The Place That has my heart!

Well, it has been a week since I've been home from Haiti and I have finally had some time to begin to processing the trip and what God did in my heart. What an incredible trip this was for me. As the church announced the trips they were taking this summer, I began to pray about which trip God wanted me to go on. My hearts desire was to go to Peru or Africa. I kept praying, "Lord, please take me to Peru or Africa because I really don't want to go to Haiti." As I continued to pray I really felt the Lord calling me to go to Haiti. I really wrestled with this because there was nothing in me that wanted to go to Haiti. I was scared and nervous for what I would see, experience, and feel. Little did I know that God would forever change me. So, I will do my very best to help you capture what I experienced. The memories are forever etched on my heart and I want to write them here so that you can get a glimpse of the sovereignty of God.

"Look at the nations and watch--and be utterly amazed. For I am going to do something in your days, that you would not believe, even if you were told." Habakkuk 1:5

As I was getting ready to leave for Haiti this verse was embedded on my heart. I don't have the words to express the oppression and darkness I felt when we drove through the streets. I literally felt like I was going to throw up. I couldn't even look out the window anymore and at that moment I thought to myself "How in the world can I even begin to make a difference in a nation that worships satan?" As we drove to New Life Children's Home my heart continued to break for the devastation I saw all around me. The moment we pulled into New Life Children's Home my heart began to feel hope. If I could describe to you the difference from outside the walls to inside that place I would, but I am at a loss for words. I saw green grass, bright colors, and a ton of smiles on the kids faces as our bus pulled in. It was a little piece of Heaven right in the middle of Haiti. Then, I saw a face that changed my life forever. Her name is Islande. She was really shy at first, but after a little while she began to warm up to me and God formed a special bond between and we were inseparable all week. I could sit here and go on and on about her! She was precious to me and there was something about her that just captured my heart! She is around 3 years of age and they are unsure if her parents are still alive. She didn't speak my english so the only way I could speak to her was with LOVE. I learned and saw firsthand the power of love. It is amazing what a smile can do for the heart. I saw her personality change as the days went on. She greeted me with a smile every day! "Everyone smiles in the same language. And for that, I am so thankful." Hope In the Dark

Throughout the week we all had various tasks to serve at New Life. The men had the task of putting on a new roof for the church. The women helped tutor kids, paint benches, organize closets, add artwork around the compound, and play with all the kid. It was so amazing to just do all kinds of things to help out around there and bring a new fresh look to the place. One tuesday, wednesday, and thursday we all had to opportunity to go and lead VBS in a tent city close by! What an eye opening experience this was. The first day was a little tough but we began to cover the place and our time in prayer and the Lord blessed that. It was crazy to see how different the kids are outside of the orphanage. The kids outside the walls live in "survival of the fittest" mode. They wanted everything we had! Some of them looked like they hadn't bathed in days and some had no shoes nor had they eaten recently. It was a blessing to us to get to go in and share the love of Christ with them and spend some time talking about what an incredible God we have! You could feel the darkness there but I know that we either planted a seed in those kids or we either watered one that was already planted.

One thing that I have to share about is one of the people we met while we were there. We met a lot of really cool, talented, and loving people. Some lived there, some were on staff with Mission Discovery, and some just joined us for a week to serve others! But this lady I must tell you about is Miriam Frederick! She is truly a HERO in Haiti. Her heart is huge and she longs to serve the Lord and make a difference. I think I can speak for everyone when I say she made an impact on each of us. I love her compassion to serve others and her desire to walk in the Spirit. One day she took myself, Meghan, Jodie, Denise, Nick and Ali(Mission Discovery peeps) to a new home she just got. She is moving kids from the tent city orphanage to a home. We went and painted the house to help get it ready for the kids to move in. Miriam really wanted to take us to the other orphanage, but it didn't work out that day. A few days later we found out that some of us were gonna go to the tent city orphanage. I was so excited to go and see these kids and tell them all about the house. When we pulled up to the orphanage tears started to stream down my face as I saw the conditions in which these kids were living in. My heart broke but there was a sense of hope knowing that these kids would soon be in a nice home with a bed to sleep in. They were currently sleeping on dirt in a tent with very little food. We also found out that they had not had water in 5-6 days. The kids were very malnourished and their bellies were full of worms. We loved on the kids, sang with them and then it was time to leave. It was very hard to leave them knowing the conditions they were in, then Miriam told us we were taking a few kids back with us to give them baths. Then we were gonna take them back and bring water back for the rest of them. We got back to New Life and bathed the 5 kids we brought back and put clean clothes on them. Who knows when the last time, if ever that they had a bath and clean clothes. It really showed me how I take the smallest things for granted. We then gave them something to eat and drink. I just say back and watched them in that moment. Each kid would take a sip and a bite to eat and then pass it to another kid. It was so incredible to see how selfless and loving they were towards each other. I just sat there and thought, "if I were in their shoes, what would I do?" My answer, probably not what they did. I know I would probably take everything for myself and not share. I was so challenged by their actions in this moment. TRUE LOVE IN ACTION. It is forever etched on my heart.

Another part of the trip that displayed Christ's love in the most rarest form was the way that the volunteers and other kids in the orphanage love on the special needs kids. There are about 130 kids at the orphanage and probably 20 of them with special needs. Every day we got to spend time and love on each of them. What a true image of love we got to see every day. These kids have so much love to offer and just want to be loved in return. It was so incredible to watch our team interact and fall in love with each of them. They were such a joy to be around and such a blessing to meet them!

I could seriously go on and on about my time in Haiti. My heart is still there but I will be going back this fall for some time. I feel like God has called me there and I want to be obedient and follow through with His calling. I would like to take a moment and focus on what I learned and what I brought home with me:
-While I was in Haiti I really felt the presence of God every single minute of every single day. I really had to trust Him and draw near to Him. While I was there I really felt like the Lord was saying, "I am the same God to you in Haiti that I am in Georgia." This was something that was not new to me but for the first time I believed it. I tend to be closest to God while serving Him on the mission field and tend to think I don't need Him as much when I am in the states, but God really showed me His power and helped me understand He is the same to me in both places! I have opened my heart and eyes to see opportunities in which I can serve here at home and how I can draw near to Him here. Reality is I NEED Him no matter where I am. His love never fails.
-I saw the power of prayer come to life in Haiti. I prayed and really felt it. I prayed for others, I prayed for the communities in which we did VBS, I prayed for answers, I prayed for God to reveal Himself to myself and others on my team. I prayed for healing and I claimed victory in Jesus! I saw how evident God is when we fully surrender and trust Him for everything! It was incredible. My prayer life has become more intimate and more frequent than before! It is incredible what God can show you when you just "Be still."
-I was reminded that His plan for my life is best and He will reveal that to me in His perfect timing. I also learned how to not let the voice of another human being influence a decision that the Lord has asked me to make. I will follow through with what He has asked of me.

I hope that you have enjoyed reading about what God did in me and what I got to experience while I was in the Haitian Nation. I am so grateful to those of you who have supported me and encouraged me along the way. I would appreciate your prayers as I am continuing to seek God and what His next step for me will be. As of right now it looks like I will heading back to Haiti at the end of August and stay through September! Keep following and checking in here as I will be updating this more frequently! I am going to post some of my favorite pics from the trip!

I leave you with this:
"God is in the slums, in the cardboard boxes where the poor play house. God is in the silence of a mother who has infected her child with a virus that will end both their lives. God is in the cries heard inder the rubble of war. God is in the debris of wasted opportunity and lives, and God is with us if we are with them."
-Bono

.:peace. love. and hancakes:.