I’m so sorry it has been a while since my last post. This month has been a jam-packed schedule and I haven’t been very motivated to write a blog. I’m not sure why because I knew I wanted to write about one of my most favorite days on the race thus far. I guess I just didn’t know how to put it all into words.
Haiti was (simply put) pretty life changing for me! Going into Haiti, we were told how dark of a place it is. It is crazy because I have never felt The Lord’s presence more in my entire life. He is all over the beauty of this country… from the painted sunsets to the crystal clear Caribbean waters. He is all over the beauty of Mission of Hope Ministries. He is all over the beauty of the Haitian people we met. God is moving in Haiti and to even be a miniscule part of His plan is an honor I am beyond unworthy of receiving.
My team didn’t get to do very many village visits but the ones that we did make, had lasting impacts on each of us. Let me paint a picture of one visit in particular.
Our translator led us through a bit of brush away from the center of the village to this tiny house. Sitting on the stoop of his house was a precious man who stole a piece of my heart. Anasta had a tumor on his face that started growing 3 years ago. The tumor had become so big that it was painful for Anasta to talk and eat. He used to be a pastor and now his life consisted of sitting or lying around his home all day. My heart broke into a million little pieces meeting him and I understood the phrase “break your heart for what breaks Mine” more than ever. My team sat with Anasta and prayed with him for a while before we had to leave and head back to the mission. When we stood up to leave, I heard loud and clear “Go back, I am not done yet.” Well… being me, I didn’t listen to that first voice and headed out with my team without saying a word. I know I’ve said this in pretty much every blog, but man God is faithful. After lunch at the mission, we found out our team would be heading back to that village to play with the kids. I talked to my teammates and told them that I wanted to go back and visit Anasta because I knew God was calling me to do that. Each of them wanted to go back too. We sat with Anasta and we prayed healing for him, we talked about his life, we read the Bible to him, and we sang. Did God heal Anasta on the spot? Not physically but I believe He started healing him emotionally and spiritually. I walked away from Anasta with a feeling so strong that God was not done with him yet. He had a perfect plan for Anasta and He just needed to use us to remind this precious man that God loves him and to trust in His love for him.
Anasta on the day we met him!
A few days before we left Haiti, we found out that the mission had taken Anasta to the doctor to biopsy his tumor. While he was there the doctor removed the entire tumor and all they gave Anasta was some lidocaine. What??? God is so good! We were able to visit Anasta before we left and he was so joyful and just kept praising The Lord. I kept thinking of the verse “ Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons; freely you have received, freely give.” (Matthew 10:8) God has called me to something greater than the life I have been living and I’m ready to dive in!
Anasta a few days after having the tumor removed
Y’all… God is a God of healing, a God of love, a God of grace. I mean I could go on and on with this list. Trust in God because the plans He has for each of you are just that, His plans. Trust in His love, His goodness, and His mercy.
“For I know the plans I have for you, declare the Lord. Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with your whole heart.” –Jeremiah 29: 11-13
Some of my teammates are still in need of supporters. If you feel led, here is a list below:
http://alexakwiatkowski.theworldrace.org still needs $6015
http://sadiegoodwin.theworldrace.org still needs $3177
http://laurensigmon.theworldrace.org still needs $2661
http://pauldiffee.theworldrace.org still needs $2400
http://timhendrickson.theworldrace.org still needs $6735
