Thankful

I've been thinking over how to share about my trip to Haiti. There are so many details about the day to day experience it seems difficult to summarize it all. I could go on and on about what we did, who we met, what the weather was like, what the surroundings were like, etc.
I will say, however, that I have have learned a few things that have seemed to take hold of my heart.

I absolutely love Haiti. It is a very difficult place to describe. The best description I can think of would be "tragically beautiful." There is so much poverty, sickness, and pain. Yet in the midst of it all there is so much beauty! The people, the flowers growing up amongst the rocks, the hope, the community, the spreading of the Gospel. I am so incredibly eager to go back! I knew Haiti would forever be part of my life, but I had no idea how quickly it would grab hold of my heart.

While in Haiti we visited the Wholehearted Orphanage. This orphanage is unlike most orphanages. It is set up family-style. They live in a home where a husband and wife are the dad and mom to the orphans there. They are family now. The love, joy and life that is felt in that home is amazing. When they have visitors each child greets each visitor with a hello in Creole and a kiss on the cheek. They sing songs for the visitors. And when its time to leave everyone stands in a circle holding hands and they pray. While we were there it was the job of one of the teenage boys to pray.

It was the prayer of this boy that struck a cord with me. His prayer was nothing but full of thankfulness. From a purely American perspective, how can this child have so much to be thankful for? I hear people talk about how blessed Americans are. And yes, I agree to some extent. But then again there are many negatives to that blessed life. Constant busyness, discontent, greed, selfishness, isolation... Those thing were not evident in the lives of my brothers and sisters in Christ in Haiti. They had hearts full of thanksgiving, a passion for Christ, and lives spent living in community with those around them.

I will admit that I had a difficult time coming back home. Hours of travel, a nagging cough and jumping right into the Thanksgiving holiday wasn't easy. I've been trying to process my experience in Haiti. It's still overwhelming at times. My mind will randomly slip back to different events that happened. I wish Tyler had been there with me to experience it too. I have so much to be thankful for. 

I truly do eagerly look forward to visiting Haiti again. Maybe it will be another mission trip. But maybe it will be to visit our children!