Contrast

As all days go in Haiti, it was a day of contrast; it began receiving news of the death of that precious child that we had tried so hard to save yesterday. When I got that news, I realized, that I had found my tears. I also discovered the blessings and joys of serving some of God's poorest people, a people so poverty-stricken, but still so rich in love, and humble in spirit. As we all gathered for devotions this morning, Ken Gruber encouraged us to focus our attentions on the people as individuals and not just on the tasks that we needed to accomplish. But before I could mourn the death of that child, God moved me on to the day, and what it had to bring. Here's a synopsis:
As a physical therapist I was able to teach children to walk.
I was able to help my friend Kim Gould treat women and children with every imaginable ailment all day.
We shared the clinic with a UN/Pakistani military medical team.
We went into the village of Jubilee and into their mud and stick huts, where we prayed over them, and offered what help we could give.

But here's the contrast;
Those hard things aren't missions, it isn't about the dirt and the hardship, the suffering and poverty. It's about coming to the end of yourself and finding that god meets you there, and gives you both the desire and the strength to serve and to meet needs. To receive the blessing of making lifelong relationships with people whom you have served alongside with.
A word on Emery; the man whose family we stayed with while we were down here. I have to say that he is a man that is really after God's heart, he gives to others all day, from the moment he gets up at dawn, to read the Word on the roof of the mission house he runs in Gonaieves.
So I think, that really it's about the relationships I've formed while I'm here, there might be physical hardship, but the blessings and lessons learned, make it all worth it. And my prayer is that the Lord allows me to return. Because He's given me a heart for Haiti.