Welcome to Ayiti.. Haiti.. The first time I came here 3 years ago, I fell in love with this place and the people. This time being here, though I’ve had a completely different experience, I was reminded about one of the reasons why I love Haiti. That’s because here in Haiti they do not hide their brokenness, all that they are is right in your face. Where as in America everything is hidden… We think we need to hide our brokenness. It may be a mess at times, but allowing others into that place of seeing their true selves is so brave. In their brokenness that’s where true beauty is found and by them being open to showing that brokenness, it encourages me to do the same. We are all broken in some way, but will we allow God or others into that place to make a change?
Since we have been to Haiti we have been at the campus of Mission of Hope. We have painted the orphanage, laid concrete for a retirement home, redesigned a staff members backyard, and helped with children sponsorships. These are the things that have taken up our time here. But I’d like to share with you guys some of the highlights and people that I love dearly….
On our adventure day we went up the mountain to go to a waterfall. The moment we got there I saw Davidson and his capturing smile. I got off the truck and went directly to him and the love in my heart for him was so strong. Boys line up at the waterfall to help people literally walk up the waterfall. Even though he was trying to make money it meant so much more to him than that. He wouldn’t let go of my hand and was sharing his love for Jesus with me. Davidson is 12 years old and was so protective and just wanted to take care of me. It was a mutual desire. We worshipped together and sang “I belong to Jesus now, I belong to Jesus today, I belong to Jesus forever.” I wish I could have done more for him other than pray and be with him in each moment. But my heart also knew that no one had ever done that with him before. In a day, Davidson taught me so much and I will never forget the moments we’ve shared. Before we left I told him I will never forget him and that we are forever friends. It was so hard to pull away from him knowing I might never see him again. But I know the Lord loves him so much more than I ever could. I left a piece of my heart at that waterfall that day and I know Davidson will continue to change people’s lives with his smile.
Miseline the sassy beauty… The night I met her I thought I was going to just go worship. But she was standing there, hanging out with all the other teens. I stopped to talk with her and at first she was very persistent on keeping her walls up. But through silliness and embarrassing myself, she realized that I see her and love her. She has so much ‘Sass’ but always has a pure heart to be with those around her. I’m so thankful I get to sit with her at church, in a movie and just to hangout. She has reminded me what it means to be a good friend.. To just sit and just be with someone in all of their Sass. She is so beautiful and is still discovering she has so much to offer the world. Even though we only have one more week here, I hope we can squeeze as much time in together as possible. Today we are going to do our toes and I’m going to teach her to dance. I’m thankful for irreplaceable friendships!
Miss Hayley… The cute one!
I got to help her in children sponsorships and see what she has been doing in Haiti since June. I’m so thankful I got to work with her and become friends with her. We equally learned from one another and opened up in the hard places we have been in. If it wasn’t for her we wouldn’t have ran the Beauty for Ashes retreat as smoothly as we did. She is so kind and her beauty is shown in her authentic love for people. Hayley’s heart reminds me of the Fathers devotion to stick it out with us even when we are being impossible to love. God is going to continue showing his glory through her endurance. I’m encouraged to know that we can continue to grow alongside one another even if we are in such different places.
One more exciting thing the Lord invited us all into was a Beauty for Ashes retreat for the teen girls at the orphanage. We shared testimonies about how we used to put our worth in our circumstances, physical beauty, and struggles but now because of Jesus, we know the truth about who we are and where our worth comes from. A lot of the young girls wanted to dive deeper and they asked really great questions and because of that hunger, I know that this is just the beginning of them knowing their true identity. I’m so grateful God chose us to be a part of sharing the truth about their beauty. Each one of us unveiled the beauty that God made within us. And thank God that the beauty that comes from him can not be taken.
So that’s it for story time today, we leave for Costa Rica next week. So please be in prayer about that transition and that my team would thrive in unity.
“Now there are also many other things that Jesus did. Were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written.” John 21: 25
