Getting Ready to Say Good-bye

As I sit down to write our final blog, I seem to be at a loss for words. Not because there are not stories to tell or songs to share, but because there are no words to adequately capture the hearts and lives of the people we have grown to love in Haiti. But I will do my best to share a glimpse of my heart as our team prepares to say goodbye and head back home.

Two weeks ago, our first team arrived in Haiti; filled with excitement and energy to love and serve the Haitian people. From our pre-trip training, we knew not to have any set expectations. Although we knew this, I think most of us had expectations in the back of our minds we hoped would be met. After only a day, however, any of our expectations were put to rest. When our plane landed in Port-u-Prince, we all piled into cars and began the 3-hour journey to Gonaives. Along the ride, we saw poverty beyond anything we could have imagined and immediately the questions of “Why does God allow this?” began. Yet this was only the beginning of our questions.

Once we arrived in Gonaives and began working in the neighborhood of Jubilee, no longer was the poverty just something we saw from the car window, but it was life for our new friends. And as we poured into the lives of those around us, we started to hear story after story of the suffering and pain which have been so deeply woven into their lives. We met a widow who is raising 5 kids on her own. We met orphaned children with only the clothes on their back and no place to rest their head. We met men aching for mentorship and women desiring to be treasured. Yet most importantly, we met God in each and every person, and each and every story. Although they are living amongst suffering and heartache, the people of Haiti persevere each day; overflowing with laughter and joy that can only be best described as contagious.

It was this laughter and joy that carried our team through the first week and met the second team when they arrived. Once again, the community of Jubilee welcomed us with open hearts. This week we shared in the joy of finishing the widow’s house by helping her family move and get settled. We sang at the top of our lungs in Creole as we led Vacation Bible School for the children of Jubilee. Many of us were stretched as we helped run a medical clinic acting as pharmacists and nurses’ assistants alongside the Pakistan Military. We loved seeing the English students grasp our teaching of the English language from days of the week to basic greetings. And we were blessed to share dinner with a local pastor and hear how God is working in Haiti.

But nothing will compare to the precious time we were able to spend building relationships with the people of Jubilee; people who will leave eternal imprints on our hearts. We will always remember how God provided ways to overcome our language barriers to build intentional relationships. We will never forget the smiles and outstretched arms of the children as they ran to us each morning or the desire in their eyes to just be held. These are the memories we can’t check off a list or say we built with our hands. But these are the memories we will carry with us for the rest of our lives.

So as we get ready to leave, we thank everyone for the prayers and support over these last two weeks. At some point during the trip, each of us have come to the end of ourselves and relied on God’s strength alone to get us through the day. For only when we come to the end of us, do we truly see God’s heart and his love for the people of Haiti.

Blessings,
Sarah