haiti is ALWAYS on my mind

it’s amazing how one week can completely change you. i had the privilege of having a skill that was in high demand when the haiti earthquake hit. i had the opportunity to participate in medical relief work and the result of that has been life changing. although i was able to be an extra set of hands, use my nursing knowledge (although completely different from the things that i would see) and offer a huge compassionate heart, the truth is, i didn’t save the world or really make an enormous difference. but i said yes, and i got to experience a new culture and a nation that i could continue to pray for when the week was over.  i have no doubt that there was purpose behind my response and i believe that that is the reason why haiti is literally on my mind everyday. the people are beautiful, and gracious. the way of life seems to be simpler, not because of poverty, but because the pace seems to be slower and more joyful. the country is breathtakingly beautiful, in fact, heartbreaking because i’m certain that some haitians have probably not even had the chance to climb the mountains or swim in the crystal clear ocean that surrounds them so near. AND the place i got to serve breathed the gospel and is selflessly working to create a better nation through simply loving haitians and showing Christ to them. Mission of Hope (MOH)housed the clinic i worked at for a week; we saw thousands of patients that week; many travelled miles and waited outside the gates for hours…desperate for help. so many, i believe, were suffering from post traumatic stress disorder, and desperately just needed someone to care. on the grounds, there was also a school, orphanage, and church. behind the scenes, they feed thousands of haitian with their nutrition program. fast forward three years and MOH employs over three hundred haitians, in fact their goal is to raise up leaders for the country and equip them to be successful. their model works and it doesn’t include americans landing in haiti to take over and save the day. during my week, i worked under the direction of a haitian doctor and alongside haitian nurses. the government actually trusts MOH and continues to give them land to expand. they are currently rewriting curriculum that the entire nation will teach in schools. MOH has built hundreds of houses for the displaced, will soon open trade schools to enable their people to learn a skill and get a job, they acquire their food from local farmers and will be opening a food packaging plant to enable others to buy locally and hopefully decrease the need to import food…a christ centered education is at the heart of who they are. God is transforming a nation in drastic ways not because of a handout but because of dramatic love and empowering people to use their gifts to bring glory to Him.
we recently found our third child to sponsor at the MOH school and am humbled by the opportunity to be a part of providing education and HOPE to those kiddos. i encourage you to consider sponsoring a child. i have been to the school, met the kids, and seen first hand how much these kids appreciate and value their education. go HERE for child sponsorship information.