of the village has heard the gospel and accepted Jesus. He continued to share with us the ways the village has been transformed spiritually and physically. He shared a little history of the village and back in the 80's, President Reagan had irrigation systems built in several of the villages and it has changed the way Haitians are able to live. They have wells, rivers for places to bathe and wash their clothes instead of transporting water manually from natural sources. It was truly an inspiring experience for me.
If there is anything I've learned since being here it is that God is at work here and everywhere. One of the things that God has been teaching me lately is how important it is to rest. Sounds so typical and basic, but my definition of rest is being redefined. I don't like resting in general and often fall into the trap of getting used to doing things by myself or on my own strength. I'm sure I'm not the only one out there (; I was sick the first week here in Haiti, just for a few days, but take a wild guess at what it was from? Thankfully, it was just fatigue. As I was lying bed recovering, I recalled the wise words of a dear friend of mine, Kelly, who said "When you have opportunities on the Race to rest-take them."
I took those words to heart when she told me and just when I thought I was applying them, it took being sick for me to realize that I wasn't. I had a set routine that I could quickly lock myself into and I loved it, but I wasn't resting. Every day I would wake up at 5:30am to start my quiet time and workout, then every night I would go to bed no later than 10:30. Throughout the day, I would always find things to do or people to talk to or whatever it took that would allow me to not be defined as lazy. I hate that term.
Resting isn't laziness though.
Time with The Lord, although, it takes me being still, it isn't lazy and that is something that has been skewed in my perspective.
To truly rest in The Lord doesn't mean just taking time off or sleeping either. It takes intentionality. Finding/affirming your confidence and strength in the identity that you have in Christ Jesus is the most important way to start your day. The rhetoric and "right things to say" doesn't work here and people will see right through it. It has to be genuine and out of an overflow of your love/joy in The Lord.
I recognize and embrace the fact that I will experience many changes and growths in my life along the way, but that isn't what I want to consume my focus.
I didn't sign up for the world race to be changed, I signed up to be spent.
I know who I am in The Lord and desire to grow deeply in that but more than anything I want to be spent in that process. Striving to love everyone around me despite what I feel or what the selfish part of me wants.
Finally, midst the crazy world race life I always have time to remember the love for my friends and family back home. I miss my grandma's sun tea, my sister's sense of humor, staying up until 3 am talking or watching rom coms with my roommates, trips to the beach with my best friends, going to the movies with my dad, playing volleyball and even stressing out over school. I miss it all dearly and keep it close to my heart, but at the same time I recall the words of Paul…"Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." (?Philippians? ?3?:?12-14? NIV)
It is definitely not easy to make a conscious effort to do this on a daily basis, but it is so worth it. No one is more worth your time than Jesus.
"He is no fool who loses that which he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose." -Jim Elliot
I remind myself of this quote, that impacted my life years ago, every single day.
Wherever you are I hope that your eyes are open to the great things that God is doing in your life. Keep on keepin' on my sweet friends! Show someone some love today who needs it!
Much love,
Kelsey
