The rest of that day we toured an historical park where the first flag of Haiti had been sown. We walked around to see the mural painting explained Haiti's history. I watched as a group of boys played soccer with a small ball. (Dr. Merline said they use whatever they can find, often using an orange as a ball). Across the street was a catholic church, in which mass was taking place. We continued our scenic tour down the road to a beach where we got to go to the ocean side and feel the water, and walk on the pebble beach. There was not any sand, yet you would sink into the hard pit of small round stones. We were hoping to have time to stop at the orphanage on the way back home to give the children candy we had bought them. However we the missionaries were not aware of how far away the beach access was, and it was dark by the time we made it back to the compound. Time for a late dinner, and packing, cleaning, and devotionals.
Matt, the youth/young adult leader from Pritchard Memorial Baptist church led that night. He asked us to think about the week, what we will take away from this experience, what we have learned. He shared with us how he had seen God's revealed his sovereignty and grace to his this week. He shared the verse with us from 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 which says, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 10 That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong." That in our weaknesses He makes us strong, and though we may not feel adequate to serve the Lord sometimes, we may not speak Creole, but the Lord used us this week. Love is universal and can be showed though patience, kindness, gentleness, through a smile, holding a child for the mother to get weighed, wrapping your hands each day due to the blisters you acquired nailing the walls of a home for a families of 5-6 Haitians. We have not forgotten you the people of Haiti.
Another team member shared that she learned that at first she thought that the Haitians were very sheltered people, but yet seeing that us Americans are very sheltered. Most of the world lives in poverty, and is much more impoverished than even our homeless people, for they do not even have clean water to drink. They have not chosen this life, but are here just like us for a purpose. We are the ones that are shelter, we need to get out into the world and share with others about the God that saves, that died for us to have eternal life with Him. We get so caught up in our busy day to day lives, our jobs, our working out at the gym, our sports, our sometimes selfish ways to find happiness, to search for contentment, for more money, for love from others, for acceptance, yet we loose sight of the whole reason we are here on this earth, to serve others, to share the gospel, to worship, to love others as our selves, and live as Christ did. This puts in perspective our true needs of Jesus, and basic needs to live of water, food, medicine, shelter. Our life is really not any better than theirs, we do not need so much, in many ways these people are more strong more happy in their faith, their life than we are in our stressful day to day lives.
I shared with the group how God had been working on my heart beginning back in April 2010 at a missions conference I went and heard about this trip to Haiti. That weekend I felt called to go, and prayed that the Lord would make a way for me to go. Still struggling with some medical problems, I could not quite see how I could manage my health in Haiti, but knew that I was called to go. As a answer to prayer my health began to improve, and I signed up to go in December, however it was difficult because my grandfather was suffering from cancer and I was afraid that he may pass away when I was gone. Before he passed though I was able to drive to see him, and ask his blessings to go on the trip. He of course wanted me to go, and when he gave out some of his special belongs to our family, he gave me a Haitian dollar in which my mother had brought back for him when she went to Haiti at my age. He also wrote me a check for my trip, not knowing that it was the exact amount I lacked for the cost of the trip. My grandfather did pass away before the trip in December, but did remember him and his sacrifice as I was in Haiti, in supporting me for this trip, as others did. His Christian example lives on as he is in heaven looking down on me continuing the to serve in the way God has called me to my mission medically for the Haitian people. In December due to political unrest Bethany and my flight was canceled, however we would have been the only two on the trip. It was really blessing to have gone now in March, with the team from Pritchard Memorial Baptist, and getting to meet Rebecca, and Dr. Kevin, and Rachel from Florida. I also would not have been able to meet Williamson, our translator, or as many children at the clinics and they were out of school due to the holiday all week. All around the entire trip was such a blessing, even the plane ride home getting to talk to a oral surgeon nurse, retired now that has been 14 times to Haiti, and a man from Rwanda Africa, who works on HIV/AIDS treatments in Haiti, and hearing their stories. I cannot wait to go back, and continue to have a life time if serving, and continuing medical missions as I continue to learn more in Physician Assistant school in the fall, to begin a life of medical missions for the Lord.
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