A strong breeze blows past my face and flows through my hair. My chapped lips and squinting eyes remind me how dry and full of dust the air is. The ground is desolate and the mountains surrounding me are barren and beautiful. In one direction I look I can see the deep blue of the Caribbean Sea. The villages down the street and in the nearby rocky hills are full of some of the most impoverished people in the world and you can’t take a glimpse of their streets without seeing trash littered in every direction
This is HAITI! For the month of February my World Race squad has been at Mission of Hope: Haiti, located about 30 minutes outside of the country’s capital city, Port-au-Prince. This Christian organization is one that houses orphans, provides thousands of meals to surrounding villages, and empowers Christian Haitians to better their communities in incredible ways. Their compound is huge and can house up to several big groups, or several small ones, at one time. They have basketball courts, a lodging guesthouse, a dining area, a school, a health clinic, and…running water – thank you Jesus.
I have loved being here! Our outings to do ministry and to go out in to the villages have been very well organized and facilitated. I have been able to practice my French that I learned in college, even if I don’t remember too much! I have personally been changed and moved every single time we meet kids and families. Wherever we go young kids greet us with open arms and hugs and curiosity. The weather, even with a really dry environment, is nice and there is often a consistent breeze that lifts your spirits. It can get pretty cool at night as well.
I have personally been doing great. I am battling through a bad cold and sore throat right now and so are many Racers on my squad. Thankfully I have been able to find joy in the small moments. I went in to Haiti thinking it was going to be a really rough and desperate situation, and although the small, shanty, dirty homes here are heartbreaking, we know God is at work all the more. It reminds us all that our worth and significance are not in what we own but rather in our rich relationship with Jesus — something that is so counter cultural to the majority of lives in the United States. It reminds me that when I pity them and start to feel bad about their situation, I am making a mistake. I simply cannot take everything at face value and I cannot be ruled by my emotions. When God sees people he sees their heart and not the things they have. He sees us as his children and he wants that deep, loving relationship with us. He is a good, good Father. OUR good Father. When He sees these Haitian people here He sees a group of people thirsty and longing for the water that satisfies completely.
I love Haiti you guys. It’s not what I thought it was going to be at all. I love that my expectations were wrong. I love that I was wrong. Before I came here I was riddled with fear and timidity and apprehension. Now that I am here serving God and learning to love these people, I am filled with hope, joy, and peace.
