My assignment

Our Pastor, Tom Moll, wants us to answer these questions. They are good questions with no easy answers.
(1) The thing I liked best about the trip was . . .that I was in uncomfortable situations, but never had that "fear" that I normally have. (Ergo the nickname Karenoid). I was alert and aware, don't get me wrong, but I always felt protected. Natalie Grant has a song "Held" which came on my Ipod as we were in flight to Haiti. That's how I felt all week, held. When our van broke down in Jacmel instead of fear, we watched as the village women rushed to get us chairs. They gave our driver soap and water to wash off after he fixed the tire. They took care of us. Again as our truck broke down in a remote village,Boisgallette, and half of us needed to be left in a village for 1 1/2 hours we began to be surrounded by villagers. We were sitting there as they watched the "blans" as we were known. Brent began to juggle. Jill could make her tongue fat. I could curl mine and cross my eyes in 2 different directions. The crowd loved it. Jill explained what snow was like and why we have a zoo, which, when you are starving sounds quite silly we all agreed. Repeatedly we were in "dangerous" situations,but God helped us connect and feel safe.




(2) The most touching thing to me was . . .the elderly. The stories they had, their stamina. Their fears of who was going to take care of them now that the hurricane had wiped away their family. It's a story I had never read. A situation I never considered. I was touched by the way the men of the village in Jacmel would carry in the elderly woman and let her be seen first. Or their sturdy walking sticks, they were so pleased with. They would wear their "Sunday best" to clinic and wait hours to be seen, without complaint. Their faces told stories before they spoke.



(3) I would go back because . . .so much work is needed. Mr. Prophete is tired. He's losing weight, his eyes are sad, his people are starving. There is still so much to be done. Many rice fields were permanently damaged (I read up to 70%?!)People will die, hurricanes will return. Because I love to hear how the Haitians worship, and want to hear it again. The smallest of children dressed in their Sunday best will close their eyes, cover them with their hands and recite from memory Ps. 46. It feels like it was written for Haiti. The child in this picture was one we met when we went on a walk. The mother stopped us and asked why her baby's legs were swelling. It's usually a sign of malnutrition. Most likely the child will die, unless things seriously turn around. What do you say? What do you do? There is also a picture of me sweeping up rice. I was going to throw it away when Betty Prophete said: No, we wash it and give it away! Every grain matters" I felt very wasteful, very American.



Psalms 46 NIV
God is our refuge and strength,
an ever-present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
though its waters roar and foam
and the mountains quake with their surging.
Selah
There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
the holy place where the Most High dwells.
God is within her, she will not fall;
God will help her at break of day.
Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall;
he lifts his voice, the earth melts.
The LORD Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.
Selah
Come and see the works of the LORD,
the desolations he has brought on the earth.
He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth;
he breaks the bow and shatters the spear,
he burns the shields with fire.
“Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth.”
The LORD Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.
Selah

(4) I will never forget . . .the guy in the village who was severely deformed. He had a lower half of a midget, a curved spine towards the ground and he walked on his hands and feet. His hands were thick and calloused like feet. He wore gloves when he could. He was using the wall to be upright and move up stairs. I noticed him cleaning the church and thought "Oh how sweet, the church must have given him a job to keep him fed". I was wrong. He didn't need my pity. He was a church elder and the town's mayor! (I didn't have the heart to take his picture). He was a warrior, not a victim. I didn't meet a single victim in Haiti, but meet so many weak victimized people in America. The guy pictured below is the father of Leanne's sponsored child. He is also the father of twins. He dressed his best for clinic and was so proud of his hut and family. He worked very hard to provide for them. Here he is leading us to his home, and a picture of his mud hut.




(5) The greatest lesson I learned was . . .that God loves Haiti very much. And many Haitians love and lean on God at a level I will never get to love. Total dependence. I've never clung to my mud hut at 1am, while my family is swept away in flood waters, calling out to God. I realized how much I need to praise God and how much he loves me,too.

If you are interested in sponsoring a child ($30/month) through Haiti Christian Mission, please contact me. I know how their money is spent. I love what good stewards they (Betty and Etienne Prophete) are with God's money.(Photo courtesy of James Gray , Photographer missionfoto.com)