Monday, March 24

Thankful.

Thankful for the opportunity to be here in Haiti.

Thankful for God's call and the fact that He knew exactly what I needed right now, and brought me to a place where I could receive it and help someone else at the same time.

Thankful for new friends to work alongside.

Thankful for our bounty at home: hot running water that is safe to drink right out of the faucet, more clothes and food than I know what to do with, my comfy clean house and bed, all my loved ones, that the children I love most are healthy and happy and warm and clean and well fed all the time.

Thankful for the small luxuries here: ice in my drink, a shower even if it is cold, (surprisingly delightful after a hot day), flowers, yummy food, a comfortable place to sleep, the fact that all my luggage made it here so I am not required to spend a week without what I think I really need.

Thankful for the beautiful orphanage that was built here, despite its limitations those children get 2 meals a day, clean clothes, clean water, to go to school, and loving caregivers. So maybe they don't leave the orphanage and live their lives within those four walls; but they are not hungry, dirty, begging, and sick on the street. Praise God for a safe place for at least those 28.

Thankful for a wonderful church service.

Thankful that the church was so full, that our hosts had to kick people out of seats of honor for us. Thankful for beautiful expressive music during the service.

Thankful for the amazing man who sat in front of me. He was so filled with faith. I don't know what he was praying about but at one point during the service he got down on his knees on the concrete floor and leaned on the folding chair and opened his heart to God. I had to be careful that my tears didn't fall on his head. All I could do was join my prayers with his.

The Haitian people have so little but are so faithful. The church was packed. There were people standing outside in the courtyard to listen. Everyone was so dressed up, and who knows how these people do their laundry. I am sure they do not have the nice new modern washer and dryer I have and I go to church wrinkled and they do not. They praised God so loudly and fervently and sang with all their hearts. I've never seen anything like it. The preachers sang and there were these beautiful young people playing a keyboard, saxophone and bass guitar. Anytime someone would start singing something, seemingly without any planning or organization, the instrumentalists would join in and be in the correct key. The Spirit was in that place.

I knew when I came here that it would make me more thankful for what I have, but I didn't know how much. My heart overflows with how good God has been to me.

My prayer is, Dear God, I offer myself to you in service. Use my hands and my heart to do your work in this day and place and always. For I owe all that I am and all that I have to Your grace, made clear by the gift of Your son, Jesus. Amen.