Those were the words of Pastor Lex, our host and ministry contact here in Haiti, concerning the immense need for aid in his native country; the need is so big that no matter what you do, it never seems enough. Out of all people, Pastor Lex would know about the needs of his people, he is involved with so many different ministries here it is crazy. The Grand-Goave Mission of Hope alone houses a church, a school, an orphanage and is connected with Samaritan’s Purse in building houses in the area. He is also involved in ministries in Petit-Goave and surrounding areas and he has affected so many people.
The children in the orphange are one example of the lives he has changed. Pastor Lex was made aware of an orphange in Laogon sometime last year, (which was to be the epic-center of the earthquake this year) where things seemed to be, let’s just say, “mishandled.” Upon further investigation it was revealed that some 100 or so children were under the care of someone who was using the funds for food for the children in other areas; they were malnurished and not taken care of. Yet when Pastor Lex stepped up and offered to take the children, the warden refused, and if parents returned to take back children that they had entrusted to the orphanage in their absence, they were told they had to pay a $500 fee. Even when taken to court and told to release the children, the warden made the kids jump off of the 15 ft. wall surrounding the compound to get out. After a series of court battles, Pastor Lex now has 30 of those children under his care at Mission of Hope. It puts each child that we hold in a new light, knowing chubby little Fa-fa was one of those lost little ones, and Ketia was once only seen for the support money that could be gained from her.
Its so easy to become depressed here though. I can’t help but think about the other 70 children at that orphanage, or every hut and shelter we pass to build one house. That ball of fire just seems to fall out of my hands… What can I do? Every pounding of a nail is just another prodding of a stick, moving it nowhere. Is it worth it to strive and change nothing?
And every time I hold Adiana or tease Joel, I know that it is so worth it. The chance to change one life, to provide a roof over one family or smile at one little girl, is worth every drop of sweat and every bottle of sunscreen. I am just one girl and I’m sorry Kim Possible, but you can’t save the world; however I know God can do big things with little people, and that’s what I’m here for. If all I do is show one little girl that she is beautiful and loved, I’ve done enough.
You can be that change in one life as well. At the Mission of Hope school there are chances to sponser every single child that attends; as of now, about 50 out of 700 children have sponsers. Pastor Lex is doing what he does today because he was sponsered to attend school by a woman in Michigan. He has no idea who she was but she changed his life, and you can provide that change for one of the children here as well. If God is moving your heart to become involved in that way, check out www.missionofhopehaiti.net.
God is moving, don’t you want to be a part of it?
