So I've been back from a week in Haiti for well over five months now, though some could argue that I never left that Caribbean island. For a few weeks after returning, my husband and our roommate would say my body might be back in MN, but my heart and head was in Haiti. To a certain extent it still is.
How do you leave a country that captures you? The simple answer is that you don't. Haiti will always be a part of my thoughts, actions taken, decisions made, etc.
It took longer to adjust to being back in the Cities than it did to adjust to being in Haiti. First, the roads are lots nicer here (despite the fact that a pothole bent the wheel on my car, it didn't swallow my car like many Haitian potholes are more than capable of doing...but you need a working infrastructure in order to keep up a roadway, and that is a topic for a different post).
One of the first things I did was take a nice hot shower...and then nearly start crying at the thought that the water I was using to get clean was better for drinking than water most Haitians currently have access to. The next day, however, the biggest shock of returning home was to hit--complaining.
The Bible says several different times and ways not to complain. How can we complain when the Creator of the Universe is for us, standing beside us each step of each day, caring about our individual cares in the midst of a giant world of concerns/cares/illness, etc. God has it all figured out. He clothes the lilies of the valley in splendor we can only dream of (assignment for the day: go outside and look at a flower. Really look at it. Appreciate how each petal is attached, the veins carrying nutrients to leaves and stems. Simply amazing.) Why should we complain?
We complain because life interrupts and slaps us with things we think we cannot handle. Complaint leads to worry. We worry because we are unhappy, because we think things might go wrong, because we lack trust in God. We worry because we are human creatures made for divine purposes dealing with the matters of a carnal world. We worry because life is hard. God sees it, and raises the world a "I've got it covered."
This little rant has a purpose, I promise. After getting back from Haiti, it struck me how much, as a society, we complain. "The microwave turned our food into a prop for a horror movie. That awful driver in front of me is going too slow. Bobby didn't ask me to the prom. My nail broke"....whine whine whine. Now, this isn't to diminish the fact that life is hard--that is an inescapable truth. Everyone has their struggles and difficult times. But I was hit between the eyes with the difference between the kind of worry experienced by those who have plenty and those who are grateful for each drop of clean water.
Everywhere you look in Haiti, people are grateful to God for the little they have. They do not have much, but they are extremely grateful for everything they do have. A tarp to shade them from the sun is a reason to praise God. That they made it through another day without being hit by traffic is a reason to praise God. That their chests still rise and fall with the intake of air indicating the presence of life is reason to praise the source of life. Complaints are present as well, but it is amazing how little one can complain when every waking moment is spent simply surviving. The strength of the people, the hope on their faces, and the appreciation of the basics is something we should all admire and emulate. I have never seen Jesus more than when being with the Haitian people.
After working at McDonald's for a summer, I decided it should be mandatory for all young people to work in food service for at least a month (why people harass those serving them food is beyond me). After working with a group home company for over a year, I decided all should have a basic understanding of medical terminology and what it is like to do direct care for another individual. After going to Haiti for a week, I've officially decided (alert the presses) that EVERYONE should go to a third-world country for at least a week. Heck, for at least a month! A week is barely enough to get your toes wet in the pool of another culture.
Please prayerfully consider going to Haiti. Go to other posts on this blog to see what it was like when I went in January (place seen, people met, children held, etc). Chances are if you talk to me, you'll hear about Haiti at some point within a few minutes--the country and people are captivating, and I am passionate about getting people into the country.
As we say in the office, if you think you may want to go to Haiti at some point...go to Haiti! If you have heard of the country and it sounds remotely interesting...go to Haiti! If you live in a cold place and it is winter and the snow has finally gotten to you...go to Haiti!! World Wide Village does an amazing job with teams. Check out our website: www.worldwidevillage.org and see how else you might be able to get involved, even if you don't want to go to Haiti....but seriously, who can resist the opportunity to go to a Caribbean island for a week, do some good, and experience God in a whole new way?
(By the way, Dahmon and I sponsor the adorable little boy in the bottom right of the above picture. His name is Bigue and I got to meet him while in Haiti. Simply one of the most adorable children I've ever met. Do you want to sponsor a child in one of our schools in Haiti? Let me know--it's only $28 per month! Sponsorship means the child has access to education, food while in school, has the uniform and shoes necessary to attend class, etc...and you could meet him or her if you *cough hint cough* GO TO HAITI! Seriously--I'm not gonna give up on this. Let me know when you want me to help get you to Haiti!!)
No comments:
Post a Comment