Hello everyone! Welcome to my first blog post! I truly have been blessed with the opportunity to embark on this journey and I am so excited to meet so many new people and to see what God has in store for me!
Throughout my high school career I’ve met so many people who have been such an inspiration to me. The summer before my freshman year my pastor asked me to go to Haiti with my church’s youth group. I had never been outside of the country so this was a completely new experience for me. While I was in Haiti my eyes were truly opened for the first time in my life. I don’t know what was more shocking, the culture difference and how the Haitians live their daily lives, or the fact that I was really there, that I was in Haiti to spread the love of our God. Meeting new people everyday I continued to be inspired. Each new person I met had their own unique story, their own struggles, their own happiness, and their own lives.
There was one woman I met who really helped shape who I am today. This particular woman lived in a small house with her husband and four children. She told us about her life. About how she provided for her family, where she got her water, and most importantly her faith. She told us about how God was the center of her life and how she felt extremely blessed to have everything she has, and has an amazing family and community to support her. At the end of our visit with her we asked if we could pray for her and what we could pray for. Her sole request for prayer was that God continued to be in her life and that her faith remains in him. It was so inspiring that even though she lives in an impoverished country and she doesn’t have much, that all she desires and all she wants is to become closer to God.
It was very common for us to encounter people who have such strong faith. Many people that we met all had a common goal for their lives. I have never seen such happiness in my life. Everyone was content with their lives and they were completely dependent and faithful to our God.
Moments like these are what really motivate me to be the best version of myself. I learned in my times in Haiti what i truly love and what makes me happy at the end of the day. The World Race is going to be an emotional roller coaster, it’s going to challenge me everyday to become even closer to God and to become a better person daily. I am going to try my hardest to trust in all things that God has in store for me and to live with open eyes and an open heart.
Your word is a Lamp for my feet. A Light on my path. Psalm 119:105
