A Soldier's Welcome

Outside the airport boasted a huge improvement, a covered and paved walkway to the parking area. This was a thousand times better the bumpy concrete we walked across in July of 2010. As we drove the hour and a half ride to Gressier from the airport we were happy to see that in 9months there were significant improvements done in Haiti. We saw a lot of debris removed from the roads; we saw small wooden houses replace some tented areas. There was a new drainage system being installed and Haitian men in hard hats with reflective vest. I wanted to cheer them on from the truck and say "Yay!!! you guys are working!!! you have jobs!!!" but I just cheered from my seat. I was very happy and felt hopeful.

There are images in my mind of soldiers returning home from serving at war...some get the ticker tape parade while others the welcome of family and friends at the airport and others maybe a fellow passenger or passerby will say a kind word of welcome. I have seen these things on TV and always for someone else and certainly never for me...until now. Let me first say that the group that assembled to volunteer in Haiti was a pretty amazing one. I never got a chance to tell them that they are truly my heroes. I have incredible respect for them. Assembling and leading a group of volunteers, I have a unique opportunity to experience the human spirit at its finest. I get to see people pour themselves out completely. Way passed the point of "I'm done". I saw people adapt to circumstances that they had never before experienced and not complain. We all joked about things or made light of them but no one raised any complaints. People responded to a need in such a way that I had to ask myself..."Would I have been able to respond in the same way?". I was constantly challenged as we lead this group. These individuals were each in their own right movers and shakers.

As we arrived in the small town of Gressier we noticed a large white banner over the road that read:

"Welcome to Hopeworldwide Central Jersey Chapter....Gressier Welcome to you"

I read it, re-read it and then I realized....wait!...this sign is for us! I was completely floored in that moment. I thought we totally don't deserve this but at the same time...this is totally cooooool! As soon as we got out of the U-haul truck, out came the children, little children the size of my children were grabbing our grossly overweight bins and bags and carrying them into our Haiti Home. I felt like we were home. It was a validation that the work we did nine months ago was not in vain. Like after a first date you wonder ...was it just me or did we make a connection? Well it was obvious there was a connection! The community was happy to see us again. As we walked into the front door we saw hanging overhead a hand crafted welcome sign; this time made by the children. It was a paper mobile with each segment containing one of our names. It had every volunteers name on it and it was truly precious! I stood underneath it and just smiled.

I was amazed as I continued through the house. It began  in 2010 as a small 2 room structure. It was quite sad. Now it too boasted improvements. 2 full bathrooms. 3 shower stalls and 3 toilets. a kitchen and 3 more bedrooms. I couldn’t believe my eyes. We were told that all 22 of us would be staying in the house and now I saw how that was going to be possible. We used the rest of the afternoon to get settled in. We had lunch, blew up air mattresses, took a walk to the beach and went for a swim. We played a movie for the kids and community then we called it a night.

Listening for the Whisper

1Kings19:11-12
Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. 12After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper.

So are you overdosing on CNN,MSNBC,Facebook,Twitter,Yahoo like I am? Are you completely consumed with the developments of this earthquake and the search and rescue efforts of the Haitian people? I feel like a mother with a child in intensive care. I don't want to leave her side for fear I may miss something. But you know what? I find that I am most anxious and fearful as I sit and watch. Its tough because you want to be informed and stay connected. If you are anything like me, you then realize you are just sitting and doing nothing. Just watching. Nothing you can do to help because you can't. At leat not in these delicate days, hours and minutes. This is what I wrestle with now. The helplessness of this situation. I want to be in the rubble, pulling away rocks. I have a rock smasher, a pick ax and 2 shovels. I want to help someone save thier child! I want to give out water and food and encourage people to stay hopeful and not despair. Today I and many others are going without food and praying. Its called fasting. This is my petition to God. Of course, I will surely turn the radio and tv and internet accounts back on and watch but I find that the quiet moments are the most empowering. I can pray, meditate and listen for God's whisper to me, telling me that it will be better. It has to be. I dont think the world can ignore the cries of my people any longer.

2Corinthians 4:8We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; 9persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.