Final Haiti thoughts.....for now

Below are some reflections from the team that I was able to lead when we went to Haiti-I hope you enjoy their stories, and I hope it motivates you to share your story!

It’s taken me awhile to begin to compose my thoughts. I have had up and down emotions before and during the mission trip, and my readjustment to “normal” living and lifestyle in America has introduced even more up and down feelings.

Preparing for the trip was an incredibly spiritual experience. The outpouring of love and support from family and friends was overwhelming! Their generosity was beyond anything we could have imagined. God worked through them to make our trip possible. I was drawn closer to the Lord than I have ever been. I learned to trust Him in every aspect of my life. I finally comprehend His awesome love and power, and that He has me in his Hands. I surrendered myself to Him in areas of my life where I had been trying to keep control. I don’t find myself worrying or letting Satan put doubts in my path; I know God has a great plan for me.

I was disappointed that our departure to Haiti was delayed three days due to the hurricane threat, but God turned that disappointment into joy, as we were given the opportunity to serve a wonderful Haitian congregation building a new beginning in Fort Lauderdale. When Mark asked the pastor there what needed to be done, he told Mark that they really needed flooring tile laid, and grouting completed. God had put Don and I on the mission team at that moment to do just that! I love seeing how God works and how His plan unfolds!

Words can never express the conditions in Haiti and the emotions I felt for the beautiful people on the island. Amidst all the poverty, tragedy, loss of life and basic living conditions, they still respond to a smile and greeting. The children, pastors, translators, and those working with us and on our behalf to provide accommodations and meals, were full of joy in the Lord! I wonder how I would react to such devastation. Would I find joy in the pain and suffering?

The short time we had together with the children and leaders at the orphanage allowed for the beginning of relationships. I look forward to returning to continue serving the Lord for them. They have touched my heart, and I am blessed. I WANT to see them again—I can’t WAIT to see them again.

I was somewhat prepared for coping with the modest living conditions and meals, but nothing could have prepared me for the wave of emotions and the spiritual experiences that came with living out this ministry. It has forever changed me. I had gone to help these people, and in the process God worked deeper in my heart. He filled me with deep love, compassion and caring—feelings that I didn’t possess in much abundance before the trip.

Yet another blessing from the mission is the deep relationships that were developed within our team. Sharing ten days of mission together and drawing so close to each other has also forever changed me. As we were departing Haiti (with mixed feelings of having accomplished so much, yet feeling that we had only touched the tip of the iceberg), I found myself pulled back into our busy, fast-paced life. I became annoyed with other passengers pushing past us in the crowded line, and my previous feelings of irritation toward people I didn’t know. I made split-second decisions about these people as rude and uncaring. It was pointed out to me by a team member that I didn’t “know their story.” I pondered on that for the remainder of the trip home—15 hours provided the opportunity to do that! I searched my heart and prayed for guidance and compassion. My team mate was right—I didn’t know their story.

That “exercise” in developing my character and growing my relationship with Christ has been life-changing for me. Everyone has a story. I realize now that I must consider their story and how it affects the way they are living their lives. God has taught me not to judge and assume other people’s motives because of the way I react. I find myself wanting to consider everyone’s story so that I can respond not with a judgmental heart but with a compassionate and caring heart.

The people of Haiti need help. It is not coming from their government. At a time when they have been reduced to eking out a living one day at a time, they have hope and still find joy. I have been blessed to be a small part of that hope and promise for improving their lives. My prayer is that God will continue to use me to serve Him wherever He leads me. I thank Him for changing me and growing me.

Candy Miller

When I accepted the calling to go on the Haiti mission trip over a year ago, I believed it was for a medical mission trip. I learned that God wanted to use other gifts and talents of mine. This was going to stretch me. I have to admit I became a little concerned about going when I heard about the cholera outbreak, (Ok, the medical side of my brain took over). There is so much in our earthly world that causes fear which can weaken our faith, but when if I placed my faith in God I had no longer had any fear.

During our trip we all said several times that no words would be able to completely describe the country of Haiti. I was encouraged by so many people while in Haiti, the many that we came into contact with. They had faith in God, and they did not question or blame God. They are proud people. Everywhere I looked I saw God at work, whether it was the scriptures on the tap-tap, or at the church service we attended in Vallue. These people are happy with what they have. When we went to the orphanage on the 1^st day of our arrival, we were greeted with a song, joy, laughter and a true happiness. I question why we have so much in the United States and yet we are not always happy. I believe that my heart at this time was truly broken.

Our Group that God placed together on this trip quickly became family to me, as I think of all that we shared I am moved to tears. We worked together to accomplish a plan that God had long before we considered this mission. I believe that we inspired each other to grow and be stretched in reverence for life and in appreciation of the people we met as well as all that was around us.

This last summer I started my year of missions, before this I believe that I was focused on my own world but not the world around me. I end this note with a challenge to all. We the church should all become missionaries it does not have to be in a far away country like Haiti, but we can start with the community that we live in. As Don said several times we are the hands and feet of God.

May these notes from the Haiti team inspire and challenge all to let God’s light shine, knowing that He is the light of the world.

Thanks for everyone’s prayers while we were on this mission.

Your sister in Christ,

Darla

Fall Haiti Trip

This trip started off by going in a different direction then we wanted. Hurricane Tomas came along and canceled our flight. It can be deflating when you are so excited for something and then out of nowhere, from events that are not in your control, your plans get changed. I was initially frustrated but I told myself, as I have from the beginning, I am not in control and God has a reason and a purpose for doing the things He does. The choice could have been made to cancel this trip, to postpone this trip and or change the trip to just Florida, but I believe God has called us to Haiti now, so the next possible flight was scheduled and off to Florida we flew. Through connections our team was able to help out a struggling Haitian church here in Florida. They had started to build a church building three years ago but through the poor economy and the massive amounts of red tape from the city, they are out of money and have to do everything themselves. They have been worried because they haven't had all the skill sets necessary to complete the church, specifically tile work for their floor. As God designed from the beginning, on my team is a couple who have done tile work plenty of times before and the rest of us who are completely willing to learn and do whatever else that is required. 48 hours later we left the building with trenches dug, yard cleaned, dirt prepared for grass, and just about all the tile work completed! Two days earlier we had no idea what to do in Florida. Two days earlier the Haitians had no idea how to get their work done on their church. Two day earlier God knew it all and he was already at work. Today God knows what the next two days will bring here in Florida, in Haiti, and in YOUR life. What choice are you going to make? Are you going to change your plans or are you going to continue with what God has called you to do, no matter how big the "storm" is and see how he can use you? Tomorrow we leave for Haiti.

Haiti

When you first hear the name of the country Haiti you usually think of "devastating earthquake." So flying into Haiti I expected to see crumbled buildings and destruction all around. And.......I did. Churches, the capital building, houses, stores, roads, orphanages, you name it, we found it crushed, crumbled or falling down. So to go along with this devastation I expected to see hopelessness in the locals and........we did. The adults in Haiti sat on the streets trying to sell their products, whether it was home-made or the local product they were trying to sell it all, but everyone had the look of "I don't know if I can make it through another day and I'm not sure if it is even worth trying!" These feelings along with the excruciating humidity really put a negative vibe into this country as soon as you step off of the plane. Of course, then, it is very easy to fall into the trap of negativity and despair and you can almost start to become part of the hopelessness and think there is nothing anyone can do.
But, that is just about the time when we walked into our first orphanage. Inside this crumbling old building that had no electricity and sewer water running from the kitchen to the outside were 20 beautiful children! They were smiling. They were laughing. They were running around playing. They were having a great time. They didn't know that the world outside wasn't going to help them. They didn't know that everything was stacked against them. They didn't know that they were "supposed to" have an iPod. It was humbling. They were the happiest people in this country and, as far as I could tell, some of the happiest people in this world.
I went down to Haiti to see how I could help save as many people as possible from death and decay, but I think the children's smiles and hugs and high-fives may have saved me from years of thinking that I don't have enough, or life isn't fair, or thoughts of "Why is this line moving so slow?!" Devastating earthquake? Yep. But, pure joy in kids, DEFINITELY
God is changing lives in Haiti, I know, I am one of them.

App

I just spent 3 hours looking at and downloading apps onto my phone. how much did I just change the world or make it a better place? what have you done in the last 3 hours that absolutely changes this world and fulfills your purpose for being created? were we created to waste 3 hours? did I actually waste 3 hours?

Are you ready?

The last time you walked into church what was your life like the hour before you sat down? Were kids screaming? Were you arguing with your spouse? Were you upset with a co-worker/boss? Were you scrambling to get emails sent off before church started? Were you frustrated that church was going to take up an hour and half of your busy schedule? Or were you praying that you would be ready for what God was going to speak into your life that day? What is your life like on most days? Are you ready for the amazing things that God has for you each day? Are you truly prepared, do you spend a quick second in the morning to focus, to breathe, and to open yourself up to the possibility that God may change your life THIS day or that God may use YOU to change someone else's life? So I ask again, are you ready?

Big

Are you thinking big enough? Do you find yourself saying, "that can't happen, I don't know enough, I'm not smart enough, I don't have enough money, I don't think I can handle that, I am not sure that will work" ? We have a million phrases/reasons/excuses as to why something won't work, but what would happen in our lives if we just said, "Lets try" Is God big enough in your life to do the impossible? Even when it looks like it won't work do you truly believe God is big enough to handle everything? Are YOU thinking BIG ENOUGH?

Pray

Before Jesus chose his twelve apostles he went away for the night and prayed. Before Jesus was crucified he went away and prayed. Jesus was in the habit of praying intensly before major events happened in his life. Maybe we should have that same habit each day so that anything that comes our way, major or minor, we will be able to handle exactly how God wants us to handle it. Just a thought..................

Selfish

I have two miniature dachshunds as pets, they are the craziest two dogs I have ever seen, but they are good dogs. They always get fed together, but for whatever reason, when I fed them this morning only one was there. So he started to eat his food as I continued on with my morning, but when I looked down he had finished his bowl and just casually moved over to his brother's bowl and started to eat that food as well! I rushed over and stopped him and said, "Hey, thats not your food!" I started to think, "Are we so selfish sometimes that we don't even think what we are taking or doing, and we automatically think we are owed everything?" I continued on with my morning and chuckled at my dogs, we can't be THAT selfish can we? 10 minutes later my wife asked me where all the eggs were because she was planning on having one for breakfast. I had eaten all of what was left and I never asked her if she wanted some or what she was planning on having for breakfast............hmmmmm

Too Busy

I was running late to work this morning and I didn't get a cup of coffee, so my wife and I quickly stopped at a gas station to grab a cup quickly and as I was getting back into my car an elderly man stopped me and asked me for directions. I gave him directions quickly, checking my watch, and went to get into the car, but he continued to clarify the directions and ask me if I was late. I was getting a little a frustrated because I wanted to be at work already when it hit me, this is what it is all about, relationships. Jesus was ALL about relationships. He was never too busy, he was never in a hurry to leave a conversation, and he was always there in the moment, not worried about what he was missing or what he was "late" for. I have been preoccupied many times in a conversation, and I have to wonder, if its all about relationships and having those conversations shouldn't we be MOST concerned with the conversation we are having right now and not the one we will have later that day or tomorrow? Can we change the world forever by just being concerned with our conversation or relationship right now?

Forgive

How different would our world be and how different would WE be if we truly learned to forgive? I'm not talking about accepting someone's apology for stepping on your toes, no, I am talking about true life changing forgiveness! In the bible, Joseph was sold into slavery by his own brothers and then thrown into prison for many years for a crime he didn't commit!! And at the end of it all, when he was in charge of all the food distribution in the land and his brothers came to him, his response is, "It was not you who sent me here, but God" This was his chance to pay back his brothers for all that they had done to him and instead he looks to God and the amazing work He has done through him! Who do you need to forgive today just like Joseph forgave his brothers?

Dangerous

So what happens when God asks you to do something that the world will look at strangely? Does it mean God is not speaking to you? Does it mean that you throw out all conventional wisdom and just do the ridiculus every day of your life? I believe following God to the fullest is dangerous! So dangerous, in fact, that you might actually start to enjoy your life without all the things that you initially had been working so hard to achieve or obtain and to the world it may not make sense or even seem right, but that's ok. How about it, are you ready to live dangerously?