The other night I was sitting outside with the previous group, just shooting the breeze and trying to avoid the malaria ridden mosquito and I spoke, unfiltered, about the living conditions in the dirt. I talked about how hard this life must be on the elderly and how I just wish I knew exactly what to do. I was critical and as I turned around I realized that dear Edward, born and raised in Terrier Rouge Edward, was listening to every word. How obnoxious I must sound! How spoiled rotten I must seem to him! How do you relay a message intended out of love when it can so easily be misinterpreted?
And then as I look through some of my other posts I realize that sometimes I get so wrapped up in the here and now that I forget and lose track of what I'm saying. In this, I truly miss last weeks group. In my heart I wish we could have overlapped some so that we each could benefit from one another's works, dreams and hope for Haiti. We are so very different you see. and that is exactly how God intended it to be.
However, God has called us all just the same. Last week, those wonderful Rotarians and Warrentonians did just what God wanted them to do... " come and see.". Come and see how life is so that you can go back and tell the story. Life here in Terrier Rouge is good. Maybe not good like you think good, but I see it's beauty. Four years ago 90% of the children in Terrier Rouge had worms, 90%, that's unacceptable. Four years ago there was no clinic to meet the ongoing needs of a growing community. That too is not right. Just ten years ago there was no St Bart's .... Unbelievable that so much good news can happen in such a short time. How you ask? Because wonderful people came and saw. They took time out from their computers and sports games, they said goodbye to their children and kissed their wives so that they could come and see. And the beautiful thing is that after they came and saw... They went and told. They told about how worms can crawl out of the childrens ears here because they ate so heavily infested with them... And we sent money and medications and doctors and people. We saw how people were walking ten and twenty miles to get decent medical care and we told their story and answered that need. Coming and seeing is just as important as everything else...if not more so.
So forgive me if I have in some way offended you. Forgive me if I sound like a bleeding heart or a self righteous do gooder here in Haiti. Forgive me for talking of trash and menial things that were left behind because I am absolutely certain that we too will leave behind candy wrappers, five hour energy bottles, power bar wrappers and yes even the Prestige bottle caps. My hope is that just as the trash can be burnt and our dirty linens can be washed that what we leave here, that what is truly remembered is the positive hope that these people are not alone. That what we do here, whether we build a cathedral or hug a child, it is all the same in God's eyes because we are here in this place doing His will.
That's all I have to say for now. Warrentonians, the garden is amazing! Our architect Glenn did an amazing job. John, your stone mason skills are impeccable and holding up beautifully. Everyone else, your hands worked hard and it is a beautiful thing. Joan and I planted trees, lavender, rosemary, catnip and aloe plants today. Chris and Elmer installed the chlorinator but not after scaring about half a dozen Haitians to death by forgetting to close the valve... BOOM! Betsy has been doing dishes and the other ladies are scanning records. Mike and Jessi are busy working on setting up the painting for work to begin at daybreak. In the meantime we will pray for some rain...John would you mind headed back down here for our trip to Millet? I'm afraid this group might be a little soft on the pushing a truck out of the mud.
Much love to all... May we all remember it isn't about us and it isn't even about them... It's all about what God has planned and that is all I can ask for.
Love more
Give more
Serve more
I do believe that is what we are called to do.
God has a road for everyone, some are straight and some have curves!
ReplyDeleteLove you,
Paul, Izzy and Jacob