My sophomore year of college was the first time I thought
about missions. A few months later, God lead me into the mission field. During
my 6 months in Panama, I gained an incredible amount of perspective on God’s
love for people. Coming to Haiti, I expected to see more of Panama. This
expectation was crushed before the plane even landed. As we approached Port au Prince,
a feeling of brokenness stirred within me.
The more I learned about this country the more brokenness stirred.
Within me is an entrepreneurial spirit and a love for business. It was crushing
to hear about a 70% unemployment rate in Haiti. It was even more crushing to
hear Haitian after Haitian dream of owning their own business someday, but little
to no hope of that dream being realized. So many Haitians have ambition and
passion. However, the overwhelming thought of no industry, no jobs, no
financing, and many having little to no income is paralyzing. It left
me in a place of frustration, my strengths of responsibility and achiever wanted
to JUST fix the problem immediately! Maybe someday I will have the privilege to
be a part of the solution.
Today was different. Today was a day of hope. I could see
how consistency with structure has brought change in miraculous ways. The team
went to grace village to see the work Healing Haiti is accomplishing here. What
we discovered was amazing. The team started with a tour of the clinic, school,
and orphanage. We ate dinner at Fleri which is a bakery and pizzeria started by
healing Haiti. The pizza was phenomenal! It was exciting to see Haitians
running the restaurant as well as dining. At dinner, we met the first graduate
of Grace school. He is now moving onto medical school, incredible! I am finding
there is indeed hope for the people of Haiti. This hope comes from God moving,
stirring one single human heart at a time. It comes from each of us obeying the
calling He has on our life and stepping out BOLDLY. Each of us on the first men’s team are discerning our
calling, God is certainly stirring. It is now our responsibility to take that
stirring, to take our calling, and pick up the pieces of brokenness to do
something extraordinary. Not solely for Haiti but for this world God has called
us to reach. Because it will be through the body of Christ in which this world
is transformed! It will not happen by government alone, education alone, money
alone, strategy alone. Transformation will happen through the Son who has the ability to change a human
heart alone.
-LT
Mark: Honor
Jeremy: Unexpected
Ben: Confirmation
Ryan: Hump-day
Jason: Connection
LT: Structure
Jeff: Energy
Josh: Alone
